Aa
What about Herbals?
In 1993, I was rejected by the Blood Bank for donations due to Hep C antibodies. I discussed this with my doctor who said that meant I had been exposed to Hep C but my body was taking care of it (dunce). I told every doctor I ever saw about this but only one doctor did a liver panel workup that showed my liver functions as normal - so I was put on Lipitor for high cholesterol. Finally, this year I got the proper blood work done by my GI doctor and it showed that I do have Hep C. My VL is 6,000,000. I am genotype 2. I will get the rest of the info on my first office visit on Wed. (9/3) to discuss treatment.
I may have had this for at least 25 years but at least 15. Everything I've read, including posts here, tell the nightmare of the side effects of interferon treatments (which, I've also read, don't work for genotypes 1x)
I am leaning towards the herbal approach of milk thistle, licorace, dandylion root, Liv.52, and NAC (to name some) I can't take time off work since I am the breadwinner in the family.
The posts here about the medical approach don't look real promising (side effects, time off work, 24/48/56 weeks of treatment, relapse, etc.) Has anyone tried the herbal approach? I'm told that there are NO side effects. Reading the posts here scare me even more about the medical approach.
I am trying to gather as much info as possible prior to my Wednesday appointment. Any input would be greatly appreciated.
I may have had this for at least 25 years but at least 15. Everything I've read, including posts here, tell the nightmare of the side effects of interferon treatments (which, I've also read, don't work for genotypes 1x)
I am leaning towards the herbal approach of milk thistle, licorace, dandylion root, Liv.52, and NAC (to name some) I can't take time off work since I am the breadwinner in the family.
The posts here about the medical approach don't look real promising (side effects, time off work, 24/48/56 weeks of treatment, relapse, etc.) Has anyone tried the herbal approach? I'm told that there are NO side effects. Reading the posts here scare me even more about the medical approach.
I am trying to gather as much info as possible prior to my Wednesday appointment. Any input would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you so much for the concern.
I am covering all my bases. I am seeing a certified herbalist, I am requesting a biopsy, I am having bi-monthly blood work done to check my liver functions. My GI knows my GP. My GP, GI and herbalist all that I am currently in psych therapy. My therapist is aware of my condition. I'm not a maveric who thinks I can figure this out all by myself. I know I need professional help to manage this. But since the GI said to wait a year, why not try an alternive approach? Who knows, it may work. It may not. I'm willing to spend the $$$ to find out. If I can avoid interferon treatment, it's worth it!
I am covering all my bases. I am seeing a certified herbalist, I am requesting a biopsy, I am having bi-monthly blood work done to check my liver functions. My GI knows my GP. My GP, GI and herbalist all that I am currently in psych therapy. My therapist is aware of my condition. I'm not a maveric who thinks I can figure this out all by myself. I know I need professional help to manage this. But since the GI said to wait a year, why not try an alternive approach? Who knows, it may work. It may not. I'm willing to spend the $$$ to find out. If I can avoid interferon treatment, it's worth it!
It's your time & money but don't tell all of the older members in here that you haven't been fully and adequately warned.
Taking a SUPPLEMENT for your liver health is one thing but thinking it might actually help the hep / fibrosis / cirrhosis is another.
Take a multivitamin without iron and call it a day.
And if you feel compelled to have to try herbals - make SURE you are having extremely regular CBCs because we have seen peoples enzymes levels TRIPLE into the 600s+ before - and that is an amazing amount of extra liver cell death to be done to someone by something that is "safe and helpful" when your liver enzymes should be like one digit.
Good luck with all this. Be careful.
Taking a SUPPLEMENT for your liver health is one thing but thinking it might actually help the hep / fibrosis / cirrhosis is another.
Take a multivitamin without iron and call it a day.
And if you feel compelled to have to try herbals - make SURE you are having extremely regular CBCs because we have seen peoples enzymes levels TRIPLE into the 600s+ before - and that is an amazing amount of extra liver cell death to be done to someone by something that is "safe and helpful" when your liver enzymes should be like one digit.
Good luck with all this. Be careful.
Just an added note: I'm not proclaiming that herbs will cure HCV - but the information that I've read shows that they can slow, control, even reverse some of the bad stuff this disease causes. I do believe the liver is the only organ in the body that can actually regenerate and repair itself with proper attention.
Here are some of the links that I have found. Some are trials, some are studies, some are reports, some are on-going research.
4 studies of antioxidants and Hep C
http://www.hepatitis-central.com/mt/archives/2007/02/why_antioxidant.html
55 trials of Liv.52
http://www.liv52.com/hepatitis-liv-52.html
Grapefruit compound study research paper
http://www.physorg.com/news121351832.html
Milk Thistle along with Interferon treatment
http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/117870830/abstract
Scroll down to “Nutritional and phytopharmaceutical therapy for hepatitis”
http://www.drhoffman.com/page.cfm/622
This one addresses the use of Colloidal Silver and HIV
Last paragraph notes CS can attack other virus micro-organisms (but doesn’t address HCV specifically - so I really don't know if it's pertinent)
http://www.physorg.com/news.php?newsid=7264
isoliquiritigenin and glycycoumarin from the herb Glycyrrhizae radix
http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/120840118/abstract
Sho-Saiko-To Japanese Herbal
http://www.shosaikoto.com/clinicaltrials.html
I've seen more, but don't remember where I saw them at. I will continue to search the web for this information and post it as I find it.
I think I may ask the doctor for a biopsy - even though I don't want to go through that. From what I'm reading here and other places, a biopsy is the only way to really determine the current extent of liver damage. (cringe)
However, due to my current depression issues, my GI won't start treatment on me now, anyway.
I do have an appointment with a certified herbalist. She and I will come up with a safe herbal regiment. She will tell me which herbals and what quantities to take.
One day at a time...
4 studies of antioxidants and Hep C
http://www.hepatitis-central.com/mt/archives/2007/02/why_antioxidant.html
55 trials of Liv.52
http://www.liv52.com/hepatitis-liv-52.html
Grapefruit compound study research paper
http://www.physorg.com/news121351832.html
Milk Thistle along with Interferon treatment
http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/117870830/abstract
Scroll down to “Nutritional and phytopharmaceutical therapy for hepatitis”
http://www.drhoffman.com/page.cfm/622
This one addresses the use of Colloidal Silver and HIV
Last paragraph notes CS can attack other virus micro-organisms (but doesn’t address HCV specifically - so I really don't know if it's pertinent)
http://www.physorg.com/news.php?newsid=7264
isoliquiritigenin and glycycoumarin from the herb Glycyrrhizae radix
http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/120840118/abstract
Sho-Saiko-To Japanese Herbal
http://www.shosaikoto.com/clinicaltrials.html
I've seen more, but don't remember where I saw them at. I will continue to search the web for this information and post it as I find it.
I think I may ask the doctor for a biopsy - even though I don't want to go through that. From what I'm reading here and other places, a biopsy is the only way to really determine the current extent of liver damage. (cringe)
However, due to my current depression issues, my GI won't start treatment on me now, anyway.
I do have an appointment with a certified herbalist. She and I will come up with a safe herbal regiment. She will tell me which herbals and what quantities to take.
One day at a time...
Sorry to hear about your mother. I lost my father shortly after I was diagnosed. My sympathy to you.
You said - "You can't overdose on these herbs and they have no drug interactions (I've done my homework on this). Most have been put through clinical trials with amazing results."
Can you post a link to the report for one of these trials? I would be interested to see if it is a real scientific study. I haven't done a lot of study on this, so I would like to see the actual data from the studies.
You said - "You can't overdose on these herbs and they have no drug interactions (I've done my homework on this). Most have been put through clinical trials with amazing results."
Can you post a link to the report for one of these trials? I would be interested to see if it is a real scientific study. I haven't done a lot of study on this, so I would like to see the actual data from the studies.
So true, nygirl!
You are not going to know the condition of your liver until you get a biopsy. Hopefully it will show little to no damage and you can do the herbal thing while you wait for new drugs coming out in the next few years.
Or you will find that waiting is not a good option and treat now.
I am a geno 1a. Stage 1-just did shot #6 today. So far my sides are ok. Yeah, I know there will be harder days---but I also know I am well on my way to being cured.
To quote one of the post tx'ers here: If it were that hard, none of us could do it.
But so many of us have. And so many of us are SVR.
Whichever path you take, there are people here in the same boat so you will find lots of support. Please keep us posted.
Best of luck
Isobella
You are not going to know the condition of your liver until you get a biopsy. Hopefully it will show little to no damage and you can do the herbal thing while you wait for new drugs coming out in the next few years.
Or you will find that waiting is not a good option and treat now.
I am a geno 1a. Stage 1-just did shot #6 today. So far my sides are ok. Yeah, I know there will be harder days---but I also know I am well on my way to being cured.
To quote one of the post tx'ers here: If it were that hard, none of us could do it.
But so many of us have. And so many of us are SVR.
Whichever path you take, there are people here in the same boat so you will find lots of support. Please keep us posted.
Best of luck
Isobella
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