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Living LONGER with Hepatitis C
Since my doctor says I have 'minor liver damage', could the treatments possibly help me live longer than my friend who (as I understand) was immediately put on a 'transplant list', and started on medicines geared to (I guess) support her liver function? (She was diagnosed 6 years ago)
The damage to the liver will make a big difference in mortality. Sorry to hear about your friend but liver transplant sounds like her only option. If the doctor says to get on the liver transplant list she already has advanced liver damage and will need it eventually.
If the treatment cures the hep c then it won't be causing damage anymore and you should have a better mortality rate. Hep c works slow. The best thing you can do is not drink alcohol. This will speed up the hep c as it damages the liver to. Do take the milk thistle. I take selenium with it also. Another antioxidant for the liver I like is liva plex by Standard process. Keep a low protein diet. Try to eat mostly fish and poultry(skinless is better.) for protein. If you do eat some red meet buy lean. Lots of vegatables and fruit. Color your diet like the rainbow. Be careful withi fats and fried food. Good Luck
If the treatment cures the hep c then it won't be causing damage anymore and you should have a better mortality rate. Hep c works slow. The best thing you can do is not drink alcohol. This will speed up the hep c as it damages the liver to. Do take the milk thistle. I take selenium with it also. Another antioxidant for the liver I like is liva plex by Standard process. Keep a low protein diet. Try to eat mostly fish and poultry(skinless is better.) for protein. If you do eat some red meet buy lean. Lots of vegatables and fruit. Color your diet like the rainbow. Be careful withi fats and fried food. Good Luck
My Dad was very very sick in 1996...I researched and researched trying to find things that could help him alternatively while receiving complimentary medicine and awaing a liver transplant. It helped him tremedously and I hope it can help your loved ones too. Right now we are post liver transplant 13 years and unfortuantely my dad is very sick he has Chronic Kidney Failure Stage 4...We are starting the process for now a kidney transplant. My brother and myself are praying we will be a donor..Its a hard long sad road when someone you love is sick you feel helpless and that is why I am posting I helped my dad with Alternative when they said he had a year to liveIf anything I am posting can help someone than helping my dad has helped others too...
My dad 13 years ago had a liver transplant. Prior to him having to have a liver transplant. I researched and RESEARCHED such things for the liver. What we found worked great for him was.......
Milk Thistle............Speeds up the rejuvenation of the liver...Used in Germany actually as a cure for Cirrhosis given in injections. Take this at night when the body is resting
Distilled Water & lemon...........8 glasses a day.........Know natural cleanser for the liver.
A product called Intramax...(Intracelluar Liquid Vitamin that doesnt taste bad either) All organic and true value of all ingredients that are listed. THE PRODUCT IS WONDERFUL. go to the website and read...
Hope this helps, it helped my dad prior to him getting a transplant. he was diagnosed with Hepatitis C at 32 when I was young which caused cirrhosis I was too young to help. It was only when he was 52 that he became really ill that I was old enough to try to help him stay healthy while awaiting his transplant and it helped. He never looked sick and the doctors couldnt belive his bloodlevels were the way they were and he looked so good, no jaundice no bloating nothing... Any questions please email I will help you in any way I can. Of course check with your doctor but his doctors all approved what i found for him and they were amazed how he was not that sick which didnt jive with his blood reports. The doctors thought he was lying when he told them he felt ok. But the proof was in how he looked which he didnt look as sick as he was ..So it helped in some way...
My dad 13 years ago had a liver transplant. Prior to him having to have a liver transplant. I researched and RESEARCHED such things for the liver. What we found worked great for him was.......
Milk Thistle............Speeds up the rejuvenation of the liver...Used in Germany actually as a cure for Cirrhosis given in injections. Take this at night when the body is resting
Distilled Water & lemon...........8 glasses a day.........Know natural cleanser for the liver.
A product called Intramax...(Intracelluar Liquid Vitamin that doesnt taste bad either) All organic and true value of all ingredients that are listed. THE PRODUCT IS WONDERFUL. go to the website and read...
Hope this helps, it helped my dad prior to him getting a transplant. he was diagnosed with Hepatitis C at 32 when I was young which caused cirrhosis I was too young to help. It was only when he was 52 that he became really ill that I was old enough to try to help him stay healthy while awaiting his transplant and it helped. He never looked sick and the doctors couldnt belive his bloodlevels were the way they were and he looked so good, no jaundice no bloating nothing... Any questions please email I will help you in any way I can. Of course check with your doctor but his doctors all approved what i found for him and they were amazed how he was not that sick which didnt jive with his blood reports. The doctors thought he was lying when he told them he felt ok. But the proof was in how he looked which he didnt look as sick as he was ..So it helped in some way...
A related discussion, Long term Hepatites was started.
Thank you so very much for your comment to my Hep C 'story'. My friend passed away last month, and she had a really ROUGH go at the end of her life, by the time she went into UCLA, she lasted 6 weeks, but would not have been unable to survive a transplant. We were quite close, and I seem to 'feel her sweet spirit' around me...this is a good thing. I spoke to her sister last night, and she said my friend was MUCH further advanced with her liver damage, and though I hated hearing that, it also gave me some comfort knowing that perhaps...I have 'time'. I need to be around for grandbabies, (AND for my daughter - she just married last month), and I want to enjoy the experience of being a grandmother!
With all of my 'surfing the net' I've come across SO much information, I'm almost on 'overload', ya know?
I found out just today, that IF my treatment would include Pegyasis combined with Ribivirin (seems to be the 'coctail' that works), the Pegyasis (cash cost without Pre-approval is $2,064.19 a month - the Ribivirin only $2.25 a month, as it IS covered on my Medipak Rx) Now I just have to find out if I can have my blood monitored by a local doctor, instead of driving the 20 miles to my Hep C doc, as I understand the 'treatment' is pretty much like chemo-therapy. I also had a dear friend who died from AIDS, and his 'treatment' (which included Interferon) made him really sick prior to his death...I miss him.
My daughter lives in Dallas now, and my sister is here in the same little town I moved back to, (near where we were raised)...everything happens for a reason...and it just makes 'family' mean even more, know what I mean?
I'm going to ask my doctor about the milk thistle, as you're the second person to say that it helps. I KNOW the Hep C works slow, and it appears I fit SO many of the 'criteria' for being infected, and have learned that it can be in an 'inactive state' for decades - up to 40 years!...that shocked me.
And I totally STOPPED drinking (I was only a social drinker in the last 10 years -when I came back here) when I was 'confirmed' as having Hep C...I mean, not even eating anything with alcohol in the recipe...but there were the years (late 60's and 70's) when I 'rocked' WAY too hard...had TOO MUCH fun, and I'm only seeing the effects now.
I've been blessed by buying food through 'Angelfood Ministries', and there is quite a bit of red meat, but actually lean quality cuts. I've been eating way too much bacon lately, (but it sure tastes good - all the tasty stuff is bad) because I got a new waffle maker, and bacon tastes good with waffles - bad/good 'stuff'. I'm going to suggest they (Angelfood)try including fish to their 'menu', they already have chicken, and more/different veggies and fruit.
Thanks again for your suggestions, information, and Good Luck wishes...and you didn't really say, but I'm assuming either you or a loved one has Hep C...if so, best wishes and Blessing back to you.
With all of my 'surfing the net' I've come across SO much information, I'm almost on 'overload', ya know?
I found out just today, that IF my treatment would include Pegyasis combined with Ribivirin (seems to be the 'coctail' that works), the Pegyasis (cash cost without Pre-approval is $2,064.19 a month - the Ribivirin only $2.25 a month, as it IS covered on my Medipak Rx) Now I just have to find out if I can have my blood monitored by a local doctor, instead of driving the 20 miles to my Hep C doc, as I understand the 'treatment' is pretty much like chemo-therapy. I also had a dear friend who died from AIDS, and his 'treatment' (which included Interferon) made him really sick prior to his death...I miss him.
My daughter lives in Dallas now, and my sister is here in the same little town I moved back to, (near where we were raised)...everything happens for a reason...and it just makes 'family' mean even more, know what I mean?
I'm going to ask my doctor about the milk thistle, as you're the second person to say that it helps. I KNOW the Hep C works slow, and it appears I fit SO many of the 'criteria' for being infected, and have learned that it can be in an 'inactive state' for decades - up to 40 years!...that shocked me.
And I totally STOPPED drinking (I was only a social drinker in the last 10 years -when I came back here) when I was 'confirmed' as having Hep C...I mean, not even eating anything with alcohol in the recipe...but there were the years (late 60's and 70's) when I 'rocked' WAY too hard...had TOO MUCH fun, and I'm only seeing the effects now.
I've been blessed by buying food through 'Angelfood Ministries', and there is quite a bit of red meat, but actually lean quality cuts. I've been eating way too much bacon lately, (but it sure tastes good - all the tasty stuff is bad) because I got a new waffle maker, and bacon tastes good with waffles - bad/good 'stuff'. I'm going to suggest they (Angelfood)try including fish to their 'menu', they already have chicken, and more/different veggies and fruit.
Thanks again for your suggestions, information, and Good Luck wishes...and you didn't really say, but I'm assuming either you or a loved one has Hep C...if so, best wishes and Blessing back to you.
My dear "Anjelcare"...I love your 'name', especially in view of the fact that I collect 'Angels', and now I have you! You're very sweet to care enough to respond. I don't know if you read my entire 'story', but as of now, my doctor says I have 'minor damage' with 'simple cysts' on lower lobe of liver and on one kidney with some fibrosis, and that 'he thinks I'd be a good candidate for treatment and if I go through treatment, I could live another 60 years!'...since I'm 60 now...I'd take 120!
I was diagnosed with Hep C last year, also without symptoms, and looking as good as I could (being WAY overweight, which I gained since I came here), and wih a doctor who didn't like the 'look' of my elevated liver enzymes, and so she ordered the test for Hep C, and it came back 'reactive' (meaning I had it). It was also then that I learned that the Hep C test is NOT normally 'ordered' in regular blood screens.
BUT, I also wonder if my diagnosis was made 'sooner' than that of a dear friend, (and also Natalie Cole's), since I was NOT 'immediately put on a transplant list' or started treatments, other than being vaccinated against Hep A and Hep B. And I've also wondered if doctors in larger cities do things 'differently'...sooner...whatever?
THEN, a couple months ago I was watching CNN (I've become obsessed with currect politics) and on the 'ticker' that is seen on the bottom screen, said that Bill Melendez had passed away at age 91...he was my (above mentioned) dear friend's boss, who she had worked for the past 38 years...he was the voice of "Snoopy" in the 'Peanuts' feature films, and Bill directed most of them, at any rate, seeing that prompted me to call my friend in L.A., only to find out that SHE was gravely ill, had not been to the studio in many months, and in fact was in UCLA Medical Center (one of the best transplantation facilities in the country), and after being there for 5 weeks, passed away...with some sort of fungus in her lungs, pneumonia on top of that...and so much more I can't even imagine. I'd been friends with her since we were 18, and we were (what used to be called) 'airline stewardesses' together. It was the '70's, and drugs were rampant then...so, I'm not sure IF I might have gotten it then (as she evidently did), or from the 'young (second and LAST) husband' idiot, or from my daughter's father (1st marriage). I've read SO much online, I'm about to drive myself nuts!
I got 'stupid' in 1991, and moved away from L.A. for this (15 years younger) man!...OF COURSE it didn't last, and I was forced to move back to my home state (Arkansas), but thankfully my sister's 'life drama' also meant that she moved back there and though I NEVER wanted to move back here...everything happens for a reason. I had major back surgery when I still lived in L.A., in and out of Cedars-Sinai '86, '87 and '88. I HAD to stop working, applied for Social Security Disability, and after 2 1/2 years it was finally awarded. But with that being my only 'income' I couldn't move back to L.A.
My daughter (an only 'amazing' child) got married last month, after moving from L.A. to Dallas, and marrying an 'angel' of a husband (and he's 'pretty' too...always a nice bonus). And, another 'bonus' is that she's now only a 4-5 hour drive from here, which I drove when she got married last month. So, now I want to be around for my 'grandbabies', and for my wonderful girl, who I cheated of my (full-time) presence in her life for the past 18 years (she's now 33)...and which will always 'wound' my heart. But we're now trying to 'heal' that 'separation' ...together.
IF I don't have that much 'damage' and can monitor my blood, like every month, and do without the treatments (which are supposed to be HELL!!...so I've learned from my 'research', and from seeing Natalie Cole on 'The View' recently) that's my 'preferred' way to live, especially if I can LIVE without it.
OR, if my doctor does say I should do the 'treatment', have him prescribe the medicines
(which I have learned are Pegysis [a new type of Interferon - like they give HIV patients] and Ribivirin, the combination seems to be the 'cocktail' that works for Hep C). This doctor is the ENTIRE Gastroenterology Department, so he's beyond 'overworked'...and if the nurse can 'teach' me how to inject the Pegysis (into my stomach)...once a week, I think, then 2 (pills) of Ribivirin 3 times a week (I think), and have a 'local' (I live in a small town in Arkansas, and the nearest 'larger town' is where my doc is) doctor do the blood/lab work to determine the 'success' we're having, and to help with what (I hear) is crazy sickness, that I could perhaps not have to 'travel' to Little Rock or Oklahoma City for treatments.
I've checked with Blue Cross Blue Shield (my Medicare supplement) to see if the meds are in their formulary (they are)...one vial of Pegysis is $675...and since I don'twork and can't work during treatment...so, that's my LENGTHY 'story' to date...sorry, but I'm 'a writer' and tend to be a bit verbose. Again, thanks for caring, and I might check into the Milk Thistle.
I was diagnosed with Hep C last year, also without symptoms, and looking as good as I could (being WAY overweight, which I gained since I came here), and wih a doctor who didn't like the 'look' of my elevated liver enzymes, and so she ordered the test for Hep C, and it came back 'reactive' (meaning I had it). It was also then that I learned that the Hep C test is NOT normally 'ordered' in regular blood screens.
BUT, I also wonder if my diagnosis was made 'sooner' than that of a dear friend, (and also Natalie Cole's), since I was NOT 'immediately put on a transplant list' or started treatments, other than being vaccinated against Hep A and Hep B. And I've also wondered if doctors in larger cities do things 'differently'...sooner...whatever?
THEN, a couple months ago I was watching CNN (I've become obsessed with currect politics) and on the 'ticker' that is seen on the bottom screen, said that Bill Melendez had passed away at age 91...he was my (above mentioned) dear friend's boss, who she had worked for the past 38 years...he was the voice of "Snoopy" in the 'Peanuts' feature films, and Bill directed most of them, at any rate, seeing that prompted me to call my friend in L.A., only to find out that SHE was gravely ill, had not been to the studio in many months, and in fact was in UCLA Medical Center (one of the best transplantation facilities in the country), and after being there for 5 weeks, passed away...with some sort of fungus in her lungs, pneumonia on top of that...and so much more I can't even imagine. I'd been friends with her since we were 18, and we were (what used to be called) 'airline stewardesses' together. It was the '70's, and drugs were rampant then...so, I'm not sure IF I might have gotten it then (as she evidently did), or from the 'young (second and LAST) husband' idiot, or from my daughter's father (1st marriage). I've read SO much online, I'm about to drive myself nuts!
I got 'stupid' in 1991, and moved away from L.A. for this (15 years younger) man!...OF COURSE it didn't last, and I was forced to move back to my home state (Arkansas), but thankfully my sister's 'life drama' also meant that she moved back there and though I NEVER wanted to move back here...everything happens for a reason. I had major back surgery when I still lived in L.A., in and out of Cedars-Sinai '86, '87 and '88. I HAD to stop working, applied for Social Security Disability, and after 2 1/2 years it was finally awarded. But with that being my only 'income' I couldn't move back to L.A.
My daughter (an only 'amazing' child) got married last month, after moving from L.A. to Dallas, and marrying an 'angel' of a husband (and he's 'pretty' too...always a nice bonus). And, another 'bonus' is that she's now only a 4-5 hour drive from here, which I drove when she got married last month. So, now I want to be around for my 'grandbabies', and for my wonderful girl, who I cheated of my (full-time) presence in her life for the past 18 years (she's now 33)...and which will always 'wound' my heart. But we're now trying to 'heal' that 'separation' ...together.
IF I don't have that much 'damage' and can monitor my blood, like every month, and do without the treatments (which are supposed to be HELL!!...so I've learned from my 'research', and from seeing Natalie Cole on 'The View' recently) that's my 'preferred' way to live, especially if I can LIVE without it.
OR, if my doctor does say I should do the 'treatment', have him prescribe the medicines
(which I have learned are Pegysis [a new type of Interferon - like they give HIV patients] and Ribivirin, the combination seems to be the 'cocktail' that works for Hep C). This doctor is the ENTIRE Gastroenterology Department, so he's beyond 'overworked'...and if the nurse can 'teach' me how to inject the Pegysis (into my stomach)...once a week, I think, then 2 (pills) of Ribivirin 3 times a week (I think), and have a 'local' (I live in a small town in Arkansas, and the nearest 'larger town' is where my doc is) doctor do the blood/lab work to determine the 'success' we're having, and to help with what (I hear) is crazy sickness, that I could perhaps not have to 'travel' to Little Rock or Oklahoma City for treatments.
I've checked with Blue Cross Blue Shield (my Medicare supplement) to see if the meds are in their formulary (they are)...one vial of Pegysis is $675...and since I don'twork and can't work during treatment...so, that's my LENGTHY 'story' to date...sorry, but I'm 'a writer' and tend to be a bit verbose. Again, thanks for caring, and I might check into the Milk Thistle.
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