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Silymarin and therapy

My husband has finished his 6 months therapy with Epclusa this Monday. He didn't take silymarin while he was on Th.That was also advise, that we got here on this great site..He is going to take the test on next Monday. I pray to God that it will be ok...
He is afraid, of course and I am too.He has pain in liver almost everyday lately, and he thinks it is because liver was overloaded with pills. Now he asks, when he can start drinking silymarin, to help his liver regenerate. Maybe to wait I while, because medicine is still doing his job in liver, even after completing his Epclusa th.
Thank you for your help!
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683231 tn?1467323017
Congratulations to your husband on finishing treatment. The test done shortly after finishing treatment will very likely show a result of not detected. However, to know he is cured he will need to be tested at least 12 weeks after finishing treatment to make sure he doesn’t experience a relapse and have detectable amounts of hep c virus. You are not called cured until you have a test 12 weeks after finishing treatment that shows you to be virus free.  Some doctors also want a test done at 6 months after treatment was completed to be sure you are cured.

Also remember he will always test positive for hepatitis c antibodies for the rest of his life because he was previously infected. Only the HCV RNA by PCR that tests for the virus itself will tell you if you are infected.

As far as the  Milk thistle (silymarin) I’m not a big believer in herbal medicines to treat liver disease but if he wants to continue it should be totally fine to restart but I recommend he discuss this with his doctor, they are the experts.

What will give his liver the opportunity to heal is curing his hepatitis C  as that was causing the liver damage. Having a healthy diet, maintaining a healthy weight as being overweight can cause fatty deposits to form in the liver which can also cause liver injury and getting exercise as allowed by his doctor are things he can do to try to heal his liver.
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11 Comments
Thanks Flyinn!
It has been very helpful and always!
Hi everyone!
I want to share good news with you!
My husband has finished his 6 months therapy in February..and today received his Pcr tests results. He is negative!
Best of luck to all of you here!
Hi everyone!
I want to share good news with you!
My husband has finished his 6 months therapy in February..and today received his Pcr tests results. He is negative!
Best of luck to all of you here!
Fllyin and will be ..Thanks for helping and support
Great. Congrats to you both!
Hey thanks so much for the update so happy for you both!
It was his first test, 2 months after therapy ..I hope it will stay negative, and I will come here again in few months with same result! Thanks again, and best of luck to you all....
Hi everyone... My husband got his lab results today and they are not so good. Alt 66, Ast 58, platelets 62. Iron was never been so low..14. also he now has little stones in his gallbladder.. PCR was negative 2 months ago! Now he feels frightened..is it possible that virus is back? I'm scared too, but told him that it can be from stress, cause he is musician/Singer /,and has concert last week...was very tired and tensed..
A low platelet count is a symptom of cirrhosis that won’t change post treatment he will still need to be followed for liver disease even if he is cured of hep c.

Gall stones are a frequent symptom associated with cirrhosis. I had my gall bladder removed in 2012 which was4 years after I was diagnosed with cirrhosis.

There are other things that can cause an elevation in liver enzymes ALT and AST like being overweight causing fatty liver. Relapse after being not detected more than 12 weeks post treatment is rare but can occur. Hopefully that is not the reason for his increased liver enzymes is he going to have a viral load test done to make sure.

Hoping the best for you both and hoping the increased liver enzymes are not due to a return of the virus.
Thanks Lynn! I hope so...
How were his enzymes before treatment and on treatment? Is he going to have a viral load test?
They were better than now, especially iron. Iron was 24! He is very disciplined about his health..eats healthy food ( vegan), no smoking, nothing what can harm his liver...He is going to have a viral load test on Monday, but results will be done in 30 days...He had big stress about his last concert, maybe that could be reason?
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