Hello, it has been a while since I have been here. I found out Oct 2003 that I have HepC. I know I have had it for over 30 yrs however thought I had caught HepA back then. Genotype 1a - ast=45 alt=65 Biopsy GI said alittle less then stage 2 grade 2. viral load 948,800

What I have read so far is that I can wait for a while. I have been trying to do a liver friendly diet. Still will eat red meat, sometimes. Got a vitamin regiment and just went to an Acupuncture certified Dr that I got from the recommended listing I found on Hepatitis C magazine issue. My insurance company will give a discount with this treatment a long with other alterative therapies.

I was just wondering if I could touch base with others that maybe doing alterative things.

I want to have my liver tests done 6 months from my last test to see if anything has changed. I would also like to hear from others or any opinions..

Judith

Hello, it has been a while since I have been here. I found out Oct 2003 that I have HepC. I know I have had it for over 30 yrs however thought I had caught HepA back then. Genotype 1a - ast=45 alt=65 Biopsy GI said alittle less then stage 2 grade 2. viral load 948,800

What I have read so far is that I can wait for a while. I have been trying to do a liver friendly diet. Still will eat red meat, sometimes. Got a vitamin regiment and just went to an Acupuncture certified Dr that I got from the recommended listing I found on Hepatitis C magazine issue. My insurance company will give a discount with this treatment a long with other alterative therapies.

I was just wondering if I could touch base with others that maybe doing alterative things.

I want to have my liver tests done 6 months from my last test to see if anything has changed. I would also like to hear from others or any opinions..

Judith

I have know for 2 years as of this past November.
Also geno 1a male 50.
I am not sure if it is as bad as it looks to me or if the two tests were on different scales / charts ect. as to how they got my viral load but the first one two years ago was called 1 million. The last one after my taking Maximum Milk Thistle for a year & hoping for a good result was 17 million & my ast & alt both were higher.
I have not treated & likely won't & I admire those that do.
I don't & have not drank alcohol in 3 years.
My biggest problems although I still can do most anything I wan to do is I just hurt all over feel like I have been on the loosing end of a fight.
Dry skin, facial breakouts but weight & appetite are fine.
God Bless & hang in there treating is a personal choice & in my opinion should be well thought out & all risks weighed.

I am 1b, alt/70, ast/25, mild liver inflamation and no fibrosis from Jan-02 biopsy. Infected from BT in 1983. I mention from BT only because some studies show fibrosis progresses faster if HCV from BT. Also, I am male, 66 yrs old, and infected at age 43 - all factors against me as far as fibrosis progression goes. I tried tx in June of 02 but could not handle the sx. Since then, my alt/ast have actually gone down a bit. My VL in 02 was ">1 mill copies". I don't plan to do tx again unless the numbers go up and if biopsy shows much more damage. Hey, at 66, I may not ever have to do tx ...

I am very active, piddling around the farm, and feel pretty good. I am quick to anger but cool off quickly. (wife asks why I blame HCV for this) ...

Good Luck ...

You might consider the product Sibilin, which is an extract of milk thistle and offered by the Life Extension Foundation. Also, Super Alpha Lipoic Acid and a product called Gastro Pro - a Hep C. treatment used in Europe but available also by the LEF. My liver specialist strongly states that it cannot be cured by natural means but I do know that a doctor (name and details forgotten) did achieve cures by using milk thistle extract and alpha lipoic acid 3x a day. I've had the disease for 30 years (I can trace it back to drug use) and have absolutely no liver damage. If I did have damage, I would seriously consider the treatment.

You might consider the product Sibilin, which is an extract of milk thistle and offered by the Life Extension Foundation. Also, Super Alpha Lipoic Acid and a product called Gastro Pro - a Hep C. treatment used in Europe but available also by the LEF. My liver specialist strongly states that it cannot be cured by natural means but I do know that a doctor (name and details forgotten) did achieve cures by using milk thistle extract and alpha lipoic acid 3x a day. I've had the disease for 30 years (I can trace it back to drug use) and have absolutely no liver damage. If I did have damage, I would seriously consider the treatment.

How much of each do you take & for how long have you been taking it ?
Any problems with it ? Any sides ?
You say you have no liver damage after 30 years I assume you have had a biopsy ?
Do you have any problems / sides from the hep c ?
Aches, pains, joints, headaches, brain fog anything ?

Hi Judi,

I am also in California. I am a 49 year old female, genotype 1a, viral load at first pcr was 4,670,000, Liver function tests consistantly within normal ranges for last 7 years. My liver biopsy showed no progression of the disease, in otherwords my test came back a zero on the knodel score. My Gastroenterologist told me that it has not effected my liver at all. I contracted Hep C via IV drug use about 25 years ago. I have also tested positive for Hep A. I have been a moderate weekend drinker for the past 25 years as well, :wave: and I assume that might have been the reason for the high viral load. I take Maximum Milk Thistle and LivTone as liver protectants. I also take a daily multivitamin without minerals, vitamins C and Citracal. I have chosen not to treat because I know the odds are against a sustained viral response with genotype 1a and a high viral load. I am healthy and my main complaint with this virus has been fatigue. I am 5'2" and keep my weight under 105 which is also important to me. Another reason I decided not to treat is because I have a friend that is a Family Nurse Practitioner who also has the Hep C virus, and she has been a wealth of knowledge for me, alont with THanbey. My Friend The Nurse Practitioner found out two years before I did that she had it and at the time had been working in a transplant unit and knew a whole lot about Hep C. She was the first one to tell me that the current available treatment is not good for us genotype 1's and that it can have some pretty bad side effects. Permanent ones as well. She is also not treating, and she's pretty up on the game. Her viral load came in very low at 100,000 but she already was showing signs of portal hypertension and was a grade 1 at biopsy. So you see that viral load does not always coincide with disease progression. Good luck in your decision to treat or not as it is truly an individualized decision that should be made after a lot of research. Unless my viral load went way down and I had a fast progression at my next biopsy I would not choose to use the current available treatments.

Diann :wave:

For the Sibilin I take one with each meal (3x day) , same with the super alpha lipoic acid. The Gastro Pro is morning and evening. No side effects at all. I had a biopsy a couple of weeks ago. I have no problems from the Hep C but I did about 27 years ago - severe exhaustion, brain fog. Regardless of the amount of sleep I would be physically tired all day. I thought I had hypoglycemia and put myself on a high protein diet and for all these years avoided refined sugar. Once I went on the diet, I improved. Of course they didn't have a Hep C test back then so this is not scientific. The Life Extension Foundation (http://www.lef.org has a lot of free information on natural treatments for Hep C. I urge you to visit and read. I think however that you should be under a doctor's care as you try these alternatives. With almost L2 damage, I would, if I were you, consider the treatment. I don't know if I ever had liver damage. Some people (25%) don't - and, my good biopsy might not be due to the supplements. I think a of what you find on the Web is pure snake oil - the LEF is not - they are medical doctors. Best of luck.

Hi Everyone,

I have hestitated to join this thread because although I have no treated in the four years since my diagnosis, I am now considering it actively for the first time. I've always thought that anyone at grade one, stage one, as I was, probably should not treat, as the risks outweighed the benefits. Still, of course, I recognize this as a personal choice, and everyone has his or her own reasons to go one way or the other.

Nonetheless, since my tests showed minimal liver fibrosis, and my liver panel scores (less important) were high-ish but steady, I have not treated. I am genotype 2, with a viral count in the four or five million range. (I had the highest viral count on this board for a while, but have been beaten in the last year or so by a handful of members. There's always a faster gun.)

I still think this was a correct choice. Interferon is not a treatment to be adopted lightly. As I'm sure everyone here knows.

These last months I have been re-evaluating. My alt and ast numbers have been climbing over my last few tests (I test every six months), and I recently had a second biopsy (BOY do I hate that experience!) which showed some deterioration. Inflammation is now grade 2, and fibrosis is not called "mild" anymore, but "moderate" My doc called it "sort of stage 1 and a half." Love that scientific precision, but in fact I value him for his lack of pretension--he knows that there is much grey area with this disease.

Anyway, with twins due in June--my second family, I am 58--my wife and I are wondering if I should treat now, before she risks being saddled with two toddlers and a possibly ill dad. The biopsy was partly in response to these worries, and its findings have not made the worries evaporate.

A hard set of choices. I had no trouble at all refusing tx as long as my liver was calm. Now that age may be doing its own damage on top of the hep (this is what the research suggests may be common), i am perplexed. The blog on thanbey's site that she mentioned in an earlier post has been largely about this decision.

In summary though, I will say that my example does support the idea of waiting until you are really sure before doing something like interferon tx. I have gone four plus years since diagnosis (40 years since infection, I believe) without any noticeable harm. In fact my symptoms, if they are that, seem milder since I quit drinking and smoking and started taking a few complementary tx's. In this time Pegasys has arrived--a huge improvement over previous choices, and we have learned a great deal about how to increase our chances of success (lose weight, don't drink or smoke, take vitamin E, zinc, don't take iron, things like that). So, if I do finally choose to treat, my waiting will have been a very productive use of time.

A side note on previous posts. I use a few alternatives, after MUCH research in peer-reviewed journals. I think silymarin or milk thistle (I take the siliphos type) is great, especially since as a man I benefit from its apparent prostate-protective effects too. I also take vitamin E, zinc, lecithin, and a multi vitamin/mineral with no iron. I take low doses of selenium if I remember to pick it up, but we must remember that in higher doses it harms, rather than helps, the liver (this is the vitamin A story as well). These have helped me, I am sure, but they have not I believe helped enough in my particular case.

By the way, the Life Extension Foundation is chiefly a supplement-selling outlet. (The fact that there are mds involved hardly certifies it as non-commercial). This does not mean that their info is no good, but it does mean one must read all their stuff carefully, or with a grain of salt.

sean

Sean, I didn't know you were genotype 2. That is only 6 months treatment and svr rate is very good. Might want to jump in there and try it especially since you are under 60. Good luck to whatever you decide!

To treat or not to treat...that is such a HUGE decision. For today I have decided not to treat, but that could change tomorrow as I seem to bounce back and forth between the two options. I am a 50 y/o female, dx in Jan. 2004. I think I may have had this for 25-30 years. Get results from GE on 3/31/04 on genotype, VL, etc. I try not to think about it til then cuz I have nothing to base a decision on yet, but I'm sure you all know how hard that is. GE doc says if 2 or 3, would suggest treating aggresively w/o need of bx as odds to clear are better. If 1, would bx and treat only if liver is compromised. Course, in the mean time, I hear, "TREAT, TREAT, TREAT" then "WAIT, WAIT, WAIT". Live a healthy lifestyle, limited meat intake, MV w/o iron plus Silymarin, Alpha Lipoic Acid, Selenium. Vit E and C, regular exercise (yoga and Pilates) tons of water, meditation for stress relief. Basically symptom free, some fatigue, some itching, that's about it. Things that scare me about tx are not so much the sides, but long term effects of the drugs, the cost (no insurance). My last office call with blood work $2705.00 WHEW!! I so want to make that decision based on information, not on fear, but that doesn't seem possible. Any way you look at it, a hard decision to make when you're feeling good. For me personally, I think I need bx results before I can make any decision re: treatment, no matter what genotype I am. Right now I just want to concentrate on staying healthy to prepare myself for whatever decision has to be made down the line. Good luck to all of you, no matter what road you choose.

To treat or not to treat...that is such a HUGE decision. For today I have decided not to treat, but that could change tomorrow as I seem to bounce back and forth between the two options. I am a 50 y/o female, dx in Jan. 2004. I think I may have had this for 25-30 years. Get results from GE on 3/31/04 on genotype, VL, etc. I try not to think about it til then cuz I have nothing to base a decision on yet, but I'm sure you all know how hard that is. GE doc says if 2 or 3, would suggest treating aggresively w/o need of bx as odds to clear are better. If 1, would bx and treat only if liver is compromised. Course, in the mean time, I hear, "TREAT, TREAT, TREAT" then "WAIT, WAIT, WAIT". Live a healthy lifestyle, limited meat intake, MV w/o iron plus Silymarin, Alpha Lipoic Acid, Selenium. Vit E and C, regular exercise (yoga and Pilates) tons of water, meditation for stress relief. Basically symptom free, some fatigue, some itching, that's about it. Things that scare me about tx are not so much the sides, but long term effects of the drugs, the cost (no insurance). My last office call with blood work $2705.00 WHEW!! I so want to make that decision based on information, not on fear, but that doesn't seem possible. Any way you look at it, a hard decision to make when you're feeling good. For me personally, I think I need bx results before I can make any decision re: treatment, no matter what genotype I am. Right now I just want to concentrate on staying healthy to prepare myself for whatever decision has to be made down the line. Good luck to all of you, no matter what road you choose.

When you say: GE doc says if 2 or 3, would suggest treating aggresively w/o need of bx do you mean if viral load is 2 or 3 million ?

I have some information on my web site about how to get free treatment.
I am sure there are others here with that same info.

For planning purposes, you should also know that the costs of treatment MAY include:

anti-depressants
pain medications
sleep medications
blood enhancing medications
lost work time (leave of absence, ADA, short term disability)
skin medications
contraceptives

Some patients need all of these, some patients need none of these, but most patients need at least a few of them.

Sorry, DRSLETMEDOWN, I meant genotype 2 or 3. Dr. did talk about how they work with pharmaceutical co.s for people who are uninsured or underinsured. Believe I have seen prior posts on Roche and Schering assisting, too.
Thanks, too, THANBEY, for your response. Those add'l costs are important to keep in mind, not to mention followup office calls or trips to the ER. Husband is blind so already know about the ADA hoops. Feel like I'm preparing for battle or a trip into the great unknown, which probably isn't too far from the truth, no matter which option I choose.

Hi:

I am 58 years old and male. I was first diagnosed with HCV about 10 years ago. At the time the treatment options (Interferon 3X/week) and the probability of a cure (5%-15%), in light of the fact that I was outwardly asymptomatic seemed like a no win situation to me. I was infected because of IV drug use about 1965 but didn't know it until 10 years ago.

Recently, I decided to find out what was known now, after 10 years. So, I got my blood work done and another biopsy. I am 1A, my viral load is 2.4M. I forgot to get my AST ans ALT, so I have a call in. The biopsy revealed "mild to moderate cirrhosis". So, I have quit the moderate drinking i was doing and am now seeking out treatment options. But, with a current probability of not better than 20% (because of the cirrhosis), in my opinion Interferon is still not and option for me. I am still outwardly asymptomatic, except maybe slight chronic fatigue (which may also be from business travel of about 220,000 mile per year). Interferon is just too toxic with strong possibilities of severe side effects for me to consider, except as a last resort. And, there are NO studies of the long term effects of treatment with Interferon (20-30 years out, I mean). So, unless I am in immanent danger of death, no thanks.

That leaves me with investigating alternative treatment protocols. I have found some possibilities but it is too soon to decide which route I will take.

The thing I would say is that, at least for me, I don't see this as a death sentence. But I do see it as a need to do everything I can to make my immune system stronger. It has taken 40 years for the disease to progress to the stage it is in today. With proper care of my overall health and with the use of products like milk thistle, I have hopes of seeing my grandchildren's children grow up.

Keep your spirits up. This is a formidable Dragon we fight. But Dragons can be slain.

With just these facts in evidence, I urge you to re-consider the option of interferon therapy (without ribavirin)without concern for the SVR if you can tolerate it. The goal for you is to reduce, if possible, some of the cirrhosis and to maintain your liver histology by preventing further progression and liver cancer.

This would be a two-fold strategy. First a pristine lifestyle with proper nutrition, exercise, weight control, and exercise to prevent diabetes, insulin resistance and a fatty liver. I suggest going into a training program so that Pegasys (used as an anti-fibrotic in your case) has the best chance at optimizing your current good health.

You have no wiggle room. The risks of not doing interferon outweigh any risk of doing it if you have cirrhosis. You have crossed that threshold. This means no alcohol at all and no smoking at all in addition to the above.

Since you have been doing your reading, you know I don't say this lightly.

I attended a funeral recently of an executive from GE. He didn't believe it could happen to him. It did.

PS If you can donate some of those airmiles, we could sure use them to attend conferences and events.

thanbey

I have not rejected the idea of any treatment. I am looking into herbal treatments.

Hi TDH,

Are you absolutely SURE they said "mild to moderate cirrhosis" rather than "mild to moderate fibrosis"? It makes all the difference in the world.

If indeed it is cirrhossis, I think your imperative to try the newer pegylated interferons is much greater, and with Pegasys at least, your chance of tx effectiveness may well be much better than 20%

I am not one to advise treatment for all, or even for most of us. (I haven't, as yet, treated myself, and I do have moderate fibrosis). But cirrhosis is VERY different from fibrosis, and in fact I can't remember hearing the phrase "mild to moderate" used for cirrhosis at all. Ever.

That's why I think it is extremely important to re-check the wording when you call back for your ALt and AST scores. Here is one resource for reading fibrosis/cirrhosis scores: http://members.bellatlantic.net/~clotho/score.htm

And, just in case cirrhosis really is your diagnosis, not just fibrosis, here is a reference for the possibility that newer, pegylated interferons can help in more cases than you think, even in the presence of cirrhosis: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=14767986

also: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=11984517

This latter study, by Poynard and others (Poynard being The Man in Hep C, I feel) shows good effect (yes, even reversal) of cirrhosis in almost half the patients studied. Again, this is with Pegasys and riba, not the older interferons. Notable in this study is that while it agrees with other studies that "responders" to Peg are more likely to show reversal of fibrosis/cirrhosis, some such effect was found even among many NON-responders. Remarkable, really.

So, two things, check to make sure you reallyheard right about the cirrhosis (NOT fibrosis), and if you did, do not think the odds of being helped by tx are so terrible as we used to think.


sean

Thank you, Teresa. I have a friend with cirrhosis and she is only still alive because of peg intron. She has not been cured, but she has not died and considers herself ahead of the game.

I myself was taken off tx 2 weeks ago after 13 shots because of unbearable sides. This does not happen to everyone. But I have only mild to moderate fibrosis, so I have an option. It is so important to have all the information about YOUR particular situation before you make a decision.

Hi everyone....just want to stick in my own 2 cents .... Treat, not to treat ... this is all a personal decision. I personally envy everyone with a choice . I personally find all the case studies, news articles, explanations and the like extremely confusing. If I ask my doctors (have three) they don't even know. Statistics are really all we have right now.

I was diagnosed in 1999 (blood transfusion in 1979) that I have hep c. Was a stage 3 at that point, waiited 1.5 yrs then treated. Not a 2-log drop at 24 weeks and was taken off, but VL did go down quite a bit. Just had another bx in October - am Stage 4 on one scale & Stage 6 on another, full cirrhosis AND REALLY DO NOT HAVE MANY OPTIONS LEFT.

So, for me ONLY, had I known way back when I was stage 0, 1 or even 2 - I would have treated without a bat of an eyelash. I would give my right arm to be able to have that choice now. Additionally, I have insulin diabetes, thyroid disease and fatty liver. All complications from HCV. My problem is that I found out too far out in the game. Yes, these drugs are hard to take .... but your life is much more important. I didn't ask for this and neither did all of you. Don't let your choices slip by ....

Good luck to all!!!

Iam 30 days post being removed from tx. I am still suffering so many sides I am truly scared. I cannot get a deep breath, something either burns or hurts in the upper GI area and it feels like I swallowed a stone.

My liver doc removed me from tx because he felt it was making these existing problems worse. And just living in this body, I could feel that something very bad was happening to it.

Either way it is a risk. Tx or no tx. For ME, genotype 1 and mild to moderate damage that has not worsened over 7 years, it was time to stop.

Ya it's confusing alright. Maybe just flip a coin and decide :confused:

Hi,
I first became ill in my early twenties. Today I am 59. Back then I was so sick, doctors at a famouse diagnostic clinic in san diego were puzzled. Then I was taken off all medications other doctors around town had given me. Later, I was told, the medication from city doctors was actually killing me. It took nearly 2 years to feel good again, but the clinic doctors said no medications unless absolutely necessary, like antiboidics etc. eat good food, take vitimins, and sleep until my body awakes on its own. I have done this, along with taking herbs, and today I am quite well. I was given a name for what I have in the early 1990's. Never had a liver biopsy or treatment. Doctors say to me: "Whatever your doing, keep doing it, because it seems to work for you." I still have Hep C, so they say..But my enzime count has stayed the same for many years 50/70. Quite frankly, I think if I stopped drinking coffee and smoking cigarettes it would go down. I once stopped for 2 months and enzimes were 35/45. Many things will cause the elevated enzime, and I am still wondering if I actually have Hep C, because from what I understand, there is NO test that can actually diagnose for certain Hep C, only a series of test that draw our human conclusion. Frankly, I fear the treatments that destroy the immune system, if only temporarily. I wish you the best. God Heals :angel:

Hello judy, I have been with hep-c for three years , well thats when i was informed with it, i have not taken no treatment what so ever. i take coral calcuim the 1000 mg. once morning and once nitght, and a flaxseed oil capsules, and fishoil capsule, and vit - e , and my one aday vit. but make sure theres no iron in the vit. cause the liver thrives on iron and this worsens the hep-c/ same for your foods make sure you have no iron as possible. i get these mentioned from walmart, and i also take a about three inches of my aloe vera plant and cut the rind away and eat the clear gel , nasty taste but shortly, i do this at night once and also i take a whole garlic and cut it in half and chop it finely and eat 1/2 morning and halt night with quick gulp of water and last but always first strong faith as all healing come from our father in heaven in his time ! for me i feel great please do all mentioned and you will also ! may god be with you

Glad to see this thread going and these posts.
As I mentioned in another post, it appears I have been thrown off a Hep C web site because I asked a question about the new non-invasive liver biopsy called FibroSure. Apparently, it wasnt appreciated that I mentioned there can be complications with liver biopsies. I have diabetes, and thyroid disease and enough faith in God to let Him tell me when and if I need any treatments other than trying to get into a good program of healthy eating, exercise and supplments.
This whole virus is such new ground, and it just upsets me to no end when people act like we dont have any other choices.

Glad to see this thread going and these posts.
As I mentioned in another post, it appears I have been thrown off a Hep C web site because I asked a question about the new non-invasive liver biopsy called FibroSure. Apparently, it wasnt appreciated that I mentioned there can be complications with liver biopsies. I have diabetes, and thyroid disease and enough faith in God to let Him tell me when and if I need any treatments other than trying to get into a good program of healthy eating, exercise and supplments.
This whole virus is such new ground, and it just upsets me to no end when people act like we dont have any other choices.

Unfortunately some people just go with the flow & do what the majority are doing good or bad right or wrong.
Remember your parents saying not to do what others do ? don't jump off a cliff just because someone else did ? kinda' like kids saying but everyone else is doing it. This disease is too new, too different in every individual & everyone handles treatment differently. All anyone should do is state facts, statistics, studies etc. & let people use that information to make their own educated decisions but I am not going to pay big bucks to put poison in my body to make me sick with odds that are no where good enough for me.
There are many here on this site that are very knowledgeable & most don't mind if we agree to disagree here that's not true at many sites they are so moderated you can't have a healthy discussion.

I guess I didnt get tossed off, but the person wont go for the idea of the non-invasive liver blood test. My thoughts are, HCV is such a new field that almost everything is "new" anyway. It's all unchartered territory and you have to start somewhere. I wonder how many people are like me, and have such a problem with anxiety and things like that that if they did the treatment, they would end up staying home every day and never go anywhere. I dont like to travel if I dont feel good, I dont go to church, I dont go anywhere. That is just how I am. And with the bad genotype Ijust cant see doing this with such poor chances of "success."

I guess I didnt get tossed off, but the person wont go for the idea of the non-invasive liver blood test. My thoughts are, HCV is such a new field that almost everything is "new" anyway. It's all unchartered territory and you have to start somewhere. I wonder how many people are like me, and have such a problem with anxiety and things like that that if they did the treatment, they would end up staying home every day and never go anywhere. I dont like to travel if I dont feel good, I dont go to church, I dont go anywhere. That is just how I am. And with the bad genotype Ijust cant see doing this with such poor chances of "success."

Regardless of what anyone says this test will give you an idea of what condition your liver is in & there is no risk to the test.
Church is where two or more are gathered there is a great Preacher on Sunday morning on Fox 4 in the Dallas area at 7:30 am I believe & Sunday night around 7:00 pm on one of the Religious networks & he is worth searching for in your area.
He is out of Houston Texas & his name is Joel Osteen.
He is awsome & will lift you up let me know after you watch him I want to know what you think.

I've seen him!
I dont make it to church every week but ours is on the Web and radio so I get it that way. I do absolutely make my Bible group every week and have hardly had any absences in over 18 years of studies.
I just know though, if I were to throw treatment into the picture, I would get freaked out and end up not wanting to be out of the house. I'm a huge homebody, especially if I dont feel good.

I've seen him!
I dont make it to church every week but ours is on the Web and radio so I get it that way. I do absolutely make my Bible group every week and have hardly had any absences in over 18 years of studies.
I just know though, if I were to throw treatment into the picture, I would get freaked out and end up not wanting to be out of the house. I'm a huge homebody, especially if I dont feel good.

You are in good hands & I'm not talking about Allstate.
I really don't know how anyone goes through this without Faith.
God will lead you as to what to & not do just continue Praying about it.

Thanks for that encouragement. I thought diabetes was kind of hard, but after 34 years you get used to it. Then I thought thyroid trouble was kind of challenging. This is a whole new ballgame. This diagnosis requires more faith on my part for some reason.
My husband does not have this. Perhaps I am supposed to be that example to him. It does take that ounce of faith to go against the norm, and say you are going to take a wait and see approach and be strong in your convictions. Perhaps this is putting things in practice for me more than anythng in life to date. At any rate, I plan to make some healthy changes, get a bit of a plan going and then I have got to move on with this. I cant wait for September, will be back in my ladies group, studying and doing my homework once again. Good for the brain and the soul!

I am really confused by the statements posted in some replies about eating meat and Hep C. I have had Hep C for about 30 to 35 years. I have never treated and I take a ton of herbs formulated for me personally. I feel my very best when I eat red meat, a source of energy. In fact one doctor told me when I feel tired to eat a small serving of liver as raw as I could stand it. Red meat helps produce healthy red cells. When I eat liver or red meat( a steak), within 30 minutes I feel energized. It is not my imagination. Red meat really has me feeling very active. As I said in other posts, doctors seem very unconcerned with my condition, always stating no significant change. So what's with the red meat thing? It works for me.

I am really confused by the statements posted in some replies about eating meat and Hep C. I have had Hep C for about 30 to 35 years. I have never treated and I take a ton of herbs formulated for me personally. I feel my very best when I eat red meat, a source of energy. In fact one doctor told me when I feel tired to eat a small serving of liver as raw as I could stand it. Red meat helps produce healthy red cells. When I eat liver or red meat( a steak), within 30 minutes I feel energized. It is not my imagination. Red meat really has me feeling very active. As I said in other posts, doctors seem very unconcerned with my condition, always stating no significant change. So what's with the red meat thing? It works for me.


From everything I have read and from all the hepatologists I have asked at liver meetings, none has said that red meat is a problem at all. Moderation is the key.

In fact, there is an article in the "management of hepC " section of the website (below that talks about how important protein is (again, in moderation) and how important it is not to fast if you have liver disease.

I don't know where this myth got started, but that appears to me to be what it is, a myth.

I hope this helps,

thanbey

hepatitisC outreach project
www.hcop.org

...all information is intended for general information and is not an attempt to speak to the specifics of any one person's medical situation or decision...........

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Thanks Thanbey, because I love my red meat. I truly believe we all need a certain amount red meat to sustain healthy cells. If I go a week without some sort of red meat, I actually begin to feel my energy dimish slowly. I eat red meat and I'm back on track. Nothing like a good steak and salad. :)

Thanks Thanbey, because I love my red meat. I truly believe we all need a certain amount red meat to sustain healthy cells. If I go a week without some sort of red meat, I actually begin to feel my energy dimish slowly. I eat red meat and I'm back on track. Nothing like a good steak and salad. :)

That's just the ANIMAL in you coming out. LOL
You know the drill eat meat, don't eat meat same with everything eggs etc.
Changes all the time so I just eat what I want when I want & part of the time I'm in with the tren & part of the time I'm not.
All I do know is my grandparents generation ate grease lard everyday, bacon, sausage, bisquits smothered in gravy, worked around all the bad poisons that have been banned DDT & the like & they all lived LONG HEALTHY LIVES ?
GO FIGURE ?

That's just the ANIMAL in you coming out. LOL
You know the drill eat meat, don't eat meat same with everything eggs etc.
Changes all the time so I just eat what I want when I want & part of the time I'm in with the tren & part of the time I'm not.
All I do know is my grandparents generation ate grease lard everyday, bacon, sausage, bisquits smothered in gravy, worked around all the bad poisons that have been banned DDT & the like & they all lived LONG HEALTHY LIVES ?
GO FIGURE ?

I got a big laugh from your reply. I'm still laughing. So why is it so many young people are coming up with cancer? Think it's the chemicals in our food? It's got to be something. I came up with maple cured bacon and eggs, and all the food you mentioned. I still have all my original parts and my boobs are fine too. So what is it with all the young girls I hear having cancer? I guess this is for another message board.

I have read that vitamin C intravenously can be effective. In order for C to work you need a lot more that they usually say. (My son takes 80-90 grams a day, but for something else. Don't go trying to take that much! Read up on bowel tolerance of vitamin C in order to see how much you should take. You can find information on the internet.) Read my post in the thread "I could sure use some info! for more information. I have other posts on how we use vitamin C in our family and what form we buy and how we take it.

God bless,

Kime