Hi guys,

I haven't posted since last year and it has been crazy and hetic!

I was doing the treatment to treat my hepititas c but i have stopped because it started making me ill and i started having asthma and other symptoms that i never had before and was always tired and my body was always hurting. I was having coughing fits, and vomiting especially when i stop taking the meds.

I do not want to go back on the meds so Iam wondering what natural remedies i could use to care for my hepittas at this point because I refuse to go back to the treatments because it seems to have made me more tired and sick than it helped me.

I would appreciate any kind of info you can give me at this point!

Well, today the only way how to cure HepC is interferon therapy.
If you have problems with this treatment, you can try alternatives - but keep in mind, that the alternatives do not kill the virus. You will live with the HepC, BUT the alternatives can help heal your liver.

I personaly think, that good alternatives are chineese medicine, and Milk Thistle.

Petr

My fiance tried the interferon years ago and was intolerant to it. He contacted a Dr. Zhang in NY, had a phone consultation with him. He started him on a herbal protocol sometime in October of last year. His viral count was 12 million. When he had his bloods drawn earlier this month they were down to 4 million. He doesn't get the aches and pains as much and has been feeling much better. It's true they say the herbs don't destroy the HCV, but living the way he was wasn't much of a life. Hopefully you can find something to bring a quality of life to yourself. Best of luck.

Please listen to me. I am 60 years old. Had Hep C since I was 20. I almost die in a research hospital before they know what Hepatitis C was. Hep C almost killed me when I was 20. My body organs had begun to shut down and I was 80 pounds from my normal 125. It took 3 years to feel well again. Today I am 60 and well. All these years I have lived a normal life due to the smart doctors at the research hospital. Absolutely no foriegn substances in my body is what the doctors perscribed for the rest of my life. So why would doctors today perscribe poison treatment to the liver trying to kill the virus? I lived at the hospital for one year, and believe me, I learned alot about this monster virus.
Sounds to me like the treatment wore down your immune system. You need to start building your immune system and each niight sleep untill your body wakes on it's own, (not to an alarm clock) Sleep is so important to healing the liver. When you awake on your own, this is your body telling you it's had enough rest. However, with Hep C you may still feel tired. This will get better but it takes time. Not just days, but months. Healing the liver is a slow process, so slow you may not recognize when you are actually better until one day you realize you are doing more than you did before. Here is what I take for more than 40 years that has kept me well along with the proper rest each and everyday. A good multible vitamin without Iron twice a day, Milk Thistle, Nu-Liver chinese formula, Milk Thistle, Folic Acid, Clear Lung Herbs, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, B-12 (twice a day) Alfa-Lopic acid, and there are a few others, but it is in a formula from a chinese doctor. Cats Claw once a week will detox intestons. Believe me you must build your body back up to fight the virus. Sounds to me like your immunse system is too weak to fight the treatment (poison) and the virus too. The treatment is NOT a cure. Even if you got through it, most likely the virus will return. Any doctor that is truthful or knows what he is talking about would tell you the treatment is not a cure. It only hides the virus for a time if at all. I have some of the best doctors from the one of the best known research institutions, and all say treatment is not a cure. They do not BS me. City doctors just don't know. The city doctors Hepatitic C is not their main study. I wish people would listen to me. I've been through every type episode a Hepatitis C victim could go through, except Treament. There is no way a doctor could get me to do treatment even if I was 20 again. It doesn't take much to realize the treatment is not a cure. Just read about all those who relapse after going through hell with hopeful treatment. Those that say they are cured, I'd like to hear what they have to say in a year from now. Until they find an actual cure, and learn more about the unknown science, I say it is wiser to build the body functions before you tear it down. Those who claim they are cured, I hope they are right. But I do not believe it is the poison treatment that cured them. Maybe they never had hep C to begin with, or maybe God chose them to be well. As many do not know, THERE IS NO ONE TEST TO INCONCLUSIVELY DIAGNOSE THE AGENT OF HEPATITIS C, only a series of test to presume it is Hep C., AND the presumtion is not always correct.

Oh my goodness. I know people who have cleared the virus and stayed that way going on 14 years now. You might not call it a cure but it sure means somethink good.

Oh my goodness. I know people who have cleared the virus and stayed that way going on 14 years now. You might not call it a cure but it sure means somethink good.


I suppose it amounts to this: if the only consideration was "clearing the virus", you would be entirely correct. However, so many people now report life long side effects and troubles from taking these medications that it requires a careful cost/benefit analysis to decide whether the risk is worth the potential benefit.

The main problem I have is that viral load and severity of liver disease have never been related to one another in any scientific study. Yet we are repeatedly led to believe it has meaning. It might, but we have no proof yet. Even the benefit of fibrosis reversal may be temporary (and research has shown is worse after one year if SVR is not achieved) So, the risk of making your liver worse is there. Even in the best case scenario oof a 50% chance of SVR, the other 50% is a chance that your liver disease will be worse beyond one year post treatment. Also, at 6 months post treatment, you still have the medication in your system. The real test for this is the new testing technology (which may find some percentage of those friends of yours positive) and repeat testing years later.

best to you,

thanbey

I am doing the treatment have been on it for 2 months and its not easy..I am taking some natural herbs that seem to help with depression and tiredness I am taking Sam E, in the am, and Borage Oil in the evening. They help with the mood and energy level as well as naseau. I dont know if I can stick with the treatment as I am breaking out in a rash on back of legs. Is there anyone else out there that has gone through the treatment??

TO: Sparkiej
Against rash or itching: try to minimize your washing and do not use soap. Even plain water contains chlorine which can irritate your skin.
Petr

I suppose it amounts to this: if the only consideration was "clearing the virus", you would be entirely correct. However, so many people now report life long side effects and troubles from taking these medications that it requires a careful cost/benefit analysis to decide whether the risk is worth the potential benefit.

The main problem I have is that viral load and severity of liver disease have never been related to one another in any scientific study. Yet we are repeatedly led to believe it has meaning. It might, but we have no proof yet. Even the benefit of fibrosis reversal may be temporary (and research has shown is worse after one year if SVR is not achieved) So, the risk of making your liver worse is there. Even in the best case scenario oof a 50% chance of SVR, the other 50% is a chance that your liver disease will be worse beyond one year post treatment. Also, at 6 months post treatment, you still have the medication in your system. The real test for this is the new testing technology (which may find some percentage of those friends of yours positive) and repeat testing years later.

best to you,

thanbey

I am brand new to this type of board so please bare with me here. Thanby, question for ya. How bad according to MRI's was your liver and what shape is it in now? I'll give you the quick n dirty on my story which is DX in 98. Biopsy in 99. THyroid gland removed due to immune problems as it does not run in the family at all. HCV induced I presume. Anyway, my biopsy in 99 was stage 0 grade 1, piecmeal necrosis. I've been sick as a dog on and off for 10 years. I never folded and went on the interferon as I just new it was wrong for me and why do it if my liver is in suck great condition. I had another biopsy last yr I guess it was and I am stage 4/4 cirrhosis. I drank only a little all this time. I was told by the first doc that did the biopsy it was ok. I don't think I really consumed more than about 2 drinks a month. That should not cause this drastic change and the doctors agree. But they want to do a liver transplant now and say I can't even do interferon and my kidneys are in stage 2 beacuse of HCV. Couldn't be becase of the mistreated thyroid condition? Or, the 60mgs of diuretics I was on? I don't trust any of them and have taken care of myself all this time. Today I do alot more than I use too bur they keep trying to scare me into a transplant. My blood work is not very pretty. The last ultra sound I had the lady had 31 yrs experience and said my liver looked better than most people that came in for something else! I was like what? She said what did they tell you that you had? I said, end stage liver disease and I hvae a yr to live. She said she was embarrased to work in that hospital with the stories she has heard. I have been tested to death. My local liver doctor fired me the other day cuz I hadn't gotten the Vacinnes for Hep A,B and others as required for pre transplant. Oh ya, and no colonosopy yet either. I just turned 50 last yr. They didn't even give me the year and my Mom died and son got divorced and mover back in and I could go on but I won't. Anyway, need a course of action. I know all about ALA, mild thistle and the various things that you take and that's why I am wondering I just feel I need stronger ammo. SO I wanted to know how bad your liver was? I itch alot. I can work like the old me, like a dog but then have to sleep for days to re-coop. My hair is 80% gone and skin is the pits. I belive lots of symptoms are thyroid related and the liver being compromised as to processing the drugs. No gland so totally reliant on meds. MAkes it hard. I guess I am still making at least one more trip to the hospital to get on the list just in case I am not as smart as the average bear but I refuse to spend however much time I DO have at a hospital. THose people aren't exactly friendly at least not the ones I deal with. SOunds like you really hit on something good. I just wish I had some direction other than my own. A good chinese doc or something. Keep up the good work and be well.
Maggi