Hi To All, Just Turning 50 I Thought It Would Be A Good Idea To Get A Physical. I Have Degenerative Disc In My Lower Back Which Keeps Me In Pain, Ulcerative Colitis Which Keeps Me Regular And All The Other Ailments A 50 Year Old Should Have. Not Having Insurance Keeps Me From Doing Certain Things, But Never Having A Physical Now Was A Good Time. It Started With High Blood Pressure, So Heart Monitor For 24 Hrs And Stress Test, Came Back Ok. All My Other Blood Tests Checked Out Ok Except He Said My Liver Levels Where High. The Range Is Between 20-40 And I Was At 70, Which I Didn't Think Was So Bad. After More Blood I Tested Positive For Hepatitis C. I Haven't Used A Needle In 32 Years So I Guess I Had This For Some Time. I Do Drink And Take A Hand Full Of Pills Everyday. I Have Been Taking Milk Thistle For Years And I Drink At Least 100 Oz's Of Water Daily. Friday He Wants More Blood, And I Went For An Ultrasound Yesterday To Make Sure It Wasn't A Mass Or Something. I Think That Was Ok. I Feel If I Lived This Long With It Should I Start Changing My Ways Now?

Hi To All, Just Turning 50 I Thought It Would Be A Good Idea To Get A Physical. I Have Degenerative Disc In My Lower Back Which Keeps Me In Pain, Ulcerative Colitis Which Keeps Me Regular And All The Other Ailments A 50 Year Old Should Have. Not Having Insurance Keeps Me From Doing Certain Things, But Never Having A Physical Now Was A Good Time. It Started With High Blood Pressure, So Heart Monitor For 24 Hrs And Stress Test, Came Back Ok. All My Other Blood Tests Checked Out Ok Except He Said My Liver Levels Where High. The Range Is Between 20-40 And I Was At 70, Which I Didn't Think Was So Bad. After More Blood I Tested Positive For Hepatitis C. I Haven't Used A Needle In 32 Years So I Guess I Had This For Some Time. I Do Drink And Take A Hand Full Of Pills Everyday. I Have Been Taking Milk Thistle For Years And I Drink At Least 100 Oz's Of Water Daily. Friday He Wants More Blood, And I Went For An Ultrasound Yesterday To Make Sure It Wasn't A Mass Or Something. I Think That Was Ok. I Feel If I Lived This Long With It Should I Start Changing My Ways Now?


50 isn't very old. Only change your ways if you want to not only live longer but have a decent quality of life for however long you do live.

Milk thistle will not protect you from bad diet, alcohol or smoking all of which have been associated with progression toward cirrhosis and worse, hepC or not. They make the situation worse, thoug, if you have hepc.


So, it's up to you. How do you want to spend the rest of your life, long or short? Sick and feeling nasty, or feeling healthy and well? It's entirely up to you.

thanbey