A couple of days ago I wa diagnosed with Hep C by my general practioner. I really dont know what to do or what to think. It's gonna be a month beofre I can get in to see a specialist and my GP really couldnt tell me much. I'm hoping I can get some answers here.

My ALT enzyme level was at 318. I know that's high but how high? Is this at some critical level? Does it mean my disease has done some major damage?

I started to suspect that there was a problem a few months ago. I had some definate discomfort in my abdominal area where my liver is. Does this mean that I could be in the later stages of the disease?

I started taking 600mg of Milk Thistle per day when the discomfort began and after a few months with that the discomfort is few and far between but it is still there. I recently started taking 300mg of Red Clover, and 1000mg of Alpha Limpoic Acid daily. I also started drinking Green Tea for it's antioxitant properties. Can anyone suggest anything else that would be beneficial to me?

I've been drinking about a gallon of water a day...just for the simple fact that I assume it's gonna help filter out any toxins in my body which will lighten the load on my liver.

What about nutrition? Is there any do's and dont's as to what I should or should not be eating? The only meat I eat is Tuna. I get a good dose of Omega-3 fatty acids thru the tuna, which I eat everyday, and flax seed oil. My fat intake is low. My eating habits are pretty healthy but I would still like to know if I should add or remove something from my diet.

I dont want to see the specialist completely uneducated as to what meds are available to me. So far the only one I am slightly familiar with is Inferon(sp) which seems to be not very effective. Can anyone suggest anything else?

Now, I have other problems. I suffer from severe chronic pain from peripheral neuropathy and foot drop. I take vicodin (hydrocodone/APAP) for that. I've quit taking those because of the APAP and I am in really bad pain. Are all pain killers off limits to people with Hep C?

Any input would be greatly appreciated. I cant stand waiting like this. Obviously I havent had a biopsy yet, I dont know what genotype I have, I dont know anything. I do know that I am ready to fight this as aggresively as possible and I would like to start right now.

Thank you very much.

Ray

Well you have come to the right place to get good advice.
There are many people here willing to help, I know how you feel .
This board was the first place I came when I found out a year ago that I had hep c.
If not for this board & the people here I don't know what I would have done.
I will let the others here answer most of your questions but like they all assured me when I was freaking out you will likely live a long life & die of something else.
IF YOU DRINK ALCOHOL QUIT- NONE, NADA, DON'T DO IT.
I haven't drank in 2 years I want to live more than I want to drink & that's the # 1 thing you have to do.
It's like throwing gasoline on a fire.
Watch for posts by THANBEY she helped me more than anyone & is very knowledgeable Helpful.
READ, READ, & READ some more, everything you can get your hands on & be prepared before you go the doctor.
I know in my situation I ended up knowing more than some of the doctors I went to.

Thanks for the replies.

I PANICKED AND FOLLOWED EVERY LEAD AND CRACKPOT CURE , STARTED TAKING HERBS AND VITAMINS , SEEKING OUT SPECIAL DIETS AND BASICLY DRIVING MYSELF INSANE
And thanks for that. I actually laughed for the first time in a long time. That's exactly what I'm doing. Today I added Selenium and something called Liver-rite to my list of herbs-and things.

At this point I just dont know what else to do. I hate just sitting hear and waiting so I guess researching and taking herbs that are supposed to promote liver health is all I can do get rid of this feeling of helplessness.

I;m really glad I found this board. There's a wealth of information here. Reading back thru old posts has taught me more in 24 hours than I have learned in weeks using internet search engines.

Again, thanks.

Hello Ray,

first, know that most people live a long productive life with hepatitis C and die of something else altogether. So, this is not a death sentence, especially if you do some very important things to prevent progression.

First, no alcohol at all, ever. This is proven to increase the amount of circulating virus in your blood, increases the chances of transmission to others, and generally is not a desireable circumstance.

Second, do not smoke, anything. Toxins taken in through the lungs are filtered through the liver. There are now numerous scientific articles that talk about liver disease and smoking any substance.

Third, watch over the counter medications for ingredients, such as tylenol in cold and flu meds, alcohol in cough syrups, etc. Too much tylenol is dangerous, so be vigilent on how much you ar taking in.

You have asked about diet. Heart healthy is also liver healthy in terms of diet. Meat is good for you and provides aprotein that cannot be accessed any otherr way. I know, I know, this flies in the face of popular wisdom, but I attended a recent workshop at a Liver Disease meeting (the one specialists go to) and it was clear that red meat is good (in limited quantity of course) not the bad thing everyone seems to believe it is. Limiting protein is a bad idea. So is fasting. Have a snack before bedtime. Yogurt is good, but anything will do.

I am concerned about the tuna intake, Ray. Mercury is a problem, particularly for those with liver disease (which you may or may not have, actually) Omega 3's are best from salmon or supplements at this point. The tuna is of great concern.

Your ALT is quite high, but not necessarily damgerous. It may be indication of a number of things. The tuna is supicious, but only because that is all the informaiton you have given. Alcohol would be the other major contributor to this, if you still consume alcohol. Normal ALT's run in the teens and twenties, so above that is elevated. Most doctors don't worry about it until it is beyond the range of the lab being used, but this is now being reconsidered in hepatology circles.

The supplements you describe are of no particular concern. Milk thistle is not harmful. Alpha lipoic acid is also not shown to be harmful. Vitamin E in at least the 1000 mg range might help, but less does nothing in research trials.

Too much fluid intake might keep your kidneys busy, but it isn't going to do much to wash out toxins. You might be washing out all the good stuff with the water, also. 6-8 glasses of water a day is adequate for most adults.

Avoid foods containing excessive iron. Again, read labels. You might be getting lots more in your diet than you realize. Not good for men, in particular.

Peropheral neuropathy: the drug of choice is neurontin. I am not sure that is how it is spelled exactly, but this is a liver friendly drug that is used for neuro pain and it is very effective. Our medical director is a neuroplogist and pain specialist. I have heard him say that this would be his first choice. Discuss it with you provider. I don't recommend this from any point of expertise, but offer it as one more talking point with your provider.


Interferon treatment is one of many choices in the management of hepatitis C. You will need to see a specialist, perhaps more than one before you find aknowledgeable one (such is the state of the state these days!)Until you have the biopsy result in hand, you can't know whether you have time to consider and try other options or not. Well, you always have that choice, actually.

There are options among the interferons, too. Brand loyalty of doctors aside, some really are better than others. But, those are issues beyond the biopsy, which is something you should absolutely insist on having. Some doctors resist doing the biopsy. Don't go there. Get the biopsy.

Genotyping is necessary only if you decide to treat with interferon. The genotype determines how long you will treat with interferon, but serves no other useful purpose at this time. It is a myth that one genotype causes more damage than another.

Try the website below my name for more information and resources. Don't forget the "you can help part"

We have Frequently asked questions, articles (bottom of the favorite links page) info on nutrition and excercise.

Welcome aboard!

thanbey
www.hcop.org (http://www.hcop.org)



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After posting this I realized that I really dont know which enzyme was in the 300's. ALT or AST? It's the one that's supposed to be higher. My general practioner saidthat we shouldnt be concerned about it unless it reaches the 1000's. I've always consinered him to be a bit incompitent though.

Thanks for the advice on the water and tuna. I've cut down to half a gallon a day and I quit tuna, which I love. I get Omega 3's from Flaxseed oil. I always considered tuna to be a good clean source of protein but...well, guess it's not that clean.

Drinking wont be a problem as I havent tasted alcohol in probably 10 years. Quitting cigarettes is proving to be a huge struggle. I;ve quit everyday for the past 2 weeks now.

I certainly hope I dont have liver disease. I;m almost sure I was infected with Hep C only a few months ago. I'm hoping we've caught it in time. I am however experiences discomfort in my liver. I dont know if this would be considered symptomatic or not.

I;m really nervous about seeing the specialist. My whole attitude at this point is to treat no matter what is going on. I dont know if most chronic illnesses are like this or not, but I feel quite helpless.

Hi Ralph,

The workshop I attended was lead by an expert on liver and nutrition at John's Hopkins.

She clearly said that there is no substitute for meat in the diet. Not excessive amounts, mind you, but the real deal is the real deal.

From a purely medical point of view cutting meat out of the diet is a bad idea. As is always the case, things are not always so simple. But that's the scoop from the experts.

I hope this helps,

thanbey
www.hcop.org (http://www.hcop.org)

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www.hcop.org (http://www.hcop.org)
preapproved by moderator1

Hi Ralph!

I've had this since I was 4 years old through a blood transfusion (33 years ago). I have mild inflammation, otherwise no permanent liver damage. Keep your chin up.

I was told by my primary doctor in Oct. that I have Hepatitis C. Plus he said I had it in my system for years, I had a needlestick injury in 1991, I work in the Healthcare field. I see a Liver Specialist on Feb 8th, should I aske for a liver Biopsy, and treatment options?

Yes, you need a biopsy to determine if you have any liver damage. You don't need to panick, because most people have had this disease for 20-30 years and have minimal liver damage. The number one thing you need to do (if you haven't already been told) is to quit all alcohol intake indefinately. I've known 2 people to die from Cirrhosis within a year (one of them recently) and neither one had HCV, so this should tell everyone that it's the alcohol that kills not the virus...Hope you find the answers your seeking...Good luck, take care and God bless...

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Jeanie

I went to your website and I was so excited with the wealth of information there. I was even moreso blessed when I saw your name on the list of credits. (I feel connected to a celebrity!)

I appreciate how you have ministered to the many people withtin the realm of this forum. May God bless all of your endeavors to help those in need with this disease and with all your other ministries.

Anabasis

hey there rayralph... http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/biggrin.gif
keep your chin up, i know as well as our fellow heps , just what you are going threw.it's a shock & scare, then of course all the bad ideas come to mind. but like thanby said people will die from something else first. things will calm down as you learn more about it. i've had it since/82. i have never done treatment. i do not drink alcohol, and take vit e,a multi-vit.(no iron)liv-tone, and i watch what i eat.exersize is a factor also, it's good for the mental stress too.i'm limited to alot of excersizing because of other med. problems, but i do my best.
keep the faith,bless you...mj

Thank you Anabasis,

Your feedback is really appreciated!

thanbey
www.hcop.org (http://www.hcop.org)

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www.hcop.org (http://www.hcop.org)
preapproved by moderator1