Getting Real About Hepatitis C Prognosis
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Despite all of the progress made by the scientific community, there is no formula defining lifespan with the Hepatitis C virus. We know that millions of people live with the chronic version of this disease, but the variables that determine who stays well, who gets sick and who dies from Hepatitis C are not fully understood. Before even assessing where someone stands with these variables, the overall prognosis of living with chronic Hepatitis C should brighten anyone’s perspective on their potential longevity.
Relevant Statistics
A blood-borne, viral infection of the liver, Hepatitis C can be acute or chronic. Those who only get acute Hepatitis C have an immune system able to completely destroy the virus. For those whose immune systems are not able to accomplish this feat, a potentially lifelong illness of chronic Hepatitis C could be in store. Ten relevant chronic Hepatitis C statistics are described below:
- Of those infected with Hepatitis C, about 85 percent end up with the chronic version of this viral illness.
- Hepatitis C is the most common blood-borne infection in the U.S.
- Worldwide, experts estimate that 300 million people have chronic Hepatitis C.
- In the U.S., approximately 4 million people have chronic Hepatitis C.
- Around 75 percent of Americans with chronic Hepatitis C are unaware of their condition.
- One of every 33 baby boomers (those born between 1945 and 1965) are living with Hepatitis C infection.
- According to predictions by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, deaths due to Hepatitis C will double or triple in the next 15 to 20 years.
- Chronic liver disease is the 10th leading cause of death among adults in the U.S., causing approximately 25,000 deaths annually.
- About 40 percent of deaths from chronic liver disease can be attributed to Hepatitis C infection.
- In the U.S., approximately 8,000 to 10,000 people die annually from chronic liver disease caused by Hepatitis C.
Not So Lethal
The ‘death’ statistics are certainly scary, but they don’t portray an accurate Hepatitis C prognosis. The prevalence of chronic Hepatitis C in our society is staggering, especially considering three-quarters of those with the virus don’t know they are infected. However, a careful review of the numbers of people with the virus compared to the number of people who die from the virus puts the lethality of this infection in perspective. In truth, many more people will die with chronic Hepatitis C than die from it.
Two studies described below demonstrate this perspective:
- In a 2009 study published in the Journal of Viral Hepatology, Swiss researchers investigated the cause of death of those with Hepatitis C compared to the general population. After following 1,645 Hepatitis C-infected patients for an average of two years, they determined that:
- as long as liver disease has not progressed to cirrhosis, those with Hepatitis C are not at any additional risk of death.
- if alcohol is avoided, those with Hepatitis C are not at any additional risk of death.
Based on this research, a diagnosis of Hepatitis C is more akin to a warning to abstain from alcohol and make other lifestyle changes to prevent cirrhosis.
- In a 2011 study published in the Journal of Hepatology, Australian researchers analyzed specific causes of death among people with chronic Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C. Upon looking at the medical records of over 128,000 people, Scott Walter and colleagues found that Hepatitis C is not as deadly as previously thought. They found that 72 percent of the deaths in people with Hepatitis C were from a drug overdose or suicide – not advanced liver disease.
Stabilization
The stabilization of chronic Hepatitis C, as opposed to the escalation of liver disease, is the predominant determiner of an infected person’s prognosis. Getting tested and diagnosed is the single most important step towards Hepatitis C stabilization. Only upon being aware of one’s Hepatitis C status can someone start to make choices that will help stabilize or cure their condition.
Recent advancements in Hepatitis C drugs can lead to a cure in up to three-quarters of infected people. For those who are not candidates or are not successful in eliminating a chronic case of Hepatitis C through pharmaceuticals, there are many approaches that help prevent liver disease progression, such as:
- Being completely abstinent from alcohol
- Minimizing toxin exposure via inhalation, absorption and consumption
- Eating a liver-friendly diet
- Maintaining an ideal body weight
- Getting regular physical activity
- Using liver protective supplements like milk thistle
- Avoiding cigarettes and drugs
- Relieving stress on a regular basis
- Seeking emotional support when necessary
The lifespan prediction for those with chronic Hepatitis C will vary for each individual. Being diagnosed with Hepatitis C early, eliminating the virus with drug therapy, avoiding alcohol and drugs and making other liver-healthy lifestyle changes will undoubtedly lead to a better prognosis.
Having chronic Hepatitis C is not a death sentence, but a reminder that we are all mortal beings. It is a call-to-action, reminding those infected to take charge of their health – and create their own prognosis.
References:
http://hepatitis-c.emedtv.com/hepatitis-c/hepatitis-c-statistics.html, Hepatitis C Statistics, Retrieved July 1, 2012, Clinaero, Inc., 2012.
http://www.azdhs.gov/phs/oids/hepc/stats.htm, Hepatitis Program Data and Statistics, Retrieved July 1, 2012, Arizona Department of Health Services, 2012.
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504763_162-57381654-10391704/hepatitis-c-death-rates-rise-1-in-33-baby-boomers-has-disease/, Hepatitis C Death Rates Rise, 1 in 33 Baby Boomers has Disease, Retrieved July 1, 2012, CBS Interactive, Inc., 2012.
http://www.hepatitis-central.com/mt/archives/2011/08/surprising_data.html, Surprising Data on What Typically Ends the Fight Against Hep C, Nicole Cutler, LAc, Retrieved July 1, 2012, Hepatitis Central, 2012.
http://www.hepatitiscmsg.org/hep-c-facts–stats.html, Hep C Facts & Statistics, Retrieved July 1, 2012. The Hepatitis C Mentor & Support Group, Inc., 2012.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed, Little evidence that hepatitis C virus leads to a higher risk of mortality in the absence of cirrhosis and excess alcohol intake: the Swiss Hepatitis C Cohort Study, Prasad L, et al, Retrieved July 1, 2012, Journal of Viral Hepatitis, September 2009.
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/28/health/research/hepatitis-c-deaths-creep-past-aids-study-finds.html, Awareness: Hepatitis C Death Rate Creeps Past AIDS, Nicholas Bakalar, The New York Times, February 2012.
63 Comments
great article!!
Having been diagnosed with Hep-C in 1985 and gone through two failed drug combo treatments, I totally encourage those infected to closely follow the suggested list of items to prevent liver disease progression. At age 65, it’s working for me!!
like what? did you do? i am just starting my drug treatments in august… and i don’t know what to decide… herbal treatments or the drug treatment from mayo… i know not to drink and exercise and a good diet…do you have other things on your list?
I was diagnosed with liver disease in 1966 and then identified as Hep C in 1999. I’ll be 78 next month and still going strong. Stopped drinking in 1966. I watch ALL prescriptions and take none except for diabetes–which I developed a few years ago. There are MANY supplements that help with liver health available–So it has NOT been an early death sentence for me. Don’t let your doctor throw you into a panic. Learn ALL you can and then decide what to do. Hep C IS manageable for most of us.
Its good to read positive stuff about hep c, as I have been worrying a lot lately, due to the fact that I have been feeling exhausted more and more recently. I was diagnosed 10 years ago and am 21 months clean from alcohol. So thank you everyone for posting here
Kathryn did you do the drug treatment that is recommended for Hep C? i no longer drink and i’m trying to loose weight especially in the middle
did you do any treatment for your Hep C? the interferon, the ribivarin or telaprivor?
I have not done any standardized treatment for my Hep C. I have been to see Dr Burt Berkson and follow his supplement protocol. You can google him–lots of his lectures and his credentials there. He has both a PhD and an MD. He is well known as an alternative MD and currently treats just liver diseases. At the time of my diagnosis the treatment had only a 30% chance of working–and there were and still are long lasting side effects for some people. There is so much going on in new treatments and clinical trials of some 90 day non-interferon treatments with about a 90% cure rate and few side effects that it is an exciting time for all of us with Hep C. SuziQ
thank you suziq…..husband has gone back & forth with non-decision of this stuff. I do appreciate the insight from older and wiser about this.
so has your husband done anything to treat his?
No. But goes back and forth on the decision of treatment. He has first stages of serosis but lifestyle is totally different from before in the last 5 years.
I don’t know if he will or not. He also has disabilities which will add to the stress of interferon. I feel if you are not drinking and doing drugs and taking better care of yourself and not into 2nd stages of serosis, maybe keep an eye on your liver #’s. It is very dificult decision, I know. But every time he goes for bloodwork, his #’s are lower and lower. This is even after pain med’s for disability, which have some strain on liver as well. Good luck with your decision making. Have a chat with God and he will direct you.
so you are waiting?? for what new drug?? i am so confused what to do.. i’m scheduled to start on all the drugs in august… but i don’t like the sounds of the side effects… so puzzled!
SuziQ is this who you mean?
Burton M Berkson MD
General Practitioner
Las Cruces , NM
Male – 46 Years Experienc
Yes,That is Dr Berkson
Hi SuziQ, your posts about Dr. Berkson are inspiring. My mother has had Hep C since 1982 and has since developed cirrhosis which was only diagnosed this year so the Hep C has clearly been playing havoc with her liver for 30 years.
She is extremely interested in alternatives to Interferon and does not want to do the heavy treatment. So I have done a lot of research and found Dr. Berkson’s clinic. I am desperate for her to go there but it is so expensive and the cost of the IVs at the clinic are phenomenal. We’re not in the US so she wouldn’t get any health insurance aid with the costs.
Did you do the Interferon treatment or have you chosen the alternative route?
Also, I wondered if you think Dr. Berkson’s protocol would work when you do it yourself at home? I have talked to my mother about it and she is taking alpha lipoic acid, B-vitamins, selenium and milk thistle every day. I know Dr. Berkson does the alpha lipoic acid intravenously though so maybe it’s more effective that way?
Sorry for such a long post….it’s just very encouraging to hear from someone who has had good results with Dr. Berkson’s method.
Grace, My name is Deborah and I have had hepc type 1b the one that can not be cured. I got it when my gall bladder was removed in 1985. I found out I had when my clothes started fallin off in 2008. I have since been using 2000 grams daily of milk thistle it works, along with vitamin B12. I wish you all the luck in the world and will hold your mother in my prayers.
I am truly glad to hear that you are doing well. I mtself had gall bladder surgery in 1985 given a blood transfussion and bam..twenty years later I find out they gave blood tainted with hepC type 1b not curable at all. But I always took care of me so my liver was not bad. I now take 2000 grams of milk thistle a day and I am doing well. No it is not a death sentence if you follow good liver health.
THis is a hopeful article however there are so many side effect of HCV, that those living with it still feel even if the liver is stabilized…like myself. I still have many many symptoms going on in my body as my body deals with the virus. From nerves, lithargy and nausea and other issues caused by this virus. It is not just the liver that is living with it, it is your whole system. This makes it seem like we are just fine as long as the liver is not hardening up…wrong…other things go on…continually and the public should not look at this as an easy thing to live with. It can be debilatating, even with normal body functions. My load is over 19,000,000 but my body functions are in normal range. THAT DOES NOT MEAN I DO NOT FEEL THE BATTLE going on inside me.
This is to encourage you – so please, please be encouraged there is hope for you!!!!!! I contracted hep c through a blood transfusion in 1979. I was diagnosis in 2002 after an annual health assessement -the dr. asked what field of work was i in, I responded, health field. little did i know she tested me for hep c and the results were positive. they immediately placed me on intreferon, after taking interferon for 61/2 months the dr. stopped it and said it was not working, mind you i was hep c nieve and had i known of the side effects which even lasted five years post treatment, I would have run the other way. I say all of that to say I feel you, however, a new tria ldrug that was approved by the FDA in Sept. 2011. I began treatment in Feb.2012, in 2 weeks time i was ahead of schedule. my vail load had dropped to a low number, as I write to encourage you the quantitative and the qualitative are both non-detachable. If it were not for the very, very early stages of cirhosis (the size of aten year od thumb nail) my treatement would stop in Oct. however, due to that so i won’t possibly have a relapse I have to continue tx. until jan. of 2013. I look and fell great. I walk three miles at least 5 times a week. I am 57 but i look between 38 and 45 years of age. The drug is called telaprivor (2 tabs 3 x day) for 12 weeks each tab must be eaten w/ 20grams of fat which will allow for the med to travel to your blood stream faster. the ribivarin dosage is up to your dr. and 1 injection of interferon weekly. There is so much more I could share w/ you but time and space will not permit. Do your research and check w/ your dr. to see if this is for you. You won’t be sorry. Stay encourage and be in peace!1
my dr wants to start me on all three… at the same time! i am so nieve i don’t know what to think but i’m scared! the shots that i have to give myself really scares me… so you just did the telaprivor and the ribivarin? or did you do the interferon also?
I have been through the Interferon shots and it isnt as bad as it seems.
I have been through the Interferon shots treatments and its not as bad as you may think. You just have to make sure you mix it correctly and you inject it into a fatty tissue like the back of your arm changing to a different site each time. I used mine once a week and I chose Fridays so I could rest during side effects, which included aches and pains, some saddness, and depression. You need a loved one to be with you and they need to be informed by your doctor or internet of what you will be going through so they can give the love and support you need. After you do it a couple of times you will see that its not as bad as you think it will be. My treatment cut my viral load in half and that was ten years ago. Now I am going to be treated with a new antiviral drug called INVICEK which are in pill form along with the RIBIVARIN and PEGASUS injections. The cure rate for this new drug is 79 percent as apposed to 46 percent for interferon. It is for patients that have had some success with the INTERFERON treatments. Hang in there and the most important thing you can do is come to know JESUS CHRIST as your lord and savior, because with him all things are possible.
Robert Holmes holmesrobert82@yahoo.com
Thank you again Robert, what you are going to try now is what my dr has recommended for me.. pegasus is one of the three types of interferon… they told me in the mid-section of my body is the best place for the shots.. never heard of the arm… but thank you for sharing… i will also do the ribivarin and teleprevir/invicek which as i understand are the same just different names… I also am spiritual raised catholic and believe we are all in this universe to learn grow love and have faith… it is so nice to have a site like this to learn and share… with others that have it also… the sad thing is there are many out there that have no clue.. they have it… anyway… i really appreciate your sharing..
Kitty, Many years ago I did the 48 wk treatment but relapsed and then did the 72 week which included Interferon and Ribaviran both times, and have been clean since.
It was scarey for me too but others told me that I would get through it and I did. Before you know it you will be giving yourself your own shots and not thinking twice.
If possible unload your plate prior to treatments so this can be your #1 priority and rest when you need to. At the 3 month mark I had to stop working because I was very tired and had no appetite and felt weak. As much as you can, just go with it…try to eat healthy small portions and do some excercise as you feel you can. Tell yourself, this is temporary….
If there is ever a time to put yourself 1st, this will be that time. I will pray for you and cheer you in!
I want to add I was unable to tolerate treatment..my viral load flew up afterward and my nervous system not the same after a couple years
What happens to your nervouse system with Hep c?
beverlybish@hotmail.com Please e-mail me, haven’t heard too much about the nervouse system part…Thanks
Better have your Thyroid checked. Side effect of Interferon.
so what did you end up doing for your Hep C?
I and my brother have chronic Hep-c. I have been through the three drug treatment and it cut my viral load in half. Now I am going to go through it again with a new drug called Incivek. It has a cure rate of 79% for those who have been through the first treatment I went through. My brother however took one shot and like you he was unable to handle it. Now he has been told he has some cirrhosis. He is a born again christian however and is ready to go. My uncle was told he had cirrhosis and he quit drinking and got saved by the blood of JESUS and lived another 35 years. He was later told he had been healed, no longer had cirrhosis and died two years ago at the age of 80. Do you know the lord JESUS? He is the great healer and can do anything. Getting saved is a free and its easy to do. Just let Christ come into your heart.
i haven’t tried it yet… i am to start in August… the three combo.. i am just trying to learn as much as i can and carry on.. God is the one and we are all together learning to love one another…i do not drink…and trying to be aware of a healthy diet.. thank you robert
You are a deluded weirdo. That nonsense born again voodoo is completely meaningless, so please stop trying to shove it down the throats of people…..
thank you Seawolf… what did you do for your Hep C? i am so trying to get an understanding of what i should do…. i feel in a panic…
I have had Hep for 34 years. A Cousin of mine has it for 58 years. I use Milk Thistle, Alha Lipoic Acid, and Vitamin C. I stay away from Alcohol, andf my weight is good. Having a positive attitude helps with whatever ails you.
How much of those supplements do you take? Is there any recommended dosage?
on my milk thiistle bottle it says 3 capsules a day better on an empty stomach
and the alha lipoic acid says take 1-2 a day with meals
did you do any other treatment? any other drugs? i just started milk thistle and vitamin D.. i don’t drink and i’m trying to loose weight… my attitude goes up and down.. just being diagnosed with this i’m new and scared some days…
oh and i did pick up the alha lipoic acid just don’t know what to do?
Dr Berkson recommends 300mg twice a day. Be sure to add agood Vit B100 complex and some B-12 as the alpha lipoic acid. depletes Vit B. His protocol is 300 mg Alpha lipoic acid, 200mg selenium, 400mg milk thistle and a vit B100 twice a day. He added Vit D-3 as I was low on that. Also suggests a good iron free multivitamin as well.
i am getting such mixed messages about milk thistle… i’m so frustrated.. i don’t know if i should do the prescription medicine or the alternative means…. ugh!
The new article about milk thistle:
In his new study, sponsored by the National Institutes of Health, 154 people
with chronic hepatitis C who hadn’t gotten any better taking standard
prescription drugs were randomly assigned to down one of two doses of silymarin
or a placebo, three times a day for almost half a year
That is the paragraph that tells WHO the study was done on–That is certainly NOT representative of all the people with Hep C. I personally do not know if it helps or not, but I take it anyway.
As for whether to do prescription or alternative–that is definitely a personal decision. I personally believe that those choosing standard treatment need to access their personal situation ( money, support system, job, etc )and be sure that they are in a position to complete the treatment in the event it gets rough. For alternatives,How is your liver and can you wait for better meds that are in the pipeline? Keep researching both and the right answer for you will probably come.
If you have the insurance to pay for the treatments I would urge you to do the perscriptions…
hi , ive done the treatment for months everything was going well until i broke out with hives . now im right back were i started blood work not good , doc. stop the treatment going into 5th month ,the first week of the treatment i had all the side effects , lost the ability to speak clear sentence ,now that i stop i don’t know how long it going to take for me to be normal .
Unfortunately I’m not as lucky. The disease is destroyimg my liver at a rampant. No alcohol or drugs here. My only chance for survival is a transplant. That needs to happen in the next year or else.
i am so sorry to hear this..
i was recently diagnosed with Hep C.. i had no idea what the body experienced… i am no longer drinking… trying to loose some weight… but my question is… Are there any non drug remedies that are not shared in the medical centers… because we know they are going to recommend drugs… it’s the business… i am taking vitamin D and just started milk thistle… when i shared the milk thistle with my dr.. he said there is no evidence that it helps. What is your experience or take on this?
I was taking Milk thistle and my doctor just told me that the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill just completed a study of it and found that in no way did milk thistle help your liver. She said save your money and its also one less thing that your liver will have to deal with.
I was diagnosed with Hep C in 2010. I started treatment Feb.2012. Tx started with Ribavirin and Pegintron. Beginning my 5th week, I started taking Victrelis which is Boceprevir. This Saturday will be my 23rd week.I am feeling and going thru most of the side effects, no nausea, Thank God!
My whole first year after being diagnosed I spent reading everything I poss. could to help myself naturally. I make my own toothpaste and clothes detergent and dish detergent and soap. I make my own lotions and oils and deodorant. I believe in theraputic essential oils. I am trying my best to go organic and eat as much whole food, fruits vegetables, as I can. I have stopped eating beef. There is so much to say! I use coconut oil for most everything. I take it internally too.
I am taking lots of supplements. I naturally brought my viral load down from 2 mill. to1 mill my first year. As of today my viral load has no detected number, but is not undected.
You have to be so positive always! There are times when all I want to do is cry and I do,can’t help it. With everyone around I feel alone. We know this is a side effect.
I have not told anyone. My husband is the only partner I have with this.
Take care keep you head high Kitty.
dear al,
my husband is also my only partner… so you did the clinical drugs… i want to trust my dr… i am at the mayo clinic… but i can’t stand the thought of all the side effects… my mother was a big advocate of not taking drugs… so i hear her voice… i just want this thing out of me…. i went out and got the alternative herbal stuff.. just haven’t taken them to any real degree.. sporadic… and then i read something that says.. don’t waste your time and money… so once again i am confused what to do… i don’t eat much meat at all… very sporadic also… fruits veggies some protein like eggs… but i do feel so alone… and i haven’t even been on any drugs… they wanted to start me on an anti-depressant but i couldn’t do it… i can’t stand drugs…. i told two girls… and now i wish i never did!!!!!!! it’s none of their business.. i feel like there is a big X on my back… Thank you so much Al for sharing with me.. as far as soaps i haven’t done anything.. but i will look into the coconut oil… do you use it for cooking or just internally?
~kitty
And al did you read what robert shared about milk thistle… (I was taking Milk thistle and my doctor just told me that the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill just completed a study of it and found that in no way did milk thistle help your liver. She said save your money and its also one less thing that your liver will have to deal with.)
I was taking milk thistle but with the Victrelis they said not too. So I started looking on-line for the reason why and found there could be and interaction with them, possibly making the Vitrelis more potent. I stopped taking it. I live in NY. Yes, I would like to be friends. I can,t put my e-mail on this open forum. Are you on facebook? We could become friends and privately mess. our e-mail.
This Wednesday is my next Drs. appt. I am so nervous being as I am looking closely at my 24th week. Today is my PegIntron day, so I am feeling crappy. I have lost so much hair, it scares the heck out of me!
I believe in my supplements and I believe they have help my body fight this virus.
Sometimes I don’t have very much in Drs.Maybe I am not in the best place but it is where I have been going.
I here your Mom loud and clear. I question my decision everyday.So, I just continue with both ways. Have you heard of Young Living. They have very high quality essent.. oils and juices and a supplement I take… Ningxia Red juice and Juvatone. Awesome stuff in both. Have a good night.
Faith in Drs. ..sorry!
It wasn’t milk thistle, it was silymarin & was only used on patients that were unsuccessfully treated with interferon-based therapy, which creates a lot of holes in the theory, as silymarin (thought by some to be the “active ingredient” in milk thistle, and in “standardized formulas” is measured and altered) is not by ANY means the only active ingredient in milk thistle, and in fact isn’t used in IVs for liver toxicity for certain mushroom poisoning, so the test is flawed from the beginning (as is “standardized silymarin” milk thistle seed often found in health food stores.) Use of non-standardized milk thistle seed has desired effects going back to antiquity.
To take what was, in the 1950’s that was thought by a few to be the “active ingredient” in milk thistle & to infer that this means that milk thistle seed is totally ineffective is simply flawed & simply wrong.
Silibinin, not silymarin, was used in IV for certain to treat patients with suspected amatoxin (certain mushroom poisoning.)
If you are going to use herbals, I would strongly recommend the “The Complete German Commission E Monographs”, as the American version has come under scrutiny. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commission_E#Criticism_concerning_the_American_version_of_the_monographs
and there is more criticism from other sources of the American version as well, so this study was based on flawed information from the beginning, regardless of the “standardized” version of milk thistle, which was based on silymarin being thought to be THE single and only active ingredient of milk thistle.
What is also ignored is the synergistic effects of other active (& some ingredients thought to be inert in milk thistle & other supportive herbs, which work together.)
When herbal medicine has tried to be discounted, this is all to often the case. Anyone with a background in herbal medicine is aware of this bias. You can’t simply take a single component of an herbal medicine, especially one that may only be either an inert or supportive chemical, and discount the active ingredients, or a group of chemicals that working together are very effective.
What occurs in nature cannot be patented, thus pharma companies often try to create chemicals in the lab that can be patented, which have little, if anything to do at all with the plant from which an effective naturally-occurring plant material or natural medicine is used, which has worked well, often for centuries.
I’m going to keep taking my milk thistle, which is a “non-standardized formula”, and has been proved to work very well.
Ask yourself if corn is bad for you, or can lead to methamphetamine abuse if used regularly when one becomes an adult when research has shown that high-fructose corn syrup has been? Or should we stop drinking water because additives, such as chloramines in tap water cause known health problems?
Silibinin and silymarin may be derived from the same plant seed, in this case milk thistle, yet either one taken out of context do not have the same effect as the plant or seed. Different parts of plants can also have very different effects. In some cases only the aerial parts of the leaves are used, in others the seeds, the roots, and so on.
The bottom line is the study in the JAMA July 18, 2012, Vol 308, No. 3 is flawed, not only by using the premise that silymarin is the active ingredient in a vacuum, yet the fact that it was used in those that failed with interferon A may shed some light, which would need further study, that this derivative from milk thistle may have more in common, and far less side effects, than interferon A.
To say this study shows that milk thistle is ineffective is not only throwing the baby out with the bath water, but shows how conclusions are jumped to with junk science.
The conclusion states, ” Higher than customary doses of silymarin did not significantly reduce serum ALT levels more than placebo in participants with chronic HCV infection unsuccessfully treated with interferon-based therapy.”,
NOT that milk thistle, or even the seed, is ineffective in treating hepatitis C!
Something to think about.
Al would you want to be friends.. and we could share with each other.. maybe through e-mail or something?? i live in MN…
I am co infected with both Hep c and Hiv. I am on. Triple therapy for the HIV and am Going to start the Triple therapy ( pegasys, ribavari n and bocepravir).in a week . Have Had Lymphoma once and My doctors are excited for me goals are curing The Hep c, keeping the HIV undetectable and staying cancer free. I an BORN AGAIN, SPIRIT FILLED and BLOOD WASHED. I WIN
Hello everybody : )
I am a 52 year-old male and I was diagnosed Hep C+ in 2008. Since then I have tried 3 treatments : Interferon and Ribavirin – after 4 months the virus was still detectable (I am what is known as a partial responder) and the treatment knocked the crap out of me, Ozone Therapy – after the treatment the viral load had actually increased and also Squalamine (Shark Liver extract) – it didn’t have any effect. Now my viral load is hovering around 5 million. My liver function tests are high (ALT, AST and GammaGT). I eat a healthy diet and generally abstain from alcohol but have occasionally fallen off the wagon. The worst thing I find is that I get extremely tired and have no energy and also get very depressed. My doctor recently prescribed anti-depressants for me. They have alleviated the anxiety and insomnia I was suffering from but they also make me very sleepy. Getting out of bed and doing stuff is very hard for me. I was planning on doing a course of intravenous treatment with Silybin (pure essence of Milk Thistle) but having read the report published earlier this week about the efficacy or lack of with Milk Thistle, now I am not so sure. It is encouraging to read the posts by SuziQ and Freedom and Reggie but I relate more to the experience of Ig. It is hard to keep a positive attitude and do exercises etc when one is physically, mentally and emotionally down.
One thing to consider is the idea that we are not our bodies or our feelings or our thoughts. This is a Buddhist concept and it may help some fellow sufferers to think about trying to develop a spiritual dimension to their lives and maybe to try meditation or yoga. There is a non-profit (i.e. it is free) site that will show you how to do meditation. It is called helpguide.org. I am not affiliated with this site and I hope I am not breaking any rules by mentioning the name. I found it helpful as I have often heard of meditation but have never really known how to do it. It may be of help to someone. Good luck.
i have gotten a transplant at cleveland clinic..thank god for them…jimmajors@yahoo.com
I’m in week 41 of the 48 week treatment with Interferon and Ribivirin having completed the 12 weeks of teleprevir/invicek, which was the WORSE experience. My viral load is “undetectable” at present. Of the group which started this trial, I’m the only one left, the rest not being able to complete the therapy. It’s no walk in the park. This is my third attempt to clear the virus. I also have mild cirrhosis having had the virus for 50 years after getting it in a transfusion as a child. Sticking with “the therapy plan” is extremely important as is not taking any alcohol or non-prescription drugs for the rest of one’s life. The moral support of friends and family is so very important as well as a healthy diet with exercise. The jury is still out on Milk Thistle and my therapy team requested I don’t use it during the therapy as the results are undocumented.
My wife was diagnosed hep c in 2002 .She underwent interferon therapy twice(2004 and 2006) and peg interon therapy once(2008).Unfortunately she was declared a non responder.In 2010,she developed cirrhosis and underwent liver transplant in India in March 2011.Being Geno type !b ,unfortunately ,her new liver has again been affected by the virus. She is taking steroids and immunosupresent drugs.Presently she cannot be put on peg interon again bcz she will not be able to tolerate it.Praying and hoping for some miracle to happen for an interon free medicine to come for the cure of millions of Hep c patients
I was diagnosed with Hep C in 2007. Not sure how I got it or when, My liver is actually doing well. My liver tests are almost normal and my liver biopsy was Stage 1/Grade 1. However, I have a very high viral load (50 million plus) and the virus is chewing up my immune system and kidneys. I have terrible fibromyalgia and my ankles are so swollen they look like I have tennis balls under the skin.
For what ever reason, it seems to be leaving my liver be.
I was diagnosed with Hep C in 2009 during my physical, and my doc reported that i have elevated liver function which i was surprised to because i felt healthy and do not even know where my liver is. I had only one possible way to be contracted when i had blood transfusion in 1988 during C-section in Uzbekistan. I was scared to death, found MD who sees especially Hep C patients and makes research in this field at MGH. Had biopsy done that showed fibrosis 2 out of 6, considered mild. At the beginning, he didn’t even offer existing treatment due to low success rate and my genotype (1b), but i’ve been told that in about year (May, 2011) third drug had to be approved and i could try. But when time came i decided to postpone new treatment due to family circumstances. During my last appointment in March, my hepotologist offered me to participate in new free-interferon trials or wait for another couple years till it comes on a market.
I had a blood transfusion in 1980 with infected blood out of the NYC blood banks. I was diagnosed in 1994 with Hep C and cirrhosis and told that at most I had 10 years to liver failure. Well, I am still here. I have had 3 unsuccessful rounds with therapy: Interferon 1st then the Interferon and ribaviron combo. Right now, I am on triple therapy with the Incivek, interferon and ribaviron. Looks good this time. 6 months down and 6 to go. At age 63 now, and with cirrhosis, the treatment has been hard, but I am hopeful. What I can say is that good attitude, keeping weight under control, no alcohol, staying away from anything toxic as much as possible—like lots of medications are—and very high quality supplements to a primarily organic diet, are key. Many doctors really do not understand the liver and what negatively affects it, so if you are one of those patients who won’t do your own research, and think that your doctor may know what drugs are bad for your liver, well, good luck to you. You will need it. Keep the faith, be happy, be thankful for each day.
I don’t buy the statistics, and I doubt any one of us alone has HCV as our only illness. If you look at the top 10 causes of death in the US, all but auto accidents can be a result of HCV or HCV and other illness, inflammatory processes, autoimmune and so on, that can be a result of HCV. HCV isn’t, or at least hasn’t been if it is now (which is doubtful), a routine test on an autopsy. I have to wonder how many who have died of HCV complications have had their COD a heart attack, kidney failure, diabetes, and so on that can all be caused by HCV, yet were never tested. I think if dug deeper, that stroke, that heart attack, kidney diseases, flu, pneumonia, diabetes, Alzheimers’s, strokes, other cerebrovascular diseases, chronic bronchitis, tumors, cancers and heart diseases listed as COD can often be traced back directly as having HCV as a causal or at least contributory cause.
Hi, question if your born within the dates listed 1945-1965, than how were you infected with the desease, if your father and mother do not have Hep C.