Just found out I have Hepatitis C

Hi Sabrina, Welcome.

Follow Trish's advice. Get to a specialist and don't let up until you are satisfied.

I'm very lucky that my GP is very interested in hepatitis - he works with drug and alcohol abuse patients on a voluntary basis so sees a lot of hepatitis. He found my autoimmune hepatitis a real chalenge - was like a dog with a bone seeking a diagnosis - phoned specialist after specialist until he learned enough about what was happening. The gastro he chose for me had a heptologist at the same practice, and he worked at the best liver hospital in Sydney - so I got the best treatment available. These two specialists were in regular contact with my GP. It did take about six weeks for the diagnosis though which was frustrating for me but I knew I had the best care available and they would eventually find out what was the problem.

I am currently combining my regular medication and heptologist visits with chinese herbs and acupuncture and having great results.

Hope you have the same good fortune.

Marg

Hi Sabrina,

Somehow I missed your post. My apologies for not replying sooner.

I am taking Prednisone (10mg per day), CellCept (2000mg per day - 4 x 500mg), Fosimax Weekly (to help damage to bones from Prednisone), Macuvite (for my Macula degeneration).

The herbs are Peony, Salvia, Magnolia and Lycium.

Dr. Chen says he can train my white cells so they will not attack my liver, they will again accept it as part of me, not something foreign. Once they are retrained I will no longer have autoimmune hepatitis. He also says he can wean me off Prednisone completely.

Acupuncture gives me a feeling of well being. I know that when I was depressed a few months ago, he gave me what he called "happy" needles which were left in my ear for about ten days each time. My depression lifted immediately. (on the way home in the car I was making plans and talking to my husband in a positive manner he had not heard for months) Since commencing the lycium herbs I have felt calm almost all the time. This was a change about four weeks ago, to fix my mild depression.

Some people say there is a placebo effect but I really feel good after my visits and my blood tests have never been better. My GP is a little sceptical but my heptologist sees my improved results happen a month after commencing the acupuncture and herbs (without talking to him first) and is prepared to admit it may be doing some good. at least it's not doing any harm. Since the commencement of this alternate treatment my Prednisone dose has decreased from 15mg, down to 12.5 and now 10mg and the results have remained fairly stable. Yet on two occasions prior, once i reached around 10mg, my liver function declined considerably and once again my medication dose was increased to fix the problem.

Next visit down to 7.5 hopefully! Can't wait to get off that stuff!!

Take care.
Marg

Hi Marg,

 I was wondering why are you taking Predonisone? Does or has the Prednisone ever caused any side effects?

I have often thought about going an alternative way with my Hep C, but one has to be so careful because herbs are so harmful to the liver.

Have you had your liver functions checked since you have been on these herbs? If so, are they within normal range or are they still evelated? Or have they lowered or elevated since you started the herbs?

Hope your doing well.

 

Sabrina

Marg57 said...
Hi Sabrina,

Somehow I missed your post. My apologies for not replying sooner.

I am taking Prednisone (10mg per day), CellCept (2000mg per day - 4 x 500mg), Fosimax Weekly (to help damage to bones from Prednisone), Macuvite (for my Macula degeneration).

The herbs are Peony, Salvia, Magnolia and Lycium.

Dr. Chen says he can train my white cells so they will not attack my liver, they will again accept it as part of me, not something foreign. Once they are retrained I will no longer have autoimmune hepatitis. He also says he can wean me off Prednisone completely.

Acupuncture gives me a feeling of well being. I know that when I was depressed a few months ago, he gave me what he called "happy" needles which were left in my ear for about ten days each time. My depression lifted immediately. (on the way home in the car I was making plans and talking to my husband in a positive manner he had not heard for months) Since commencing the lycium herbs I have felt calm almost all the time. This was a change about four weeks ago, to fix my mild depression.

Some people say there is a placebo effect but I really feel good after my visits and my blood tests have never been better. My GP is a little sceptical but my heptologist sees my improved results happen a month after commencing the acupuncture and herbs (without talking to him first) and is prepared to admit it may be doing some good. at least it's not doing any harm. Since the commencement of this alternate treatment my Prednisone dose has decreased from 15mg, down to 12.5 and now 10mg and the results have remained fairly stable. Yet on two occasions prior, once i reached around 10mg, my liver function declined considerably and once again my medication dose was increased to fix the problem.

Next visit down to 7.5 hopefully! Can't wait to get off that stuff!!

Take care.
Marg