viral load - Rich

[Guest guest]

Hi Rich

Welcome to the Warriors group.

Im glad that you found us.

I am don in ks, 59, DX'd 2008, genotype 1B, labs normal, no HCV TX yet.

I am NOT a Medical Professional or Nutripath in any way.

I do do a lot of research tho, and try to help everybody find info and answers.

First let me start with a suggestion.

You should change your email pref to Daily Digest.

That will allow you to recieve 25 posts in one email, and I think that that would allow you to keep up better than having to visit the site.

You can also reply at the bottom of each message to any of the posts right from there if you desire to, send a new post to the group, or respond to the poster privately.

To change your email pref, click on EDIT MBRSHP at the top of the Homepage.

Click this link:

http://health.dir./group/ /

Ok now to respond to your post.

To my understanding, basically Viral Load will go up and down, and really doesnt mean too much until your on treatment, and post treatment.

You can take two blood labs at the same time or on different days, and both of them will show a different VL.

This is because many things affect the VL, and the HCV copies tend to clump together in your blood.

One sample might contain few, and the next a bunch.

In the last two years my VL has jumped all over the place.

My average is just over one million.

Changes in meds or diet will influence your VL.

There is more info on VL in the HCV Links Library.

Click this link:

http://health.dir./group/ /links/008___VIRAL_LOAD_001257019742/

Here is an interesting article about Milk Thistle.

You will like this.

Click this link:

http://health.dir./group/ /message/29536

You take a lot of the same sups that I take [milk thistle, ALA, Selenium, Vit D, etc], and my labs are staying in the normal range.

I believe that the sups do help, but I dont overdo the amounts that I take.

I stick to one pill each [no matter the doseage] per day.

I just want to keep the sups in my blood.

I am not seeking a 'cure', just better health.

This way also your now breaking your wallet.

If you explore the HCV Link Library, you will see that I have included a lot of info about sups, and alt protocals, including diet.

I believe in using both conventional and alternative medicine to maintain our health.

Click this link:

http://health.dir./group/ /links/

Now I want to talk about vitamin A.

You can take too much, and end up doing yourself more harm than good.

This goes for anything that you put in your body.

Vit A can hurt your liver.

I would suggest that instead of taking 3 doses a day, cut back to just one [600 IU].

Back to your VL.

You sound like me, listening and watching your body, and what you put in it.

BUT - you can over-stress yourself doing this.

You should let your Hep-doc know everything that you put in your body at home - sups, diet, meds, etc.

This will help your doc, help you better.

Info is the name of the game Rich, for anyone facing a health or any issue.

I encourage everyone to post as much as they can, about everything that they can.

It may just help the next person.

Stay well my friend, and dont stress.

Concern is good, but stress is bad for you.

love

don in ks

From: richpio77 <richpio77@...>Subject: [ ] viral load Date: Friday, September 24, 2010, 10:36 PM

I just had a physical and my HCV viral load is 882448, it had been hovering around 222000 the past few years. I am baffled by this sudden jump. I recently added a new medication for overactive bladder called oxybutynin 10mg, I also take hytrin for enlarged prostate 5mg. I am not on any drugs for the hep c. My viral load had been going down or holding steady for the past 10 years ( down from 600,000 to 200,000). I have taken a variety of herbs, most consistently milk thistle. I did have a biopsy in 2ooo that revealed very minor scarring and decided not to undergo treatmentI also have been taking retina A for a skin rash and a vitamin d supplement with 600iu of vitamin A from fish liver oil 3 times a day. Wondering if I am getting too much Vitamin A or if the bladder medication is a problem along with the hytrin.I added a few new supplements this year including NAC, TMG, GABA,Suntheanine and SAMe. I plan on

getting back on a milk thistle, ALA and Selenium regimen along with a few herbs. I had been cutting back due to financial reasons. I see the Hep Doc in October and will be running all of this by him. Has anyone experienced a jump like this in viral load. I am feeling pretty anxious about it and trying to figure out why it jumped so much.I am a new member and would appreciate any help or ideas.Thanks.Rich------------------------------------