Lowering viral load

[maggiepie471]

Am I understanding that I am capable of lowering my viral load. I am assuming a good HCV diet (I'll call it) with no alcohol consumption (whatsoever),exercise, lots of water and good rest can do it. Is this true? I know my viral load from a couple of weeks ago was 2,850,000. I have not had the biopsy done yet. Ultrasound, yes, and nothing showed up at all. I was the so called social drinker so this part was easy--and yes the food is easy too. I am 129 lbs and 5'6" so don't have the weight problem. Drawback may be 70 yrs old. I am asymptomatic so far. Will not go  for the current treatment offered.  Some of this is repeated information. But, this is the best forum of all.

[James10500]

"Am I understanding that I am capable of lowering my viral load"

Where did you read that.  One thing about HCV is there are a lot of snake oil salesman out there claiming crazy things.  Be careful when coming to conclusions,

[frijole]

I don't think I can add anything here.  I have recommended you get a biopsy on another thread.  There is virtually no difference in 6 million and 10 million when it comes to IU/mL as will said.  Those little buggers are constantly dying off and replicating and the numbers change daily - hourly.  The only thing that matters is how damaged your liver is.  Take heed of what orphanhawk said so consisely -- if diet and lifestyle were the key, she would not have had a liver transplant in the first place.

I told you on the other thread - and I am just a few months short of 65 - that my liver condition went to cirrhosis in the last 3 years.  And never have I had a symptom and my liver enzymes have always been in range.  

So do yourself a favor and at least get the biopsy.
frijole

[Dawn703]

I did not know I had HCV for 37 years, just recently found out this Jan. I have lived a healthy lifestyle for my adult life. I always ate right Lots of fruit and veggies, very little red meat, worked out, no street drugs, little alcohol, green tea, and some supplements. My viral load at treatment time was only 14,000. I have heard of others keeping their viral load low for a long time through healthy lifestyle. Not sure about lowering the vl, I heard that viral loads go up and down anyway.

That said, as others have said, viral load is no indication of liver damage and yes a healthy lifestyle can help your liver, but not prevent damage. This is why I started treatment even though my viral load was so low. All natural treatments will not cure you of the virus and as long as there is virus, your immune system will continue to fight it, causing damage. The only thing that will cure it is treatment. I am not pushing treatment mind you but as others have said, you need to have a biopsy done and go from there.

[willbb]

   Good post Dawn...
Will

[James10500]

". I have heard of others keeping their viral load low for a long time through healthy lifestyle.

But they don't know what their VL would have been otherwise.  Drawing conclusions in regard to HCV is difficult.

[Idyllic]

This is the reason most of us encourage you to have a biopsy. It truly is the only way to assess the stage of fibrosis you have. Plus, I understand the older we get the more rapidly fibrosis can progress:
http://gut.bmj.com/content/53/3/451.abstract