Liver Issues?

[chandra]

Ok guys. I got some news today. It's hard to share, but I think of y'all as my friends. We found out today that my husband has a pretty serious case of Hepatitis C, which he got a few years before we got together. Knowing how it's transmitted, that means there's a good chance that I do as well. So my mind starts thinking, and my fingers start googling, and I start worrying that I'll have to give up kava. (I know there are bigger issues to worry about as well, but). I drank about 1/2 cup kava last night. Went to bed feeling a little run down, which I assumed was simply that I had a lot of kava for me, and haven't drank it in awhile. I also had a headache, but headaches are a pretty regular occurrence for me. Today my lower back is hurting, similar to a kidney infection but my urinary tract is clearly functioning just fine. Of course this isn't entirely out of the realm of normal for me either, but it doesn't happen often unless it's my time of the month. Could it be liver related? Should I lay off of kava till I get checked out? Has Google made me paranoid?

 

[WimblySlop]

Ok guys. I got some news today. It's hard to share, but I think of y'all as my friends. We found out today that my husband has a pretty serious case of Hepatitis C, which he got a few years before we got together. Knowing how it's transmitted, that means there's a good chance that I do as well. So my mind starts thinking, and my fingers start googling, and I start worrying that I'll have to give up kava. (I know there are bigger issues to worry about as well, but). I drank about 1/2 cup kava last night. Went to bed feeling a little run down, which I assumed was simply that I had a lot of kava for me, and haven't drank it in awhile. I also had a headache, but headaches are a pretty regular occurrence for me. Today my lower back is hurting, similar to a kidney infection but my urinary tract is clearly functioning just fine. Of course this isn't entirely out of the realm of normal for me either, but it doesn't happen often unless it's my time of the month. Could it be liver related? Should I lay off of kava till I get checked out? Has Google made me paranoid?

AFAIK, liver disease is, for better or worse, typically asymptomatic until late stages. Your symptoms are unlikely to be liver related and more likely to be related to something banal like you were on your feet a lot, or you slept funny, or you're walking more now that the weather is nicer, or something along those lines.

In terms of kava, my feeling is that if you have hepatitis C you should be very wary of anything that is going to accelerate the disease. What that means varies from person to person. I would just like to add, there is fairly convincing evidence that Hep C isn't transmitted sexually. I don't know your relationship with your husband or anything like that, but unless you've been sharing needles or in other ways have had blood to blood contact, it's unlikely you have it. I would be sure that you get tested. You should also remember that while it's very unusual for it to be transmitted between sexual partners, it DOES get transmitted by pregnancy to children, so you may also want to have your children tested.

Hang in there.

.wimbly

 

[verticity]

These days hep c can be cured with antiviral medication in many cases. Whether it can be transmitted sexually is controversial. Best to get yourself tested ASAP. Obviously if you test positive it would be wise to lay off the kava until treatment is complete.

 

[chandra]

Thanks guys. I know they tested me for std's when I was pregnant. I'm assuming Hep C was one of them, and everything was negative. I've never used needles, but he used to. It's good to know that my chances of having it are low. I do plan on getting tested just in case, and I will bring it up with my daughter's doctor as well. Don't think there's any way that she would have it, but better safe than sorry. So I'm assuming my symptoms are most likely related to too much kava and not enough water. Things have been rough lately. First, we found out he had MD. Then RA. Now Hep C. Seems every test they do reveals something else to be concerned about.

 

[Krunkie McKrunkface]

Thanks guys. I know they tested me for std's when I was pregnant. I'm assuming Hep C was one of them, and everything was negative. I've never used needles, but he used to. It's good to know that my chances of having it are low. I do plan on getting tested just in case, and I will bring it up with my daughter's doctor as well. Don't think there's any way that she would have it, but better safe than sorry. So I'm assuming my symptoms are most likely related to too much kava and not enough water. Things have been rough lately. First, we found out he had MD. Then RA. Now Hep C. Seems every test they do reveals something else to be concerned about.

lots of good advice already given. Me being paranoid I'd be inclined to hold off on kava till a doc gives the all clear but that could be way overly cautious and paranoid, given how small your risk probably is. I will say, though, that it is surprising the array of symptoms you can get with kava if you don't hydrate (or sleep!) enough, and that's hydration before bed, when rising, and then throughout the day. Any time I have had anything seem amiss it virtually always clears up right away if I up the water intake and if necessary, like with vertigo and visual disturbances, a bunch of water then a nap.

 

[Noname]

Milk thistle is good for liver.. Fats sugar alcohol and too much protein stress the liver..there are natural cures for everything. Healthcare is a scam.long story short they treat symptoms of problems and never cure the source of the problem which means you will keep wasting money on pharmacy poison. Forget those scamming doctors unless you need some nessessary surgery or there's a bullet inside of you

 

[chandra]

Test results came back. I'm good except for low vitamin D, which is a much better problem to have than Hep C!

 

[chandra]

@Noname I agree with a lot of what you said. I always try to handle any health issue naturally before resulting to pharmaceuticals. Made the mistake of taking antibiotics for a sinus infection last week. I ended up with a pretty serious allergic reaction to one of the few antibiotics that I wasn't allergic to till now. That leaves two-three antibiotics that I'm not allergic too. From now on, it's natural antibiotics unless it's a life threatening condition.

 

[schatz]

Good to hear, now back to kava. I actually cancelled my ins. in January it was 800 dollars a month with a 10,000 dollar deductible. Will be getting regular once a year blood tests and listening to my own body and after a year will save 10,000. those are a lot of blood tests I could afford. I am 53 and in decent health and dont recommend this for everyone but for me it is a financial win so far and I am not really much of a gambler. And the less I go to a doctor the less they will find, a win win.

 

[schatz]

Test results came back. I'm good except for low vitamin D, which is a much better problem to have than Hep C!

The last couple of blood tests I have recieved have shown low vitamin D also and I live in Az. and own and use a pool. Go figure, I think some new vit D supplement by prescription only must be in the drug makers sights.

 

[Noname]

Pounds of waste in stomach can cause sinus problems inflammation low energy and all kinds of funky stuff.. Take castor oil which btw will make you use the bathroom a lot and dehydrate you so do it ona day where you'll be home.. Eat fruits and veggies on the day you do it along with yogurt after and lemon juice. You will feel like you got ran over from detoxing but next you will wake up feeling great. And it might make you use bathroom next day also.use 1 tablespoon of castor oil. Also wheat has a reputation as super food but it's actually very bad for you.

 

[chandra]

That's the case many times, but I think with Vitamin D it's just that the health effects of low vitamin D are becoming more known. Before I started taking a vitamin D supplement, I was having symptoms like dizziness and fatigue that improved when I started taking vitamin D. I just get lazy and stop taking it sometimes. I get plenty of sun here in Tn too. I think having a child depleted my Vitamin D levels, and for some reason it's hard to get them back up since that's been over three years ago and I've been taking a supplement off and on for over a year.

 

[Deleted User01]

Yeah, I came back low on Vitamin D too. It happens to men as they get older and has nothing to do with the sun. I get a ton of sun. That Hep C is scary stuff for a kava consumer. In any event, I think both you and your hubby are going to have to have your blood checked frequently. Then you can post your excellent liver reading here on the forums.

 

[Edward]

Here's a picture of @Deleted User01 to prove he gets lots of sun. This was taken the last time it snowed in Texas.

 

[Deleted User01]

Here's a picture of @Deleted User01 to prove he gets lots of sun. This was taken the last time it snowed in Texas. View attachment 7992

Hey, that guy stole the chair I use when I drink beer by the pool on Saturday. But we don't get no sno here. We don't even know how to spell sno. If you guys didn't know, the temps have been as high as 120 in California, 115 in phoenix, and San Antonio will only be 100 but that's because of the cool front.

 

[violet]

Vitamin D3 needs cofactors to help it work properly. Vitamin K2 (best is MK7 form) is an absolute must, it tells the body to deposit calcium in bones and teeth, directing it away from blood vessels, organs, and other soft tissues.

Magnesium, taken orally needs to be chelated, mag glycinate excellent form for most, dosed no more than 150 mgs at once, spread doses apart 3-4 hours. Higher doses just stress the kidneys as the body cannot use the excess at once.

Mag is best absorbed transdermal. Body will only take up what is needed. Mag oil is mag chloride, can be rubbed neat on skin but tends to sting a bit, can dilute half distilled water. Probably better is Epsom salt baths, about 3-4 cups in tub. The sulfate in Epsom salts has some very helpful properties of its own to the body.

Other cofactor is fish oil. Vitamin A has a balancing effect with D3 if there are worries of toxicity. Cod liver oil is good food source of D3, also contains A and Omegas, but not enough D3 to correct deficiencies (without consuming massive amounts of it).

Vitamin D supp should always be D3, never D2.

D3 is fat soluble, needs to be taken with food for absorption.

Maintenance dose is 5000 iu's daily for most, more if the body is under stress, so need to supplement more than that to increase levels. Can take at least several weeks to notice a benefit with therapeutic dosing.

 

[kilakila]

Great info, @violet.
I think the prescription form of Vitamin D is actually D2 and comes with calcium, which we don't need if we eat a good diet. Vitamin D3 is the only way to go. I live in Southern California, get my time in the sun without sunblock and my Vitamin D levels, while within range, are not optimal. So I take a Vitamin D supplement every other day. I've only just learned about the Vitamin K2 so I need to research that and see if I'm getting enough in my gluten free, paleo diet.

 

[Stan]

Happy to hear you didn't contract the hep c. The lower back pain was probably from stress.

Look on google for vegetables good for the liver. Generally anything bitter is good. Feed your old man them and like a user said above, refine his diet. Go easy on protein. Avoid sour foods. Best of luck.

 

[ThePiper]

you can boost your D levels through diet if you cook a meal with mushrooms in it daily. Key is to leave fresh mushrooms out in the sun for about 1-2 hours. a window sill might do. A serving of mushrooms prepared this way has more than half the RDA if I recall correctly. And of course food sourced vitamins go much further than megadosing lab vitamins.