Hey Mac.
To tell you the truth, when I was told I am a nonresponder and the only other thing was a liver transplant...my heart was broken and I felt so much like a failure that I just didn't do much of anything at all. Just sit back and watched. No more doctors for me.
But...with daddy and his liver cancer...I've pretty much taken meat out of our diet. I've noticed with him that when he eats meat, he gets weird. And we both weird enough. lol
Drink the water. Milk thistle is the best, I hear, but I can't afford it.
Stress is worse for your liver than alcohol. Stress ain't good for nothin'. I have been trying to stay away from that also and trying to keep daddy calm also. That can be stressful.lol
I don't have an answer for you. Just know what I've been trying to do.
Love ya,
Tasmoe

I'm a non responder. The main thing I did to help my liver was to stop drinking. I try my best to eat healthy. but that's not always the way it goes. I take milk thistle. The doctor said it can't hurt. She also said there was no medical evidence that it helps. It can't stop hepc from attacking the liver. But I still take it, medical evidence or not. A wise elderly women told my Daddy about it years ago when I was first DX. Now I'm working on weight lose and a healthier way of living. I'm going to LIVE till I die..All my love, Joni x0x0

Thanks Ladies, I feel for both of you.

Also maintenance program, have anyone ever been on interferon maintenance?

Hi Sweets, I was told I was a non responder , In July, and My #'s continue to go down, I was on the Milk Thistle at first, Then had surgery so I had to stop taken for a while never started, Last VL, shows #'s continue to fall, I don't eat very health, I drink water, but probably not a much as I should, Not sure if it is because the Meds from tx are still in my system, Happy as a lark about it though, It's a crazy Dragon that is for sure. Love ya girl !

My doctor and I talked about it but at this time in my life I choose to wait. I have 5 wonderful grandkids and one more on the way and I just want to stay healthy enough to enjoy them. The interferon just made me to sick. I suppose if things get worse I might consider doing the maintenance.

Half a dose of Interferon each week until the protease inhibitors are approved.

i was on tx for 6 months, got down from 8 million at dx to 268 when my doc told me i was a "non responder" hmmmm seemed to me getting down to 268 was a pretty good response, oh well. now my vl is back up, 224,000 about a week ago, and i can feel it, the pain stuff, makes me ache all over. oh well, doc said no maintenance tx for me because my thyroid quit, prob due to tx, so we're getting that back to normal levels hopefully with yet more meds, but just for thyroid, take milk thistle, e, silinium and wait for new tx...drinking red tea, and pomegranit tea, and try to eat healthy....great post, thanks. xo

I will start out by telling you that I am sorry that you are a non responder. I am too. But I will not give up hope that they will find something better with less sides for those of us who didn't respond and everyone else too!
But to answer your question. I take daily milk thistle, and I see a holistic chiropractor who does accupuncture and supplements. Two years after I stopped tx, my numbers were off the charts. I have been seeing the chiro. for about 13 months now and the last blood tests showed that my ALT and AST were within normal levels for the first time since I found out I had this disease. I totally think that holistics will stave off this virus until something else comes along. I was so depressed after tx that I started drinking again to numb all emotion. So I was actually quite surprised when my GI told me I was within normal range! He couldn't believe it when I told him what I had been doing! He still thinks its a crock but I'm sticking to it! ;) If you have any questions, I am more than glad to tell you what I know! Keep your head up and stay positive! MIND OVER MATTER! Peace and Love!

Thanks so much for sharing your regime post treatment with me.

The reason I ask is, that many people ask me the same question, and I also have a friend in BC, who was on maintenance and eventually quit, since he figured it was time for a break from it all, also to enjoy time with his children and grandchildren.

Now I can maybe help him with your answers, and help those who often ask me about it.

I was a responder for those who thought I wasn't.

But like I said, it's a subject that is important and thought I'd bring it up.

Again thank you soo much for all of your replies.

Mckenzie
one day at the time

hey, tas, did you cut out all meat? or red meat? we eat a lot of chicken and i'm wondering if we should cut back on that as well.

You know what sis? I havent really done shit about this? LOL.... For me I FOCUS on my Attitude and my Happiness and I truly belive it works for me! I mean I eat right and all that stuff, But I truly belive is what I carry in my Heart and Soul helps me Daily !! No rocket science here sister! LOL

I will gladly share the diet that restored my health. See my profile.
Basically, no junk food, no processed food, none of the stuff Americans have grown fat on and come to be addicted to. Potato chips, donuts, soda pop, candy, all out.

Lots of fresh leafy greens, veggies, some fruits, some only raw nuts and seeds (no roasted salted), beans are good, and some brown eggs and salmon and tuna in moderation.

absolutely no cheese, and no dairy! Dairy is deadly poison! rBGH has ruined it. It is not the perfect food.

No white flour, no table salt, no white sugar, no artificial sweeteners, and no red meat. NO lunch meats or ham or bacon. Junk.

Eat what grows in the garden mostly. Tough to do, start with one thing and eliminate it. Keep working at it!

The ole'man's been a non-responder twice--looks like #3 coming up, I'm afraid. I think more like Makiah, what you put into your body is sooo important. The ole'man thinks more like Tatt, attitude is key. His doc said it's ok to eat junk so he doesn't lose weight, so I'm fighting a losing battle. He's down to 11,0000 from 8,759,000 (1a) this time. His numbers go up slowly every time. Doc says there are 5 new tx coming down the pike, and the fact that his numbers tend to increase slowly gives me hope. Love, Skeeter

That's 11,000 from 8,759,000 - sigh - long day. Skeet

I told my brother one day the old saying, You are what you eat. He stopped, looked at me, waited until I was really listening and said, nah, you are what you don't excrete.
Maybe we are both right. Look at all the fat people eat and it ends up around their middle....

Oh, I forgot, no pizza. No white bread. Take it one day at a time and learn to eat whole foods and learn to prepare foods. Most people have no idea what to do with produce. They open a box or bag or can or bottle and that is dinner.