If you want something inert to get the bowel moving, trying psyllium. It’s just a food really so shouldn’t mess with your tx. I am a bit of an expert in that area as the virus seems to have given me a very sluggish digestion. Try to get the organic stuff from a health food shop rather than those toxic preparations they make in the chemist. Mix a tablespoon with plenty of water twice a day and drink quick before it turns into jelly. Then drink a large glass of water.

I find if I don’t keep “moving” my emotional state suffers. Not on tx yet of course, but I have something of an emotional reactivity to situations that I blame on the Hep. Usually at times when I could most do with being cool calm and collected.

I wouldn’t try taking Chanca Piedra on tx, though it is quite a gentle herb.
I’d also be extra wary about self prescribing anything if I’d had my gall bladder removed, but sadly most GPs and specialists would probably be pretty clueless about it.
I did read somewhere there is a Dr in South America who uses Chanca especially for Hep C. I certainly think it had a contributing factor to my viral load reduction.

I’ve been taking capsules of the Cayenne lately (home made). You have to be very careful to take them on a full stomach, but the benefits are amazing…wonderful for the circulation.

I’ll expand a little on the Turmeric paste recipe in case anyone finds it useful.
1. Source quality Turmeric with a known curcurmin ratio…I use Allepey, and it’s the best I’ve found.
2. I cup Turmeric powder in enough water to make a paste over a low heat, just to get it all smooth and dissolved.
3. Take off heat and add a half a cup of oil (olive and coconut are best), three teaspoons fresh ground black pepper, and whizz to make it mix.

That makes quite a peppery paste, and you can probably get away with using less, though they say the piperine in the pepper increases the benefits of Turmeric 2000 percent! It has to be freshly ground though. I also add ground fennel.

Start with half a teaspoon twice a day and work up. Effects on different people are variable and some find it very purging indeed.

If you can afford to live in London.
They are saying there will be a crisis soon in all the service industries there because the low waged are all being forced out of the city. This probably includes grumpy nurses.

You have a truly appalling and frankly genocidal government there’s no doubt of that, and very little hope of getting rid of them. In that respect we are quite similar sadly. Life is a little easier here still though, which is probably why people are still fairly cheerful in comparison. Our public health is not too bad, at least in the cities, although you can wait many years for operations etc. There is definitely a push on to get rid of it altogether though. It’s only a matter of time.

Never beat yourself up about anything! You are a hero to have made it this far.
And a survivor
We women are far too hard on ourselves as a rule, and need constant reminders to keep up healthy levels of self love and appreciation. Loving yourself and healing yourself go together!

I must say when I need a moisturiser, either skin or hair, nothing beats high quality coconut oil. It’s brilliant stuff!
I also find certain herbs are incredibly good for my skin….burdock is a big one. Boil up the roots and eat them or make tea.
You are dead right about beauty products LG…toxic rip offs for the most part. I stay well clear of all that stuff, especially make up, which is incredibly bad for your skin. Also most soap and gels, which just rip the moisture and vitality out of your skin.

I wonder how much knowing I had the infection for all this time has influenced my decision not to have kids. Probably a bit, although I’ve never had any significant doubts about that anyway.
It’s certainly made life easier in many ways. I don’t have to worry about infecting anyone, or supporting a family with low level chronic ill health. Knowing about it for a long time made me reform my life style early on and it meant I was never sick enough to seriously consider interferon…thank the goddess!
My GP still offered me interferon in the mid 2000s…even though my LFTs were fine. I hear they thought they had a better chance with the healthy ones! Vampires!
Ugh!
The whole last twenty years of treatment for probably millions of patients is basically genocide.

Thanks CJ! I am in Brisbane…lots of bats here…I have my own little colony out the back…though I don’t feed them. I’d like to
But they keep themselves to themselves. Sadly, most queenslanders aren’t very bat friendly. :/
Maybe once I’ve sorted this disease I’ll become a bat carer.

Ariel, I can provide some advice on the gum treatment and dental things in general. One reason I decided to wait for the PBS is because I’m already spending so much money trying to save my teeth and gums. I’m sure it’s all related to the hep and my digestive problems…anyway…big life savers for that are
1. Oil pulling with coconut oil.
2. Clove Oil ( try the Indian shops)…medicinal grade….mix it with a carrier oil…it’s quite strong…but awesome both for healing and for pain.
3. Strong himalayan salt mouth rinses.
4. Tea Tree Oil (again quite strong), and Peppermint Oil.