Hey Sonia, It’s good that your BF’s liver is getting so healthy that this minor cholesterol issue is now the question. So, how to raise the protective hdl cholesterol while reducing the artery-clogging ldl cholesterol?

Raise the beneficial hdl through (1) excercise, (2) lowering trans fat intake (unhealthy trans fats are found mainly in partially hydrogenated shortenings), (3) moderate alcohol intake may help (usual advice is that if you do not use alcohol already then do not start). And reduce the ldl cholesterol through (1) increasing dietary fibre intake by eating more of the good stuff (legumes, vegetables, grain foods, fruit, nuts, seeds), and reduce saturated fat intake. (2) Loose excess body fat if you’re over the recommended body weight recommendations, (3) reduce sugar intake (remove sugary sodas, fruit juice, processed foods).

The detail in this advice sheet covers the basics – http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/high-blood-cholesterol/in-depth/hdl-cholesterol/art-20046388

Have fun now that you’re BF has reached end of treatment, that’s the most important part

Hi X-Hamster-Google, The treatments people access here mostly cost in the region of US$1,000 for a 12 week treatment. Most important though is to know which of the many treatments to use. In case you do not know this already, you need to determine which are the right drugs for your friends to use through knowing the genotype, fibrosis score (or estimate that through proxy blood tests), renal function, HIV status, and other pre existing medical conditions.
I have had type2 HVC, for which Twinvir is not a cure, so I sought a different treatment through the Redemption trials available on this site.
In other words, Twinvir can be excellent, but it does not meet every person’s needs.
Best of luck, Mnem

Hi Kitty, I am sorry to hear that after all that effort to clear the virus you don’t feel better and it is concerning that you have lost more weight. My goes out to you. If you have not had a medical check recently then it could be worthwhile seeing your own doctor to find out if you have something else going on. For instance you mention your thyroid taking a beating from your old treatment.
Your query about how long it takes to detox – Dr Freeman provides an answer for Harvoni half-life in the following forum topic: How long should I wait after treatment before getting pregnant?

Kitty, I cannot hyperlink it due to current tech glitch I am having.

Hi Hazel, Great advocacy in the radio broadcast you linked thank you. It is good to hear someone speaking up for all those living with HVC who are imprisoned in New Zealand. This country has one of the highest levels of imprisonment per capita, so bringing this to the fore in public discussion is particularly important. Thank you

Hi Heatherlou30, If you use the Sof and Dac buttons then under ‘drug class’ add something like Contraceptive and hormone… under ‘Drug Class’ and click search on the drug interaction hyperlink that is on the GP cheat sheet tab on this site, you will see it is okay to proceed with your hormone regulation. All the best!

Hi rightsaidfred, As the others say, at this stage it’s virtually certain to be something other than HVC that is taking you low. Hope you can get your results back soon.

A two coffee breakfast certainly does not count as food Keith. Arguably however you can class a large mug of coffee MADE entirely with milk as food, because it has a decent quota of your daily protein and carbohydrate requirement. Cafe au lait!

Here’s my completely personal and subjective take on this question, Hailz.
Coming as I do from an earlier generation, one that had never even heard of safe sex, I’ve spent the past 45 years regularly practising unprotected, mostly but not exclusively, penetrative sex with my (male) partner, Given birth, and breastfed children. Yet none of them became infected. None of them even have antibodies.

This despite close living, in which each person in my family somewhere along the way would have say, used my toothbrush, or my facecloth. Certainly I know body fluids got swapped one way or another. So my advice is use condoms or whatever, and maybe do nothing too crazy, but as my grandma used to say “practice makes perfect”