I have a delightful patient named Anna who is 72 years of age who has been under my care for several years. I am treating her for chronic infection with the hepatitis C virus (HCV) which she has been carrying in her body for over 60 years. The good news is that her health has improved greatly and she has lost 33 pounds (15 kilograms) in weight.

Anna was was born in Yugoslavia and became a refugee of the Second World War. In her early childhood, she spent 18 months on a train between Russia and Yugoslavia. She spent a long time in dirty and crowded refugee camps during the war and eventually settled in Germany.

Anna remembers feeling unwell during her time on the train and in the camps. This is probably where she contracted the HCV, although in those days this virus had not yet been identified. Married in Germany, Anna and her husband then immigrated to Australia in 1969 where they acquired a small farm in the south western area of Sydney.

In 2004, Anna was diagnosed with the HCV and cirrhosis of her liver after years of having elevated liver enzymes. She had not had any surgery or blood transfusions whereby she could have contracted the HCV. It was obvious that she had contracted the HCV during her childhood when she lived in filthy crowded camps. She may have had vaccinations using contaminated needles or had childhood injuries contaminated with blood. The HCV can only be contracted via blood and is only very rarely contracted via sexual activity.

When I first saw Anna she had all the typical signs of cirrhosis - elevated liver enzymes, low levels of platelets in her blood and her ultrasound showed that her liver had a coarse texture typical of cirrhosis (scarring of the liver) however her liver was a normal size. Her spleen was slightly enlarged, which is typical in cirrhosis.

Anna had been suffering with the HCV for many years and, unbeknownst to her, this virus had been causing chronic inflammation in her liver leading to scarring. She had seen a liver specialist who had advised Anna to take Interferon and Ribavirin chemotherapy to try and clear her body from the HCV. However, because Anna felt reasonably well and was not young, she decided not to take these drugs. I told Anna that this was reasonable - she had the strain of HCV known as genotype 1A which did not respond well to the drugs and we would try nutritional medicine instead.

Anna had several problems –

  • Cirrhosis and raised liver enzymes showing liver inflammation
  • Obesity (and this is known to make liver inflammation from the HCV much worse)
  • A weakened immune system from a recent spider bite and facial infection
  • Varicose veins and damaged deep veins in her right leg from a previous deep vein thrombosis

I started Anna on a low carbohydrate eating plan eliminating all grains and sugar. I prescribed a liver tonic containing Milk Thistle, B vitamins, amino acids and antioxidants and an extra selenium supplement. I also prescribed the enzyme Serrapeptase to help her varicose veins as she was no longer taking anti-coagulant drugs.

Over a two year period Anna lost the excess weight and her symptoms of fatigue and bloating reduced. Fortunate to live on a farm where she and her husband produced their own organic fruits and vegetables, poultry and eggs, Anna also had a considerable knowledge of herbal medicine. She grew therapeutic herbs such as thyme, hypericum, chives and many others and made herself herbal brews and oils, which she used regularly.

Anna also had a wonderful spiritual and intuitive connection with God and taught scripture at the local church where she was much loved by hundreds of children. It was always a delight to see her as she was such a happy woman and had an aura of love and light and she was always so grateful to be helped.

Her liver function was good, with normal blood levels of albumin and globulins, which are proteins manufactured by the liver. This augured well for Anna as her disease was very stable. Even better, her liver enzymes had all reduced significantly indicating less inflammation in the liver. Her liver ultrasounds were done every 6 months and showed no deterioration in the cirrhosis. I also ordered a blood test called AFP every 6 months, which is a tumor marker, that if elevated can indicate the growth of liver cancer. Anna’s level of AFP remained within the normal range of less than 10, which meant that she was not at risk of liver cancer.

To me, Anna’s case is very interesting as it illustrates that even after more than 60 years of infection with the HCV, a patient can remain well and have an excellent quality of life.
I do not think that Anna’s liver disease will progress to liver failure, which is so important, as she is too old for a liver transplant. If Anna had remained overweight and continued to consume excess carbohydrates I am sure that her liver disease would not have improved to the extent that it has now.

Even though the HCV will remain in her liver unless she tries the new drugs now available, I think she will continue to do well. However it is her choice and no matter what the patient decides, it is always important to harness the wonderful healing properties of nutritional medicine.

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