Anyone taking AHCC with Harvoni?

[opaleye]

Hi All,

I figured I'd ask the community this because most health care professionals don't really know. I have been using AHCC (and before that MGN-3) for the past decade or so to boost my immune system. I can tell it helps because whenever I run out of it I get swollen glands, ear infections, and such that tells me my immune system is overloaded.

AHCC works to active NK-cells to 'kill' the virus where Harvoni works by shutting down the virus's ability to replicate. Since those are different mechanisms, perhaps it is fine to have both armies wearing down the enemy?

[Lynn K]

Please clear any meds you are taking or considering taking with your doctor. Generally as not all possibilities that a patient might take either prescription, over the counter, or herbal may not have been considered it is best that unless you MUST take a medication you should consider not taking it for the brief period we are taking these new very expensive medications don't want to risk being treated successfully.

Rule of thumb when in doubt about a drug of herbal don't take it especially without coordinating with your health care professional.

Good luck on treatment

[opaleye]

Hi Lynn,

Thanks for your feedback. I did let my health care professional know I was taking this supplement, and since it isn't on Harvoni's drug interaction list I was cleared to take it. I was just curious if anyone else was or had been taking AHCC.

Hope the addition of RIBA does the trick for you!

[opaleye]

Hi Lynn,

I just wanted you to know, that after reflecting on your feedback, that Harvoni is such a new drug that there may be interactions that haven't been studied yet, so even though my doctor okayed me taking AHCC I stopped taking it a few days after posting the March 16 reply, and about a week ago I also stopped taking milk thistle (it was okayed by my doctor, too).

Fighting the dragon with this new sword is too important. It's just not worth the risk to dull its edge.

Thanks again.

[Lynn K]

Wishing you the best of health, an easy and successful treatment, and SVR forever!

[SIXFOOTFOUR]

Opaleye

Good decision IMO. Harvoni is a very powerful and new drug and just because anything does not show up as counter indicted at this time does not always mean it wont later be counter indicated or decrease Harvoni effectiveness.

Ive called Support a few times as well as my MD and the Accredo Pharmacy support to check on interactions and I had the answer a few times that we dont have information that or it has not been tested or nothing reported. But as its been explained to me Harvoni or any new drug does not hit the market having been tested against every other drug or especially herbal supplement. Specifically one that I called about was methypredisone    that I use for back pain and I was told there is no counter indication but also that they had no data specifically on it used with Harvoni.

Id rather err on the safe side as Im hoping for the success of this new generation of drug and kicking the sh-t out of my Hep C