Below is the preliminary analysis of the first 124 responses to our alternative medicine survey. The questionnaire is intended to discover what people find helpful in dealing with their hepatitis C. It needs to be noted that people look for a variety of outcomes from alternative medicine, including
Viral eradication
Lower viral load (which tends to improve IFN/RBV treatment outcomes)
Slower or arrested disease progression
Alleviation of specific symptoms (e.g. fatigue)
Improved sense of well-being
Improved general health
The questionnaire does not distinguish between these, although it does distinguish those who completely eradicted the virus.
The questionnaires were given out in a variety of ways - through hospitals, Acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine clinics, hepatitis C support groups, off this website and in response to callers to The Hepatitis C Trust.
The key points that emerge are:
7 people cleared the virus as a result of alternative medicine, at least in their opinion. This represents only 6%, which is small, but on the other hand almost everyone (96%) who tried alternative medicine felt some benefit.
The number trying both conventional and alternative treatment (at least 40%) shows than neither is an either/or option.
Ayurvedic medicine and homeopathy were tried by many fewer respondents than any other type of therapy.
Yoga, Tai Chi and Qi Gong together with spiritual practices emerge as the most helpful. It's worth noting here that a recent scientific trial found that Buddhist meditation had a positive effect on brain chemistry.
More people made lifestyle changes than tried any particular therapy. Such changes typically cost little or nothing and may be easy to do on ones own and may not involve travelling.
Significantly more people paid attention to their diet than did anything else to cope with their hepatitis C, either excluding certain foods (e.g. fatty food, red meat, caffeine and processed foods) or including certain foods (e.g. fruit and vegetables, whole foods and organic foods).
Headline results
Total number of questionnaires sent out 253 (66 sent to TCM clinics/80 sent to hospitals)
Number of responses received 124 (49%)
Number who tried Conventional Medicine 56 (45%)
| of whom the number who cleared the virus | 18 | 32% |
| the number who did not | 21 | 38% |
| the number still on treatment | 17 | 30% |
Number who tried some form of Alternative Medicine 118 (95%)
| of whom the number reporting at least some benefit | 113 | 96% |
| the number who cleared the virus** | 7 | 6% |
**Of those 7 who cleared the virus none were doing conventional treatment. 3 did TCM, 1 did an energy practice similar to Qi Gong, 1 did western herbs, supplements and made lifestyle changes, 1 did various types of acupuncture and massage and 1 did a strict diet and meditated.
Breakdown by types of Alternative Medicine:
Yoga, Qi Gong or Tai Chi
| Number who tried it | 48 | 39% |
| of whom the number who said it helped | 45 | 94% |
| the number who said it did not help | 1 | 2% |
| the number who said it made them worse | 0 | 0 |
| the number who tried more than one and had a mixed response | 0 | 0 |
| the number who did not know if it helped or not | 2 | 4% |
Psychological therapies, including counselling and support/self-help groups
| Number who tried it | 68 | 55% |
| of whom the number who said it helped | 55 | 81% |
| the number who said it did not help | 3 | 4% |
| the number who said it made them worse | 0 | 0 |
| the number who tried more than one and had a mixed response | 10 | 15% |
| the number who did not know if it helped or not | 0 | 0 |
Acupuncture (not as part of TCM), massage, shiatsu, reflexology | Number who tried it | 75 | 60% |
| of whom the number who said it helped | 58 | 77% |
| the number who said it did not help | 2 | 3% |
| the number who said it made them worse | 1 | 1% |
| the number who tried more than one and had a mixed response | 10 | 13% |
| the number who did not know if it helped or not | 4 | 5% |
Ayurvedic medicine
| Number who tried it | 14 | 11% |
| of whom the number who said it helped | 10 | 77% |
| the number who said it did not help | 0 | 0 |
| the number who said it made them worse | 0 | 0 |
| the number who tried more than one and had a mixed response | 0 | 0 |
| the number who did not know if it helped or not | 4 | 5% |
Traditional Chinese Medicine, including acupuncture, herbs and mushrooms
| Number who tried it | 67 | 54% |
| of whom the number who said it helped | 51 | 76% |
| the number who said it did not help | 2 | 3% |
| the number who said it made them worse | 1 | 2% |
| the number who tried more than one and had a mixed response | 9 | 13% |
| the number who did not know if it helped or not | 4 | 6% |
Vitamins, minerals, amino acids and other supplements
| Number who tried it | 76 | 61% |
| of whom the number who said it helped | 42 | 55% |
| the number who said it did not help | 6 | 8% |
| the number who said it made them worse | 0 | 0 |
| the number who tried more than one and had a mixed response | 5 | 7% |
| the number who did not know if it helped or not ** | 23 | 30% |
**NB A significant number of these respondents were taking antioxidants whose effects may be not be directly felt
Western herbs
| Number who tried it | 73 | 59% |
| of whom the number who said it helped | 32 | 44% |
| the number who said it did not help | 11 | 15% |
| the number who said it made them worse | 0 | 0 |
| the number who tried more than one and had a mixed response | 8 | 11% |
| the number who did not know if it helped or not ** | 22 | 30% |
**NB A significant number of these respondents were taking milk thistle whose effects may be not be directly felt
Homeopathic remedies
| Number who tried it | 19 | 15% |
| of whom the number who said it helped | 6 | 32% |
| the number who said it did not help | 5 | 26% |
| the number who said it made them worse | 0 | 0 |
| the number who tried more than one and had a mixed response | 2 | 11% |
| the number who did not know if it helped or not | 6 | 32% |
Spiritual practices, including meditation, chanting and prayer
| Number who tried it | 61 | 49% |
| of whom the number who said it helped | 55 | 90% |
| the number who said it did not help | 3 | 5% |
| the number who said it made them worse | 0 | 0 |
| the number who tried more than one and had a mixed response | 1 | 2% |
| the number who did not know if it helped or not | 2 | 3% |
Breakdown by lifestyle changes
| stopped or cut down drinking | 93 | 75% |
| stopped or cut down smoking | 63 | 51% |
| cut down stress | 82 | 66% |
| took regular exercise | 95 | 77% |
| paid attention to their diet | 112 | 90% |
| ..........................................of whom...avoided certain foods | 100 | 89% |
| included certain foods | 93 | 83% |
| amount they ate affected symptoms | 54 | 48% |
| when they ate affected symptoms | 38 | 34% |
| frequency of meals affected symptoms | 49 | 44% |
