Question:
How do you guys feel about Milk thistle to increase healthy liver

function? My boyfriend is a bodybuilding fitness buff and he purchased a bottle of milk thistle for me. Considering the fact that we are more proned to liver problems in the long run due to malabsorbtion, do you feel that this would be a good thing to take. Let me also mention that in case anyone wasn't aware of this product it claims to be proven to work for repairing and maintaing healthy liver funtion. ie damage to liver to to alcohol... I do drink socially and those social settings tend to occur a couple times a week... All input would be appreciated. Thanks Kristina    — Kristina P. (posted on August 6, 2002)

August 6, 2002
Kristina I recommend you talk to your surgeon about this. Many supplements can have strange or dangerous affects in WLS patients or for that matter in the general public. <P> I suppose you realize drinking will affect your weight loss and likely cause regain while hammering your body. Personally I dont believe any supplement can help a liver being affected by drinking in a post op. Were you informed of the lifestyle and post op restrictions BEFORE surgery? <P> I hsave trouble understanding those who go thru all the danger and hassle of wLS to improve their health then decide to possibly do long term harm by smoking, drinking or other actions..... NOT meaning to beat up on you or anyone but I trukly dont understand..
   — bob-haller

August 6, 2002
Incidently there is no regulation of supplements or their claims. But putting this helps such and such on the label makes for lots of sales but not necessarily any proven affects. Be careful of believing something protects you because a few years from now you could find yourself very ill. we all have only one body, and liver failure can kill. Is it worth the risk?
   — bob-haller

August 6, 2002
I have seen this work in MANY of us with elevated liver enzymes. I don't recommend it, necessarily, but I do use it myself, (as does my husband) and we've seen our liver enzymes come right back down where they belong. ONe of my friends had very high liver enzymes (not due to WLS) & her doc put her on the MT and it's taken over a year, but they are nearly at normal levels. I've heard the story over & over, and that nephrologists recommend it. We've been using it about 2 yrs.
   — vitalady

August 7, 2002
You sound like the same woman who asked this same question a few weeks ago. Hey, you've already said you know we are more prone to liver problems. You are willing to risk your health even with that knowledge. If you want to take the milk thistle... try it. It's probally snake oil. But I'm sure you are going to drink anyway so go to it. It's your health. (But why do you ask when you are going to do it anyway?) Most of us try to stay away from danger. Best of luck to you in your decesion to try to push the envelope. I think you will need it.
   — Danmark

August 7, 2002
Dan and Bob, usually I agree with you two, but on this one, I offer the following dissenting opinion: some of us have WLS to "be normal". I don't know how old Kristina is, but I don't think drinking socially a couple of times per week is outside of "normal behavior" for many people. She doesn't even hint of binge drinking in her post, and she only cited liver damage due to alcohol as an example. I know I drank more than I should have when I was at Penn State (my transcript can confirm that), but had I had this surgery then, being welcome in (not standing out as different)the bar environment would have been one of my goals. That said, if the social drinking is interfering with her weight loss, THEN I think we could question (maybe a little more softly?) whether or not that is consistent with her decision to have the surgery in the first place. We people in Pittsburgh tend to need a drink or two as football season approaches, right Bob?
   — Karen F.

August 7, 2002
said by Bob.... "I hsave trouble understanding those who go thru all the danger and hassle of wLS to improve their health then decide to possibly do long term harm by smoking, drinking or other actions..... NOT meaning to beat up on you or anyone but I trukly dont understand..">> Hey Bob, I am not picking on you or anything. I truly do like you and your answers. Just think about a person who eats to fill some sort of void in their life. Not everybody goes to OA or a therapist or what they probably should to get a grip on that before *or* after surgery. I was just telling a friend tonight at dinner that sometimes I feel like I have nothing to look forward to. I used to think about what I was going to eat after I got off work, I couldn't wait to get to the grocery store. It was all very carefully planned. After surgery I found myself sliding down a slippery slope that I just recently hit rock bottom on. I see how it can happen, it happened to me. You search for something to fill that void. It can be sex, alcohol, drugs, smoking. You could fill the void with good things too, but I didn't. Hopefully I can now. And this is not saying anything about the original poster, I am not saying I think you have a problem Kristina. Just seeing if I can throw a thought at Bob and see if he understands better. =)
   — Nichole B.

August 8, 2002
Thank you everyone for your responses. Sorry I could not have responded sooner.. Well to clear things up, NO I am NOT an alcoholic. I am a 23-year-old college educated female who does enjoy having a good time. I had my LAP RNY on 4-16-01 starting at 298 and am now at my goal weight of 155 and maintaining it. I take my vitamins regularly, eat right, and make sure to get my water in. I was concerned about liver functionality in general for ones who have had WLS, now adding that factor in with drinking I'm thinking that taking something that improves healthy liver functions would be nothing but a good idea. Even for ones who do not consume alcohol.. As far as Bob is concerned I too have always enjoyed all of your posts, but you shocked me with this one. I also think back to your comment about "you had this surgery for a reason, why would one blow it by drinking and smoking etc?" Well I personally feel like I had this surgery to live a Normal life and a part of being normal to me is doing what I am doing right now.. I am happy and I wish that everyone is as well. Thank you. Any questions or comments I can be emailed at [email protected]
   — Kristina P.

August 8, 2002
Kristina, I wasnt trying to upset you, but did suggest you speak to your surgeon, have you given them a call? If they think its OK, or say that milkthistle will protect you then its fine. I asked about milkthistle and drinking at last nites support group meeting. The staff said the patrient should call them. For others please let us know what your surgeons office Dr Philip Schauers group says. I am certain one of the nurses will be happy to discss this. They are great about ansering questions. I hope you do this. <P> A couple months ago at maybe the May group meeting a post op out a few years stood up and told a terrible story. She began drinking, socially but it got out of hand. She ended up with a DUI on 1 or 2 drinks because we are so heavily affected by drinking. It nearly destroyed her marriage as well. Drinking caused her to gain weight fast as well. My post is just a warning to you and others to be careful. Your lucky to be so young and have so many opportunities unaffected by excess weight. I do have trouble understanding those who go to such lengths as WLS and then do health destructive things. I told a member of our support group the same thing. He said he was looking forward to a nice vacation sitting around the pool at the bar smoking cigars... <P> Looking at death close up before surgery made me very careful about health choices. Its my thing and I understand others arent affected tis way. Sorry if it came out the wrong way.
   — bob-haller