My Journey with NASH: Navigating Medications and Healing

Hello, fellow warriors and new readers. I hope this article finds you well. I want to talk about my own experience with NASH and medications—specifically, the certain medications that I stopped taking because they were bad for my liver, and the medicines I started taking to help promote liver health and rejuvenation.

This is a friendly reminder that this is based on my own personal experience! Please consult with your doctor before making any changes to your treatment and NASH management plan.

The impact of pain management on liver health

When I was first diagnosed with NASH, I was taking a substantial amount of prescribed Tramadol. If you are not familiar, Tramadol is an opioid used to treat pain. There are always pros, cons, and risks when it comes to taking certain medications, especially if, like me, you are already suffering from ailments that may affect your liver health, such as diabetes, an underactive thyroid, and obesity.

I was prescribed many different types of antibiotics growing up due to my low immune system and constant infections. Because of this, my liver had been familiar with medications for a while now and was used to bouncing back after a round in the ring with various drugs. That is why, when I found out that Tramadol was, in fact, destroying my liver, I knew I had to cut it out immediately. I did just that. I genuinely believe to this day that, for me personally, cutting out all prescribed opioids and painkillers helped me restore my liver health.

Exploring lifestyle changes and natural remedies for NASH

Regarding being prescribed medication for my NASH, I wasn't offered anything. My specialist and I discussed that the only option in the future would be weight loss medication, but that it would be better for me to try to lose the weight naturally and change my lifestyle habits at the same time, as this would have a more substantial benefit to my liver.

After being told there were no medicines to help reverse my cirrhosis—only hard work, determination, and lots of crossed fingers and toes—I started to research natural remedies for NASH that would help with liver health. During my search for holistic ways to support liver function, here is a list of items I used myself to help with my condition:

• Milk thistle
• Castor oil
• Green tea
• Olive oil
• Garlic
• Turmeric
• Water

Integrating holistic liver support into my daily life

All of the items above are foods and holistic treatments I added to my diet. I took milk thistle in tablet form, which was convenient for me. I drank green tea every morning and stopped using vegetable and sunflower oils. I switched to olive oil, which is much healthier for our livers, and grapeseed oil. Regarding turmeric, you can incorporate it into your cooking or take it as a supplement. Lastly, and most importantly, water: staying hydrated is vital, as it helps the liver flush toxins and function properly.

Personalizing your path to better liver health

I would definitely recommend doing your own research into herbal treatments for liver disease. Just because certain foods and drinks are beneficial for the liver doesn’t mean they work for everyone. For example, many suggest grapefruit juice, but I personally cannot have that because of my thyroid medication. It will be different for many of us, which is why it is important to conduct research and identify alternative therapies that can help you specifically.

In my opinion, the real medicine is determination, strength, a healthy, balanced diet, daily exercise, keeping up to date with doctor’s appointments and check-ups, and just taking excellent care of yourself.