My question is regarding high intensity cardio training. I do a 45-minute treadmill workout 3 times a week. I maintain a heart rate of 160 to 170 BPM. I am comfortable with this routine and I do not feel worn out doing it. In fact, I feel like I could do a more intense routine but that puts my heart rate up too high. I do get paranoid sometimes that the increase in blood pressure during my workout may be bad for portal hypertension (which I do not even know if I have). I frequently feel "mild, itching discomfort" beneath my ribcage on the right side in the middle-side of my abdomen and I can't help but wonder if that is a warning sign. Also, I take a protein supplement (25 g of whey protein) and a multivitamin before each workout. I have heard that protein as well as various vitamins and minerals can be bad for hep c. My primary care doctor doesn't seem to have any answers, can you help?

It is great that you are so "fit" and exercise. I doubt you could do this if you did have portal hypertension. Those patients do not feel well and are extraordinarily fatigued.

As for vitamins, etc, I think a multivitamin a day is reasonable. Protein overload is not a good idea in patients with cirrhosis. Some patients take anti-oxidants like vitamin E, although the data on their benefit have not been fully investigated.