Ursolit

[JackABCD]

Does anyone know about Ursolit ? Does it help ?
Just notices that about 3 years ago some a doctor recommend me to take it but I didn't.

[dan738]

I have chirrosis from hep c.The va was treating me and I had a ppo but never used it and it was costing me 120 a month.I told them I moved out of their service area to be eligible to drop it.I am not sure if I did wrong or not.I never talk to anyone except a va doctor and all he said was I had five years left and he'd being seeing me in another year.So actually there is no sense in paying for something they won't grant in the first place.And according to most of the news,you never hear about anyone ever having an easy time with the ins.co.

[Tallahassee]

I have BCBS of FL (PPO).  If it is HMO or other options like "blue choice" or something, the coverage will be different...

but you are from California - more Democratic state, so if they refuse you coverage you can always rob the bank, get arrested and have a superb treatment for free! :)  hee-hee

I watched a TV program that people in California jails could have even free transplants and be on the priority list! ... while regular folks without insurance can not even get on the waiting list.

I wish you big success with your treatment - you are definitely a fighter!!!!

[Kalio1]

You are not a cry baby! This is some rough stuff to go through, don't be so hard on yourself. You don't strike me as a cry baby at all, rather the opposite. You have been through a lot, this can be such a lonely disease.
I had fevers too however they weren't as high as yours! That is scary having a 104 temp.! I had fevers all the time before tx, either fevers or a LOW temp. which was weird. At first when tx started I had them but they have subsided now, thank heavens. It's probably your body fighting for you. I always try to view fevers as a positive even though they make you feel terrible!

That is great ins. is paying, being insured by BCBS in California is a bad scene, they are already being pursued in court for dumping patients who become ill, I don't expect much from them at this point but unfortunately Im stuck with them. No one will take me in my "preexisting" condition condition.

I haven't seen HR here in a long time, I think he is working on a project or maybe he is just too busy for the board. He helped me an incredible amount, Im so grateful. I hope to see him again soon. When I stop tx I plan to do my EOT testing in LA at his lab if possible and hope to have another Fibroscan at some point. I just had an ultrasound today and it went on forever which is scary. I have never had one that took that long and that many pictures, hope it isn't a bad sign!

[Tallahassee]

Yes, insurance pays for it ... no questions asked.  I'm lucky about that!
They sent me a statement that they spent on my meds ~$77 K last year and about $66 K this year.

Side effects are getting somewhat worse with time.  I have a mentally demanding job (about 50 hrs per week), with my husband's business slow... very slow ... so I basically a bread winner.  My poor Mother is very sick and she is too young to qualify for Medicare insurance, so I'm lately sending her ~$500 per month and I have stepchildren in need of our help :)
I guess I don't really have time to think about my side effects... but my eyes are killing me lately, focus time is reduced to zero, and yes I have ~100-101 degree fever all the time!

At the beginning treatment for ~3 weeks I had 104 (and over!) degrees fever, during this time I tried to divide my Infergen shot to two times per day.  I'm not sure it helped, but I feel it was easier on me.  Anyway, I think Infengen's half life time is ~ 4 hrs only.  I'm using tiny diabetic needles and this is not a big deal.


Just re-read my post ... and I'm such a cry baby!! :)

I think I'm lucky about side effects... it is not so bad for me, thank God!

How is your treatment?

Are you still taking Oxymatrine?

Are still in contact with HR?
I did not see his scientific posts for a while.

All the best!!!

[Kalio1]

Hey we are very close to the same tx sentence! You are a few months ahead of me. Im on regular tx not Infergen. How is the Infergen side effects wise? Do you take a shot a day? Has it sidelined you or can you function pretty regularly? I sure hope you are successful this time, you sure have been through a lot!

If this stint doesn't work the doc wants to use Infergen but I honestly don't know how in the world I'd pay for it. Does your ins. cover it? If so that's a lucky break.

[Tallahassee]

Gen 1c, biopsy of 1995 indicates stage 1 by description (don't know the grade).  Never had gallstones.
Started treatment in 1995 (trial of Interferon 3 times per week plus Riba for 48 weeks. In 48 weeks I did not have even 2log drop, but my enzymes normalized. 1 month after the treatment, my enzymes were increased drastically.  I found info about Actigal on the Internet and showed it to my Dr.  Basically, the information was about enzymes reduction (just like NAC supplement), but of cause without any influence on virus.

My Dr. thought that Ursodiol (Actigal) can not harm me.   So I'm using it ever since.

And yes, I had more biopsies in 2000 & 2005 - stage 2, grade 1. I did not have fibrosis reduction, even though I was on Infergen from 1998 (on and off).  I actually think (by description that my biopsy of 2005 indicates rather stage 3 instead stage 2, because they are saying about initial bridging).

I don't know how long I have .... my theory that I got it during extensive dental surgeries in 1989 - 92.  Liver head (not my Dr.) thought that I could also get it during childhood appendectomy in 1978.  Nevertheless, I was lucky and did not drink any alcohol all my life ... except occasional "touch" of champagne :).

Now I'm just afraid to stop Ursodiol! :)

Now I'm for 1 year 10 months treatment with 15-20 mgc of daily Infergen and 1200 mg of Riba. Note, I self-prescribed to myself an extra pill of Riba, by my weight I was given 1000 mg daily.  Also, I'm on three times weekly Neupogen. I still have one month of treatment... Will see... Since I had a breakthrough after 10 months of treatment, so Liver head extended my treatment for one more year and gave me 10% chance to have SVR.

wHAT ARE YOUR CIRCUMSTANCES?

aLL THE BEST!!

[JackABCD]

May I ask about your liver and hep status, I would like to share your experience with my doc. I mean: geno, stage of liver disease, history of tx.

[Tallahassee]

I'm taking Ursodiol (or brand name Actigal) for a few years.  Like your Dr. said, it is mostly used for prevention of gallstones.  It is also used for cirrhosis bile ducts - my unscientific description :)

I'm using for enzymes reduction between my relapses.  It probably helps, but I'm not sure.

I understood that it is pretty safe stuff ... part of the bile acids normally produced by human body?  I'm not sure, though.

All the best!