Treatment for IPF...

[esgatch]

Has anyone ever used N-Acetyl Cysteine for Pulmonary Fibrosis?

[maggie44]

I use NAC along with other drugs. Usually they are prescribed alongside steroids and perhaps something like azathioprine (Imuran). The idea is to damp down your 'out of control' immune system which is causing the lung scarring (PF). In this case the cause is an autioimmune disease causing the PF rather than it being Ideopathic PF (no known cause) The treatment for the two are quite different.

Maggie

[esgatch in reply to maggie44]

I've read a few reviews on NAC, but they said it doesn't help. I honestly don't know which PF I have. I did see my Cat-scan and they prescribed Ibuterol-sulfate inhaler if I need help to breathe. I'm also researching Pirfenidone.

[maggie44 in reply to esgatch]

It does seem to be the difference in the cause. Pirfenidone is used for Ideopathic Pulmonary fibrosis - not for auto-immune induced PF.

Maggie

[esgatch in reply to maggie44]

I'm considering the pirfenidone, or any other treatment that softens and dissolves the fibrosis. My pulmonary doc says there are trials being conducted with different products but he wouldn't say which products, and, of course, the American FDA opposes anything that works unless they can make $ from it.

[stilltruckin]

emedicine.medscape.com/arti...

Quote:

'. . . An oxidant-antioxidant imbalance may contribute to the pathogenesis of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Therefore, a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial in 155 subjects with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis was completed to test the hypothesis that high dose (600 mg PO tid) N -acetylcysteine (NAC), administered over a period of 1 year in addition to prednisone and azathioprine, would slow functional deterioration in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. No true placebo group was included in that subjects in the placebo group received prednisone and azathioprine. The study showed that NAC, added to prednisone and azathioprine, significantly slowed the rate of deterioration of vital capacity and DLCO at 12 months. However, this did not translate into a survival benefit . Additionally, a significantly lower rate of myelotoxic effects was noted in the group taking NAC. . . .'

[ 'PO tid' means 'orally 3 times a day', so 1800mg a day in divided doses ]

[ 'myelotoxic effects' means a decrease in the production of cells responsible for providing immunity ]

[oxytic]

Hi there Stilltruckin. Good to know, but never seems to do anyone any good, as it all takes too long before doctors are made aware of new treatments. Nice you keep an eye on things so that we can ask for these treatments when they do become available. thank you

[stilltruckin in reply to oxytic]

N-acetylcysteine can be purchased from health shops or online. I get mine from Holland & Barrett.

[threeputt]

My consultant tried me on it, but to no good effect, same result with prednisolone. I was initially, some years ago diagnosed with copd, and treated with salbutamol, Spiriva, and symbicourt. Finally diagnosed with IPF after particularly bad turn, chest pains etc, Now on O2 only, 2lph 15 hrs per day plus 4lph ambulatory, everything else has been stopped. the inhalers did nothing for me.