Does the Ursofalk medicine get rid of jaundice? My eyes are yellow! If it does how long did it take?

[skippydownunder]

I have been taking the Ursofalk for about a week and a half. My billirubin was 45umol/dL (2.7 on the other scale) on diagnosis. I probably shouldn't do it but I am looking constantly at my eyes to see if the medicine is working. Liver biopsy said I was late stage 2/early stage 3. I have also read Ursofalk doesn't work as well if bilirubin is already high. Anyone been there......?

[Annac]

Hi. I had a blip last year and my bilirubins went through the roof. (200 from 21). I was completely jaundiced, yellow eyes included... The consultants upped my Ursofalk from 750mg to 300mg for a short period the bilirubins came under control and the jaundice gradually reduced - think it took a few weeks. Hope that helps.

[gracesofia]

Hi. When I was first diagnosed on feb 15th and my bilirubin was at 45 to I have been on URSO for 8 weeks and my bilirubin is now down to 25. But I do not know my staging.give it a while longer to work and I do the same as you I keep looking at my eyes as they were yellow I thinkI am paranoid some days as I have been told I am not jaundiced. All the best x

[skippydownunder]

Thank you both for your reply. I feel like I am obsessed with looking at my eyes and they look different in different lights. My husband keeps telling me they look better but I still keep looking. I will be a bit more patient now and give the poor Ursofalk time to work (Rome wasn't built in a day). I will let you know how my bilirubin goes after the next blood test (1/6/13). Reading Annac's reply though it sounds like it can go up dramatically sometimes and then still manage to come down.

Great to chat and all the best. Thanks!!!

[Hidden]

Hello skippydownunder.

I was diagnosed with PBC Dec 2010. I had abnormal LFTs but my bilirubin has always been normal and currently is (last repeat blood 3 months ago).

I was started on urso Dec 2010 and mid-Feb 2011 I had my first bloods and my LFTs had started to decrease. I think you will need at least 10wks or maybe slightly less (going off when I had my first bloods after starting urso) for the urso to start to show some effect. It has taken 2yrs for my LFTs to actually start to come down and down as during 2011 and last year I did have fluctuations, one repeat they had started to climb, the next they had decreased more than the previous-but-one blood test which was good.

I'd go as you are feeling and for me the fatigue did leave me during 2011 but I still have the itch (night-time itcher) though it isn't as bad these days, which I put down to the better LFTs.

Good Luck. Hang in there and go with how you are starting to feel. If like me and probably others on here, you do have a few initial side-effects of taking urso (I had a bit of bloating and heartburn in the first few months on them) keep taking them as once you have the first repeat blood after taking urso that is when you should be able to see for yourself.