Question re Urso.....

[Annac]

Hi. I have another question, about Urso this time .

Maybe it is a coincidence but about two months ago I started with the bad itching, all over my body, slightly during the day but mostly morning and evening. Up til then I had only occasionally had itching on legs.

ALSO About two months ago my Urso came in different packaging, from Spain, it still has the Usrofalk reg mark on leaflet. and when questioned, the pharmacist said the content should be the same it is just the packaging that has changed and that this is done from economic reasons.

I just wondered if anyone else has been given Ursofalk from a different source .

and if there has been any differences in symptons. I am suspicious and concerned. x

[zipitydoo]

I do know that different brands of urso do use different fillers with it. So perhaps its the fillers used in this brand that dont suit you.

[0137kaz45]

Hi, urso i take is yellow and this is ok, but once they gave me white ones and these were no good, so i found a chemist that gets the yeellow ones for me.... hope this is helpful

[kristieerhodes]

My doctor says that the itching is caused by the bile backup or flow. I have taken Ursodeoxialic acid since 2005; mine are pink and white capsules and I think they are made here in the US.

[Hidden]

Hello.

I thought I had itching that was worse when I first stated on urso Dec 2010. I also had initial side-effects of heartburn and bloating at the time which lasted a few mths. I only continued taking the urso due to the bloods at month two of taking them de to good blood results.

The itching has subsided over time and I've now been on urso for over 2yrs. This is the only sympton I have of having PBC and it is confined to night time normally.

Now later last yr I started feeling the same as I did when I first started on urso so it prompted me to check the packaging the tablets had come in. Altho' it looked the same I then noticed the brand of URDOX had vanished off the outside cartons.

On checking I found that the pharmacy and also the GP didn't have URDOX on their listing any longer. The tablets are from the same company Wockhardt as always but I failed to find an old tablet leaflet online by this company for the urso as they had updated to the one I get in my current tablets and I no longer have the old leaflet. I wanted to see if there were any different fillers in the white hard roud tablets as I think it was that that was perhaps causing the problem. Apparently these tablets are cheaper for the NHS!

The side-effects once again vanished but I thought odd that I somehow had cause to check the packaging of the tablets within a couple wks of starting the next batch.

I have to say that for some of us the itching doens't go away with urso, a rare few seem to be lucky in that it does but I think with the itch and a PBC diagnose, it can be a case of it may or may not really. Mine has improved but nothing that outstanding and I've put up with it now for over 3yrs and the thought of the next 20yrs or more, well doesn't exactly shake my tree so to speak! BUT on the bright side, things are going well and apart from the night time itching, I am in great shape at present.

[Annac in reply to Hidden]

Hi. Sorry not been concentrating, please see my reply to everyone (written as an answer) Thank you.

[Annac]

Hi to all, Thank you for the replies. It is so good to have the support and exchange of experience.

I finally decided to take control - my own advice to others usually - so I contacted the pharmaceutical company from whom I had the Urso's for 7 years. A Dr from the company replied that it is possible that there are differences in different branded/labelled capsules. I should ask the pharmacist to get the UK branded one I have always had. The only reason for the change would be costs to the pharmacist. The Dr said if the pharmacist won't help then go to a different pharmacist . Very to the point .

I have since been back to the pharmacist explained about my enquiry and he said he will "try" to get the UK branded Ursofalk. So Beware of these 'packaging' changes .

Generally I am in good shape. Always aware of the PBC. fight with the tiredness, and now sympathise with those who have the itch for years.

I hope my question to the pharmaceutical company helps others.

[Hidden in reply to Annac]

You could try different pharmacies, I had no luck and I think moreso now in the UK when there seems chains of them, Boots, Allied, etc to name but two.

The GP did check his NHS listing for drugs and he didn't have URDOX that I have on his list any longer. But as he stated, my script from the start of taking urso back Dec 2010 had always stated on it, "ursodeoxycholic acid" and the mgs and not a brand name. He did write on my script after I asked him about this later last yr but it was to no avail as I still couldn't get it.

I did contact the Foundation about this and one of the staff there, a king gentleman did email the pharmaceutical co. and he sent me their email. Apparently the tablets I was getting were of no difference to what I had previously got, they had just dropped the brand name from the packaging but as I already had noticed, the brand name is on the tablets as always has been. I got the explanation of generic at the time and the costings of the NHS.

But as I said, within a couple of months, once again I did get back to normal and I am certain it was a slightly different filler 'menu' that was the cause.

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

PS Just to add, I've just thought when reading something else on here, last yr due to a few contributors discussing when and how we take urso (some all at once in morning, others spaced out, etc) I decided to have a dabble myself and for several days I took all my urso (2 tablets) at morning as suggested. I noticed on the first day a couple hrs after taking the itch started which was unusual for me as I don't normally itch during the day. So the theory could prove right for some of us that on starting urso of getting a different brand or formation of it then it can cause the itch.

[Annac in reply to Hidden]

yes i ca see all that. we will see - i am back on the originals so am waiting to see if things return to 'normal'. will come back in awhile with my results.