Stomach cramps

[Goose60]

I've only been on Urso for 1 week but I've been getting stomach cramps for the first time in my life. Has anyone else had this reaction and, if so, do they go away or continue?

[mumofthree]

Hi Goose60,

I had stomach cramps, nausia and diarrhoea during the first week on URSO. My consultant had pre-warned me that I may have an upset stomach and was advised that if it did happen I was to reduce the dose and gradually build them up to the full dose over a period of a month. I was originally prescribed 2 URSO 3 times a day, I cut them back to 1 URSO 3 times a day and reintroduced 1 extra tablet a week until I was back on the full dose.

I have been on URSO since Jan 2011, I still have loose motions a few times a week and suffer with bloating but no longer have nausea.

[Hidden in reply to mumofthree]

Hello mumofthree.

I think it is fair to say that majority of meds on starting can cause allsorts of what are deemed temporary side-effects.

I do think though with urso we are introducing a type of acid as in a composition of bile into our stomach and it's not starting on the natural pathway so I expect most people will have temporary side-effects. I do think though a lot of the side-effects are not the actual med itself (ie ursodeoxycholic acid) but the fillers that are used in tablets. I was reading up on one that are in the new tablets I have just got, the 150mg Ursogal (was on Urdox 300mg prior to recent recall) and shortened common name is cellulose. This is actually a wax. Might be in small dose and apparently non-toxic to the system but it apparently cannot be digested so passes through the body. Povidone is another one that does the same but not nice finding out what it is used in besides tablets.

[meandmypbc]

I have also been on urso 500mg twice a day for a week, I had nausea and vomitting after only 6 days and today I have woken up with nausea again !!!I have got to go to work !! I was not warned about this and have not read about this on urso...only about diarrhoea, which I havent got.i am going to see my gp on friday and hope he has any ideas.

[Hidden in reply to meandmypbc]

Hello meandmypbc.

I haven't suffered diarrhoea from taking urso, opposite with me, started going through bouts of constipation. Had to step up and take more dietary fibre, more than I used to do pre-PBC diagnose.

I used to be on Urdox 300mg up until last month due to recall of them. The leaflet that I got with the tablets, that is informative about starting urso. It does state that you could have stomach pain, feel sick, be sick and also.....itching! (Itching, now I think tho' the biliary system in myself has improved, the tablets are somehow counter-acting and that is why I still get the itch at night.) Diarrhoea is also on there.

The recent tablet change to 150mg doubled up, when I got the print-out from the pharmacy (my husband called in and asked as I got tablets in brown pharmacy labelled bottles), that says nothing except diarrhoea. These tablets are Ursogal.

I am currently experiencing heartburn again at night which I never had pre-diagnose but I did get it in the early days of starting urso so I think it is due to tablet change as the Ursogal do have different fillers than the Urdox had.

[SheepJane]

Hi, I just re-read the URSO leaflet and it also recommends building up gradually if you have any problems - perhaps one in the evening to start. Also, are you making sure you have always eaten something first? URSO made me feel sick in the mornings for about one month now its fine and I actually have less digestive issues that I used to. Hope you start feeling better soon.

[Hidden in reply to SheepJane]

I started Urdox in Dec 2010 and took 2 x 300mgs per day. I thought heartburn I started suffering in the early days was due to taking the final urso around 9p.m. with a drink and dry biscuit so I started to take that with evening meal.

I have read you can take the lot in one go but I've tried various ways and found out months ago when I took the 600mg with breakfast, I started itching badly a few hours later so after a few days I abandoned that and went back to one with breakfast, one with evening meal. The itching returned to normal. late night until 5a.m.

I think if you take one at morning, it is best, well I have found, to take it after you have eaten breakfast. I see urso as being an acid you see, that is why I think heartburn surfaced in the early days of urso. I know heartburn wasn't caused due to the night time dose of urso as recently I've had to be switched to 150mg tablets doubled up due to 300mg recall and the heartburn has started again but I think it will be temporary but possibly due to fillers in the tablets as they are different in Ursogal that I have now than they were in Urdox 300mg.

If you take your tablets twice a day, why not chop (if not scored, noticed the Ursogal I have now got are scored) tablets in half and take 4 a day and see how that goes first, then build up as SheepJane states here.

[meandmypbc]

Thank you x

[Hidden]

Apparently stomach pain can happen taking urso according to the Urdox leaflet I got with my tablets up until last month as the Urdox were recalled July.

There is nothing on the Ursogal leaflet with regards to side-effects except to state diarrhoea as one.

In the early days of urso I felt bloated for a few months, suffered heartburn and also thought the itching was considerably worse. These symptons left me but I started feeling constipated at times and that persists.

[Lexi_Img]

Hello all

I got so sick with cramping and nausea after eating just something small the other evening. It took forever to pass bile. This has happened to me often. I once was taken to the hospital over these symptoms. I also had a hard time breathing. They thought I was hyperventilating. Does any one have any thoughts? I never related it to Urdosol

Which I take 300mg. X3 a day.

Thanks

Lexi-ing xx

[Suzzypops]

I suffer stomach cramps too and quite often have to make a dash to the loo. I've been taking urso for 5 weeks now.

[Goose60]

Thanks folks for all your replies. I take my Urso (1x250mg capsule & 1x500mg tablet) with my evening meal and feel queasy all evening but the cramps appear to have died down now. I don't have diarrhoea as such but seem to 'go' more now than I did pre Urso! I certainly seem to be getting off lightly compared to some people's experiences.

[Julez1961]

My first attempt on Urso around 10 years ago was horrific, it was like having morning sickness 24/7. I know the feeling very well as I had it with all my 4 childrens pregnancies. In the end he decided to take me off them as they aren't that useful in stopping PBC anyway. I have been able to tolerate them again but in a lower dosage over the past 3 1/2 years.