Does anyone take Actigall rather than Urso? And if so, any side effects?

[ranick618]

[NotorDJP]

My mother took actigall when she had PBC. But that was years ago. She didn't seem to have issues other than maybe constipation

[ranick618]

Thanks. I was on it for years and then my new doctor switched me to Urso. I know they are the same medicine, but since I have gained weight and I just don't feel the same. Don't know if it's the meds or just PBC and age.

[IOW-gal]

Isn't Actigal just a brand name a bit like Ursofalk. They are all Ursodeoxycholic Acid.

[ranick618]

Yes, it is a brand, but I was on it for years from diagnosis and can't recall and side effects. Now that my new Dr. switched me to Urso, two years ago, I feel completely different. Weight gain, joint aches and pains, especially feet, more lethargic...

[Hidden in reply to ranick618]

Hello ranick618.

It is more than likely the fillers used in your urso that are the cause of side-effects. Since Dec 2010 when I was diagnosed with PBC I have had 4 different urso's. 2 branded and 2 generics. Had no problem with any of the 300mgs I used to have but when 300mgs were withdrawn I had to then take the 150mgs and take 4 tablets to make up the 600mgs per day of urso. I found the generic of urso in the first 150mg tablets to give me side-effects, bad heartburn was the only one and it seemed to persist unlike when I first started to take urso in Dec 2010.

I asked for my script to be written with the brand of Destolit that I had been fortunate to get from one chemist as they didn't stock the generics that my prescription used to be written as 'ursodeoxycholic acid' and I've had no problem with the Destolit. I did check the ingredients that are the filling agents and think that it is those that are probably the cause and not the actual ingredient of urso.

[ranick618 in reply to Hidden]

I take 500mg. 2x a day. Thank you for the info; I'm going to research the generic I take now.

[Hidden]

Hello as I understand it Actigall is just the brand name for ursodeoxycholic acid. I originally started on urso in the brand of Urdox (I am in the UK) and then there was the generic one by the same pharma so the brand was dropped from the box but the Urdox wording was still in the white tablets.

I then had a different generic by another pharma, that was originally branded as Ursogal. I now take a branded urso which is Destolit, all the same but generics here in the UK are cheaper to the NHS than branded and some can be as good as the original branded but some you can find don't' seem to be for a patient.

I got changed to 150mg tablets of urso summer 2013 due to my 300mg of Urdox generics being withdrawn. I had no problems with the branded one and generic from this pharmaceutical but when I was switched the generic of the 150mg tablets - I take 600mgs per day of urso - that were originally Ursogal were causing problems so I got a branded one Destolit of which I have no problems

Originally ursodeoxycholic acid was marketed for the dissolution of cholesterol formed gallstones but then someone must have discovered it might aid in PBC.

[Hidden]

Hello again ranick618.

Side-effects are apparently very few and far between for most taking ursodeoxycholic acid but I found that on starting urso back in Dec 2010 I did get a bit of bloating and heartburn. These persisted for a couple months and then vanished. I have had heartburn since with tablet changes but no longer and I do not suffer bloating or anything untoward with urso. I haven't gained any weight since starting urso though I did notice that constipation did come into play and still does from time to time. I never had this prior to starting urso so it has to be the urso, or a filler that is used.