Toxic Waste Caused by Urso?

[Kaywal]

Hi sorry for the subject but does anyone know if Urso is responsible for foul, greasy stools?

[SuzCurran]

Hi Kaywal, I have never heard of Urso being responsible for a change in bowel behaviour but you might want a wee read at this taken from following link: nyp.org/services/digestive/...

Symptoms of Primary Biliary Cirrhosis (PBC)

Many people with early-stage PBC have no symptoms, but are diagnosed after routine blood tests indicate an abnormality of liver function, or an evaluation for another condition. Indeed, patients diagnosed with early-stage PBC may remain symptom-free for years, but catching it early means we can treat the condition and minimize liver damage.

Some patients with early PBC may experience fatigue, itching, and dry eyes and mouth. Patients in whom PBC has progressed may develop jaundice – a yellowing of the skin and eyes; digestive problems such as diarrhea and steatorrhea (greasy, foul-smelling stools); swollen feet (edema) and abdomen (ascites) from fluid buildup; cholesterol deposits (xanthomas) in the skin around the eyes, hands, elbows, knees, or buttocks; urinary tract infections; arthritis; thyroid problems; kidney stones and gallstones; and bone softening and fractures

PBC in itself can be the cause of your upset

[Kaywal]

Thanks so much that's fascinating I've got the deposits around eyes too!

[June9961]

Hiya, I dont think its the Urso. I have this problem also and sometimes there is also an oily surface to the water when I have a wee. To try and combat this they upped my Urso. Its still a problem but my consultant says its definitely the pbc thats causing it.

[Hidden]

Hello.

Sounds like you have fatty stools. This is apparently where fats are a problem being digested so they cause the stools to become greasy-like in consistency. It is a sympton of PBC.

Given stools are normally the brownish colour due to a little bile in them, there is a tendency to find with one with PBC that the stools become pale due to the imbalance and disruption of bile flow. I know in the yr (2010) I was diagnosed at times mine were not what I would consider the usual colour despite having no problems like constipation/diarrhoea. Have noticed in the last yr my stools are what they used to be like, back to a normal colour which is due to the bloods being a lot better than they were at diagnose due to taking urso (plus since last yr I was experimenting with taking milk thistle, my conclusion there is that they are of some good alongside urso).

What I think I would probably try if I developed fatty stools would be to try to limit fat in the diet but not cut it out completely of course as it is needed for fat soluble vitamins. People who have a no connection to PBC of NAFLD (non-alcoholic fatty liver disease) have fatty stools and apparently it is manageable via diet. (I read up on various liver conditions in 2010 when I was going thru blood tests, scan, questions, etc and came across plenty! I also saw a prog on tv prior to diagnose where 2 men were given scans on the liver area. One man was obese and in his 20's and he was showing to have developed a fatty liver, the other man was in cirrhosis stage as he was termed an alcoholic).

I also did read that any excess urso in the system as in one perhaps on a high dose is simply excreted via the stools but of nothing to do with fatty stools. It's said on the drug is unlikely to give one with PBC any problems in an overdose due to our bile flow anyway.

[sydney in reply to Hidden]

hello peridot, I was juast wondering about the milk thistle, i have just ordered

Milk Thistle 3000mg is this ok to take, and how do you take it? I find the information you provide excellent and very helpful thank you x

[Hidden in reply to sydney]

Hello sydney.

The milk thistle I bought was from Holland & Barratt in town (but a nationwide shop in UK plus you can order online from them too). Had tried previous brand mail order (hard solid tablet type) but prefer the capsules that you can break open the shell and make a tea up with hot water.

All it states on the bottle of 90 capsules I bought is 175mg. Instructions state take 3 per day at intervals with food or make up and drink as a tea. I only use the one capsule a day as I hadn't been too bad with taking the urso re the bloods. It was only when the bloods started to increase 12mths ago did I decide to add milk thistle as I already knew that it was used for liver aid (and as a fact it is used in an ER at hospital in event of a mushroom poisoning).

I have a Reader's Digest book and it covers natural healthcare. Apparently a dose of 3 x 200mgs per day is a recommendation but that would be more than likely for someone wanting to protect the liver as opposed to someone with a known liver condition. Accordingly to the book, 'lower doses are often very effective'. Also milk thistle has apparently 'virtually no side effects' and thought to be one of the safest herbs on the market.

There can be one thing tho' some people can see a slight laxative effect for a day or two after starting milk thistle.

I've had absolutely no problem in taking the milk thistle myself tho' I do feel it better in the powder from inside the capsule in tea (you get used to the taste) as opposed to taking the gelatin capsule (my theory the less additives the better...).

The one note about milk thistle from the book is that one should be buying a product that contains 70% to 80% of the milk thistle active ingredient silymarin. The ones I have state an 80% silymarin content.

I think if you are in any doubt about taking milk thistle, the best thing would be to speak to a medic. I have to say I took it upon myself to buy milk thistle and I know from my bit of experimenting last yr prior to another blood test after a notso good one, I did get a good result. I stopped taking milk thistle not long after but had a notso good blood result last Oct but after starting again Dec., my recent one has been pretty good. Now I am continuing taking the milk thistle I shall see when at some point I have the next bloods if it remains the same or even better.