Does Anyone Have Any Info. About Natural Treatment for Primary Billiary Cirrhosis?
Question by aquariuscats: Does anyone have any info. about natural treatment for Primary Billiary Cirrhosis?
My mother has had this disease for 10 years now. It is progressing. Few doctors know much about it. Specialists do not have a good prognosis. I’m looking for any natural remedies or someone who has come across new research findings regarding this disease.
Best answer:
Answer by abijann
Here is a link to an organization that does research into this
disease:
http://www.pbcers.org/default_files/page0038.htm
The main drug used is Ursodiol…Ursodeoxycholic acid(generic)
it helps bile move through the ducts leading from the liver.
To learn more about this drug, click on this link:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ursodiol
Another drug is Cholestyramine (Questran)…which helps
relieve itching.
Prednisone is also used to prevent inflammation.
http://www.drugs.com/ppa/cholestyramine.html
There are many other drugs that are newly developed
that doctors know about. Some suppress the
immune system.
Primary Biliary Cirrhosis is a auto immune disease.
That means that the patient’s own immune system is
attacking the cells of the biliary ducts…they don’t really
understand why this is happening. The only thing
known to do is an ERCP that will stretch the bile
ducts to open them more or give medications
to help the bile flow better. This disease can
later change to Sclerosing Cholangitis. This
is where the bile ducts become twisted and
strictured in nature. Sort of like a kinked garden
hose.
Most liver patients and those with biliary problems are
told not to take any medications not approved of or
prescribed by their doctors. Too much can interact
with the drugs the doctors can give them and can cause
more damage to the cells.
If you want the best doctors:
Type in the state you live in and “Transplant Center” after
that. Many Transplant Centers have doctors listed on
their websites. You want a Hepatologist there. They are
high in their field of research, new developments,
and know the liver/biliary area the best.