Misoprostol Therapeutic Effects

[sacausa]

Very interesting website! I've been doing VERY well on the cytotek and am increasing my dosage this week. Found this article online about all the uses of it and it's amazing! In fact, it "synergizes cyclosporine, and protects against cyclosporine-induced renal damage."

http://www.atypon-link.com/PPI/doi/abs/10.1592/phco.21.1.60.34442?cookieSet=1&journalCode=phco

"Misoprostol, a prostaglandin E1 analog, is a racemate of four stereoisomers. On administration it rapidly de-esterifies to its active form, misoprostolic acid. Misoprostolic acid is 85% albumin bound and has a half-life of approximately 30 minutes. It is excreted in urine as inactive metabolites. No significant drug interactions have been reported. Besides its gastrointestinal protective and uterotonic activities, misoprostol regulates various immunologic cascades. It inhibits platelet-activating factor and leukocyte adherence, and modulates adhesion molecule expression. It protects against gut irradiation injury, experimental gastric cancer, enteropathy, and constipation. It improves nutrient absorption in cystic fibrosis. Misoprostol has utility in acetaminophen and ethanol hepatotoxicity, hepatitis, and fibrosis. It is effective in asthmatics and aspirin-sensitive asthmatic and allergic patients. It lowers cholesterol and severity of peripheral vascular diseases, prolongs survival of cardiac and kidney transplantation, synergizes cyclosporine, and protects against cyclosporine-induced renal damage. It works against drug-induced renal damage, interstitial cystitis, lupus nephritis, and hepatorenal syndrome. It is useful in periodontal disease and dental repair. Misoprostol enhances glycosoaminoglycan synthesis in cartilage after injury. It prevents ultraviolet-induced cataracts and reduces intraocular pressure in glaucoma and ocular hypertension. It synergizes antiinflammatory and analgesic effects of diclofenac or colchicine and has been administered to treat trigeminal neuralgic pain. It reduces chemotherapy-induced hair loss and recovery time from burn injury, and is effective in treating sepsis, multiple sclerosis, and pancreatitis."

[ICLori]

Hmmm...very interesting! Thanks for this! I am so glad you are doing well!

I know my doc was careful to make sure I was off Cytotec before starting this, but only because it can increase the blood levels of Cyclosporine while on it - similar to hormones and grapefruit juice (I had to give up the pill, too, sigh.) He just didn't want anything that would make it hard for him to figure out what dosage I should get of the CyA, since I'm his first patient ever he's prescribed it to and he's kind of nervous.

But perhaps a more experienced doctor could work with Cytotec and Cyclosporine-A both, and figure out a lower dosage....

I'm taking dietary glycine (supplement) (with my doc's approval) to try to prevent CyA damage to my kidneys. Studies showed it helped prevent damage.

Blessings,
Lori

[sacausa]

Lori,

Aaah, so it increases the effect of cyclosporine?! So maybe it's possible if you can later go on both, to be on a very low dose of both... and then have the effect of being on a higher dose... I like that it lowers cholestrol since I have a family history of high cholestrol.... and I have congenital cataracts and it prevents ultra-violet induced cataracts (which I'm apparantly more vulnerable to)... it's one pill with many benefits for my particular situation. It really makes me excited... I really hopes the cyclosporine works for you, if it wasn't for you taking cytotek I would never have known about it! Not even my urologist knew about it but she's awesome and was open to me trying it... I saw her today and she was so surprised that I'm actually doing good on it... It's awful that we all start with the "conventional" treatments for IC and most of them don't work... which really ticks me, I was diagnosed with this right after my 16th birthday and have had it since I was 15... and now I'm almost 19 and have just started to find relief, it's like my whole high school experience was wasted on IC... I guess I should just be grateful that my college experience should be better! and there are lots of people on this board that have been suffering for decades, this disease is awful! I believe it's autoimmune and can't wait for me to be proven right! hah, that will be so vindicating! lol

[ICLori]

I'm so thrilled that this is working for you!

We are just the unfortunate ones for whom the standard treatments don't work...really, the majority of IC'ers do well on the Elavil, Atarax and Elmiron holy trinity, LOL. Elavil alone has an effectiveness rate of something over 60percent, I believe, and then Atarax and Elmiron have a lower effectiveness rate, but if you take all three of them together, I think they really do help the majority of IC'ers.

But then there are cases like us.... :( And the unfortunate thing is that some doctors give up and don't know what to try, if the standard meds don't work.

That's why I'm really glad there are meds like Cytotec and Cyclosporine-A, even if they do carry significant risks, because that way there is still hope for those of us for whom the standard treatments don't work.

I feel so bad for you - I didn't get sick until I was 40, but even so, I've really resented these past five years where I've been feeling rotten most of the time. It's really been a bad experience. I can't imagine having had this during my teen years - it's amazing that you got through it and are still functioning!

I sure hope that the Cytotec works better for you each day you are on it, and that it gives you your life back. I'm so glad your doc was willing to "think outside the box" in order to help you!

Blessings,
Lori

[sacausa]

Hi,

Are there any other risks to Cytotek except those for pregnant women? So far I've been under the impression that it's a safe drug except if you're pregnant which I won't be for a loooong time... lol I'm not even sexually active and I'm on birth control (for other reasons) so I think my chances are quite slim... and if I were to start being sexually active I'd use the oral bc as well as condoms, spermicide the whole load... I'd do everything in my power to prevent it. I'm just worried since this is working so well for me that when I have kids I'll have to go off it even when I'm just trying to become pregnant... I guess I'll face that battle when I get there... I want to go to medical school and sometimes I feel guilty about not wanting to become a urologist to help people like me! I'd really rather do pediatrics or obstretics... maybe I'll have the oportunity to enlighten other doctors though... Hopefully cases like ours helps our doctors to see that other treatments can work! I wonder if Cytotek is working better in me because I am younger? Did you go in full remission when you were on it? Did it just suddenly go away or was it gradual? Hopefully, I'll keep on getting better and never start getting worse... and if I do get worse, I know there are other therapies that I haven't tried!

-Carla

[ICLori]

Oh, no, didn't mean to scare you, the only risk that I know of is to pregnant women. Otherwise it seems quite safe.

I think you would be a great doctor, whichever field you decide to go into! :)

For me, the improvement was pretty sudden - pretty much went into complete remission within the first two weeks - but I have also heard of people getting gradually better. Just depends on the individual.

Blessings, and best of luck,
Lori

[sacausa]

My improvent was VERY sudden too, it's just as if my body has adjusted to the dosage... lol I skipped a dose one day and I was in complete hell... the pain was unbelievable so I know it's working... I just want it to work MORE lol I'm trying my luck!

You didn't scare me, just wanted to make sure that there weren't any side effects I didn't know of!

[kadi]

Hi Lori,
Did I understand you right that you cannot take Cyclosporine A and the BC pill at the same time? Or was it that you can't take Cytotec & the BC pill?
Or did you stop taking the BC pill for another reason?

[ICLori]

Hi, Kadi, birth control pills are listed as one of the drugs that interact with CyA so my doctor said I had to go off them. Laurie, on the other hand, has a doc who said it's okay to stay on the pill. I guess it depends on which doctor you get, what answer you get...here are the meds that can not be taken with CyA (no problem taking them with Cytotec, it's just CyA that is tricky...)
What drug(s) may interact with cyclosporine? (Back to top)
•acyclovir
•antibiotics and other medicines for infections
•antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs, such as ibuprofen)
•bosentan (NOTE: bosentan should not be taken with cyclosporine)
•entecavir
•female hormones, including contraceptive or birth control pills
•ganciclovir
•grapefruit juice
•hormones such as prednisone or cortisone
•lovastatin
•male hormones
•medicines for diabetes
•medicines for fungal infections
•medicines for high blood pressure
•misoprostol
•omeprazole
•orlistat
•other medicines that suppress the immune system
•pamidronate
•probucol
•red wine
•seizure (convulsion) or epilepsy medicine
•sertraline
•St. John's wort
•sulfinpyrazone
•vaccines
•water pills (diuretics)
•warfarin
•zoledronic acid

Blessings,
Lori

[louise]

Hi,

I Tried The Cytotec A Couple Of Weeks Ago And Found My Pain Got Worse So I Stopped Taking It. But Now I Am Wondering If That Is The Case. About The Same Time I Started Using A New Toothpaste (i Had Been Using The Other One For Probably Years But My Husband Couldn't Find It Anymore) And Eventually I Have Been Finding That The Tp Is More Burning And Stinging In My Mouth. So Now I Am Wondering If It Could Also Be Irritating My Bladder. Unlike My Old Tp, This New One Contains Phosphate. Does Anyone Know If That Ingredient In The Tp Could Be Aggravating The Urethra And Bladder?

Now I Am Not Sure If The Cytotec Was Helping Me Or Not. I Am Not Sure What To Do As My Uro Is On Holiday For A Month. I See My Gp This Afternoon So I Will Ask His Opinion. Does Anyone Have Any Advice Or Opinion On This? Do You Think I Should Give The Cytotec Another Trial?

Sacausa: I Wanted To Ask You What Dose Of The Cytotec You Are Taking Now. If I Remember Correctly You Were Taking Two Of The 100 Pills A Day. Have You Now Increased The Dose? I Have Been Away For A Week's Holiday So Have Been Away From The Board.
How Are You Feeling On The Cytotec? Anyone Please Fill Me In To Help Me Decide What I Should Do About Whether I Should Give The Drug Another Try Or Not. Thanks For Your Help.

Louise

[sacausa]

I'm doing really well on it... My doctor upped my dosage to 200mg twice a day but I haven't filled the prescription yet... The first two weeks I had uterine cramps on it but that went away... Now I can eat just about anything without flaring, I still have a bit of burning after eating a "bad" food but now it doesn't turn into a full blown flare... Like if I were to drink orange juice, my urine will burn once after I drink it.. but I won't flare from it.. before this drug I would have been in hellish pain for at least a week from one glass of orange juice!

In my opinion I'd give it another try if I were you... if your pain gets worse at first try to stick with it for at least 2-3 weeks because it should go away! The only reason I suggest trying it again is because it's been my lifesaver, I can't imagine going away to school in a month without this medication! I've also been able to stop taking neurontin in the morning and I'm only taking ultram twice a day, soon after I up the dosage on the Cytotek, I'll stop taking the pain medication at night as well... My ultimate goal is to be on zero pain meds as it affects my school performance! Good luck!