I know there has been a lot written on this site about these two drugs but i was wondering if anyone/everyone could just briefly comment on which one they prefer
[ 30. May 2007, 01:04 AM: Message edited by: jersey321 ]
Posted by savebabe (Member # 9847) on :
I like Ketek, but my llmd just discontinued using it due to liver problems.
Posted by lymednva (Member # 9098) on :
Ketek was the first abx I was on an it made a huge improvement in my symptoms. Just be sure to have your liver functions checked regularly, take milk thistle, too.
Posted by jasonsmith (Member # 10914) on :
I've been taking different abx for the past couple of months. I've had two clean liver tests. 2 weeks ago, I also started taking Ketek, two at a time a night. Well, a few days ago, I got my liver, kidneys, and what ever else tested.
Today, I got a message that the doctors office wants me to call them. I'm betting my liver enzymes are up.
Posted by DolphinLady (Member # 6275) on :
My llmd won't even consider prescribing ketek because of the risk associated with it.
Posted by butchieboo (Member # 12063) on :
Unfortunately the tests that were done by the manufacturer of Ketek were bogus and one person in the FDA backup group caught the problems....like one doctor having 347 or so patients in the study....
The dumb FDA went ahead and approved it cuz in the last ten years the FDA has been half funded by the big drug companies...so the fast track the tests for new meds......
I took Ketek and double dosed it for 15 days and it did'nt kill me.... I also would'nt recommend it like that for anyone!
I have also taken zith....while I have had some success with both....neither has "cured" me.
Neither ruined my live either...soooo....
Pay your money and take your chances....
BB
Posted by painted turtle (Member # 7801) on :
Ketek was bad news for me. (mainly my heart inflammation/trouble) plus some serious blurry vision beyond the lyme symptom of it.
Zith is much more tolerable, mostly shows up through my skin....and must pay special attention to gut health.
Posted by ByronSBell 2007 (Member # 11496) on :
Go Zithro!
Posted by butchieboo (Member # 12063) on :
OK Lyme Ed, in a recent article in the newspaper....
"Last year drugmakers paid the FDA more than 300 million in user fees, accounting for more than half the agency's drug review budget"
so I would say the drug companies DO pay the FDA!
This is why newer drugs are being fast tracked thru the FDA Approval protocol...
Only "10 to 20 percent of Ketek side effects were reported and out of them there were 53 cases of liver failure including two people who needed liver transplants and FIVE deaths"
In the first full year(2006) pharmaceutical industry paid user fees to the FDA in return for speedier drug approvals....
the average FDA review time for priority drugs in 1993 was 21 months in 2006 6 months....
10 months average FDA review time for standard drugs in 2006 as opposed to 27 months in 93...
so I would say....the user money IS paying the FDA! And ain't it just swell!
Ketek was supposed to be used for pneumonia or bronchial infections....only...
on Feb12, the day before a congressional hearing on Keek, the FDA sharply curbed the drug's use. With healt benefits of using the drug for common
colds, the agency limited Keteks use to treatment of community-acquired pneumonia.
Until then Ketek had been one of the most successful antibiotic launches in history, bringing Sanofi-Aventis nearly 400million in U.S. sales.
Since the FDA restricted its use...Ketek sales have dropped by half!
imes researcher Carolyn Edds, Kris Hundley can be reachd at [email protected] or 727 892 2996.
Like I said I used it...and so far no liver problems...but hey...you may not be as lucky as I or others.
BB
Posted by mtnwoman (Member # 8385) on :
Sorry to see ketek get rapped so bad as it has been the most effective abx for me.
DO you have a reference for "53 liver failures"? I think of liver transplant or death with "liver failure" and I haven't heard of 53 combined transplants or deaths.
This is not to minimize the horrible tragedy of people who have died using this...
I avoid alcohol, acetominophen, take lecithin and taurine to protect my liver and have never had a problem with abn liver values with ketek.
Posted by butchieboo (Member # 12063) on :
Sorry Mtnwoman,
The only referrence I had was the article I ran accross while on vacation.
I also liked Ketek but have used both.
I believe, for me the ketek did a better job than the zithro but I also had more side effects with it than zithro. As far as I know none concern my liver.