Alinia

[jankar]

Alinia - I have read you guys talking about this.  What is it, where do I get it and could it help me?  I am a low viral load RVR week 4, currently in Week 10 of treatment. geno 1b, no damage, things are looking good.  I want the best outcome - could Alinia help prevent relapse? Jankar

[gauf]

Alot on Alinia from my journal....

http://tinyurl.com/5nwyz8

[evangelin]

Daxon was the name HR mentioned as being the same thing as Alinia and is available in Mexico.  If you search the forum for alinia and Mexico you can probably find old posts about it.

[Deb_c430]

there has been a lot of excitement about it, but as konya said it is expensive here, only prescribed for parasites, it was   first tested in Egypt.    With what I understand great results.  

There used to be a pretty big buzz about it, haven't heard much lately. Good luck

[konyha]

My GI is impressed with the studies but won't prescribe it due to the cost and my health insurance company supports his decision.

Self-treatment can be pricey if the the dose regimen (500 mg pill twice daily) in the study mentioned in eureka254's post  is followed.

In Mexico, Alinia (generic: Nitazoxanide) is also known by the brand names and Annita and by Daxon, Dexidex, Kidonax, Pacovanton and Paramix. I think the price for six 500 mg tablets varies, but usually starts at US 20,48.

[eureka254]

Ditto evangelin.  Alinia is currently being used in clinical trials for geno 1s, but there's not much data yet, so many docs and insurances will not approve of its use for hep c unless you're a genotype 4. (I say most because it varies depending on your doc and insurance and the circumtances of the patient.  My husband was approved as a geno 1, but it was not without quite a lot of pressing and proactivity with both the doc and insurance pharmacy -- had to convince them that cirrhosis made the need for cure all the more urgent and to pull out all possible stops.)  Alinia has some research data demonstrating it's effectiveness when added to SOC for genotype 4s as you'll see at the bottom of the below article:

http://www.hcvadvocate.org/hepatitis/hepC/Focus%20on%20AASLD%202007-Drugs%20in%20Development.html

We're all hoping the Phase 2 trials currently going on for geno 1s will be good, but not much data out there yet (that I've found, anyway.)   Furthermore, the current protocol suggested by Romark (the makers of the nitazoxinide 'Alinia') is to predose for 4 weeks before starting SOC to optimize it's synergistic effect, so having already started puts you further out from the "recommended" guidelines.  Besides, as a RVR, your chances of cure are 80% or higher, so the odds are in your favor to SVR :)!  Stay positive.

Good luck to you!
~eureka

[evangelin]

Alinia is an already approved drug for intestinal parasites which happens to help this too.  Your Dr. would have to give you a prescription for it and it would be difficult to get your insurance to approve it because you aare already responding so well.  They frown at prescribing something off label not for it's intended use) unless you have a really good reason such as being a former nonresponder with a damaged liver. Alinia doesn't cause many extra side sx on top of the norm from Peg and Riba but seems to have an enhancing effect on interferon.
My husband has taken it along with tx for the last 6 months.  He has been a past nonresponder with cirrhosis so they pursued Alinia for him.  It made him a better responder but still did not get him to nondetectible by week 24.  Unfortunately Alinia is quite expensive.  Some people have bought it in Mexico where it is sold without a prescription and much , much cheaper than in the U.S.  It has a different name in Mexico which I can't remember.  I think it starts with a "D" and someone here probably knows.  I'm sure you'd figyre it out if you google Alinia and Mexico .
You have a really good chance at being a responder.anyway.
Best wishes,
Ev