[stu]

I have never read anywhere that Esbriet (Pirfenidone) has a negative effect on the immune system.  If someone has any information that says otherwise please post it in this forum. This would be valuable to know in regards to COVID vaccines.

[stu]

Does anyone know if Teavigo was taken once or twice a day in the study. They mention the dosage of 600mg of EGCG per day but they don’t really go into how it was administered.

[stu]

I would like to make a suggestion to the moderator of this forum and all of the other forums on Pulmonary Fibrosis News. Currently you have to scroll down to the bottom of a very long list of posts to see the latest one. Could you please reverse the order so the latest posts are at the top. This would benefit the members as they would see how the latest treatments were progressing when they first start viewing the forum. Thanks.

[stu]

I was diagnosed with IPF two months ago. I’m currently taking pirfenidone and reached full dosage level two weeks ago. I have had a few relatively minor side effects and seem to be tolerating it well.

I’m posting to this forum for the first time because I think the readers who can’t get insurance coverage to pay for Esbriet in the US might be interested in other options.

I’m a retired US citizen who has lived in Mexico for ten years. In Mexico, pirfenidone is marketed under the brand name KitosCell.  It comes in 600 mg tablets and when you’re at full dosage of 2,400 mg/day you take two tablets two times daily. It is manufactured as a prolonged release tablet which is why you only need to take two doses a day unlike Esbriet   which needs to be taken three times a day. You can buy 90 tablet bottles of KitosCell in Mexico for approximately US$450 (which will vary slightly according to the dollar/peso exchange rate) which will last you 22 days at full dosage of 4 tablets  per day. You don’t  need a doctors prescription to buy KitosCell in Mexico, which is normally ordered by mail and not available in Mexican pharmacies.

My doctor phased the dosage in gradually over the period of a month. I started with a ½ tablet (300mg) twice a day for the first week then a full tablet (600mg) twice a day for a week then 1½ tablets (900mg) for a week then finally the full dosage of  2 tablets (2400mg) a day. We’ll see how well I do with it after few months.

I do have private Mexican health insurance that covers most of the cost.

FYI, I understand that US Esbriet is manufactured in Mexico.