Guest guest Posted January 11, 2007 Report Share Posted January 11, 2007 Harper.you wrote. >It might be good to use the term " developed " rather than " contracted " AIH in speaking with people who don't know much about AIH. To me, the term " contracted " has overtones of contagion. Perhaps only I have that reaction to the word; I could be wrong on this. When I'm around non-medical people, or relatively unsophisticated medical people, I avoid using the word " hepatitis " before I say " autoimmune disorder that attacks the liver " . Harper, I have to say you are right. I would go another step further and say I have an autoimmune disease effecting my liver ...... I have PBC so I say I have Primary Biliary Cholangitis. Joanne Jj Cathcart jjcathcart@... Below from our PBC site. Primary Biliary Cirrhosis (PBC) is a chronic liver disease that slowly destroys the bile ducts within the liver (intrahepatic bile ducts). Liver inflammation over a period of years may cause scarring which leads to cirrhosis. PBC is NOT alcohol or drug related, and it is NOT contagious. The name " Primary Biliary Cirrhosis " is somewhat deceiving since cirrhosis only occurs in the last stage of the disease (stage 4) after many years of inflammation. With early diagnosis and proper medications, most with PBC will never reach the cirrhosis stage of PBC. PBC is also called " Chronic Nonsuppurative Destructive Cholangitis " and " Primary Autoimmune Cholangitis. " However, these alternative terms are not widely accepted and therefore not in use. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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