sharing our liver diagnosis with other doctors

[Guest guest]

Yes, you absolutely must tell all your doctors about your liver dx. Your

condition (AIH?) and the medications you take affect diagnosis and treatment in

all your medical areas.

For example, if you're taking Prednisone, you need to be checked for glaucoma

and cataracts. Everyone does, of course, but us more than others.

As another example, your dentist needs to know if you're taking

immunosuppressants.

A liver disorder affect one's entire body. Everything is a bit different when

the liver isn't completely healthy. All your doctors must be aware of your

liver disorder; there is no question of this.

Harper

AIH dx 2000

CD dx 2002

In a message dated 1/11/09 11:38:18 AM, joziemba56@... writes:

> Just wondering if we need to let all the doctors we see know about our

> liver dx such as our eye doctors, dentists, etc. Of course our GI

> doctor and regular MD know as well as our hepatologists, but not sure

> if I need to share my liver dx with anyone else in the medical field.

> Any thoughts on this?

>

>

>

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[Guest guest]

Just wondering if we need to let all the doctors we see know about our

liver dx such as our eye doctors, dentists, etc. Of course our GI

doctor and regular MD know as well as our hepatologists, but not sure

if I need to share my liver dx with anyone else in the medical field.

Any thoughts on this?

[Guest guest]

Jozie,

Yes, we should share our liver diagnosis with all of our physicians! Liver

diseases can effect so many of our bodily systems that it is important that

they know. For instance with PBC and many other liver diseases the symptoms

can be:

* _Fatigue_ (http://pbcers.org/fatigue.htm) may be the first symptom

the patient notices, causing him or her to visit their doctor. The fatigue

associated with PBC appears to be totally different from any other sort of

fatigue. In early stages, many patients have commented they could sleep for

hours. While some in the later stages say sleeping becomes more difficult. At

this time, there is little research into the cause and treatment of the liver

disease fatigue. It is usually not due to depression, and some researchers

believe it is an abnormality of the axis between the pituitary and the adrenal

glands. Support and understanding from family members, friends and the doctor

is very important, making it somewhat bearable.

* Intense and unrelenting _itching_ (http://pbcers.org/itching.htm) of

the skin.

* Gradual darkening (hyperpigmentation) or changes in skin texture,

and various skin rashes.

* Small yellow or white bumps (xanthomas) under the skin, or around

the eyes.

* _Dry Eye Syndrome_

(http://www.stlukeseye.com/Conditions/DryEyeSyndrome.asp)

* _Dry mouth_

(http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/sjogrens-syndrome/DS00147) , sometimes

referred to as cotton mouth.

*

_Thyroid_ (http://www.thyroid.com/services.htm) problems

*

_Arthritic_ (http://www.arthritis.org/) aches and pains in bones, muscles

and joints are common. In some, the pains can be severe and debilitating. Some

even report severe pain just touching leg, feet and hip bones, but this is

NOT common.

Over the years, as the PBC progresses, other symptoms may appear. These

symptoms may include any of the following:

* _Osteoporosis_ (http://pbcers.org/osteo.htm) or other metabolic bone

disease. See osteoporosis _exercises_ (http://pbcers.org/osteoEx.htm) .

*

Enlarged abdomen from fluid accumulation.

*

Easy bruising or bleeding

*

_Jaundice_ (http://pbcers.org/livdis10.htm) (yellowing of the skin and

eyes)

*

Increased bilirubin

*

Internal _bleeding_ (http://www.fpnotebook.com/GI166.htm) in upper stomach

and esophagus, that may be caused by varcies.

* _Hepatic encephalopathy _

(http://www.emedicine.com/med/topic3185.htm) causing personality changes:

dulling of mental functions, neglect of

personal appearance, forgetfulness and trouble concentrating, changes in

sleeping

habits, confusion, breath odor and muscle stiffness. Encephalopathy occurs in

final stage of PBC.

* _Hypersplenism_

(http://www.merck.com/mrkshared/mmanual/section11/chapter141/141b.jsp) ,

enlarged spleen

* Fever, nausea and vomiting

* _Reflux_ (http://www.gerd.com/) and stomach ulcers

* Weight increase or decrease

* Swelling of the hands, legs and ankles. See edema and _ascites_

(http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000286.htm)

* Sexual problems (impotence in men, absence of periods in women, lack

of desire.)

* Trembling hands

* Difficulty in sleeping and changes in sleeping habits. Some PBC

patients have noted that itching intensifies when they lay down to sleep, and

those who have liver pain say it is more severe in a sleeping position.

* _Hepatorenal _

(http://health.allrefer.com/health/hepatorenal-syndrome-info.html#pbchepatorenal\

) syndrome, progressive deterioration of kidney

function leading to kidney failure in a person with liver failure.

* _Hepatopulmonary _

(http://www.focusondigestion.com/script/main/art.asp?li=MNI & ArticleKey=1934 & page\

=10#pbchepatopulm) syndrome, associated with

difficulty with breathing.

* Liver cancer (_hepatocellular carcinoma_

(http://cpmcnet.columbia.edu/dept/gi/carcinoma.html#pbclivercancer) )

* Abdominal pain or pressure in the liver area. (Yes it's real)

Hugs,

Dees, PBC dx 99, Fibromyalgia 99, stg 2/3, Fort Myers, FL. 53

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