Really confused now!!!!!

[Guest guest]

Hello All!

First let me say, this group is wonderful and so supportive.

I have been a member of this site for about a year now and read when I can. I

have correspondence with Jo Ann before in the beginning.

I have been fighting persistent symptoms for about two years now. I have the

RUQ pain, itching, pain in my bones and joints, yellow stools at times, etc. I

been to several doctors including some at Ochsners. I have had upper and lower

scopes, HIDA scans, CT's,MRCP, Ultrasounds, Stomach empyting test, Upper GI, and

Esophgeal Ultrasound. The first CT found I had mild billary duct dialation.

EUS found I have some sludge in my gallbladder. Labs have revealed mild

elevated ALT up in the 50's which go up and down. I have had multiple labs

drawn with the last being positve for Smooth Muscle Antibody. But they say it

is only mildly positive. I am taking Ursodoil and Atarax. They keep saying my

liver is fine and that I need my gallbladder removed. I did have severe mono at

the of 15. After the mono for about a year I had this RUQ pain with vomiting

but it went away at times. Docs kept saying it would go away. Throughout the

years this vague pain would return maybe once or twice a year and then skip a

few years and come back but would always go away. I am 38 years old now.

I eat a very good diet most of the time but do cheat sometimes as I have to eat

a very low sodium diet for another health issue. So mostly I eat foods only I

cook. I do notice my symptoms flare badly when I eat red meat, refinded sugars,

other protiens, fatty foods, etc.

I have taken prednisone in the past for my other health issue. I did take it

two summers ago and all of these symptoms went away for three months but came

back after I finished them.

I have seen three gastros, a billary specialist and a hepatologist.

The docs are saying I need my gallbladder removed and that is what is cauing my

symptoms but not the itching. My gut keeps telling me they are wrong and that

this is a liver issue.

Can anyone please describe symptoms that you have? I am really thinking this is

autoimmune. Sorry to be so long winded. I just am really confused with all of

this and praying someone can give me some pearls of wisdom.