Guest guest Posted May 28, 2003 Report Share Posted May 28, 2003 , Welcome again. I see Gema, Andi and some others have responded so if I repeat what they have said - just ingnore it :-) Urso, or Actigall, is the most current form of prescribed " maintenance " medicine. The theory is that it thins the bile allowing it to pass more easily. T his leads me into your next question, cholangitis. Cholangitis can be and usually extremely painful. It typically appears when a blockage in the ducts have occurred. The pain is similar to being jabbed with a knife just under the ribcage - URQ. Granted I've never been stabbed with a knife, but certainly can't feel any worse! Usually rounds of Cipro or the like are used to fight off the infection. I think everyone here, that has gotten cholangitis, has been admitted to the hospital at least once due to it. Another pain is a dull sensation in the same area that may resonate to your back. The cause is somewhat unknown since medically speaking, the liver doesn't " feel " pain, but can be usually attributed to either a slight blockage or heavy sludge and liver swelling. Either way, an ERCP, MRCP, Ultrasound or MRI may be ordered to determine the culprit. The number 900+ you referred to is your alky phosphates. 900 is pretty high and 120 may seem high but its all relative. GGT, another LFT, I believe is supposed to be around 15 or so but can be over 300. Using Urso should bring it down fairly soon. Milk Thistle is pretty unanimous among the group as being a valid herbal supplement as is SAMe (cannot get in Canada). Most question whether it is beneficial but all believe it is safe to take. I took it (Thistle) pretty regularly prior to tx. There are other herbal supplements, Patti and I guess now Gema, are our experts. If you have a question regarding a particular one, just ask them. Of course, as with anything else, everyone has there opinion (I kind of ride the fence) on how effective and safe supplements are. Do your homework and make an informed choice. I don't think your other current issues, urinary tract infection and stomach flu, are related to PSC or an autoimmune disease. There appears to be a strong correlation between PSC and IBDs. Hope that helps, Darin Houston, 33, UC-87, PSC-99, tx-11/01 P.s. Welcome to all our other new members - Suzanne and Mike and ...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You are posting as a guest. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.