Re: Hi, I'm NEW here/fever question

[Guest guest]

Hi Debbie;

Welcome and thanks for sharing your story. I am very sorry that your

health and suspected PSC brings you here, but glad that you found the

group.

The following article:

Chronic Cholestatic Liver Disease in Adults: Primary Sclerosing

Cholangitis

by Ortiz Zein, MD and D Lindor, MD, Best Practice of

Medicine. January 2000 (Last modified February 15, 2002)

notes that .... " Typical symptoms at the time of presentation include

fatigue, pruritus, and jaundice (Table 3). Abdominal pain, weight

loss, and fever are also seen often. Twenty-five percent of patients

are asymptomatic at the time of diagnosis [13]. Cholangitis is not a

common initial presentation. Physical examination may show

hepatosplenomegaly, jaundice, hyperpigmentation, and xanthomas. The

course of the disease varies, occasionally presenting with periodic

remissions and exacerbations. Patients may also present with symptoms

and signs of advanced liver disease, including ascites,

encephalopathy, or bleeding from gastroesophageal varices. "

According to their Table 3, about 35% of the patients with PSC

exhibit " fever " , but they don't say whether this is rhythmic, as in

your case.

The article can be accessed from our web page:

http://home.insightbb.com/~rhodesdavid/

Look on the " www Resources " page under " P " for:

Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis (Best Practice of Medicine:

Hepatology: Chronic Cholestatic Liver Disease in Adults

(MerckMedicus))

Certainly your future ERCP will be the most definitive diagnostic

test. Don't forget to remind your GI to give you antibiotics after

the ERCP procedure to minimize chances of infection. I wish you all

the best with the ERCP.

Please feel free to ask any questions here!

Take care,

(father of (19); PSC 07/03; UC 08/03)