to Jean

[Guest guest]

Hi Bethanne,

Thanks for your concern. Yes, since it's the only way they can tell what's

happening to the liver and because my LFTs have been elevated all along, he

performs the biopsies every few months. No, I can't say I've really been

sick at all and when I read how some of the people in the group are

suffering, I feel so sorry for them. My worst problems have been bowel

surgery and spinal fractures (both due to prednisone). The spinal fractures

have prevented me from working since July '00 and because the structure of

my spine is now all changed (wedging etc) I have constant pain of some kind

and even on the lower dose of pred (7.5 mg) I still get that horrible

crushing down feeling in my back - kind of like gravity is pulling me down.

I have to constantly be conscious of my posture and have to regularly lie

down during the day. Otherwise I feel fine most of the time and it is so

frustrating not being able to do things that need to be done around the

house (can only do a bit at a time) and not to be able to enjoy certain

things (no activities where impact is involved eg tennis, going in the surf

etc) and working. I do get a dull ache sometimes in my URQ, and now and

then I feel like I can't move at full speed and my body feels really heavy -

like my batteries are low, but otherwise I feel fine.

You say you had a flare up while you were pregnant. Does that mean you had

AIH before you were pregnant or were you actually diagnosed after you gave

birth (I know you've probably said, but there are so many people in the

group it's hard to remember)? What do you mean " allergic to your

placenta " - is that that blood group problem? It must be so hard to have to

deal with the AIH and have a new baby in the house. How many children do

you have? Are your LFTs under control now and what symptoms have you been

having? As with you, I believe all of my symptoms/side effects have been

from the meds, except the jaundice of course

Well, talk about rambling - I can't believe I wrote so much, sorry.

You look after yourself, too, and have a very happy New Year. Regards,

Bozena

> Message: 11

> Date: Fri, 28 Dec 2001 20:35:34 -0800 (PST)

> From: Bethanne <bamrand@...>

> Subject: Re: to Jean

>

>

> Bozena, I'm sorry to hear you are having so much trouble getting it under

control. Is that why they keep doing biopsies every year? Have you been

sick at all? All of my symptoms just seem to be from the meds I think. Who

knows though. I delivered a baby in May and they induced me early because

they said I was allergic to my placenta. I itched so bad from head to toe

and had a bad rash and never slept-just scratched. I'm inclined to believe

it was a flare up, yet as soon as I delivered I quit itching. Who knows.

They accidentally found out I had high LFT's when they were checking to see

if I was still anemic from the pregnancy and then did biopsy. Well I didn't

mean to ramble- you take care,

>

> Bethanne