alps and pbc

[mel16]

Hi

Was diagnosed with pbc three years ago on a routine blood test. AMA positive. Put on Urso last year, three time a day 750 mg (which may be too little for my weight).

My recent ALP has come back at 159,(ALP has stayed the same for the past two years) bilirubin 9 and albumin 39. Can anyone let me know if these readings seem ok?

Thanks

[Hidden]

I posted on here several weeks ago regarding blood results and think some of mine was included. Have you requested a print-out of the bloods you had took? I always ask for a print-out even though I find that tends to be the most stressful time after having the bloods taken, the fact my GP surgery seem to think I'm asking for some Secret Service file! I often wonder with the days of computers now, how on earth no-one seems to know that I have a print-out each time.

If you have a print-out it should have the figures that are considered normal range as mine always have. Usually the lab who tests the blood highlights (exclamation mark) the ones that are either under or over the normal range so you can see at a glance what has been flagged. I've always had "OK for this patient" on mine as it does state at the top that the reason for the bloods is PBC.

I think the bilirubin off the top of my head that you have put on here is within normal range, not sure about the albumin without getting mine out. I know mine has always been normal but beginning of the yr in January I did have a 1 point over in my bilirubin but it seems to have gone back within normal last time. It showed of no concern at the time.

Also when you were diagnosed with PBC did you receive any copy of the letter with it as I did from my GP as it was the one the consultant sent to him as he left the GP to inform me I had PBC and what dose to prescribe the urso. I was prescribed 10mgs per kg body weight so was rounded off to 60kgs so take 600mgs daily. I know since diagnosis 5yrs ago now that I did lose a bit of weight but it's been the same ever since so I reckon that I take around 12mgs per kg. It is said the usual dose can be between 12mgs to 15mgs per kg body weight apparently. The consultant said to me on my first return following being on urso 2mths that you can take urso in a higher dose. I have read though on PBC sites that provide newsletters that there is no evidence to suggest that an higher dose is of any better than what the urso seems to be set at. I suppose the blood readings are noted to see if there are any differences.

I've been fine so far on the dose I have. I sometimes feel that I am swimming with the urso, can't really explain that one but I put it down to certain days where I might not have overly-eaten or not felt as hungry or perhaps not h ad the right balance of food to counteract the urso the be used to break down food.

[mel16 in reply to Hidden]

Thanks so much for your reply. I think the amount of urso correlates with my weight. However I have put on one stone in the last year.

Just don't understand this PBC thing as I did not think I had anything at all until my doctor took AMA blood test and slightly higher ALP. Anyway just try to forget about it as much as I can.