Blood work

[Sylvia1968]

Does any one no wot the normal blood works should read am getting more bloods done nxt week and would really like to no to keep eye on it and what questions to ask etc

[Hidden]

Hello Sylvia1968.

If you request the print out of your blood results you should be able to see the expected normal range and what yours are. Mine tend to be highlighted by stars what are not considered normal.

If you are in the UK and you can order prescriptions, make GP appts., etc online then you should find that your medical records are now available online. If they aren't check with your GP surgery as you have to fill out a form to enable these to be online for your use. I had to go in late last year and sign the form in front of the receptionist and then show some ID. All my bloods are online from 2011 though I do have mine in print out throughout 2010 when I first started to itch.

I used to get a bit anxious regarding the bloods but these days I don't bother. I glance at them, feel elation or deflation regarding some and then just press on with life. Nothing else I can do I feel regarding PBC as I've changed quite a few things in my life since 2010.

[Sylvia1968 in reply to Hidden]

Thank you , what kind of things had you to change like ? Any help will be grateful x

[Hidden in reply to Sylvia1968]

Hello Sylvia1968.

I think it pays to make a few lifestyle changes once you have been diagnosed with an health issue that is said to be with you for life. I was lucky that my husband said he had decided that my working full-time in a managerial post (small shop that was part of a nationwide chain) wasn't ideal. I'd not had any holidays for nearly 8 months and when we went away for 10 days (all I could get as wanted 14 days) we spent several days discussing the future and at the time I'd not been diagnosed with PBC but had abnormal bloodwork and also had been itching for 5 months by this time. I had fatigue in 2010 that I never thought of until my GP mentioned it. When we got back from the holiday I handed in my notice at work. I am fortunate that I have a personal pension for life from my former late husband so I do have a regular small income.

I went back into the voluntary sector after being asked as I'd been doing voluntary work around and in-between paid jobs over the years.

After diagnosis and starting the urso, I slowly started to feel much better, fatigue vanished at some point in 2011. Itching continues but seems to be confined to night time. Causes broken sleep but by 6a.m. it has vanished so I am notso bad there currently.

I try to limit certain foods (high fats as in fried foods, take-aways etc) as in my way of thinking, the more fat we consume the more bile is required to help digestion. We do need some fat of course for those fat soluble vitamins we can find ourselves a bit short in, Vitamin D is one and moreso in the UK due to the lack of sunshine. I try to not eat foods that have additives and I personally don't eat following the evening meal. Often a couple dry biscuits can suffice in the evening. Don't know if it now because I am older (I am nearly 53) but I tend to find I feel hungry first thing in a morning and right through until around 4p.m. when I often don't feel like evening meal but I do have a small portion.

I am not sure if there is anything we can do to halt the PBC but I think that in keeping as healthy as possible with less stress in our lives it can be a good thing. I decided long since that I would not think about how PBC could become as it might never happen and it would be wasted time worrying about it. I just get on with living life.

[Sylvia1968]

Cool thanx

[butterflyEi]

Hi Sylvia1968

From my last blood print out the laboratory used parameters of 30-130 for ALk.Phos (ALP), the AST parameters are 15-41 and the Alanine Transaminase (ALT) 7-35. If your laboratory uses the same parameters this might give you an idea in advance of what normal blood works read. I am not sure but I believe that different laboratories and probably different countries use different parameters. Hopefully you can ask and be given a print out for you to keep.

best wishes

[Sylvia1968 in reply to butterflyEi]

Thank a will ask now never thought of askinglol xx

[DonnaBoll Administrator in reply to Sylvia1968]

Each lab may have slightly different normal ranges. They are usually indicated on your results. Look at the overall trend though- not just one result. We all have fluctuations up and down. It's important to look at everything- your lab results, are you eating healthy, are you exercising, are you on the right dose of Urso. It all plays a part in caring for yourself. Read all you can from The PBC Foundation. Do you have their phone app?