Its kind of being a little bit pregnant....

[Cooper6]

In 2009 I returned from Iraq I was crazy itchy. Spent months going back and forth to the doctor, being told to take benadryl etc. etc. then I went to my GI doctor for my 6 month follow up (had elevated alk phos since 2002) and he noticed me scratching. He asked me if I had rashes and I said no, other than the scratch marks I was leaving behind in my sleep. He said it could be my liver and ran some blood tests. The blood test came back with elevated M2 anti-mitochondrial antibodies and cholesterol of 360. He told me he had tested me for the antibodies back in 2002 but it was negative then, he scheduled me for an ultrasound followed by a biopsy. The biopsy came up fine (non-alcoholic fatty liver).

The itching was persistent and the only relief I found was through cold showers. At one point I was taking 3 cold showers a day. It eventually subsided and my lab results got better (remission?) Any way in 2015 I had a very scary run in with severe pancreatitis, spent months in the hospital, had a fungal blood infection, ascites, just real bad. They did another liver biopsy at the time and again, fatty liver.... It took me 18 months and pancreatic enzymes to get better.

Now I have been doing well for over a year, and I am having some stress due to family issues, and the itching has begun again. I wasn't sure at first, a rash on the back of my shoulder that wouldn't get better, dermatologist prescribed ammonium lactate 12% that cleared it right up but in the 6 weeks since I have found scratch marks that must be happening when I sleep in various parts of my body. I use the ammonium lactate which helps the spots that are itching but a couple days later I find new scratches somewhere else. Thoughts?

[Sachin1234]

What is your diagnosis? Itching can be related to liver diseases and it can be any where in your bodies but mostly in bone tissues!

[Cooper6 in reply to Sachin1234]

I don't have a diagnosis. They follow me for elevated enzymes and the AMA but that seems to be symptoms not a diagnosis. The pancreatitis was deemed idiopathic caused by dilated bile ducts but no reason for the dialation was found. That was actually the second time I was hospitalized for pancreatitis, first time I was 15 years old and again idiopathic.

[butterflyEi]

Hi @Cooper6

A diagnosis of PBC can usually be confirmed by checking your blood for anti-mitochondrial antibodies (AMAs). In PBC, AMAs are produced by the immune system (the body's natural defence against infection and illness). They are present in around 95% of people with PBC. The most general symptoms of PBC are fatigue, itching (pruritus) and brain fog although there can be many others.

You state you have a diagnosis of NAFLD and I think you may get a wider audience for this condition on another site. If you do a search in the box on the top right hand side of the page on your home page there may be another page more suited to your diagnosis.

If you are American there is an American Liver Foundation at liverfoundation.org/

I am in the UK and the parameters for blood results from different Laboratories make it difficult to comment on your cholesterol.

Itching is so often associated with problems with the liver so a good clean healthy diet is very important. Lots of vegetables little red meat and no processed foods or sodas. Salt and sugar are enemies to the body as the liver must process these toxins.

It may be a good idea to go back to your doctor and have new bloods taken and seek further advice.

hope this is of some help to you

best wishes

[Cooper6 in reply to butterflyEi]

Thank you I am actually going to the GI dr on the 6th. Just worried about the itching it about made me crazy back in 2009.