Hi advice please .I have yellow stool and unexplained bruising extreme fatigue etc .could I have pbc

[poppppy]

Hi sorry to ask you all . And thank you in advance for your consideration and kindness.

I have had mustard bright yellow stool since April. Sometimes it's brown again .I have to go urgently when I get the need to go.prior to this I was always constipated .now it's almost too soft. Sometimes it's beige .

My other symptoms are ; extreme tiredness , weight loss , loss of appetite, a sickly taste in my mouth , heating up feeling sometimes , little burst blood vessel spots occasionally on my arms .brain fogs , poor memory .

I had bloods done .liver function ,fullblood count ,renal profile .i have been told they are normal .but didn't ask for actual numbers .but I can do .

I am auto immune thyroiditis diagnosed .For 8 years now .and post menopausal .so some symptoms I put down to these reasons .It's the yellow stool that brought me to your community .

I am going back to my gp.

I was thinking I should ask for anti mitochondrial antibody test .is this correct way to be diagnosed please .

Also what treatment would help me if I have pbc. And is there any natural treatment (dietary changes , vitamin supplements etc ) i could take to help .

Sorry for just asking rather than reading more from this community first. I am just panicky and looking for answers as soon as possible . As I have bèen ignoring symptoms too long now I feel .

Thank you everyone for your dedication to this site .

Poppy

[gwillistexas]

Yes, have Mitochondrial M2 test. That is what I was diagnosed by.

[poppppy in reply to gwillistexas]

Thank you very much for your reply .I wish u well .

Poppy

[gwillistexas in reply to poppppy]

You’re welcome & thank you❤️

[badpiglet]

Hi Poppppy,

You really do need to speak to your doctor about your symptoms as we can't really advise you, not knowing all your history, conditions and medication.

You may have already been tested for AMA (anti mitochondrial antibodies) as part of an Autoimmune profile, especially as you've got Thyroid issues. Ask your GP if this has already been done. If it hasn't, then yes, you could request it.

The lab where they test the blood samples, will, if they get a positive AMA, will carry on and test for the more specific AMA M2 which is consistent with having PBC.

Whether you have a positive result or not, you can still ask for a referral to a gastroenterologist, if you think your doctor hasn't got enough knowledge or isn't taking notice of your symptoms and you're worried.

[poppppy in reply to badpiglet]

Thank you so much for your reply . It has really helped . I am almost certain there has been no am a test done .

Can I ask is yellow stool with urgency an obvious presentation of pbc . Or will a doc say coz you are not itching it's unlikely .

Thank you

Poppy

[gwillistexas in reply to poppppy]

From what I’ve read, yellow stools might be sign of high bilirubin. Just check it out😊

[gwillistexas in reply to poppppy]

Umm...I think I’m wrong about bilirubin. Or, what I just read said nothing about yellow. I’m sorry.

[gwillistexas]

Mayo Clinic says it can be caused by fatty foods or greasy diet. Also may be caused by malabsorption disorder.

[poppppy in reply to gwillistexas]

Thank you so much for your searching for me . I am definitely pursuing it with the gp .As if something I want it caught early .I have left it 6 to 8 months already.

Thank you and will let u know what I find Thank you

[gwillistexas in reply to poppppy]

Please do. Best of luck to you🌷

[poppppy in reply to gwillistexas]

Hi Gwillis, just to let u know my liver function came back normal again .

I gave up my selenium methionine tablets by pure encapsulations and my stool has stopped being the clay grey colour it had become . Maybe just a coincidence .

Stool is like undigested stuff though and as soon as I eat I can have to go to the toilet and totally empty bowel almost .

Going for a sigmoidoscopy .

And going to ask my endo next week for an anti mitochondrial antibody test . But I am worried she will think I am being silly .

Poppy

[gwillistexas in reply to poppppy]

Your dr shouldn’t think that at all. Of course, the reason my dr ordered Mitochondrial is because of high Alk Phos. Be sure & let us know 😊

[poppppy in reply to gwillistexas]

Thank you Gwillis. My alk phos was normal I think .as in if it's part of liver function test isn't it

Poppy

[gwillistexas in reply to poppppy]

Yes, it is part of lft ‘s.

[gwillistexas in reply to poppppy]

If your Alk Phos is normal, that’s a big plus for you.

[poppppy in reply to gwillistexas]

Thank you .Sorry I am being really selfish. How are you

Poppy

[gwillistexas in reply to poppppy]

You’re welcome. I “think” I’m doing okay. Am slightly disgruntled right now. Drs nurse practitioner said she would monitor labs for few months. Well, next week is month since last lab. I called Monday inquiring & they said her nurse would call me. No call yet. This is not how I roll. Have had problems getting calls returned before. They keep this crap up I’ll move on. When I call my Internist Office, their nurse calls back within hour. This is bull crap. I’m trying to stay on top of this but they make it hard. Other than that I’m good😊

[poppppy in reply to gwillistexas]

So sorry to hear that . It is so hard being dependent on people who hold the power .

You try and maximise your health as any life loving person would .but when you ask questions and ring up and push for things to this end .they make u feel you are a hypochondriac or depressed .

Where a depressed person would not seek answers .

I feel better by thinking they are only human .probably so busy they forget to phone back and to cope with the amount of people they fob some people off . And sound hard coz they cannot cope with getting too involved as it would be all consuming and too overwhelming . I definitely have seen and met many caring health professionals and they usually get burned out , ill, neglect their family or get told off by bosses for being too slow . As they take too much time with their patients .

Calms me down to see it that way .

Phone again they probably forgot .

Good luck and thank you

Poppy

[gwillistexas in reply to poppppy]

Yes & I understand drs are very busy. I’m fairly patient, but when it comes to our health, we should never feel our concerns aren’t important. I’ll give it to middle of next week & see. Thank you. Take care of yourself 🌺

[poppppy in reply to gwillistexas]

Gwillis

Please don't wait .ring them asap . I didn't mean we should wait or hold back etc .

I meant it makes me feel better to realise it's not that they don't care .it's coz we get lost in a big system etc . And so it's the opposite of holding back .you need to ring asap because she/He has forgot you .so it gives her a gentle reminder . She/He will be pleased for the nudge .

Poppy

[gwillistexas in reply to poppppy]

G’morning. I understand. You remember when the scare hit about Ocalvia? I immediately called drs Office that Monday morning. Thursday I received a call from nurse but no real answer. I called back the following Monday. Again, I received call from nurse but no answer. Long story short, I called Intercept Pharmaceuticals & spoke with pharmacist & voiced my concerns. She asked if I had talked with my dr. I told her I had left msgs but had gotten no answers about my dosing. She said by law, she would have to make a note of his name & contact him, because the “scare” was about dosing. Said I needed to be evaluated. So...dr himself called me. He was not happy that pharmacist called him. I suppose his hand was slapped. Pharmacist said as medical professionals it is their job to look out for safety of patients. So, he wanted me to see his nurse practitioner. I did & loved her. She said will monitor monthly for few months to be sure Ocaliva is working in my favor. It is her I am waiting on a call from. But because he got upset about my calls, I’m hesitant to push. So you see where I’m coming from?

[poppppy in reply to gwillistexas]

So hard .I know where u r coming from . I have had dealings where I had to piss them off .but only like u becoz was just sorting out my health . A mature kind person would understand that .So we have to do what we have to do .as there is no malicious intentions .they would do the same if it was them .

Do into others as u would like them to do unto you . It still applies here .as u would want them to look after their health too .and expect it .

I have a lot of friends who are health professionals and the decent ones, which are many , perfectly understand.

So phone up xx

[gwillistexas in reply to poppppy]

So true. I think back on my OB/GYN who delivered my son. Used him several years before I had my son. He always told me he would never prescribe anything for me that he wouldn’t give his own wife. I admired him so much. All drs should keep their family in mind when they are treating their patients. 😊

[Hidden]

ask for stool sample to check for bugs... as this can affect colour. try not to jump to conclusions.... easier said than done but do go back to doctors and do keep on until they find the cause.

there are quite a few different autoimmune liver diseases so it would be difficult to guess what you have... but with any luck it will be something simpler. best wishes cazer.

[Hidden]

think also gallstones can cause stool changes. x

[poppppy in reply to Hidden]

Thank you for your concern and good advice .been today .doc repeatung liver function as normal in august .asked fpr mitochondrial antibody test but its hospital only order .so she said ask my endocrinologist tp order on my appt in November 7th .so not long away .And she will do colonoscopy next if liver function normal meanwhile .I won't give up till I get to the bottom of it .no pun intended lol

Thank you so much

Poppy

[Hidden]

glad to hear you saw doc.... sometimes you have to keep on at them.... hope you get some answers soon.

did you say you hsd had stool tested for infection.... this is less invasive than colonoscopy. so might be worth a check before other proceedure.

never sure if comments help... but glad a little useful. best wishes cazer.

[poppppy in reply to Hidden]

Cazer.

Thank you again .thought about asking for Giardia test but then forgot .but now stool mostly beige greyish so thinking more along lines of liver gallbladder pancreas .

And regarding advice , comments .all your advice has been spot on . And even if it hadn't been it is still useful in that it's support and kindness which is worth more than advice .

Thank you

Poppy

[Hidden in reply to poppppy]

thanks. the doc at our local hospital... who was checking out my liver did say that other things can cause pale stool.. he was the one that suggested that I get tested... mine came back clear... but next time you go to doctors I would still ask.

did your doctor know stool is so pale... if not you need to contact them promptly... not trying to scaremonger but the paler you go the more likely something is def not right. best wishes cazer

[Sachin1234]

Thyrotidits ? Hypo or hyper... hyperthyroidism makes people fatigue, sweating, weight loss, and yellow can be just normal with high bile or undigested stool due to digestive problem.. what makes you think about pbc?

Take care your Thyroid you will be all right... pbc sucks!

[gwillistexas in reply to Sachin1234]

I have dealt with thyroid since age 14. I’m very small and luckily when I’ve been hypo, I don’t gain weight, but sluggish, cold & don’t think clearly. When I’m hyper, I lose a lb or two, fast pulse & thyroid stare, as my dr says. Thyroid controls do many things. Not good to be out of balance either way for very long. 😏

[poppppy in reply to gwillistexas]

Hi thank you again . Stopped my selenium capsules .just in case that's the cause .they are pure encapsulation brand .200 mcg dose . They smell like vitamin b complex though . Which I thought was odd .

Anyway stool has been normal colour twice .then beige grey colour the same day .

I will get liver bloods results soon .so will let u know .

Thank you again and wishing you all the best for your health .

Poppy

[gwillistexas in reply to poppppy]

Thank you & best wishes for you too❣️