AMAs in blood but no PBC

[SSMPCW123]

This is for all the bloggers who have

AMAs in their blood but no PBC.

I know that GriittyReads is one.

I posted awhile back about my

situation. I have AMAs in my

blood but all the other bloodwork

was in normal range November 8th.

I am going to have bloodwork again

at the first of February. I am going

to list my bloodwork from Nov. 8th

again and then ask opinions. I know

that no one is a doctor, I am okay

sometimes and then I am not.

Anyway, on Nov.8th my Albumin:4.9,

Bilirubin 0.5, ALP83, AST19,ALT17,

IgG1191, IgA153, IgM59, ANA negative

<1:80. I am very grateful and humble.

Everything was in normal range but

there were still the AMAs.

The dr is going to do bloodwork for

LFTs and GGT in February but he is

not asking for the AMAs again.

I prayed and had others praying

and I believe that the Nov. 8th

bloodwork was a miracle from

The Lord, for a lot of reasons

that would take too long to go into.

I do have a fatty liver from the ultra sound in August, 2017.

Thank you!

[GrittyReads]

Hi,

It is so good that all continues to be so healthy - and long may it continue !!

My PBC consultant took a wide range of bloods and lfts - far more tests and measures than my GPs do, annually, but he was also looking for almost anything and everything that could be going on - unrelated to PBC, or even liver issues. He was incredibly thorough ... but all of the levels were perfect for me. He also said, that - personally - he set great store by the ALP and GGT readings. This was interesting, as the labs my GPs used did not routinely do the GGT (or my GPs didn't ask for it) so now I always insist that they include that test, when I have my annual bloods.

You will have to have annual blood tests for the rest of your life, as PBC could strike, but my consultant said it was highly unlikely at my age (I was ... 59, then) and given that it had been known I'd had the AMAs since 1992. He also said that if it did appear in my old age, it would almost certainly be very mild. When I was first communicating with him (before I persuaded my GPs to refer me to him - I'm in Devon, he's 'up north'), he told me that Blood Donor tests/statistics, report that about 10% of the population have AMAs, but only about 1.5 - 2.0% of those ever go on to develop PBC ... some people just have 'AMAs'. It's just that, because AMA-M2 is such a strong indicator for PBC, some less experienced GPs, Gastros - and even liver specialists - assume that AMAs means we have PBC ... when it doesn't automatically mean that!

It's so good that you have such thorough, careful consultants who are taking it all seriously and checking and rechecking.

Now, make sure you take care of yourself: good diet, exercise, watch your weight, and avoid alcohol (I don't touch it), but above all: try to have fun and do the things you love and that make you happy. Autoimmune conditions thrive on stress, so the things to do is to look after yourself and live life to the full.

Take care,

Gritty

[SSMPCW123 in reply to GrittyReads]

Thank you! I feel that if I had that good of bloodwork in November

that it would still be good

now. I have had a little

itching but it could be

something esle .

[JaneIng]

Hi this is Jane in USA.

I also have elevated AMA M2 but normal LFT and GGT. My doctor would not diagnose me with PBC.

However I do have some PBC symptoms such as itchy hands and legs.. I also have some pain in the muscle and connective tissues.

[SSMPCW123 in reply to JaneIng]

Thank you for replying!

I am in Virginia. Nothing

about me points to PBC

except the AMAs in the

blood. I have had a little

itching but I also have a fatty liver and the itching

could be something esle

it is not bad.

[JaneIng in reply to SSMPCW123]

Yeah, the itching comes and goes. It's tolerable. I use topical cortisone to relieve the itching.

I do know some food can cause itchiness. When I cut gluten out my diet, the itching stopped for a long time. Now I start to itch again but it's in different area with red patch (different from the itch caused by gluten).

I am trying to cut dairy and see if it will help.