I have been diagnosed with PBC and started taking Urso 300mg 3 times a day. My question is how do I know for sure if it is PBC? My biopsy report said that I have granulomatous duct injury suggestive of PBC but that there are clinical and histologic features that are atypical for that disease. I had a normal ALP, ,mildy elevated ALT/AST but an AMA positive 1:640, an absence of keratin 7 positive cholestatic hepatiocytes, only rare loss of bile ducts in portal tracts without granulomas and persistence of canal of hiring/ductular profiles. The report goes on to say that granulomatous mimics of PBC should be considered clinically, including sarcoidosis and drug/toxin induced liver injury. So I took ACE blood test and I was in normal range so that ruled out sarcoidosis. Gastro feels it is definitely PBC but I keep having doubts because of the some of the info in the above report. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Ellyne
Written by
Ellyne
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
I do not have any symptoms. I went to the gastro bec. I was constipated and nothing seemed to work so he started testing me for everything under the sun. Turned out, I needed to get my synthroid adjusted and when I did that the constipation cleared up. I was not on antibiotics prior or at the time of testing.
My hair stylist has cirrhosis because of Tylenol. She had endometriosis. She said that she couldn’t function on hard meds so she took several Tylenol and it destroyed her liver
I'm going to have to pull out my biopsy report and compare. My situation is very similar - AMA 1:640, mildly elevated ALT and AST (until I started urso, when they both went down to solidly in the middle of the normal range), normal alk phos (always the lower end of normal, actually), normal, if not optimal, bilirubin. The first pathologist couldn't find any evidence of PBC on the biopsy images. A follow up with a PBC specialist found one tiny lesion that was classic PBC, and I was diagnosed very early stage PBC. I didn't go on urso for four years after the diagnosis, and my alkaline phos never budged from the lower end of normal. Definitely not typical of PBC, from what I've read. I've been curious as to why. A variant of PBC? Why? And what's the difference between this presentation and the more typical presentation of elevated alk phos but usually normal ALT and AST.
After reading your reply I see you said normal, if not optimal bilirubin. I have 3 bilirubin results: Bili total, Bili direct, and Bili Indirect. All three results within normal range, specifically less than half way. My question is What is optimal? Thanks for replying to me before. I am so consumed with all of this. It is basically all I can think about.
I have been dx with PBC as well due to AMA 1:640. I had an elevated ALT during a routine physical which lead to more blood tests revealing the high AMA. I also had an MRI which showed normal liver, normal bile ducts with no damage, normal pancreas, etc... My Gastro put me on 500mg ursodiol 2x/day. Today my blood work is in the normal range - I don't have any symptoms except clay colored stools, fatigue and episodes of upper right quadrant discomfort.. I've not had a liver biopsy. Confusing disease...
Content on HealthUnlocked does not replace the relationship between you and doctors or other healthcare professionals nor the advice you receive from them.
Never delay seeking advice or dialling emergency services because of something that you have read on HealthUnlocked.
My liver biopsy report. What does this mean?
Awaiting liver biopsy ? AIH/PBC crossover
Liver biopsy
Should I get liver biopsy? Advise and guidance needed. 
