Hello,
I'm a 30 year old female. Months ago I saw my family doctor about a range of symptoms and he did a bunch of tests. Initially the results showed ANA positive at 1:640 cytoplasmic reticular and AMA positive 1:320. I've seen a rheumatologist who referred me to a gastroenterologist, I'm still waiting to see him. Initially all my LFT's that I took were normal though now my ALT is slightly elevated. The bloodwork that the gastro sent me for shows that my GGT is elevated at double the normal amount.
My thoughts here are that perhaps I'm at the preclinical stage of PBC? Or could I get a diagnosis of PBC with only GGT elevated and not ALP? I'm hoping to hear from anyone who had similar blood tests than mine or even stories/thoughts from people who were told that they had preclinical PBC and how that has progressed. Thanks.
Hi, I was diagnosed with pre-clinical PBC/stage 0 in 2012. My ALT and AST were at the higher end of the normal range, which was unusual for me, and since I'd just been diagnosed with Hashimoto's, another autoimmune disease, my doctor checked me for autoimmune liver diseases (after monitoring the ALT and AST for a couple months). My AMA was elevated. My ALK PHOS was solidly normal (even the lower end of normal), and has always remained normal, never higher than the mid-70s. My GGT has also always been in the normal range. I did have a biopsy, which confirmed the PBC. Since I'm sensitive to medications and fillers, and since i was so early stage, I didn't start ursodiol until about a year and a half ago (five years after diagnosis). Per a fibroscan, I'm now at stage one. It turns out I can tolerate the urso without a problem (except for weight gain), and I wish I'd started it upon diagnosis. By the time I started the ursodiol, my ALT and AST had increased a bit, maybe 10-15 points each. ALK PHOS and GGT always normal, as previously mentioned. So, I did progress from stage 0 to 1 over the course of about 5 years. I don't have many symptoms, just some fatigue here and there, but that could also be my thyroid.