Hello,
I am new to this chat. I was diagnosed with PBC over 10 years ago. I have been taking Ursodiol since diagnosis. I have had an up and down road since finding out. First of all the itching is enough to make yourself go crazy!! My doctor has suggested certain lotions and has just recently given me a prescription for sleeping/depression pills as I find myself waking at night itching the palms of my hands, bottoms of my feet, and backs of my legs. Some nights are so unbearable. 😞
The fatigue is also a struggle. It takes all I can to make it thru the workday. I am so exhausted by the end of the day it’s a struggle to mow the lawn, make supper, or do the dishes and laundry. My husband is very understanding as he sees me struggle with this disease not only thru the itching and fatigue, but from the other issues that have developed in the last 10 years.
Three or four years ago I was diagnosed with watermelon stomach. It’s a condition in which the inside of the stomach is bleeding—another autoimmunity issue. My doctor has fused the veins twice to help stop the bleeding.
Last year I was told I have an ulcer and am taking meds for that now as well.
Stomach and digestive issues have been ongoing for me for many years. I feel full, bloated, and feel as if I have to go to the bathroom all the time. When I lay down to go to sleep I feel pressure as if I need to go to the bathroom. I sometimes spend an hour or so at nights in the bathroom. I have been taking gas-x chewables to calm the stomach down some. Some nights it helps, others I am up and down all night or end up sleeping on the couch sitting up as that is more comfortable than laying down. Those are the rough nights. Makes it hard to get up and get to work and make it thru the day on 2-3 hrs of sleep.
Back to the itching, I have sores and calluses from the constant itching on the bottoms of my feet and the backs of my legs. I lotion in the morning and at night just to relieve the need to itch. This does help but is still a struggle in the winter months. A humidifier helps during that season.
Sorry for the long post but some days this disease is unbearable. I stumbled on this site a few nights ago as I was awake and depressed on this whole ordeal. My doctor knows my struggles and has been helpful to help with what he can but you can’t really understand completely unless you are experiencing these issues. How do you explain to someone that your body itches but there’s nothing to itch? Or how do you explain why your dead tired but haven’t done anything? No one will really know unless they have been there. I am hoping by talking with others I can get some advice or be able to vent and talk thru some of the struggles we are all going thru.
I am very fortunate to still be able to chug along with my existing liver. I have had a biopsy and do have lesions on mine that are monitored each year. I have also been told my spleen is enlarged some due to my passages being compromised from this disease.
That’s me in a nutshell. Thanks for letting me tell my story. 🙂
If I can help anyone in any way, please let me know as well.
Thanks.