Does it mean that AMA will definitely lead to PBC or there's any other explanation?

[zhupa]

I'm very confused that if AMA is so important to diagnose with PBC, and if many people are diagnosed with PBC with AMA positive and LFT normal, does a single AMA indicates I have PBC?

[Hidden]

No Idea really I had a biopsy no one ever mentiond AMA to me, not my GP or consultant.

[SC49]

I have only discovered the joys of PBC in the past few weeks so I am not very familiar with all the information yet.

The wee bits that I have read suggest that it is possible to have AMA but normal LFTs and little or no liver damage. If you have been diagnosed then presumably you have the opportunity to prevent damage or at the very least to slow it down a lot.

Apparently, the 'discovery' of the link between AMA and PBC means that people can have a 'probable' diagnosis before they have any kind of symptoms at all. This means that they can have medical intervention before PBC becomes a problem. With medical support, it might never become a serious problem. As I understand it, the only way that you can get a definite diagnosis is through a biopsy.The best way to find out what your own situation is, I suppose is to keep talking to your doctors and others.

As well as this forum, there are also pages on facebook that provide support

[WendyMarie in reply to SC49]

Can you please tell me what pages on FB to go to? I found the PBCers Facebook page. I was diagnosed 2 weeks ago & wrote on this page how worried/depressed I was & asked a question about how painful is a liver biopsy. Next thing I know, all my FB friends obviously saw this post somehow (I had no idea it was being made public on the newsfeed) & started sending messages about how sorry they were, etc. I did not want to announce this to the world! Dr. says he is confident about the diagnosis, but will not start meds until after biopsy, scheduled Jan. 8.I have no symptons, AMA=44.5, ALP= 200. I requested my bloode work since 2006 & found ALP has been high all this time & was told by my M.D. it was nothing to worry about. Only after Gastronologist did AMA, did all this come about.

[Wendom]

Hi there I have AMA and normal liver function blood tests

I was told I have Pbc I have fatigue upper right quadrant pain some itching though not severe also dry eyes and dry mouth .I was diagnosed on AMA alone by consultant in 2011 but later found out my AMA was positive in 2006 then again in 2008 I never even knew I had these tests but had gone to the doctors complaining of fatigue they ignored these results thinking AMA and normal liver tests meant no Pbc they where very wrong I have read that AMA positive and normal LFTS are preclinical Pbc and that people usually become symptomatic on average 5 years later for me I'm symptomatic for about 4 years with normal LFTS I just hope they stay that way a good while longer hope this helps do you have symptoms zhupa x

[zhupa in reply to Wendom]

No, I don't have any symptom right now. what medical intervention could I have to slow the process? Is there anybody have such experience?

[hannah1973]

Hi

I am faced with same situation as you. AMA positive and LFT normal. Not had a diagnosis yet. I have read so much on this subject and all my own research suggests that the AMA positive shows in 90-95% of people with PBC.

I asked my GP, based on posistive AMA does he think I have PBC, he said yes.

I was on general waiting list to see liver specialist told had a 5 month wait, I complained and today been told im now on urgent list.

I am not as worried as I was when first told about AMA in August, infact ive kind of accepted it funnily enough and drawn my own conclusion that I have it.

I advise you to do lots of research because it has helped me and now i feel i understand more than my GP anyway. Knowledge is power and it stops you from being fobbed off.

Let me know how you get on!

Hannah

[skywalker in reply to hannah1973]

we're in the same boat xx