Anybody else experiencing health problems i.e flu on regularly basis? Is the immune system affected by PBC?

[youngatheart]

I also have type 2 diabeties(15 years) Thyroid (38 years). Add in all these factors. Only have PBC for the last 5 years

[Lisacj]

Yes sadly. I feel like I am getting flu but mostly I think they are the symtoms of PBC and my other ailments. Have had 3 courses of anti biotics this year alone as I have bronchiectasis (lung problems) as well as Rheumatoid and a few other immune ailments. Try to keep well , eat well and rest.Flue jabs are a must,

[youngatheart in reply to Lisacj]

Have the flu jabs every year. My last bout of flu ended up with asthma. Suffered mildly over the years but nothing to unduly worry about so ignored it. Just got over another bout (another week of work) getting a bit tedious to say the least.

[Hidden]

No so far I've not suffered anything untowards since started itching early 2010 and was diagnosed with PBC Dec 2010.

Given that you youngatheart mention you have diabetes type 2 and a thyroid condition it seems likely that this is why you seem to be experiencing other health problems as you stated, 'on a regular basis'. My grand-daughter was 3 just before Christmas (2012) and she was taken into hospital and diagnosed with diabetes that she now needs insulin regularly. Her dad was diagnosed insulin dependent diabetic when he was aged 14 and he and his daughter have suffered bouts of 'flu type illnesses.

I was offered the 'flu jab in 2011 and 2012 by a short note from the GP surgery but I declined going due to the fact that I have my own reservations about vaccinations. My own daughter suffered a severe reaction when she was aged 4 after having the 'new MMR' vaccine (she had the original measles one but was given it when her toddler brother had his MMR) and ended up visiting hospital. I have reservations about the Hepatitis jabs myself as I had them when I worked in a medical practice several yrs ago and was offered a course as I'm not fully convinced that that had something to do with the onset of PBC (tho' I might be wrong). I know a lot of you on here will probably reply and stress the importance of the 'flu jab but these are my views on it. I have known friends that have been rather ill following having their 'flu jabs annually and my own husband had one 5yrs ago as he had been having chest problems and the GP gave him an inhaler he hadn't a clue what to do with it as he isn't asthmatic (and I couldn't figure it out as I know about different types of inhalers, my first late husband was asthmatic and used them), he was rather ill several days later and reckoned the jab was making him feel really bad so he too has declined having a further one since and funnily enough he's not been struck down with a cold or bad chest in the last few yrs.

I also think that if one is feeling at their worst at times as we all do, then it is easy to succumb to any bug that is going about.

[June9961]

I wrote about this not very long ago. From the replies general consensus was that some do and some never catch anything. I seem to go from virus to virus and feel awful. Latest problem for me is my hair is falling out. Anyone else notice this?

[debg]

me to got the so called manflu at the moment but as to your hair falling out mine is to has gone very thin and limp and a few really sparse areas. as of late i have been really really tired and my body aching all over i feel really poorly most of the time and dont know how im going to keep on working im on 500 urso 4 times a day for just over a year now but hasnt seemed to done a lot to my bloods. because of feeling so low all the time im quite weepy and quite honestly i am at my wits end

[Lisacj in reply to debg]

Hi Debj, we must share the same shoes as i feeel exactly the same, life really is a bitch, but some how we do get through each day. I get very little support from family and virtually nothing from friends. I turned over a new leaf last week, stopped eating too much fat and carb's, and i think it is helping. My stomach pains have reduced, and even that helps, just to releave one symtom. Join the PBC organization, their website is on this site and they have sent me a loads of reading.I think all I can say is put your self first, long hot baths,(if it doesnt make you itch) and loads of resting,any thing just for you. I cant read any more but have just started talking books and it is nice to escape somehow.all of us must be a little selfish and put us first, best of luck and keep posting x

[Hidden in reply to debg]

How long have you been on urso debg?

Just read you mention 'just over a year' so I presume that was at diagnose?

I was diagnosed with PBC Dec 2010 and for me, the initial bloods came back looking good within 6mths of starting but then by the 10mth mark, mine had started to elevate again and by the 13mths mark the bloods were actually back to what they intiially started out at after 2mths on urso.

BUT all was not lost as they started to decrease again but again within a 6mths periods again they were starting to rise once more. Feb 2012 were pretty dreadful and back to what they were after the 2mths on urso originally. I decided to try and see what I could do myself as one never knows with this PBC just exactly how one is doing and I knew I didn't seem to be any different as the itch was still with me at night-time.

I took a milk thistle in the mth prior to another blood check (May 2012) and got a pretty great result back so it got me thinking. I took another dive Oct 2012 but hadn't taken milk thistle shortly after the May bloods. Started on milk thistle again before the festive season 2012 and my Feb blood check, when I actually did glance, I had to look back at the blood results and discovered that they were actually better than my best in May 2012.

So what I am saying is that I think you may be like me, bounce up and down with the bloods but even so, it could just be the milk thistle is helping me or it could just be that it needs at least the 2yrs to really have a noticeable picture of how one could be on urso.

Try and forget about the bloods as I do (well now I seem to have sorted getting the print out out them from the GP surgery as that was frustration in itself) and tr to eat healthily as possible and make a few little changes as you go along. I did. I also think that with myself I felt really down most of the time in the first yr of taking urso. I'm still a bit sceptical about the urso as for me being informed it is usually a tablet to take for life, that didn't go down too well with me at all but I'll continue to take it and then see.

I've also experimented with taking the urso. I was orig going to be prescribed it 4 times per day (I take 600mgs per day) but I said I'd not do that. So I was given it 2 x 300mgs per day. I've taken it differing times in the day and even chopped the 2 in half and tried 4 times per day but I have found that taking one at morn with breakfast and one just as I start the evening meal works best for me.

[debg]

Thank you xx