Questions to ask my consultant?

[Fudger126]

Hi all,

I just wanted to ask what would be the best questions to ask my consultant when I go to see him next week? I haven't seen him for 2 years and I want to get the full benifit from them as my GP knows nothing, and every time I ask a questions I just get told it isn't linked to PBC.

I was diagnosed 9 years ago at the age of 24, from having blood test for joint pain, which then showed up that the AMA antibody was in my bloods. I had regular checks at first and then decided to make my appointments every 2 years.

How often should you have a scan on your liver? I have had 2 so far but the last one was 5 years ago, I haven't had a biopsy and I am currently symptom free, with mainly joint pain.

What should your blood levels be?

Thanks in advance for your advice.

[littlemo]

I have only ever had liver scans when dr/consultant felt they were required. Re the blood readings each lab in each hospital/health centre has a range for each lft (liver function test ) that is deemed "normal" but many many people with PBC do NOT have normal lfts it varies from patient to patient and from day to day and even from one particular time of the day to another. The LFT was recently described as a polaroid/ quick snapshot of your liver function at any one particular given time (i.e. the minute you have that blood test taken) which I thought was an excellent way to describe it. It is only part of the overall assessment of how your liver is doing other things that are looked at are how your weight is/what your appetite is like and how you feel in general on a day to day basis. I have found myself over the years that I have blamed a lot of symptoms of various "ailments" on PBC when actually what I have found out later was that I was taking an infection/virus/some other problem maybe not at all to do with the PBC. So if I were you I would just write down what problems you have been experiencing and ask if these could be due to PBC and any other questions you have in relation to having PBC and how it could affect you in the future. Hope thats helpful best of luck with appointment.

[Annflanagan]

Hi i get a liver scan twice a year and see my liver doc. once a year, more if needed, write everything down your feeling on a daily basis, i still dont understand what all the blood mean im happy enough when she tells me everything is stable, thats good enough for me, best of luck.