What is Igm? And what do the stages mean? - PBC Foundation
What is Igm? And what do the stages mean?
Igms :- is found mainly in the blood and lymph fluid, is the first to be made by the body to fight a new infection. (I once wrote this down after getting my blood print outs but these days I don't bother, glance at them all and due to no alarm by the doctor, file the print out away.)
Stands for immunoglobins, think I'm right in saying they are a type of protein.
I haven't bothered with the staging as it is referred to of PBC. Due to me being in England and I was diagnosed on the AMA along with the sympton of itching and at the time fatigue plus abnormal and deranged LFTs I presume the consultant made some sort of gauge from there. Seems more of an American thing as normally it seems a liver biopsy is taken even after diagnose of PBC via AMA test.
I've never asked as I really don't want to know. Reason being regardless I might never get to another stage or progress to what is some final one so no use bothering about that now as it could be something that may never be.
Beautifully said, I haven't a clue what "stage" I am in , nor do I care. I also take life one day at a time and deal with my present moment not an imaginary one that may never happen. That being said, I am from America and thought the staging thing was from across the pond. loll
Hello, no it seems that biopsies are the norm in the States. Appears that in England biopsies are used if a doctor is in doubt as to what could be the problem if the LFTs or AMAs aren't as they would tend to appear in one with PBC.
I understand that the biopsies in America are to do this staging but there has been some debate as to whether a biopsy gets the real picture of a PBC stage due to the actual biopsy site, ie that part might be perfectly normal, another might not. But I do understand that a biopsy can definitely show up that one has PBC.
Totally agree with this. The biopsy taken is what is used to stage and is not a picture of the whole liver.
Whatever the stage Urso seems to be the only meds that is used at the moment so whatever stage would be treated the same.
I was offered a biopsy (uk) but didnt see the point.
I have read that PBC has now apparently been found in mice and because of that there are now 3 big pharmaceutical companies in the USA interested in it.
Hear hear to you both! Live the moment as well as you can.
What should I do?
What would you do?
What is the point of the biopsy if there is no treatment?
im scared and dont know what to do
