P.B.C and bilirubin levels

[shakira10]

Hi everyone, hope this finds you all well. Today i got my blood results back from hepatitis b and c test which were negative Also my liver function came back normal this time....bit confused as last time(January) it was positive??? Can this happen??

I asked my GP does this mean i have not got P.B.C? She confused me a little saying well we will see what happens and monitor you with blood tests and so on (im going for a ultrasound in 4 weeks too)

I recieved in the post a copy of the consultants letter which is sent to my gp. Some of the information is a little confusing,on one part it says,quote "Her mildly abnormal liver function test in January are not typical of what i would expect to see in P.B.C and this is a one off.Im not sure why her ALT was raised " End of quote. ????What does this mean? A one off?? Does this mean i do NOT have P.B.C ??

The following are my results in January: Positive AMA titre of 1:640

Bilirubin 7

ALP 77

ALT 50

ANA weak positive

Im not sure what the normal Bilirubin level is? Or what ALP or ALT is either. Please can anybody give me some information on my questions? So confused right now!Thanks so much.

[Magnolia]

Shakira, Your ALP is within a normal range, and this and a postive AMA is usually a indication of PBC. Bilirubin can be out of range with gall stones.... I think and other reasons.. A friend of mine said she was yellow before they removed her gall badder. At the time of my diagnosis of PBC, my ALP was over 500, and for years has stayed around 200 to 300.

Magnolia

[shakira10]

Thanks for your reply.What is the normal level for Bilirubin? I havent a clue,cannot find no levels to compare to. What actually is ALP and ALT?? Can L.F.T start positive then return normal and still indicate P.B.C? Sorry for so many questions!

[Wendom]

Hi there my Ama is positive not as high as yours my alt was 49 in August last year my other liver functions are normal always have been I have been diagnosed with pbc and been put on urso as I'm very symptomatic dry eyes and mouth upper right pain under rib severe fatigue for more than 7 years and itching on and off for about 7 years also intolerance to alchol about 5 years also many other symptoms my consultant said Ama alone is now diagnostic even with no symtoms and normal liver function tests he said they will eventually get worse usually Ama alone is just early indicator of pbc also my Igm is positive my consultant told me I looked this up and it also indicates pbc maybe you could ask for this blood test too hope this helps x

[shakira10 in reply to Wendom]

Thanks for your help in answering my questions.Is it common for LFT to fluctuate ? Also confused with the consultants "quote" indicating" LFT is not typical of PBC and this is a one off" when im aware PBC can usually be diagnosed on AMA alone now? I also have the fatigue ,mild joint pain in the wrists and slight itching on my feet,which he is aware of.Thanks again.

[Wendom]

Hi sorry forgot to say alt in England should be around early 30 your alk phos looks normal but then so mine my alt went to 39 last march then 49 in August these where the first times my bloods began to elevate I have been Ama positive since my first test in 2006 but wasn't told until 2011 x

[Magnolia]

Shakira,medicinenet.com/primary_bil... This is one good site for the LFTs. I'm going to try and find you something on the bile numbers.

Magnlia

[shakira10 in reply to Magnolia]

Thanks for your help.I appreciate it

[Magnolia]

ehow.com/facts_5039115_numb...

This one also explains the bile numbers and all others. One lab report, I have gives a normal total bilirubin at 1.2. I hope these highlighted as to where you can jump right to them. There is a difference in conugated ( misspelled ) and unconugated bilirubin, of which I can't understand.

Magnolia

[Magnolia]

Drugs that can increase bilirubin measurements include allopurinol, anabolic steroids, some antibiotics, antimalaria medications, azathioprine, chlorpropamide, cholinergics, codeine, diuretics, epinephrine, meperidine, methotrexate, methyldopa, MAO inhibitors, morphine, nicotinic acid, birth control pills, phenothiazines, quinidine, rifampin, steroids, sulfonamides, and theophylline.

Magnolia

[Fudger126]

Hi Shakira,

I asked my doctor what Bilirubin should be, and he told me normal levels are between 3 and 23. I am at 9. Sorry not sure about the others but hope this helps.

Also I have recuntly come back from my hospital appointment, I asked him do I have PBC? As my LFT's are fine but still AMA, he said yes all signs are saying I have PBC. However no needs to be started on medication just yet. Back in a year now for scan and more test.

Take care x

[littlemo]

If you are AMA positive and symptomatic it is most likely you do have PBC. In early stage people can have normal LFTs as far as I no. The only thing is I think have read on here people are only put on the Urso if Positive AMA, symptomatic of PBC and have abnormal LFTS but you need to check this with your dr or Hepatologist. My LFTS have never beeen normal. Try not to worry specially if symptoms not too bad but can understand your frustration at the comments made making you wonder about your diagnosis. Hope you get proper info soon.

[skippydownunder]

My billirubin levels were 45umol/dL at diagnosis. I think they calculate it in the ratio 1:17 so I divide the 45 by 17 to get the other reading. So mine is probably 2.7. This is what has led to me being jaundiced. However, the liver biopsy showed I was late stage 2/early stage 3 with fibrosis but no signs of cirhosis, so that is apparently good. Have only recently started taking Ursofalk from 30th April, 2013 so will see if that reduces the levels. Hopefully as I hate having yellow eyes!