Monday, March 23, 2009

There Might be More to My Liver Biopsy Results than Originally Thought...

Plasma in the liver tissue from last month's biopsy? That's why my most recent set of labs included a test for autoimmune hepatitis? And it looks like the result was positive? What?!!!

So I discovered last Friday. I ran to my computer, as I do, and spent an hour or two Googling away, a frown on my face. Here's what I found on WebMD.com:
Autoimmune hepatitis triggers the body to attack its liver cells, as if the liver cells were harmful foreign bodies. Patients with a combination of HCV and autoimmune hepatitis generally suffer from more debilitating symptoms than patients with HCV alone.

Well, awesome. My body might be fighting itself, in tandem with Hep C. We're a bit alarmed and worried; I need to find my inner peace and patience as we sort out this latest wrinkle. And I'm so damn tired of the "surprises," none of which are pleasant. Oh - my liver enzymes are higher than ever (ALT is over 500!). More blood work next week will provide answers, but I have no talent for gracefully waiting.

Do you know anything about autoimmune hepatitis? If yes, please leave a comment. The more information I can get my hands on, the better.

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