bathroom problems

About 8 years ago I had a colonoscopy that showed microscopic colitis, the Doctor I saw at that time just told me to use Pepto-bismoll or immodium as I needed it. All that time I went though bouts of bloating and diarrhea, and was always uncomfortable.

I had labwork done for a routine checkup a couple of months ago and it showed that I had elevated liver enzymes, I was told to see a G.I. doctor. He ran further tests, one of them being anti-smooth muscle antibodies. With the elevated liver enzymes and elevated anti-smooth muscle antibodies, I was told I had autoimmune hepatitis.

I have had other autoimmune problems. I had alopecia aereata when I was younger, I have vitiligo which started about 23 years ago, and has progressed to where I just have a few small areas of skin that still have pigmentation. The last couple of years I have been getting a lot of yeast infections.

I was given Entocort for the colitis, which has given me relief from diarrhea for the first time in about 10 years. There are studies that show Entocort also helps with autoimmune hepatitis. I had liver, and gallbladder ultrasounds and the liver looked OK, but they found some gallstones, but I have no symptoms, and they are leaving that alone for now. My doctor then said I may have to have a liver biopsy, but wanted to run the lab tests again after I was on the Entocort for a few weeks.

The new lab tests showed my liver enzymes went down significantly, but my antismooth body enzymes are about the same. He said this pretty much confirms the autoimmune hepatitis diagnosis.

Usually prednisone is used for the hepatitis, but since this is a immunosupressant drug, it could harm more than help me, especially if I get more upper respiratory infections. After yet another lab test, my liver enzymes are doing good, so I am staying on one Entocort daily, and this seems to be keeping my liver happy.

I have another problem that popped up, the cheek on the left side of my face swells up, and I look like Chip and Dale's sister. My dentist didn't think it was related to any dental problems or stones in my parotid glands. You can get swelling in the salivary gland area from autoimmunehepatitis, but today my G.I. didn't think that was the case, since it's only on one side. He ordered a lab test to rule out Sjorgren's disease which is another autoimmune problem, but also advised me to see a ENT doctor to have it evaluated.

I've always been trying to gain weight. I'm 5 feet tall, and when I was about 10, I weighed 92 pounds.When all the diarrhea started I could never get over 87 pounds, but I was at my skinniest when they first found my elevsated enzymes. I was down to 84 lbs. Great news! on this new medication, I've gotten to 89lbs, right now 92 lbs. but would be nice but 95 lbsh. would be fantastic. My dream weight is 110 lbs. but thats a little farfetched.