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I felt so sluggish and slow.
It was almost an out-of-body experience, she says.
Jordan Moss
What is PBC?
Having an accumulation of digestive fluid in your ducts is a big deal.
PBC symptoms can be incredibly vague.
Many people live with PBC for years without noticing any symptoms.
The medical term for this is pruritus, and its an intense and ongoing sensation.
Scratching may help a little, but it wont make it go away.
Some people may also experience ongoing stomach pain or unexpected weight loss.
How is PBC diagnosed?
PBC can be tricky to diagnosepartly because its pretty rare, so symptoms are often attributed to other conditions.
Then, its time for some imaging.
AMA will show up in 95% of PBC cases.
This makes advocating for yourself all the more critical throughout the process.
Because PBC is an autoimmune disease impacting your liver, youll need to take medication to slow its progression.
Unfortunately, its not a guarantee.
Not everybody responds to UDCAabout 30 to 35% of patients dont, says Dr. Rabiee.
The other issue: It does nothing for the itching.
If you dont respond to UDCA, your doctor will likely suggest that you also take this medication.
But it comes with a catch.
This is prescribed to help with the severe itching that can accompany PBC.
Which one works for whom is a matter of trial and error, says Dr. Rabiee.
It usually takes more than one try.
Lifestyle changes can help too.
Medication is important, but dont discount the power of following healthy habits.
Thats something you definitely want to avoid.
Instead, mix up amocktailor pick up somenonalcoholic canned optionsto get your fancy drink fix.
We recommend a Mediterranean diet to avoid fatty liver, says Dr. Mayo.
She recommends making sure youre vaccinated against hepatitis A and B, and getting the flu andCOVID vaccinesevery year.
It may just take some trial and errorand patienceto find what works best for you.
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