I hear a lot from people seeking help for autoimmune liver disease. Trying to figure it out is hard, but most symptoms are the same as any type of liver disease. I know, we can’t lump them all into one specific area, but they are in the same region.
All liver disease begins at a cellular level when our liver gets inflamed. No matter what is getting your liver jacked up, a sick liver gets increased damage for all types of cirrhosis. It’s a matter of cause, genetics, lifestyle, and behaviors.
Help for Autoimmune Liver Disease: 5 T’s
Trigger– The cause of any immune disease is because our immune system is designed to protect us from “bad” guys that invade our body. These bad guys seem to have super powers that can come from anywhere and irritate the heck out of our liver….. and that’s if the immune response is localized.
What if the bad guys are outside of our liver? In that case, autoimmune hepatitis causes drama and overlaps in other organs, bones (arthritis), skin (dermatitis and psoriasis), hair (alopecia), Graves, multiple sclerosis, lupus, celiac, Budd-Chiari, inflammatory bowel, amyloidosis, ankylosing spondylitits, diabetes, vasculitis and on and on…
Even when it starts somewhere else, it can eventually damage the liver. Autoimmune illness can be a vicious cycle
Types– Primary Biliary Cirrhosis, Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis, and Autoimmune Hepatitis are the top 3.
Testing– There are blood tests to see if you have autoimmune hepatitis. If you have overlap autoimmune liver damage, it’s not as easy to pin down, especially if they are part of a systemic inflammation that hypes up your liver. Look for liver tests such as a antibodies, metabolic panel lab, liver biopsy, Cat scan, endoscopy, MRI, or Dopplar Ultrasound.
Treatment – Some liver viruses, such as Hepatitis C, can be cured. Others can be treated, or managed. Such is the case with autoimmune liver disease.
Calm your immune system down. Your doctor may prescribe medications such as steroids or immunosuppressants. These can have side effects of their own, and your health team can help you make decisions. Some people ease off the meds, and others take them for life.
Check out the Liver Loving Diet. Change up they way you eat by reducing inflammation causing foods and eating less sodium. Cutting sugar in the diet is known to help. As in any liver disease, avoiding alcohol is important. In general, reducing stress and staying active are also good ways of feeling better and helping your liver calm down.
Transplant– It sounds really drastic, but I had a liver transplant due to hepatocellular carcinoma called HCC, or liver cancer. I’ve met a several people who were transplanted due to autoimmune liver disease.
It’s important to remember that transplant is a treatment. It is not always a cure. It does take care of your failing liver. You then have to continue to address the autoimmune issues in your body. It sure is a life saver and I’ll always be grateful to my donor and his family for giving me the gift of life.
With any type of liver disease, a good medical team is your best bet. I’ve been through Hep C, hepatic brain fog , ascites, and many complications of end stage liver disease. I’ll be your best friend, and guide you through the physical, emotional, and social aspects of liver disease. xo Karen
For my favorite supportive websites, here’s the best online fb and social sites.
