I saw my GI a few days ago, and I was expecting to only see him. To my surprise, I actually had a joint GI/Liver appointment. This is really helpful for them and for me as having IBD, and Ulcerative Colitis specifically, means I am more prone to certain liver diseases, and seeing me at the same time makes it easier to assess and treat my symptoms without having to keep going back and forth.
Just over a year ago, I had some problems with my liver. An ultrasound showed it was enlarged after I presented with abdominal pains to A&E, and I had a biopsy to determine if I had something called Primary Scleroring Cholangitis (PSC), a progressive autoimmune disease that causes the bile ducts in the liver to become inflammed and eventually blocked. At the time, I didn’t think I had this as the biopsy didn’t show any signs of it – or so I thought. As it turns out, I do have PSC but it is very very mild at the moment. It means I’ll need yearly ultrasounds but that’s it unless it shows signs of progressing, then I’ll need biopsies. At the moment, there are no treatments for PSC but it is something they are working on.
As for my IBD, everything is fine. My GI wants to check my sodium and calprotectin so I’ll be doing several samples and blood tests over the next few months. In the meantime, I’ve been advised to have St. Mark’s rehydration solution or dioralyte every now and then or if I’m feeling very thirsty during the day. This should help keep my electrolytes up and save me from getting dehydrated.
What Can I Eat 