When my gastroenterologist noticed I wasn’t responding to any medications for my ulcerative colitis and when she discovered I had elevated liver numbers in September 2017, she had me do three non-invasive tests to try to see if I had PSC. 1. FIBROSpect Specialty Blood Test We started with the simplest test: a FIBROSpect blood […]
Noticing Elevated Liver Enzymes in My Blood Work
Did you know a common sign of PSC is losing response to the IBD medications you try? Since my ulcerative colitis diagnosis in 2014, I’ve tried countless medications, including prednisone, 5-ASAs (like mesalamine, sulfasalazine, and Apriso), enemas, biologics, and more, and none of them brought me relief for more than a few months. I Failed […]
3 Major Things a Liver Biopsy Can Tell You (Plus 7 Common Reasons Why People Get the Procedure)
Welcome back to the fourth and final installment about my liver biopsy experience! In today’s post, I’m going to talk less about my personal liver biopsy experience and more about liver biopsies in general—particularly why people get this procedure and what your results can tell you about your health. If you missed Part 1 (all […]
What to Expect at your Ultrasound-Guided Liver Biopsy Procedure
On February 6th, 2020 I had a liver biopsy at Piedmont Hospital in Atlanta. At the time, I was living with an unofficial diagnosis of primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC)— a non-alcohol-related, autoimmune, progressive liver disease. We hoped a liver biopsy would help give us some answers and confirm the unofficial diagnosis. I was EXTREMELY nervous […]
PSC Awareness Day 2019: Thank You to the Boy Who Called Me a Superhero
I attended a primary sclerosing cholangitis symposium in 2018, hosted by PSC Partners Seeking a Cure. During this weekend-long event, a young boy gave a short speech that changed my perspective on living with PSC. So in honor of PSC Awareness Day this year, I’d like to share the story about this speech that focused […]
The Remarkable Ways Vancomycin Improved My Ulcerative Colitis and Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis
I had elevated liver numbers near the end of 2017 and my gastroenterologist believed I had the rare liver disease, primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC). Unfortunately, the results of my procedures (including a specialty blood test and an MRCP) were normal. That’s why my GI and I decided that I try vancomycin to see if it […]