RE: justin -- cirrhosis another question

[Guest guest]

"I wonder what progressed my PSC so quickly..... I am only 20 and my liver is cirrhossed bad...stage 2 i think? ..." <--- justin, it was explained to jim at his initial dx back in '97 that some with PSC progress VERY quickly (like walter payton of the chicago bears), while others (like my jim) can have a very-slowly-progressing PSC (i'll say! jim turned toxic and was dx'd with PSC in '97 at stage 2-3, however the doctors "now" believe he's had it probably as long as he's had his colitis, due to a look back at all his old, old bloodwork). at the time, the doctors could not say "why" this was so, but they DID claim to know this much: there seems to be two types of PSC (the kind that progresses rapidly, and the kind that moves along at a slower pace).

i guess what i am trying to say is, perhaps there are no hard and fast "answers" to this illness... sure, PSC sufferers can share symptoms... but some seem to respond to certain drugs more than others (like increased actigall, say)... some seem to suffer more than others when it comes to extreme itching, fatigue, insomnia, etc...

through it all, the doctors are still learning (as are we ALL!).

maureen, age 46 -- wife of jim, age 47 (married 1975, one son, 23; two daughters, 20 & 16); jim, UC dx'd '84 (now in remission); PSC dx'd '97; waitlisted 8/00; takes actigall, folic acid, azulfidine; seemingly forever non-beeping beeper status