Re: *Cheryl* - A new member with some questions :)

[Guest guest]

Hi Cheryl,

Thank you so much for your response.

Regarding the ERCPs - I asked my hep about it, and he said they are no longer

required for a diagnosis, and used only for therapeutic causes.

He said that it's too dangerous to be used without a necessity, since my MRI was

very conclusive. I do trust him, but am open to hear other approaches. Do you

think I should consider having one to confirm the diagnosis?

As for gaining weight - well, I've never taken any medications other than advil

etc., so I don't think it's a side effect. I haven't been depressed, and my

eating habits haven't changed.

I was very skinny until then, and was able to eat everything. I guess I was too

lucky.

But it's not that I gained weight to a normal proportion - I did become

overweight and have gained even more since then. I do have to lose weight, and

although I'm eating healthy (No sugar, nothing fried, only good carbs, no meat,

lots of vegetables) and having a healthy lifestyle I just can't seem to lose the

weight... I know that having PSC is a much bigger problem than being a bit

overweight, but it's still annoying being constantly on a diet and not being

able to lose any weight.

The weird thing is, that along with the weight gain and the elevated liver

enzymes, came hormonal changes which also caused my acne to rise back after

being gone for six years. And it's still here

All of this happened while I was still on the pill, and after 6 years of being

on it. And it was the strongest birth control pill on the market, which is also

supposed to fight acne. (That is why I took it from the start)

I guess my body just went crazy...

Subject: Re: A new member with some questions

To:

Date: Thursday, May 29, 2008, 12:42 PM

Liron,

Welcome to the group. I am sure that others will write to help out, but since

I'm here right now, I share some with you. >

[Guest guest]

Hi Cheryl,

Thank you so much for your response.

Regarding the ERCPs - I asked my hep about it, and he said they are no longer

required for a diagnosis, and used only for therapeutic causes.

He said that it's too dangerous to be used without a necessity, since my MRI was

very conclusive. I do trust him, but am open to hear other approaches. Do you

think I should consider having one to confirm the diagnosis?

As for gaining weight - well, I've never taken any medications other than advil

etc., so I don't think it's a side effect. I haven't been depressed, and my

eating habits haven't changed.

I was very skinny until then, and was able to eat everything. I guess I was too

lucky.

But it's not that I gained weight to a normal proportion - I did become

overweight and have gained even more since then. I do have to lose weight, and

although I'm eating healthy (No sugar, nothing fried, only good carbs, no meat,

lots of vegetables) and having a healthy lifestyle I just can't seem to lose the

weight... I know that having PSC is a much bigger problem than being a bit

overweight, but it's still annoying being constantly on a diet and not being

able to lose any weight.

The weird thing is, that along with the weight gain and the elevated liver

enzymes, came hormonal changes which also caused my acne to rise back after

being gone for six years. And it's still here

All of this happened while I was still on the pill, and after 6 years of being

on it. And it was the strongest birth control pill on the market, which is also

supposed to fight acne. (That is why I took it from the start)

I guess my body just went crazy...

Subject: Re: A new member with some questions

To:

Date: Thursday, May 29, 2008, 12:42 PM

Liron,

Welcome to the group. I am sure that others will write to help out, but since

I'm here right now, I share some with you. >

[Guest guest]

Liren,

There are other things that cause some of the symptoms you've described, have

you looked into polycystic ovary disease? Also, have they checked your thyroid.

I have hypothyroid and have been on meds for years. I never was able to take

birth control pills or hormone therapy of any kind. But I have had meds turn on

me that I have been on forever and never had problems with before. My sister and

neice have polycystic ovaries and my daughters, the older ones, have had

problems with weight gain from birth control pills. After they went off them,

the weight didn't just come off. But, if you are eating low fat, healthy diet,

and excercising and are still over weight, I agree, something ain't right. Hope

you can figure it out. when I gained weight from a year of prednisone, I did not

handle it well. Even when I got dangerously skinny pre dx, I liked being skinny.

I looked terrible, but there was something in me that liked having such a small

waist and loose fitting clothes. Go figure--I

guess I'm another victim of society's obsession with being skinny. But you know

no matter how sickly I looked, there were people who told me I looked good and

said things like, " I wish I could get sick; I need to lose weight. " Chalk it up

to another stupid (but not meant to be mean) comment people make to people with

chronic illnesses. Take care, Cheryl in Idaho, PSC, etc

> The weird thing is, that along with the weight gain and the elevated liver

enzymes, came hormonal changes which also caused my acne to rise back after

being gone for six years. And it's still here

> All of this happened while I was still on the pill, and after 6 years of being

on it. And it was the strongest birth control pill on the market, which is also

supposed to fight acne. (That is why I took it from the start)

>

> I guess my body just went crazy...

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