Re: I would like to introduce myself..

[Guest guest]

Eugene,

Hi, my name is and I was just wondering what hospital/doctor you are

using in Saint Louis? I live about one hour north of STL and will be seeing

several specialist myself in April. Just curious!

Rob

Degenerative Disks 2007

UC and PSC 2009

>

> I have lived in Paducah,Ky. now for 23 years, originally from Louisville. I am

a 46 year old male, and was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitus in early 1993. I

was diagnosed (by ERCP) with PSC in mid 2000. I have been unsymptomatic with

with both diseases aside from two U/C flareups, the last one in early 1999. I

just recently had a scare from my gastroenterologist in Paducah that mentioned

the possibility of liver cancer.

> I had a blood test ordered by my gastroenterologist here in December 2008

which showed elevated CA-19-9. This got the ball rolling, so to speak. I then

had an MRCP, CT (with contrast)in Paducah, another MRI (with contrast) in St.

Louis, and several blood tests. After 5 trips to St. Louis to see a wonderful

Doctor there, I had a liver biopsy last Friday in St. Louis. The results of the

biopsy proved to be a benign regenerative nodule, approx. 4 " square, relatively

large. I will see my specialist in St. Louis in 6 months. Just found this group

today. Eugene

>

[Guest guest]

Eugene,Welcome to the group. We are glad you have dodged the cancer bullet, even though if you did have it,  it is not a forgone conclusion that it is unbeatable. Several members here have successfully battled cancer. I myself have been blessed to not have had cancer yet.

I like you have had PSC a long time (diagnosed in 1989), but only came across the group after suffering alone for 18 years. It's is good to finally have found some people have suffered some of the same things and offer other strategies.

Ian (52) PSC 89

I have lived in Paducah,Ky. now for 23 years, originally from Louisville. I am a 46 year old male, and was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitus in early 1993. I was diagnosed (by ERCP) with PSC in mid 2000. I have been unsymptomatic with with both diseases aside from two U/C flareups, the last one in early 1999. I just recently had a scare from my gastroenterologist in Paducah that mentioned the possibility of liver cancer.

I had a blood test ordered by my gastroenterologist here in December 2008 which showed elevated CA-19-9. This got the ball rolling, so to speak. I then had an MRCP, CT (with contrast)in Paducah, another MRI (with contrast) in St. Louis, and several blood tests. After 5 trips to St. Louis to see a wonderful Doctor there, I had a liver biopsy last Friday in St. Louis. The results of the biopsy proved to be a benign regenerative nodule, approx. 4 " square, relatively large. I will see my specialist in St. Louis in 6 months. Just found this group today. Eugene

-- Ian Cribb  P.Eng.

[Guest guest]

, Hello, Nice to meet you. I am seeing Dr. Bruce Bacon at SLU. Hope this

helps. Eugene

> >

> > I have lived in Paducah,Ky. now for 23 years, originally from Louisville. I

am a 46 year old male, and was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitus in early 1993.

I was diagnosed (by ERCP) with PSC in mid 2000. I have been unsymptomatic with

with both diseases aside from two U/C flareups, the last one in early 1999. I

just recently had a scare from my gastroenterologist in Paducah that mentioned

the possibility of liver cancer.

> > I had a blood test ordered by my gastroenterologist here in December

2008 which showed elevated CA-19-9. This got the ball rolling, so to speak. I

then had an MRCP, CT (with contrast)in Paducah, another MRI (with contrast) in

St. Louis, and several blood tests. After 5 trips to St. Louis to see a

wonderful Doctor there, I had a liver biopsy last Friday in St. Louis. The

results of the biopsy proved to be a benign regenerative nodule, approx. 4 "

square, relatively large. I will see my specialist in St. Louis in 6 months.

Just found this group today. Eugene

> >

>

[Guest guest]

, Hello, Nice to meet you. I am seeing Dr. Bruce Bacon at SLU. Hope this

helps. Eugene

> >

> > I have lived in Paducah,Ky. now for 23 years, originally from Louisville. I

am a 46 year old male, and was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitus in early 1993.

I was diagnosed (by ERCP) with PSC in mid 2000. I have been unsymptomatic with

with both diseases aside from two U/C flareups, the last one in early 1999. I

just recently had a scare from my gastroenterologist in Paducah that mentioned

the possibility of liver cancer.

> > I had a blood test ordered by my gastroenterologist here in December

2008 which showed elevated CA-19-9. This got the ball rolling, so to speak. I

then had an MRCP, CT (with contrast)in Paducah, another MRI (with contrast) in

St. Louis, and several blood tests. After 5 trips to St. Louis to see a

wonderful Doctor there, I had a liver biopsy last Friday in St. Louis. The

results of the biopsy proved to be a benign regenerative nodule, approx. 4 "

square, relatively large. I will see my specialist in St. Louis in 6 months.

Just found this group today. Eugene

> >

>

[Guest guest]

Ian, Nice to meet you also. Glad to hear the cancers have been beat. I have had

the elevated blood levels as far back as 1993, but refused an ERCP then. So we

both have been dealing with PSC for a good while. I recently started taking some

milk thistle, 250mG daily. My liver doctor said it was totally up to me. There

are mixed reports on it's benefits from what I have read online. Eugene

(270)443-2661

- In , Ian Cribb wrote:

>

> Eugene,

>

> Welcome to the group. We are glad you have dodged the cancer bullet, even

> though if you did have it, it is not a forgone conclusion that it is

> unbeatable. Several members here have successfully battled cancer. I myself

> have been blessed to not have had cancer yet.

> I like you have had PSC a long time (diagnosed in 1989), but only came

> across the group after suffering alone for 18 years. It's is good to finally

> have found some people have suffered some of the same things and offer other

> strategies.

>

> Ian (52) PSC 89

>

>

>

> > I have lived in Paducah,Ky. now for 23 years, originally from

> > Louisville. I am a 46 year old male, and was diagnosed with Ulcerative

> > Colitus in early 1993. I was diagnosed (by ERCP) with PSC in mid 2000. I

> > have been unsymptomatic with with both diseases aside from two U/C flareups,

> > the last one in early 1999. I just recently had a scare from my

> > gastroenterologist in Paducah that mentioned the possibility of liver

> > cancer.

> > I had a blood test ordered by my gastroenterologist here in December 2008

> > which showed elevated CA-19-9. This got the ball rolling, so to speak. I

> > then had an MRCP, CT (with contrast)in Paducah, another MRI (with contrast)

> > in St. Louis, and several blood tests. After 5 trips to St. Louis to see a

> > wonderful Doctor there, I had a liver biopsy last Friday in St. Louis. The

> > results of the biopsy proved to be a benign regenerative nodule, approx. 4 "

> > square, relatively large. I will see my specialist in St. Louis in 6 months.

> > Just found this group today. Eugene

> >

> >

> >

>

>

>

> --

> Ian Cribb P.Eng.

>

>

[Guest guest]

Ian, Nice to meet you also. Glad to hear the cancers have been beat. I have had

the elevated blood levels as far back as 1993, but refused an ERCP then. So we

both have been dealing with PSC for a good while. I recently started taking some

milk thistle, 250mG daily. My liver doctor said it was totally up to me. There

are mixed reports on it's benefits from what I have read online. Eugene

(270)443-2661

- In , Ian Cribb wrote:

>

> Eugene,

>

> Welcome to the group. We are glad you have dodged the cancer bullet, even

> though if you did have it, it is not a forgone conclusion that it is

> unbeatable. Several members here have successfully battled cancer. I myself

> have been blessed to not have had cancer yet.

> I like you have had PSC a long time (diagnosed in 1989), but only came

> across the group after suffering alone for 18 years. It's is good to finally

> have found some people have suffered some of the same things and offer other

> strategies.

>

> Ian (52) PSC 89

>

>

>

> > I have lived in Paducah,Ky. now for 23 years, originally from

> > Louisville. I am a 46 year old male, and was diagnosed with Ulcerative

> > Colitus in early 1993. I was diagnosed (by ERCP) with PSC in mid 2000. I

> > have been unsymptomatic with with both diseases aside from two U/C flareups,

> > the last one in early 1999. I just recently had a scare from my

> > gastroenterologist in Paducah that mentioned the possibility of liver

> > cancer.

> > I had a blood test ordered by my gastroenterologist here in December 2008

> > which showed elevated CA-19-9. This got the ball rolling, so to speak. I

> > then had an MRCP, CT (with contrast)in Paducah, another MRI (with contrast)

> > in St. Louis, and several blood tests. After 5 trips to St. Louis to see a

> > wonderful Doctor there, I had a liver biopsy last Friday in St. Louis. The

> > results of the biopsy proved to be a benign regenerative nodule, approx. 4 "

> > square, relatively large. I will see my specialist in St. Louis in 6 months.

> > Just found this group today. Eugene

> >

> >

> >

>

>

>

> --

> Ian Cribb P.Eng.

>

>

[Guest guest]

Hi Eugene

Your situation sounds very similar to mine. I was first diagnosed with UC in

2002 then PSC in 2005 [then osteoporosis in 2007]. Last December, my

hepatologist wanted me to have both a colonoscopy and an ultrasound of the

liver. A week or two following the ultrasound, my hepatologist's office called

to book a CT scan [and completed in February]. I inquired as to the reason and

they said it was to investigate nodules.

When I met with her to discuss the results in the early part of this month, it

turned out the ultrasound showed a mass. However, the CT scan showed nothing of

interest. The thinking is that an ultrasound will show artifacts far sooner than

the CT scan but because of the liver being compromised already, they have to do

a follow-up CT scan.

I've also been asked to have additional bloodwork drawn including the CA-19-9

test [just to be sure perhaps?] but since there's been no immediate call back,

I'm assuming there's little to concern myself with.

While I understand there's the issue of costs when having tests done, I really

do wonder why they even bother with an ultrasound if it's not all that accurate.

The uncertainty of not knowing what we were investigating could've been avoided

if they'd just skipped the ultrasound and gone directly to the CT scan [never

mind the added angst over waiting to complete extra tests and awaiting their

results]. [Ok ... that's my rant for the day. ]