Guest guest Posted March 1, 2003 Report Share Posted March 1, 2003 Dear Bozena, Great news and glad to hear from you again.....keep an eye on those Alk Phos and GGT numbers as they can indicate bile duct problems. The AST and ALT are better indications as to the liver. I bet you do miss teaching the kids but you have to take care of yourself first. Enjoy your time off.... Cheryl & Randy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 1, 2003 Report Share Posted March 1, 2003 wonderful news, you have had and still have, so much to cope with. keep up the good work. love and hugs anita (england) > > From: " Bozena Patin " <bpatin@...> > Date: Sat 01/Mar/2003 10:24 GMT > < > > Subject: [ ] Hello from Australia > > Hi everyone, > > It's been over a year since I wrote and it's been quite an eventful year for me healthwise. From time to time, I have read posts and it's great to know that a lot of old friends are still writing in. I'm sorry I haven't been able to keep up with the posts, but now it's time for me to write because I finally have some good news and perhaps offer hope to those of you who are feeling frustrated because the meds are not working as well as they would like. > > To get to the point, my Billirubin, AST, ALT and LD are all very normal. My Alk Phos is 199 (normal is 30 - 115) and my GGT is 190 (normal is 0 - 45). This is really exciting to me as I was diagnosed in Aug '99 and these are the best tests I've had since diagnosis. It seems the Prednisone + Imuran combo just wasn't working for me, so my Gastro put me on Neoral (Cyclosporin) in Nov 2001, as well. It wasn't until April 2002 that my Billirubin started to drop dramatically, while my AST and ALT had wavered between 200 and 300 for months and months. I had had some terrible side effects from the Prednisone - including spinal fractures, high blood pressure, increased cholesterol and cataracts. I had a cataract operation in June 2002, then 3 weeks later, on my husband's birthday, I had a mild heart attack, although the pain was so bad I thought it was a lot worse. While I was lying in emergency, my Gastro sent a message by phone asking what the hell I was doing there because my liver tests were the best they had ever been. My AST and ALT were 40 and 48 (the lowest they had ever been before was 100 and 200). Anyway, since July, my AST and ALT had hovered around the upper limit of normal, and not till this week have they all been normal. AST and ALT are now both 29, so it has taken 3 1/2 years for this to happen. I thought after two years of trying that It was hopeless, but it seems it can take longer. > > I was actually diagnosed with AIH and Autoimmune Cholangitis and apparently there is no treatment for Autoimmune Cholangitis (except to some extent Ursofalk), that's why my GGT and Alk Phos are still up, although they have also improved a lot. > > About the heart attack, it was due to the high cholesterol (I was taking Zocor anyway, but the damage might have been done before I started taking it). I had an Angiogram and they inserted a stent. The main artery was almost blocked - it seems I have coronary artery disease now too, but I've been through a cardiac rehab course (exercising) and even went back to work (teaching high school) for the last term at the end of 2002 - our school year finishes in December. I found I couldn't work mainly because of back pain and I can't believe how good the timing was, because the Education Dept was offering an early retirement package so I applied for it and got it. So, I am now retired from teaching which I still have mixed feeling about (I really miss the company and the kids), but if I'm realistic about it, there's no way I could've kept it up. > > Well, just wanted to share the good news and to tell those of you who are feeling down because the blood tests aren't as good as they should be, to hang in there. I really believe that a positive attitiude, meditation, affirmations, exercise and prayer played a big part in the improved test results too. > > BTW, I have been weaned off Prednisone and am now taking Neoral, Imuran, Ursofalk + Losec, Lipitor, 1/2 Karvea, 1/2 Aspirin, Actonel, Caltrate and Ostelin 1000. > > Best wishes to everyone, > > Bozena (Brisbane, Australia) > > > > __________________________________________________________________________ Freeserve AnyTime - Go online whenever you want for just £6.99 a month for your first 3 months, that's HALF PRICE! And then it's just £13.99 a month after that. For more information visit http://www.freeserve.com/time/ or call free on 0800 970 8890 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 10, 2008 Report Share Posted January 10, 2008 Hello everyone. Is there anyone from Melbourne, Australia in this group? We live in country and am trying to find a dr who is familiar with LDN. My husband has AS in early stages. Thanks Jude Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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