bentleym
New User
Joined: 20 Sep 2008
Posts: 3
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 Posted: Sat Sep 27, 2008 2:05 pm Post subject: Recognize these symptoms? |
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Hello:
Since I made some post in some other forums, but since then have done quite a bit of research. A little background information and then I'll jump into the symptoms that I've recognized:
About a year ago, I was diagnosed with Autoimmune Hepatitis. My AST/ALT levels were 2200 and 850 respectively. They put me on about 100MG daily of prednisone and did a subsequent biopsy. They found bridging fibrosis (stage 2) throughout my liver. I am right now on 5MG prednisone and 100MG imuran daily.
Symptoms:
-EXTREME belching - especially after eating/drinking and whenever I stand up
-Occasional muscle twitches - they are getting more to the convulsion stage, where the whole upper part of my body tenses up - I used to think that was all in my head, but seems a little more like it really goes on now.
-Occasionally cloudy urine (stools normal, doesn't seem to be a lack of bile)
-Pretty severe back pain - it varies a little bit, but it seems like it goes between my lower back and the sciatic nerves (sometimes one leg, sometimes the other) going down my leg
-I think decreased appetite, but since my liver is nearly cirrhotic anyways (bridging fibrosis), it's hard to tell. Volume-wise, I can eat about a third of what someone would normally eat. I am not hypersensitive to greasy stuff, but I can't eat a lot of it. I've gotten pretty good at eating the right thing at the right time, and have gone from around 115 to 135 since my liver enzymes came down.
-Occasional sharp pains all over my body - maybe these are what everyone feels, but I am pretty sure they've gotten worse over time
-My vision is a little worse
-I do get dizzy/blackout/vertigo (never passed out, though) when I stand up. Not just from a laying position, although it's worse when I get up from laying down. I've watched my water intake pretty close and average between 7-12 cups of water (no carbonated beverages/juice of any kind) a day, so I wouldn't think I am just dehydrated.
Oddly enough, lying down helps my back pain and I haven't really had a lot of stomach pain when I stay away from greasy foods. My understanding is that neither of these are supposed to be in the "classic case" (if such a thing exists) of pancreatic cancer.
I also had an Abdominal CT scan when they diagnosed me with AIH. This was about a year ago, and I don't think they saw anything abnormal, aside from an enlarged liver/spleen - which I understand is pretty normal with someone with AST/ALT levels like mine were at the time.
I have to get my LFT levels tested every so often and they have come back normal within the past week. I mentioned some of these symptoms to my heptologist and it didn't seem to concern them too much, but symptoms have gotten worse since then. I am going into an internist in about a week or so, hoping that they will be able to do some more generic "troubleshooting".
I am planning on asking for an MRI and/or CT scan or ultrasound. Are there any blood levels I should request to have checked that are indicative of pancreatic cancer or cancer in general? Or, other tests you'd recommend?
Hopefully, someone can give me their thoughts. Worst case scenario, I can print this whole thing off and take it to my doctor in a week. |
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brainman
Chief Admin
Joined: 13 Oct 2005
Posts: 4422
Location: Tennessee
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| Posted: Tue Sep 30, 2008 3:50 pm Post subject: Re: Recognize these symptoms? |
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bentleym, first of all, I am very sorry about your current health problems. I am glad that you are doing your research. The information you find will help in your future treatment decisions.
The American Society of Clinical Oncology discourages the use of CA19-9 in diagnosis Pancreatic Cancer because there are other things that can cause the CA19-9 to rise http://jco.ascopubs.org/cgi/content/full/24/33/5313. CA19-9 is mainly used with people who have proven Pancreatic Cancers. It is used to follow the effectiveness of the treatment(s). Certainly this does not mean that your should not be tested but I do not think it would mean much at this point. Colon cancer and some benign conditions can cause it to go up.
Keep working with your own medical team, doing your own research, a update us on what you learn.
You are in my thoughts and prayers.
_________________
Jim
Site Administrator and long-term cancer survivor
1992 Astrocytoma grade 2, left motor strip
2005 Recurrence this time said to be an Oligodendroglioma grade 3, same location.
My Story Part 1: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?p=7350
My Story Part 2: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?t=8029
Blog http://jimhawkinsport.blogspot.com/ |
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