Autoimmune Hepatitus & Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis

Hello, my name is Bryan. I was diagnosed with Autoimmune Hepatitis back in 1986. For a while, no one knew what I had and I have never found out how I "got" autoimmune hepatitis. The doctors believe it was hereditary but they really don't know. Both of my grandfathers past very young, when my parents were young. I guess one of them could have had a liver issue but back then when you died young, they said you worked yourself to death. After being diagnosed with AH I later found out that I also had Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis or PSC. So for years, I lived with both and really it was a normal way of life to me. I really didn't have major side effects except for jaundice and fatigue. I consider myself lucky that I didn't have to deal with the itching and high ammonium levels. Really, most people didn't even realize I had a live disorder. My doctor use to say I was the healthiest liver patient who needed a liver that he knew.

Around 2008, my doctor told me he wanted to get me on the transplant list as Cirrhosis was occurring and he wanted to get ahead of it. So in 2009 after all of the tests I was added to the transplant list. My liver numbers (MELD) were low and I was pretty active so my doctor said they would look for a healthy liver. Well after a year or so, my numbers improved and I was deactivated from the list. Again it was life as usual. I would get my liver functions checked every 3 months to make sure things was still OK.

Now I'm a bicycle rider (road bike) and try to do a few bike events during the year usually in the 30 - 100 mile range. Once a year my buddies and I do a ride to support multiple sclerosis which is a 2 day ride ranging from 150 - 200 miles. Well in 2010 I did the ride and felt the best I had every felt. My buddies couldn't believe how great I was riding. After the ride it was time for my 3 month blood work and come to find out my MELD score was the worst it had ever been. Well as I was seeing my doctor he decided to put me back active on the list. Now being that I was on the list before I really didn't give it much thought. I "assumed" it would be a year or more before I received the call. The call came 5 days after my doctor appointment! They had a liver.

I just celebrated my 3 year anniversary and have been doing great. I was very fortunate to receive such a wonderful gift and to have the support of family and friends. I take my daily meds and do what the doctor tells me to do. My doctor told me that when my day comes to leave this earth, he doesn't want the cause to be my liver. Since my transplant, I haven't have any issues out of my liver. I would say he is doing something right!