Posted 10/25/2021 3:26 AM (GMT 0)
Hey everyone. Been a long while since I've posted. Having a new issue that I'd like your opinions on, or if you've had any experience with. For the past 3 years I've had my ALP and GGT jump up. I don't drink, so that's not it. My AST and ALT are fine. This started around the time I found out I had developed antibodies to Remicade. So the doctor thought it was related. Off Remicade for over a year, had an allergic reaction to Entyvio and Stelara just messed up my knees for some reason. He decided to try Remicade again, did that for another year and of course my antibodies got worse. Now I'm on Cimzia again, which I think might be helping. But all this time my GGT and ALP are not going down.
I get pain in there every so often, nothing major. Could be just intestinal pain. No gallbladder. Oh and I've also developed swelling in my calves, feet and ankles. They did an echo to make sure it wasn't my heart and that was fine. Doesn't seem to be my kidneys. They think it's from needing to lose some weight and being so inactive these days (I work at home and sit most days, and thanks to COVID I'm at home a lot). I've lost 20 pounds, but still more to go. Wearing compression stockings seems to help. Scared that it's really my liver causing this.
I see the GI next week I suspect I'll be getting an ultrasound. I'm scared to death of a biopsy (sounds awful) and even more scared of an ERCP. Already had pancreatitis once from Imuran and not wanting to visit that again. But even more scared of liver issues, everything I read sounds like a death sentence. Thanks in advance!