more liver drama

I really want to have a pity party. A year ago, I was feeling good.

I should put a TMI warning here

After a bout of deep depression, I was seeing the silver lining again with a higher dose of Effexor XR. It made a huge difference for me.

Then came the side effects of liver dysfunction. After multiple tests, I went back down to the lower dose and was told no tylenol or alcohol.

I have had hepatic function panels drawn every few months since it first began. Also, an AMA test was done to further diagnose. It was just above the normal threshold. Dr. J was going to diagnose me with primary biliary cirrhosis except my liver panel that was done with the AMA came back within normal.

Then they went up again. Now I have to go back to my GI, Dr. Ikea (he’s a great doc with a Scandinavian accent) for further probing. I fear he is going to order the dreaded ERCP this time. I have had pain in the gallbladder/liver area for years. It’s been 2 years since my colonoscopy.

I am scared. I know Dr. Ikea will not opt for the ERCP without a very strong reason. It has a 10% complication rate. In the back of my head, I have a bad feeling that we’re to that point in the diagnosis trail. I’ve done ever other GI radiology study already.

In the meantime, I am going to up my vitamin C intake and start the EA Active 30-day challenge. I’m sure shedding some of this excess weight will help. I just read that coffee colonics are recommended, never gonna happen! I’m already on a low-fat, high-fiber diet. I think my next step there is to go totally vegetarian. I want to eliminate cholesterol from my diet.

I am considering a kidney and liver cleanse that does not involve fasting. I discourage the “eight pounds of impacted waste” types of cleanses. Fasting is rarely beneficial to the body. I just want to give my immune system a boost.