Please let me know if there is a better forum to post this to us pressing question. None of the liver forums seem to be the "right" one.
After experiencing extreme itchiness, rash all over his skin, and jaundice and anxieties, a liver biopsy was done on my husband. The results indicated severe cholestasis, moderate ductopenia, and loss of small bile ducts in up to 50 % of sampled portal tracts with active injury in the remaining ones. He won't be seeing the liver specialist till early January.
After the biopsy the hospital discharged him with drugs before they even knew the results of the biopsy. After 4 days he quit them all except one, because he was worried about the side effect. One of them, Ursodiol, seems to be the medication of choice for his issues, however it caused swelling of his feet and ankles, and supposedly toxic to the liver. The other two, Rofact / Refampin and Apo- Hydroxine are also bad for the liver. We were absolutely shocked when we read up on these meds! The only prescription med. he still keeps taking is Olestyr / cholestyramine as it is supposedly binding the excess bilirubin ( his levels were extremely high).
Since he stopped these prescription drugs about a week ago, he started taking Milk Thistle, Black Radish Juice, Dandelion Juice, carrot juice, beet juice, and drinks lemon water throughout the day. He also started taking phospatydilcholine.
His itchiness is now somewhat improved, the rash has almost disappeared, and he sleeps better, but is still jaundiced. We don't know if the improvements are because of the Olestyr he is taking, or because the other natural products are helping his liver heal. Is any one here familiar with these particular problems ? We would greatly appreciate some input / suggestions.
Once these bile ducts have vanished, can the liver re-grow other bile ducts? Or will others vanish as well leading to a liver transplant or death?
Any dietary suggestions? What else can he do? We are very worried. The DR. will not approve of him quitting the meds, but ultimately he may need the Dr.