Do I Have Autoimmune Hepatitis?

Do you feel more tired than usual or do you get tired easily?

Do you feel generally unwell?

Do you have abdominal discomfort?

Do you have nausea, loss of appetite or diarrhea?

Do you have yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes (jaundice)?

Do you have itchy skin or skin rashes?

Do you have abnormal blood vessels on the skin (spider angiomas - small, bright red spots under the skin consisting of a central dilated blood vessel surrounded by thin capillaries resembling spider legs)?

Do you have mild joint or muscle pains that are usually worse in the morning?

Do you have dark urine, or pale or gray-colored stools?

If you are a woman, have you lost your period?

Based on your answers it is unlikely that you have autoimmune hepatitis. Autoimmune hepatitis is a condition characterized by the improper functioning of the immune system, which leads to swelling and liver damage. It is a chronic disease, and if left untreated, can lead to serious disorders such as cirrhosis and liver failure. Autoimmune hepatitis is more common in women than in men. It affects women between the ages of 15 and 40. The exact cause is not known. It is believed that the combination of hereditary and environmental factors (the use of certain medications, viral infections) plays a role in the development of this type of hepatitis.

Based on your answers there is a possibility that you have autoimmune hepatitis. Autoimmune hepatitis is a rare type of hepatitis. In this case, your own immune system attacks the liver and leads to its inflammation. There are two types of autoimmune hepatitis. Type 1, or the classic type, is the most common and occurs in young women. People with this type of hepatitis usually have another autoimmune disease. Type 2 is a rare form that affects girls under 14 years of age. Autoimmune hepatitis occurs suddenly. You may feel tired and have mild flu-like symptoms. A diagnosis is based on blood tests and a liver biopsy.

Based on your answers there is a high possibility that you have autoimmune hepatitis. Autoimmune hepatitis is a health condition characterized by inflammation of the liver caused by impaired function of your immune system. Timely diagnosis and treatment are extremely important. The goal of treatment is to suppress the inadequate reaction of the immune system. Autoimmune hepatitis can be controlled with medications, but cannot be cured. Medications are usually used for years, and sometimes for life. In the most severe cases, when irreversible scars have already formed on the liver or liver function has failed, the remaining treatment option is a liver transplant.