Year 2006
After my diagnosis I was trying to get used to the huge pile of new medication. I was very lucky my body responded to them well and I’ve got only a few side-effects wich gone away quickly. Just not the side-effects from Pred obviously. Beautiful round Moon face stayed with me for a bit longer. Prednisolone was reduced very slowly, but after a year I was on very tiny dose and normal self again. December 2006 I went to my follow-up appointment really hoping that I am all healthy now and all the meds will be stopped. So you can imagine my face when my Dr told me that with this disease you have to stay on medicines for life to keep it under control. Well there are some cases when people with AIH or PSC can stay in remission and without meds, but I’m not going to deep into that as I really don’t know much about it. Anyway it wasn’t my case. I was in denying mode all the time... "Cannot be true! How does this happened to me?" It sounded so unreal that I decided to go for a second opinion privately. Second opinion was even worse, I heard the same answer, but plus, that I probably cannot have kids because of medication i am taking! It was like a slap in the face and very not true(and nobody knew including myself that I was pregnant already).After a lot of sleepless nights and stress I finally accepted what my first doctor said. I thought okay I will take all the medications not thinking too much about it. And I’m not going to let this disease to take over my mind and my life.Feeling sorry for my self is not going to help.Not long after second opinion and news that having babies while on azathioprine and prednisolone are dangerous, pregnancy test showed two lines, positive... Instead of happy I was so afraid! My mind went into overthinking mode "what I’m going to do now? What if the doctor will tell me I cannot keep this baby?" I was so heartbroken.
I called liver outpatients and managed to get an appointment with my doctor. He reassured me that many woman’s are having babies while on these meds and it’s absolutely fine. I just have to be monitored more than normal pregnancies. I was advised that sometimes after you have had your baby there is a risk of relapse, in other words disease to become active again. But that can be controlled with so much dreaded high dose of prednisolone. Of course I decided to take a risk. All pregnancy went very well my health was good and baby was kicking strong.
At 36 weeks everything changed! My skin and eyes started yellowing again! My body was crazy itchy I couldn’t sleep,my legs looked really swollen.I rang hospital,but for some reason they thought it’s not an emergency and told me just wait for my next appointment. I was very upset by that and was afraid something bad could happen,so my advice never wait.I don’t know why I waited, well I was young and a bit naive I guess. I didn’t want to bother anyone! Wrong! Very wrong! I know that now...
One early morning(six days from the day my symptoms started)I woke up from ache in my tummy. I thought is just some pregnancy stuff. Well it was not,after half an hour the ache became more and more intensive until it turned into contractions! Everything was happening so quick and in few hours i had my first baby boy. After the labour blood tests and scans were done and pregnancy cholestasis was confirmed. Probably that’s why labour started so unexpectedly. And actually,pregnancy cholestasis could end tragically like still birth or heavy bleeding,if baby not delivered at 37-38 weeks.I don’t understand why my prenatal doctor told me to just wait for my next appointment.Of course i shouldn’t listen if i felt something was wrong.But her reassurance made me think maybe i am just bothering hospital for nothing.Never think like that,mistakes happen.Listen to your gut instinct.I was so lucky my baby was born strong and healthy.He is now 13 years old.Pregnancy cholestasis usually going away few days after you give birth,that’s what happened to me.I was ready to rock as a new mum!
P.S.In this picture is my teenager,first baby i am talking about❤️Don’t worry his eyes are normal 🤪We did this picture for fun,it made us laugh.Maybe it will bring a smile to your face aswell 🙂Have a wonderful day🎈
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