How can someone manage worsening liver results while living with both autoimmune hepatitis and lupus?
Having multiple autoimmune conditions together is challenging, and you're not alone in this experience. Studies show that having one autoimmune disease puts you at higher risk for developing others, which may explain why Show Full Answer
How can someone manage worsening liver results while living with both autoimmune hepatitis and lupus?
Having multiple autoimmune conditions together is challenging, and you're not alone in this experience. Studies show that having one autoimmune disease puts you at higher risk for developing others, which may explain why autoimmune hepatitis, lupus, and fibromyalgia can occur together.
The connection between your worsening liver results and your medications is important to address. Several lupus medications can affect liver function:
* Azathioprine can cause problems with your liver and pancreas
* Methotrexate is connected to liver problems and can increase liver enzymes
* Corticosteroids like prednisolone can lead to liver issues
Because you're on multiple medications, it can be difficult to determine which ones might be contributing to your liver problems. This is exactly why tracking your symptoms and test results is so valuable.
The most important step is having an open conversation with your rheumatologist and hepatologist. They may need to:
* Run additional tests to pinpoint what's causing the liver changes
* Adjust medication doses or try different treatment options
* Coordinate care between specialists to find the safest combination for both conditions
You're already doing great with self-care, healthy eating, and weight management. Keep documenting when symptoms change so your medical team has clues about what's happening in your body.
A MyLupusTeam member with similar complex conditions shared they work with 10 specialists and added an endocrinologist to their care team, showing how important coordinated specialist care can be.
March 28
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