autoimmune hepatitis people

[Jvanasazi]

Hi everyone.  Just wanted to check in with everyone.  Haven't seen any posts for quite awhile!  Just an update on my condition.  Had my first flare in Jan. 2003 after not being on any meds for about 8 months.  Went back on prednisone and imuran and enzymes came down fast at first then slowed, now down to almost normal.  I am only on 50 mg. of imuran which the doc says I should continue for an indefinite period of time.  I'm now tapering the prednisone.  I did much better with the prednisone this time, no weight gain and very little swelling but I stuck to a low sodium, no caffeine diet and continued to exercise.  Last time I was so uncomfortable I just knew I had to try not to go there this time.  I bought a book called Coping with Prednisone by Eugenia Zukerman and Julie R. Ingelfinger, M.D. and it helped tremendously.  Just knowing that someone else had the same side effects made me realize I wasn't losing my mind!  At any rate, I am feeling good and just wondered how everyone else is.  I am also having overlapping autoimmune diseases like scleroderma and lupus and wonder if anyone else is experiencing these.  I am doing my own little survey to see if this is common in AIH patients!  I am pretty sure the AIH is genetic as there are many women in my family with some type of autoimmune disease so at least I don't have that question in my head all the time, lol.  Take care everyone........Paula