Autoimmune Hepatitis?

  I am a 25 year old white male.  I have a question concerning a recent diagonsis with autoimmune hepatitis.  I have a problem with jaundice in mid-September.  I got tested for Hepatitis A, B, and C; and had several liver profiles showing highly elevated ALT and AST levels(at one point ~1300/1100).  I was tested for Epstein Barr virus (neg.).  A liver biospy showed minor scarring-no cirrhosis.  I was working up until Sept.  with Toluene, MIBK, and Ethanol in my workplace which led my doctor to believe it was a toxic hepatitis.  I left that job before signs started to show and got progressive worse.  After the jaundice, came severe joint pain, fatigue, nausea, etc.  The doctor then finds elevated WBC count, conducted a serum protein electrophoresis tests and because mother has Lupus; he decides on the autoimmune hepatitis theory.  I am currently on Deltasone (40mg/day) and Azathioprine (50mg/day).  The plan is to slowly reduced the dose of steroids to 5-10mg per day and stay on the Imuran indefinitely.  I am feeling better, no jaundice, lowered ALT/AST levels, etc.  I understand this is a chronic condition, what about a long-term prognosis.  
  My questions are:  
  1) Do you think this is the correct diagnosis, is there a autoimmune specialist?
  2) Do the side effects of the medicine out-weigh the benefit received?  
  3) Can the use of steroids cause sterility or this disease be passed on to my offspring?
  4) Although not a heavy drinker, should alcohol be avoided completely?
  Thanks so much for this forum.

[HFHSM.D.-D.M.]

Dear Scott:
Well you certainly appear to have a pretty complicated liver situation and I