I had a short brief with AIH when I was 23. I never got treatment. It went away. Then about 3 years back, at age 41 for no reason I got pericarditis, followed by Pneumonia, then polymyositis, and finally asthma. The doctors diagnosed me at a top med university here in Japan with AIH again (No liver biopsy). I have no previous mediacal on any of these. I eat good, exercise, stay slim, and am chiropractor, so always followed the healthy road. I am currently taking 10mg. prednisone daily.
Symptoms from AIH are almost none, but I do have one real big problem. Since this all started I have had severe asthma. I mean real severe. I have to take a portable nebulizer with me whereever I go. I use a bottle of meptin once a month 30ml. I take fulltide, 800mcgdaily, serevent 200mcg daily, and 800theophyline daily.
My questions 3:
1. The phrase asthma attack is often used. I don't have attacks. I have 24 hour a day asthma. I would be dead in one day if my drugs were taken away. This would be analagous to having a cold every day, but when you take certain drugs, the symptoms of the cold get better. It doesn't mean the cold is gone and then returning. Also, the more volume of food/water/anything, I could even eat rocks, I put in me the more asthma I get. Pressure in my abdomen increases the symptoms. I don't have reflux, since even water does this. And my stomach is healthy, absent of symptoms anyway. This question is: Is this even asthma? I cough up golf ball size white thick sputum after using the nebulizer. If I exercise real hard and get real active, I can get rid of my asthma somewhat, but after quitting the exerices and cooling down it is a nightmare. I think that is an adrenaline related issue. I do know that adrenaline injections fix everything flat out cold, end of subject.
2. Is there anything I can do to make a serious dent in my asthma? Meptin, fulltide, theophylline, serevent all help, but I still carry my portable nebulizer and use it at 3 hour intervals.
3. AIH doesn't normally end up as asthma, at least from what I have read. But my pericarditis, pneumonia, and polymyositis, oh, and inflammation of joints at different times and places (Big and red and painful) all seam part of this one big package. Is my asthma just the result of the AIH, or should I start thinking about other cause of the asthma (Chlamydia pneumoniae, and mycoplasma), as is discussed by Dr. Hahn http://www.dean.org/researchers.
I will be in Seattle Washington for thanksgiving this year. Should I get a blood panel and have it shipped to you? I can do such. Money is not an issue.
Grant