Do I Have Chronic Cholangitis?

Do you feel constant tiredness and fatigue?

Do you have itchy skin?

Do you have dry eyes and mouth?

Do you have pain in the upper right side of your abdomen?

Do you have bloating and swelling of your abdomen?

Do you have swollen feet and ankles?

Do you have fat deposits (xanthomas) in the skin around the eyes and eyelids or in the elbows, knees, palms, and soles of the feet?

Do you have darkening of the skin that is not related to sun exposure (hyperpigmentation)?

Do you feel pain in your muscles, bones or joints?

Do you have diarrhea or greasy stool (steatorrhea)?

Have you lost weight unintentionally?

Based on your answers it is unlikely that you have chronic cholangitis. Chronic cholangitis is a long-term disorder that slowly causes damage to the bile ducts, resulting in liver damage and other complications. It is important to emphasize that more than 50 percent of people diagnosed with chronic cholangitis do not have any signs and symptoms. The symptoms may be a bit different in every person with chronic cholangitis and they depend on the type of cholangitis and the length of the disease. If you have any symptoms that worry you, please consult your doctor.

Based on your answers there is a possibility that you have chronic cholangitis. Chronic cholangitis is considered an autoimmune disease that slowly damages the bile ducts. The bile ducts transtort bile from your liver and gallbladder into your small intestine. When the bile ducts get inflamed bile can back up into the liver leading to liver damage and other problems. Chronic cholangitis develops slowly over time (symptoms develop over the next 5 to 20 years). Please contact your doctor for diagnosis and treatment. There is no cure for chronic cholangitis. Treatment includes medications and procedures to slow the progression of the disease and prevent complications.