Liver Function Test Results and Bilirubin level after stent.
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Richard – your wife sounds to be in a similar position to me in Nov 2009. Stent in place and bilirubin level reducing but very slowly indeed not dramatically – White eyes last to come back – itching went much quicker.bilirubin level has to be way down before op for blood comparability reasons I recall. Whipple op at St James’s Leeds in Jan 2010. Bilcap Trial Chemo offer followed (Xeloda / capecitebane ) I agreed and I was in the arm that took the tablets not the arm where nothing was given. One year scan post chemo next Friday.
Lost a stone in weight and now put two back on! Fully active so far after 3 month whipple recovery.I would be more than happy to chat with you or your wife by phone or email and give you some inside info – I benefitted greatly from an hour with a young medic who said a couple of memorable things to me. 1 the whipple op is big time but if you are reasonably fit it is long because it is “a bit fiddley like sowing wet fish together”!! And 2. You will wake up with more tubes attached than you could ever believe but you generally get rid of one every day or so.
I could go on but Jim is dead right in assuring you that your wife appears to be at the lucky end of the cc spectrum by being a surgery candidate.
As the supporter of your wife on this journey it can be tough – my best positive wishes to you.
Malcolm
Many thanks for the welcome, everyone.
A plastic stent was fitted 2 weeks ago, and replaced soon afterwards, as there was no sign of the jaundice receding. Now the jaundice is decreasing, bilirubin level coming down (270 / 170 / 158 /115……) but the itching has been the worst symptom for her – her whole body, night and day, although worse at night. Ice packs have helped; Questran (colestyramine) 4g x3 per day; Eurax (Crotamiton) cream as well. We tried several other medications, but these have worked for her.
With a provisional diagnosis of a distal bile duct tumour, looks like a Whipple in a month’s time, and hopefully the jaundice will have cleared by then, which we understand is important.
Hi Richard,
Welcome to the site. Sorry that you had to find us all and I am sorry to hear of your wife’s diagnosis, but I am glad that you have joined us all as you have come to the right place for information and support. So please, feel free to ask any questions that you have and we will all do what we can to help in answering them.
I assume from your post that you wife has had a plastic stent inserted? And does/did your wife have any itching that often comes with the jandice? My dad had the yellowing of the skin and eyes, and he had the itching big time. He had a metal stent inserted to help with this and it did help, but it could take some time for the signs of the jaundice to reduce. How long ago did your wife have the stent placed?
I hope that you keep coming back here as there is a wealth of knowledge and information here, so please keep asking any questions. Please let us know how things go for your wife, we know what you are going through right now and we care.
My best wishes to you and your wife,
Gavin
Hi Richard,
My billrubin numbers slowly decreased after I had stents and external drainage bags placed. As far as my labs, my doctors always look at the ALT and AST numbers for signs of a liver problem. I had stents placed about a year and a half ago. My jaundice lasted for at least a month, possibly two, but I was spared the itching. I’m actually still a tiny bit yellow. My was liver was resected almost 3 years ago and I am still cancer free.Betsy
Richard, be very glad that your wife is a surgery candidate … it’s the only cure that I’m aware of. I had a resection about two years ago, and am still clean.
Good luck with your wife’s treatment.
Richard, my husband, Teddy had a Whipple 6 years ago and while it is a huge surgery it is not life threatening. Surgery is the best way to go with CC. Yes, this is an impressive Board. It astounds me with so many people, so many backgrounds and from so many places around the world all trying to help each other. I often think perhaps this Board should be running our World, what a compassionate and loving world it would be! Please keep us posted on your wife we care.
Thanks for the welcome, Lainy. Actually my wife is the patient: diagnosis is a bile duct tumour, though whether malignant or not can’t be confirmed; initially Princess Grace Hospital for investigations, but heading for a Whipple’s at the Royal Free Hosp., both in London. We looked at keyhole rather than open surgery, but not suitable in her case. We’re still sifting through the information on this site – impressive!
Hello Richard and welcome to our family but sorry you had to join us. The Bilirubin should keep decreasing. If it continues to rise an infection may have developed from the stent. This is very common and usually a good anti biotic takes care of that. Also, the yellow takes some time to completely leave. My husband had a slight hint of yellow for months. As for the liver function tests, I know there is an ALT and an AST. Not sure of the others but I know for sure someone will be along to help with your question. May I ask where you are being treated and what the diagnosis was? You have come to the right place so feel free to share with anything with us and we look forward to hearing more from you.
I’m totally new to this, so please excuse these basic questions:
1) If a stent has been fitted in the bile duct to relieve obstructive jaundice, is the Total Bilirubin level expected to decrease daily over a period of a couple of weeks, or can there be occasional rises?
2) In trying to ascertain whether the jaundice is decreasing (besides visual clues: skin, eyes etc.) are there any other of the dozens of readings in a liver function test on which we ought to keep a watch?
Thank you.
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