Let's simply learn about the cases of PBC (Primary Biliary Cholangitis), a silent disease that affects the liver.

Do you sometimes feel unusually tired for no reason? Or do you just scratch your skin? Most of us don't pay much attention to these things. But these can be the first signs of a condition that we don't talk about much, that silently affects the liver. Today we are going to talk about one such condition, `(Primary Biliary Cholangitis)`, or PBC for short. Although this is a bit of a scary name, once you understand it correctly , managing it is not as difficult as you think.

Simply put, what is PBC?

Think of our liver as a big factory. Inside this factory, many things that are essential for the body are produced, and harmful toxins are also removed from the body. The most important thing that helps in this work is called "bile". This bile is produced by the liver. These are like small pipe-like channels, that is, bile ducts. This bile helps to dissolve the fats in the food we eat, absorb vitamins into the body, and remove harmful cholesterol and toxins from the body.

Now, in a condition called PBC, our own immune system cells mistakenly start attacking these little bile ducts in the liver. It's like our own defense forces attacking an important part of our own country. This attack damages the bile ducts and gradually destroys them. Then the bile can't flow properly and gets stuck inside the liver. This stuck bile starts damaging the liver cells. Over time, this damage can cause scarring of the liver. We call this `(cirrhosis)`.

How does PBC progress?

PBC does not develop suddenly. It is a disease that develops slowly over many years. That is why there may be no symptoms in the early stages. You may not notice any changes for years.

Some people may experience symptoms like fatigue and skin rashes early in the disease. Others may experience these symptoms later in the disease. The severity of these symptoms also varies from person to person. However, doctors have found that if symptoms are severe early in the disease, it may indicate that the disease is likely to progress more rapidly.

The four main stages of PBC disease

Doctors and researchers have divided PBC into four main stages, depending on the extent of liver damage. Let's take a look at what happens in the first stage.

Stage 1: Portal Stage

This is the very beginning stage of the disease. At this time, the tiny bile ducts in your liver are just beginning to be damaged.

• what's up?

T cells, or T lymphocytes, are a type of white blood cell that protects our body from disease. Normally, they fight off germs that enter the body. However, in PBC, these T cells mistakenly identify healthy bile duct cells in the liver as "enemy" and start attacking them. This causes inflammation around the bile ducts. This damage occurs in a special area of ​​the liver called the portal area, where blood vessels and bile ducts meet.

• Are there any symptoms?

Often, you may not experience any symptoms during this initial stage. Therefore, you may not even know that you have this disease. This silent phase may continue for years.

Symptoms may not appear until 5 or 10 years later. Once symptoms begin, the average person can live with the disease for about 10 years. However, if a successful liver transplant is performed, the 10-year survival rate increases to 65%.

Later Stages (Later Stages - 2, 3 & 4)

After the first stage, the disease gradually progresses to the second, third, and fourth stages.

• Stage 2: Damage to the bile ducts increases.
• Stage 3: Scarring of the liver begins. This is the beginning of a condition called fibrosis.
• Stage 4: Extensive scarring of the liver occurs, leading to a severe condition called cirrhosis. At this point, the liver is no longer able to function properly.

Only your doctor can give you the best explanation for each of these situations, based on your specific situation.

What are the symptoms we should pay attention to?

There are several symptoms that can occur with PBC. These don't occur in the same way for everyone. But it's important to be aware of these symptoms.

If you continue to experience one or more of these symptoms, it is important to see your doctor immediately for advice. Don't just assume that it's just fatigue or dry skin.

Early diagnosis can be life-changing!

When talking about PBC, we shouldn't be afraid, but we should be vigilant. Because your future health depends on how quickly you diagnose this disease and start treatment for it.

By diagnosing the disease early and starting the right medication, the damage to the liver can be largely controlled. This means that the disease can be stopped or delayed until it reaches a serious stage. Then you can live a healthy life without much impact on your daily activities.

But if the disease is diagnosed late, or if you have a more severe, rapidly progressing form of the disease, the liver can become severely damaged and may even become liver failure. In such cases, a liver transplant is the only way to save your life. Therefore, early diagnosis is the most important thing in this regard.

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