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Old 05-18-2006, 07:12 AM   #1  
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Default 7 yr old with Autoimmune Hepatitis

Has anyone ever had this condition. It is a cronic condition where the body thinks the liver is foreign and attacks it for some unknown reason.
My daughter last week was diagnosed with this disease . She is to begin Prednisome and another medication 4 pills a day.
The doctor said this condition is rare in children of this age
I know with the prednisone one side effect is weight gain. She is not an overweight child but she is tall and stout. This concerns me especially over a long period of time.
The name is AutoImmune Hepatitis
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Old 05-18-2006, 07:25 AM   #2  
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My mother was diagnosed with autoimmun hepatitis in 2000. I have done some research and this disease is known to attack young girls in your daughter's age group. Although rare is does happen for no reason. We believe that my mother's disease began when she was taking Vioxx.

Her specialist said that she has always had the disease but her organs and muscles where to strong and the disease could not over take her body. Since Vioxx is known for causing liver damage, this is when we believe the disease took over her liver.

My was on predinsone and had the normal side effects of weight gain. She lost the weight as soon as she got of the medication. She is now on Emuran (spelling?). The side effects for her are terrible and she often gets off her medication for some relief for the side effects.

Autoimmune diseases include over 800 types of disease. Lupus is another form of an autoimmune disease. You can search the web for more information. There is a national organization for this disease but I do not know is web address.
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Old 05-18-2006, 03:44 PM   #3  
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Sorry to hear about your daughter!

Here is a good site for more information: http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddise...autoimmunehep/

Here is a quote from the site which is reassuring:

"Treatment works best when autoimmune hepatitis is diagnosed early. With proper treatment, autoimmune hepatitis can usually be controlled. In fact, recent studies show that sustained response to treatment not only stops the disease from getting worse, but also may actually reverse some of the damage"


I hope this helps.
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Old 05-19-2006, 02:49 PM   #4  
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well after three days of aggervation, with no news from the doctor . Another doc called and said it was defenite for autoimmune hepatitis. She started last night on predisone and some other med . It is an autoimmune suppressent similar to the one you take after you have a kidnsy transplant. It is suppose to suppress the immune system. She takes 4 pills each morning.
It is soooooooo hard trying to get her to take them. She can't swallow pills and these are no tiny. I crushed them which the doc advised not . I just don't know what to do. Her peditrician was going to call and see if she can be swiched to some kind of liquid prednisone. I told my husband I don't know how I am going to fight with her for a hour each and every day to take these pills.!!!!!!!!!!!!!
THere are some major side effects too. The suppressent can cause blood clotting problems, if she even gets a fever to the hospital we go. adn a bunch of other things including blood disease's
SHe appears healthy though with no many symptoms.


SHelley
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Old 05-19-2006, 07:25 PM   #5  
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Shelley,

I've dealt with some really, really stubborn patients in my years of nursing. I've found that a good way to get someone to take pills is to put them in something they like to eat. Like use a bite of pudding, apple sauce or ice cream. You can get the snack pack puddings instead of making it everyday if it works for her.

It's not a great idea to crush prednisone because they are so tiny and you lose some of the medication in the process.

I hope this helps.
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Old 05-22-2006, 03:09 PM   #6  
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Well, I tried everything and went through **** for two days trying to get her to take those pills. I tried them in pudding applesauce, tried having her swallow mini m and m ' S per my pediatrician. Nothing was working.
So my pediatrician called St Louis and got after them and they called and said they were going to call her in some liquid. Although, the nurse did not seem very happy about it. She said , '""most 7 year old's should be able to swallow pills."" I told her maybe so .But , most 7 year old's who have never taken pills for anything are not generally given 4 pills broke in half which equal 8 and told now dear get used it it and learn how overnight. It's like give the kid a break. !!!!!!!!
I am still trying to work with her, but until she learns how the liquid will be just fine.
THem St Louis Doctors just don't have any compassion. I guess because it is a teaching hopsital .
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