Symptoms of Secondary Biliary Cirrhosis
During the early stages of secondary biliary
cirrhosis, a person may not even know that his or her liver is being damaged. He or she may not have any symptoms of secondary biliary cirrhosis, or notice any physical changes to his or her body. If someone does have secondary biliary
cirrhosis symptoms, the most common symptoms are itchy skin, fatigue, and jaundice (yellowing of the eyes and skin).
Other secondary biliary cirrhosis symptoms may include:
- Stomach pain (or abdominal pain) on the right side
- Fever
- Darkening of exposed areas of the skin
- Pale-colored, bulky, foul-smelling stool
- Easy bruising
- Bone pain
- Osteoporosis (bone thinning)
- Night blindness
- Fatty deposits around the eyes and over the joints and tendons
- Arthritis
- Osteoporosis
- Thyroid problems
- Fluid retention
- Dry mouth
- Dry eyes.
Diagnosing Secondary Biliary Cirrhosis
In order to make a secondary biliary cirrhosis diagnosis, the doctor will begin by asking a number of questions about your medical history, including questions about:
- Symptoms
- Current medical conditions, including gallstones
- Any surgeries, including gallbladder surgery
- Current medications
- Family history of medical conditions
- Any overseas travel history
- Alcohol and/or drug use.
The healthcare provider will also perform a physical exam to look for signs and symptoms of cirrhosis.
The healthcare provider may also recommend certain laboratory tests, x-rays -- and, in some cases, a liver biopsy (a simple operation to remove a small piece of liver tissue) to help diagnose secondary biliary cirrhosis.
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