I don’t believe there is anyway to know that. Symptoms or elevated liver enzymes should have your doctor make the diagnosis which a lot of times can be misdiagnosed with fatty liver, alcoholism, or with just treating the symptoms. Since my liver enzymes were elevated and I was overweight, I was automatically called “fatty liver” (I always hated the assumption that alcohol consumption was the first reaction to the old term “primary biliary cirrhosis & happy for the name change especially since I’m not a drinker) that is until my gastroenterologist asked for a liver biopsy which gave me the correct diagnosis and stage of PBC. This was in 2004 with an employment physical starting it all. With continued Urso medication, my stage II PBC has remained as when diagnosed. I haven’t been terribly bothered with symptoms with only minor occasional itching, and skin, eye, and mouth dryness. It is very nice to have a team connection here with great resource section. Support has come along way in the last twenty years. Keep your follow up appointments and labs, take your medications, and you can live as happily as before you were diagnosed. I wish you well.

Just take one day at a time!! If you are able to get out of bed and can do a little something that’s better than doing nothing at all.Live your life to the fullest. Pace yourself, don’t try to do everything in one day.Don’t be afraid to ask for help if you need it!!!

How do I know how long I have had PBC?

Thank you for all that information.Unfortunately in my case,I do also have fatty live due to alcohol and probly obesity.so I was told that I had both PBC and fatty liver.i have been on a fat loss journey for 2 years and have list 70lbs,I quit drinking completely after my hysterectomy in August 2013.I got diagnosed day after New years.(happy new year to me!). They did bllid work and everything was fine except my AMA test was just a little off.So I had an MRI,then an actual liver biobsy.Very scary news to hear.Im on a complete health kuck.I did quit drinking on my own which is really hard for som people.I don't crave it or miss it! I do feel great except for a little itching at night and some joint pain are my only symptoms so far.the ursodiol I started taking a week ago is helping the itching for sure.Im just wondering if my blood tests are gonna show my doctor if the medication is working since my blood work didn't tell her too much about my liver before.Im just gonna keep doing what I'm doing and hope for the best.Im 52 with 3 kids and 3 grandkids that I want to be around for a little longer! I'm glad to hear your journey threw this is going well..take care!