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00:00:00:00 - 00:00:27:13
Bel Kambach
When I was first diagnosed, my daughter was young and I was fighting for tenure, so I was working full time, and raising a child was like having two full-time jobs at the same time. That was very stressful. Then with PBC, you need to eliminate anything that brings stress to your life and try to rest, or your treatment is not going to work as best as it can.
00:00:27:15 - 00:00:55:12
Bel Kambach
Try to do something nice for yourself — the little foot spa at home, a face mask, whatever it takes for you to feel less stress. Try to forget about the illness as much as you can. Spas are heaven for a PBCer. Ozone therapy, massage, and acupuncture can be soothing. I would say it’s very important to join a PBC community.
00:00:55:14 - 00:01:22:03
Bel Kambach
I stress that wholeheartedly. I think that not many of us know what’s next, and these communities are fantastic help to get the information that you need. You will find mothers. You will find single moms. You will find young women, and you will find older women, and through their experience, you can take a lot of ideas of what and how you want to continue your treatment.
00:01:22:08 - 00:01:42:22
Bel Kambach
The other thing that’s also very positive about it is that before you’re even set up for a testing that needs to be done for you, you will have the experience of hundreds and hundreds of women that have already been before you and can tell you how to prepare best for them. Everyone in the community understands you because they have PBC.
00:01:42:24 - 00:02:06:22
Bel Kambach
These groups help get you to a point that you’re able to breathe and say, “OK, this is not going to be stronger than me.” PBC is not a death sentence. You have to continue living. Don’t let PBC derail you from your dreams.
Bel Kambach was living a very active life when she started experiencing symptoms and then was diagnosed with primary biliary cholangitis (PBC). As an educator, geographer, and explorer, she was focused on working toward tenure at her academic institution and raising her young daughter. When PBC entered the picture, she had to adjust her life accordingly. In Bel’s daily life with PBC, she takes steps to help manage her symptoms and, importantly, to manage her stress levels.
In addition to working with a hepatologist (liver specialist) to treat PBC, there are some lifestyle changes you can make to help you better cope with PBC and its symptoms.
The American Liver Foundation suggests lifestyle changes for people with PBC. These include:
Some of these changes are best approached with a medical professional, like a registered dietitian or hepatologist. Your health care provider may have additional suggestions to help you cope with your specific symptoms and improve your quality of life with PBC.
Bel knows the importance of managing your stress levels while living with PBC. She suggests eliminating things from your life that bring you stress and being sure to get enough rest. Fatigue is a common symptom of PBC, so it’s important to adapt your life to help you manage your levels of fatigue with PBC. Bel talked about keeping a pillow and comforter in her office to take power naps in between classes.
To reduce stress, Bel encourages doing nice things for yourself. She likes to have spa nights at home, equipped with a foot spa and face mask, and take some time for relaxation. You should make time in your day for whatever activities help you feel more at ease.
Finally, Bel highlights the importance of community when living with PBC. By joining a PBC community, you can chat with others with PBC — those who will truly understand what living with PBC feels like. The community aspect was vital for Bel and could be beneficial for you as well.
On myPBCteam, the social network for people with PBC and their loved ones, members come together to ask questions, give advice, and share their stories with others who understand life with PBC.
What does your daily life with PBC look like? What accommodations or adjustments have you made for yourself to help you better manage your symptoms? Share your experience in the comments below, or start a conversation by posting on your Activities page.
More Videos
Like many people with primary biliary cholangitis, Bel Kambach found that the journey to getting a PBC diagnosis didn’t take a straight path.
When starting treatment for PBC, Bel Kambach asked her PBC specialist a lot of questions. Here are some of her suggestions.
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Elizabeth Wartella, M.P.H.
is an Editor at MyHealthTeam. She holds a Master's in Public Health from Columbia University and is passionate about spreading accurate, evidence-based health information.
Learn more about her here.
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What a nice video. Thank you for sharing your thoughts on how to deal best with PBC. Will keep all these things in mind!
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