Still positive. No obvious side effects from azathioprine, but someone else with this says I may still get side effects in a few weeks, so will have to remain patient. Asked some others with the condition about returning to work part time. Mixed response, advised to go slowly, make sure boss understands condition/effects of condition etc. Some went back part time after 3 months ish, others were unable. I really want to TRY part time (if work agree) by end Nov/beginning Dec...........not least as am now on 1/2 pay and all pay will cease on 12th Nov (other than statutory sick which wouldn't  even pay the utility bills). Plan to discuss with boss next week and see if we can agree a phased return. I guess I will know quite quickly if I'm being too ambitious. I am doing a bit more each day though, so feel I am making some progress. Have never eaten so healthily in my life........M putting up with this valiantly although she says she feels like a stuffed pepper from all the veg she's eating. weight stable. Managing 1-2 1 hour dog walks a day and afternoon donkey care. Able to drive/shop/cook.....all stuff I couldn't have imagined a few weeks ago. Bloods tomorrow, joy!

Very positive day. Day 2 of azathioprine and very little side effects. Still getting raging cramp in toes/feet though. Did an hour dog walk this morning, and spent afternoon shopping with Mum. No sleep required! Home to see to donks and then another vegetable laden meal, followed by research into immune boosting foods. Good news is I'm eating most of them and only now need to make a few additions.  Remain upbeat and positive............hooray!

Little sleep last night so felt a bit weary today. Blinding forehead headache that won't budge, cramps on and off and discomfort in liver area. Consultant says this is normal as my liver had been severely inflamed and will take time to settle again. Started Azanthioprine with no immediate side effects. Had to have a rest this afternoon though due to tiredness. Eating well. Weight 9st 3lb (and climbing!). Have joined a forum on autoimmunehepatitis.co.uk a support website started by Matt hastings who was diagnosed in the nineties when doing his GCSEs. Loads of useful/helpful info on there posted by those living with this condition. Very supportive and positive site. Will be visiting it/chatting on it often!

clinic feedback

Very good weekend! Stayed awake all day Sat/Sun. Enjoyed some dog walks/cooking/visitors and general normality. Have susutained the positive feelings and had no tears. Sleep however remains a problem as does skin condition, liver discomfort and cramps! Seen in clinic today. Bloods down to 82........almost normal range. Therefore they have reduced steroids by 5 mg from tomorrow and will reduce by another 5mg next week. Finally get to commence azathioprine (immunosuppressant) tomorrow. I cannot be surprised if this gives some unpleasant side effect, but will just have to accept that. Bloods will be checked again on Friday (as they now have to monitor white blood cells due to risks of azathioprine) and weekly for at least 6wks. If all goes to plan this drug will stabilise the condition and I should be able to return to near normal in time. Feeling very pleased and positive /hopeful for the future now.

Awake early but had a fairly good day. Managed without a sleep this afternoon, instead, had my hair cut and coloured.......hooray!! Eating loads of fruit and veg (and bananas for reducing cramp). Weight 9st 3lb. Received photos in the post of my son's graduation which I was unable to attend last month. Promptly began to wail, but in a good/proud/I think appropriate way. he is now working at the Uni he just graduated from, how good is that. Straight into work and paying his own rent. Was hoping to see him this weekend and had been looking forward to it but he is full of a cold so quite rightly doesn't want to risk giving anything to me. Will have to wait a bit longer, sometimes really miss him though. Plan a restful/stress free weekend pottering and catching up with things. Bloods were done this morning, so hopefully new drugs Monday when seen at hospital

Excellent day! Have been really busy and coped well. Diet ok (9st 2) less cramp today and generally feeling quite well. Emailed my boss last night, and got a lovely positive reply today. There might be an opportunity to work from home for a while when I feel ready (hadn't thought of that)! Stayed awake today except for 1 1/2 hours after lunch. Picked and prepared/froze/stored apples for the winter, walked a couple of dogs, coffee with M's mum, cooked tea and saw to afternoon donkey care. Feeling very pleased with myself...........please God it lasts tomorrow. The trouble with this illness, is that one minute you feel and appear fine, the next, you have sudden exhaustion. There is no pattern. It's really hard for others to understand the effect, I'm still having difficulty grasping it. It's not logical. Usually, if you "overdo" something, you expect to feel tired, have a rest and recover. With this there is no pattern. You can sleep really well but have a dreadful following day. You can have 3 hrs sleep and be lively and bouncing off the walls/ positive. Rest is no guarantee to feeling better. Everything can be apparently going swimmingly, but then you are suddenly weeping and wailing. I've been talking online to another AIH sufferer, who has been living with this for 14 years. She is now running her own business and apparently doing well. But it never goes away. She still has episodes of exhaustion and those around her find the illness difficult to comprehend as she appears well much of the time. It is becoming apparent that this is going to be a life long condition. It will have to be managed as best I can through diet/exercise/drugs/blood monitoring/and just pacing myself. I will have to be stricter in the future as to how much I can manage, and learn to accept I will not be as fast as I like to be/have been. Things that would have taken me 1/2 hr to do are currently either not possible or at best taking twice as long as before.

Well last night I took some piriton to help me sleep, and it worked! 7 hrs solid. Had a good day yesterday and today, weight 9st 2lb (so much for eating healthily) still intermittent cramp in hands/feet, still discomfort in liver. More active, although still frequent episodes of sudden lethargy, and needing an afternoon sleep. Generally less tearful/labile, but have just emailed my boss with an update and found myself in floods of unexpected tears. I guess the fact I'm missing work, feel cut off etc is a sign I'm getting better. Don't think I had remembered how much I was loving my job. Spoke to our team secretary last week who told me she had rung all my caseload, and not one had complained about my unavailibility, they just wanted me to get well and sent good wishes...how nice is that? Please God, will get back at least partime in the future.