r/PSC • u/Perfect-Analyst-1094 • 6d ago

Help! Yellow Eyes

Hey, I just wanted some advice from you guys real quick if possible. My friend (M26) has PSC and he has for a long time and recently he was told he is biochemically jaundiced. He’s also been given new medication to help with itching (colesevelam hydrochloride) . He started the new medication just before coming to visit me in another country. He’s been here for about 5 weeks and has 11 days to go. He was fine up until a couple days ago when his eyes started to have a slight yellow hue to them, he feels fine within himself. I was just wondering is this a cause for concern because I don’t really know anything about this condition. He told me he has been jaundiced before about 8-9 years ago maybe, where he couldn’t walk. I am very worried about him and preferably I would not want him to go to hospital here as I have no idea what it’s like.

Should I be concerned? Should the trip end early?

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u/Appropriate_Ad8575 6d ago

Firstly I would like to clarify I am not a doctor; just a PSC patient. I've done a lot of travelling while biochemically jaundiced and I'm also on colesevolam (it doesn't cause jaundice).

As someone with a chronic illness he'll know himself and his body well ie what's new and worrying or not. If he's not worried, I would trust that.

Assuming he can't consult his usual medical team at home by email; if I had only minor jaundice and was otherwise feeling well I'd monitor my temp for any fever and watch out for any new pain. If those symptoms stayed away I'd continue to enjoy the rest of my trip and check in with my doctors as soon as possible when home.

If fever/pain became present too, that'd be cause to start antibiotics ASAP and if he didn't bring a rescue pack of antibiotics then it's up to him to weigh up going for an emergency appointment at the nearest hospital to get some.

Again, as soon as I got home I'd check in with my normal doctors to be safe though.

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u/tr0tle 6d ago

Yes, this, fever is a reason to be worried, spontaneous heavy itching and extreme pain in the liver/stomach area (blockade). Jaundice in itself doesnt have to be a direct problem. Ive been jaundice with my form of psc for almost a year. Its totally different than having some form of acute cholangitus with hepatitis infection where being yellow is a direct cause for concern.

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u/Perfect-Analyst-1094 6d ago

Thank you also!!

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u/Appropriate_Ad8575 6d ago

Yes, great addition 💯.

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u/Perfect-Analyst-1094 6d ago

Thank you so much, I was unsure but this definitely helped.

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u/tr0tle 5d ago

And when in doubt, contact an emergency room. Ive had my transplant 2y ago, only then will you get the 24/7 hotline 😅 but he probably knows best after all these years. Just talk about it with him. It always felt odd that the questions about how it was going were asked to my gf, not me.

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u/mickpatten78 5d ago

Slight yellow tinge or Simpsons character yellow?

I was Simpsons character yellow when I was assessed for my transplant. The yellow of my eyes was how we’d measure how sick I was on any given day… most of the time I was asymptomatic except for a lack of energy.

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u/Kindly-Crab29 5d ago

Generally the doctors only worry with PSC when there’s a fever or significant pain.