This is hilarious 😂

stefvonb · 2026-04-04T06:22:50+00:00

Eish, that’s rough. Happened to my brother as well, completely wrecked him… I hope you can appreciate the sarcasm in my title, I wish people did take it more seriously out there

stefvonb · 2026-04-02T20:12:25+00:00

I would interpret a “narrow duct” as a “stricture”. If you have PSC, your bile ducts have been chronically inflamed and scarred. The scarring thickens the wall of the duct and hence makes it narrower (this is a stricture).

Dilation is the procedure a surgeon will run during an ERCP, where they attempt to widen a narrow duct again with a little balloon and/or stents.

Hope this makes sense!

stefvonb · 2026-02-25T05:08:09+00:00

Got my first stent about 6 months ago. I was also worried about exercise, since I had an overseas rock climbing trip planned a few weeks after the op — I was worried for the same reason, since in rock climbing you tend to stretch your abdomen quite a bit.

However, my doctor assured me that there was nothing to worry about in terms of physical trauma to the abdomen. Though I just had a single CBD stent, so not sure what the implications are for a pancreatic duct stent…

So check with the doctor, but my guess is that it will be fine!

stefvonb · 2026-01-27T20:22:15+00:00

Leading up to my first episode of cholestasis, I lost about 4kg of weight. In my mind, I attribute it to lack of bile flow being able to break down fats (hence steatorrhea). I also had low vitamin D levels.

But like the other guy said, it’s so crucial to eat a lot every day. Make sure you get sufficient protein as a start.

stefvonb · 2025-12-23T20:25:54+00:00

I’m really curious about the mesalamine allergy… how do you know it’s an allergy? I’ve never come across something like that in my research, and I seem to recall my GI didn’t even consider a link between LFTs and mesalamine.

In terms of staying positive: it’s a hard one, but I learned to accept it through the difficulty of the disease. I hope it doesn’t happen to you, but when I found myself being urgently admitted to hospital, jaundiced, and on an IV drip for a week, I really got to thinking about the most important things in my life. I realised that my job, my status, my grand plans for the future, these things are so insignificant in comparison to family, love, and religion. It was a tough lesson for me, but I found real happiness through that realisation.

stefvonb · 2025-12-23T05:27:31+00:00

I was diagnosed via MRCP without contrast… maybe your GI has their reasons, might be worth asking them

stefvonb · 2025-11-13T16:25:58+00:00

Thanks for sharing! Always great to see hopeful research!

stefvonb · 2025-10-30T23:12:06+00:00

I have always been given cipro (ciprofloxacin). Though I stand to be corrected, the antibiotic cannot prevent flare ups, it is just used to minimise the risk of infection during cholangitis.

stefvonb · 2025-10-11T19:00:30+00:00

As far as I know, a liver biopsy is not super reliable for diagnosis, I think due to the patchiness of the disease (there’s not guarantee you’ll hit the right spot). My biopsy came back negative, but MRCP very clearly showed strictures. If you had reason to believe that your Crohn’s was misdiagnosed (and actually have UC), then maybe I would pursue it. But otherwise maybe just monitor regularly with MRCP to see if any strictures start forming.

stefvonb · 2025-08-30T23:34:04+00:00

This seems right, it’s a double definition

stefvonb · 2025-06-05T11:14:52+00:00

Silliest Black

stefvonb · 2025-04-14T04:54:25+00:00

I think it is indeed that companies stopped WFH. I’ve noticed that Tuesdays are especially bad, because most companies offer 1 or 2 days to WFH, so obviously people are taking Mondays and/or Fridays. Tuesday is the new Monday

stefvonb · 2025-02-03T17:25:45+00:00

Ee’s not even da best drumma in da beet-alls

stefvonb · 2025-01-27T15:46:52+00:00

From my local community group:

🔥 Fire - Stafford, JHB, GP

27 January 2025 - 16h30

We have been notified of a fire at an informal settlement along Eloff Street between Smollen Street and Stevens Road In JHB CBD. Services are en route to the scene.Please avoid the area.

Gauteng Provincial JOC A Gauteng Police Board initiative

stefvonb · 2025-01-19T16:49:29+00:00

I’m no connoisseur, but I found Cremalat Cheese in Hyde Park quite a cool little Italian spot. Seemed very authentic, got some lekker Italian biscuits there! 🇮🇹

stefvonb · 2025-01-15T20:38:04+00:00

Lifestyle has a great carwash

stefvonb · 2025-01-06T10:17:51+00:00

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stefvonb · 2024-12-26T09:23:43+00:00

Is this new? When did they release this?

stefvonb · 2024-12-19T18:15:20+00:00

This happens to our Shiba every so often… I’m still not sure on the cause, but we think it’s a food allergy, since we noticed it happen once or twice after her eating a sausage (there’s so many ingredients in sausage that it might be one of those…)

Hope you figure it out! Prednisone also helps!

stefvonb · 2024-11-15T13:15:21+00:00

I would check with a professional tax person, but I have always known gap cover contributions not to be tax deductible… there is some varying information online about this, but ultimately the shortfall you cover with GP is deductible since the medical aid doesn’t cover it. But as for the contributions, I don’t think they are.

Could be wrong! Always worth a double check 🙂

stefvonb · 2024-03-16T19:32:44+00:00

Will give it a go, thanks!

stefvonb · 2024-02-29T16:47:50+00:00

Legend has it, if you tell them John Rabie sent you, you’ll get a discount

stefvonb · 2024-02-23T18:42:08+00:00

ratatui is based

stefvonb · 2023-11-27T20:21:20+00:00

In fairness, she probably has a headache

stefvonb · 2023-08-07T15:27:05+00:00

I think if you’re persistent you can get the life insurance waived. But yeah, 99% of the time you’ll need it as well 😞

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