Diet and exercise
Some people who are prescribed steroids for autoimmune hepatitis may find their appetite increases and that they gradually gain weight. If this happens, it is still important to eat a varied and well balanced diet. However, if you are gaining too much weight you should try to reduce calorie-rich foods such as sugar, sweets, cakes, biscuits, fried food, pasties and pies, crisps and chocolate. Use low-fat versions instead and fill up on fruit and vegetables.
If weight gain is a problem, your doctor may suggest specialist help from a dietician.
Some people who are more severely affected by AIH may need to consider making changes to their lifestyle, such as giving up work or a particular activity. Others find that pacing their daily activities helps to preserve stamina and energy.
Daily walking (or swimming if preferred) is encouraged to keep your muscles in good shape. However, it is advisable to talk to your doctor or health professional before undertaking any strenuous activity.
Alcohol
Anyone with autoimmune hepatitis should not drink alcohol, or as little as possible.
If you choose to drink, the Department of Health currently offers the following guidelines for sensible drinking:
- Women should not regularly drink more than two to three units of alcohol in a single day (no more than 14 units in a week)
- Men should not regularly drink more than three to four units of alcohol in a single day (no more than 21 units in a week)
A unit of alcohol is 10 millilitres (ml) of pure alcohol.
However, these guidelines are for people without a liver condition. Drinking alcohol can speed up or worsen the impact of liver disease. If you have cirrhosis caused by AIH you should not drink at all.
There is still a lot of ignorance about hepatitis in all its forms outside of medical circles. AIH is not an infectious disease and may have a good prognosis when properly treated. However, people with AIH report being subjected to unnecessary caution and have encountered difficulties when applying for employment or insurance where medical records are requested. If this happens, it is worth talking to your doctor or consultant as many are willing to write to a mortgage or insurance company describing your health and life expectancy.