Wayne
- Year diagnosed with PBC: 1992
- Location: Tennessee
Patient Stories / Wayne
This is my story
My name is Wayne. I live with my wife, Elaine. Between the two of us, we have 4 children and 5 grandchildren. I’m an electrical engineer in the Memphis area, and I like to show dogs on the weekends.
Being a male with primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) is rare; only about 10% of people with PBC are male, but both my father and I were diagnosed with the condition. My father was diagnosed right after I got married to my wife, Elaine. A few years later, I applied for more life insurance and a liver test revealed that I also had PBC.
My primary care physician takes care of my wife and [me] very well. He is very conscientious about our health. He actually takes time to call us after business hours to tell us if there is something wrong, [or] actually if there's something right.
Though my father has since passed, I am still proactive about connecting with those with PBC. My wife and I belong to a liver support group in the Memphis area. The members have a common hepatologist who helped us to found the group. Our main goal is to educate the public and other people who have been diagnosed, and point people in the direction of help. Eventually, we'd like to expand out of Tennessee and reach more areas of the country and even other countries where people with liver diseases are underserved.
In between support group meetings, I like to stay on top of my care for PBC. I see our family physician every 6 months or so. My hepatologist is great, too. He looks at all the possibilities, keeps my tests up to date, and guides me through treatment. If I met somebody who was just diagnosed with PBC, I would tell him or her to see a hepatologist and to follow his or her instructions to get the most out of treatment.
Right now, I’m doing everything I can to stay on top of my health. With my wife’s support, I’m living life to the fullest and doing the things we love to do.
All participating parties, including patients, physicians, and experts, were compensated by Intercept Pharmaceuticals.