What can be the accompanying symptoms of Meulengracht’s disease?
Meulengracht’s disease is a relatively harmless disease that rarely manifests itself through symptoms. Patients may suffer from abdominal pain, which is mainly perceived as an unpleasant feeling of pressure in the right upper abdomen. In addition, indigestion, nausea and flatulence may occur.
Other symptoms are depressive moods, exhaustion and a general feeling of uneasiness, as well as headaches, migraine attacks and loss of appetite. In some cases, the increase in the bilirubin concentration in the blood causes jaundice, a condition known as intrahepatic jaundice. Jaundice manifests itself by an intense yellowing of the sclera (the whiteness of the eyes) and the skin, but is otherwise painless.
In addition, the patients have colorless, white bowel movements. The symptoms are more pronounced with hunger and longer periods of fasting, but the consumption of alcohol or cigarettes can also trigger the symptoms. However, there is no correlation between the severity of the symptoms and the concentration of excess bilirubin in the blood plasma.
Abdominal pain, which occurs to a greater or lesser extent in temporary attacks, is a typical accompanying symptom of Meulengracht’s disease. In rare cases, the abdominal pain occurs in combination with indigestion, flatulence or even nausea with a metallic taste in the mouth. The symptoms worsen after the consumption of alcohol or nicotine.
In addition to abdominal pain and nausea, flatulence can also be a symptom of Meulengracht’s disease. Due to the flatulence, the abdomen can be very bloated (meteorism). Furthermore, the affected persons suffer more from a feeling of fullness and abdominal tumors.
A bloated diet can make the symptoms even worse.Household remedies such as caraway and fennel tea, but also sufficient exercise and regular sport help against flatulence. In rare cases, Meulengracht’s disease patients suffer from permanent fatigue, physical exhaustion and concentration problems. In severe cases, doctors speak of a chronic exhaustion syndrome or fatigue.
This is an extraordinary tiredness that bears no relation to the previous physical activities. As a consequence of Meulengracht’s disease, patients may experience depression or depressive moods. The patients feel hopeless and completely unmotivated. Simple activities of everyday life overtax them. At the first signs of depression, it is best to contact the doctor treating the patient immediately, as the depression will disappear quickly with the right treatment.
