6. Jaundice: The Yellow Invader That No One Invited
Jaundice, the unbidden guest at the FNH symptom party, often leaves everyone puzzled. It’s like a sudden pop-up shop that shows up unannounced in a quaint neighborhood. The symptom manifests as a yellowing of the skin and eyes, and its emergence in FNH cases baffles even the seasoned experts.
What makes jaundice stand out is its unpredictability. Unlike more common liver conditions where jaundice is a staple, FNH presents it like a rare exhibit in a curated collection. One could have FNH for years without a hint of jaundice, and then, out of the blue, it’s like someone flipped a switch.
When jaundice appears, it brings along its sidekick—itchiness. Not the sort of itchiness you can shrug off, but a persistent urge to scratch, akin to the annoying background music in a suspense movie. But the odd part? This itchiness seems to follow no pattern. It’s an erratic phenomenon, as though it chooses when to rear its head based on some cosmic timetable.
However, it’s not just an aesthetic issue. The jaundice also affects how you feel on the inside. It’s not rare for individuals to report a slightly bitter taste in their mouth, a sort of metallic tang that’s hard to pinpoint. This unsettling flavor doesn’t sync with any foods or medications, adding another layer of mystique to FNH-related jaundice.(6)
