Medically confirmed!
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Tampa, Fl
Posts: 5
Medically confirmed!
Well, my AH finally had his doctor's appointment (yesterday) and heard the information I was hoping he would hear. His liver is VERY enlarged and there are several signs of the first stages of liver disease. He allowed me to come with him to the visit, to take notes and fill in with information as needed. Both doctors that did the examination were thorough in their questioning of his symptoms, and I learned he was experiencing things I wasn't even aware of (extreme thirst, inabailty to adjust to temperature changes, etc). He also heard me say out loud for the first time that I had noticed the mental dementia and personality changes that had been taking place (something which I had not yet mentioned to him). When he got undressed for the physical, I saw in the full light how frail and sick he really was. (He's 5'10' and not even 148 lbs. now!) His body looked like a skelton. It was so sad, as he used to be so strong and fit. I had prepared him for what we both might hear, so neither of us were surprised when the doctor told him if he didn't stop his drinking, he would be completely incompacitated within 5 years. I know this might sound bad, but it actually felt good to hear someone tell him how he is destroying himself. With his parents still in denial (and my own mother giving me crappy advice on how to make the best of the situation) it often seems like I am over dramatizing this whole thing. As if I am LOOKING for a crisis to happen. When in actually, I'm just tryng to find ways to survive (like accessing this forum, which I have been so fortunate to discover). I know there are more test and results to address in the coming weeks. I'm praying there is nothing horribly irreversible that we will have to contend with. In the last few days my AH is coming to terms with his disease more and more, as he sees the impact it is having on our family. Now, with the full realization of the connection to his physical deterioration, I pray he can make the right choice and stop drinking once and for all. I know it will take a lot of hard work, but I so badly want him to take charge of this and make it happen.
Well, thanks for letting me write and process my thoughts. I really do appreciate all of you.
Joanne
Well, thanks for letting me write and process my thoughts. I really do appreciate all of you.
Joanne
Believer
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Northport, Al
Posts: 67
My hopes and prayers are with you.... I was first diagnosed with Hepatitus C 21 years ago...I kept it a secret as best I could.. When ever I had a blood test it would show up and I would just change doctors.. Finally I just started going to Urgent care clinics when I was sick.. I was an addict for 34 years.. lost everything including my wife.. God heard my cry and lifted me from the valley of the shadow of death.. Restored my life, became a Christian Counselor, and a Lay Speaker.. and I remarried.. to a lady who couldnt have children...We decided to try in vitro.. with a donor egg.. It cost 12,000 dollars for one try.. When our turn came.. They said I had to have blood work.. I was distraught...My secret was gonna be revealed at a very bad time.. what would my new wife think..would she leave?? I had the test and they called and told me what I knew.. I had Hepatitus C.. and I needed to see a Doctor immediatly.. I went to church and told the Pastor I needed him to pray for me to have strength to weather the storm.. He prayed over me and the following day I had a full work up.. They called me...and said We cant explain this but you no longer have Hepatitus C.. I was able to do the invitro and March 22 by The Grace of God, at age 52, I will be a father for the first time.. I had a re test in November Same result..No antibodies...No virus.. Never think for a second, that God is out of the Miracle business..
Member
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Montvale, VA
Posts: 35
God is never out of the miracle business...you are proof in the pudding.
Originally Posted by Johneebegood 
My hopes and prayers are with you.... I was first diagnosed with Hepatitus C 21 years ago...I kept it a secret as best I could.. When ever I had a blood test it would show up and I would just change doctors.. Finally I just started going to Urgent care clinics when I was sick.. I was an addict for 34 years.. lost everything including my wife.. God heard my cry and lifted me from the valley of the shadow of death.. Restored my life, became a Christian Counselor, and a Lay Speaker.. and I remarried.. to a lady who couldnt have children...We decided to try in vitro.. with a donor egg.. It cost 12,000 dollars for one try.. When our turn came.. They said I had to have blood work.. I was distraught...My secret was gonna be revealed at a very bad time.. what would my new wife think..would she leave?? I had the test and they called and told me what I knew.. I had Hepatitus C.. and I needed to see a Doctor immediatly.. I went to church and told the Pastor I needed him to pray for me to have strength to weather the storm.. He prayed over me and the following day I had a full work up.. They called me...and said We cant explain this but you no longer have Hepatitus C.. I was able to do the invitro and March 22 by The Grace of God, at age 52, I will be a father for the first time.. I had a re test in November Same result..No antibodies...No virus.. Never think for a second, that God is out of the Miracle business..
Roni
Member
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Lake Luzerne
Posts: 1,786
My ex was also very thin, I saw him after many years at my sons wedding and hardly recognized him. He was not fat, he was bloated. It looked like if you pricked him with a pin, he's spring a leak. His posture was hunched. His teeth were bad. His clothes and haricut outdated.
Recovering Nicely
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 935
Brabswife,
I hope all goes well with your AH and he finds the light to stop drinking. My AH has been officially diagnosed with significant liver disease and possible portal hypertension, and the liver specialist couldn't do a biopsy in Nov. cause of AH's constant drinking and very low platelets (stemming from both liver disease and alcohol consumption). AH promised liver dr. that he would stop drinking as of Jan 1 and biopsy is scheduled for Feb 6th. Let me tell you, it won't happen. AH still drinks even though the liver dr. told him if he didn't stop he would have 5 years at best. He looks like crap, has bruises now even on his face, has spider angioma ALL OVER his face, his nose turns purple, bloody noses every day, slight dementia (which by the way can be hepatic encephalopathy - the way to tell is a horrible garicly smell to them), yet still thinks he's fine. Talk about denial. My prayers go out to you and your AH that he stops drinking before it's too late. I know I'll be a widow in about 5 years, but I can't change it, control it or cure it. I have to accept it.
I hope all goes well with your AH and he finds the light to stop drinking. My AH has been officially diagnosed with significant liver disease and possible portal hypertension, and the liver specialist couldn't do a biopsy in Nov. cause of AH's constant drinking and very low platelets (stemming from both liver disease and alcohol consumption). AH promised liver dr. that he would stop drinking as of Jan 1 and biopsy is scheduled for Feb 6th. Let me tell you, it won't happen. AH still drinks even though the liver dr. told him if he didn't stop he would have 5 years at best. He looks like crap, has bruises now even on his face, has spider angioma ALL OVER his face, his nose turns purple, bloody noses every day, slight dementia (which by the way can be hepatic encephalopathy - the way to tell is a horrible garicly smell to them), yet still thinks he's fine. Talk about denial. My prayers go out to you and your AH that he stops drinking before it's too late. I know I'll be a widow in about 5 years, but I can't change it, control it or cure it. I have to accept it.
Member
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: state of confusion
Posts: 351
I hope your husband will accept this information as a wake up call and be able to turn his life around.
One of the problems my husband experienced was that in his last several years he developed a round stomach on his normally slender body frame. He felt he was gaining weight due to lack of exercise ... but his stomach keep growing and growing and eventually his face became fuller. When his stomach started to grow more rapidly and I noticed his legs were swelling, that we both realized this was not normal weight gain. His weight gain was all fluid in a condition known as ascites associated with severe liver disease. I had never heard of this condition before this happened. When my husband went on diruetics, he lost 45 lbs and his arms, legs and face looked thin and frail ... but his still had an enlarged stomach that we were told would probably never go away. He died within 2 months of this diagnoses. His tests the previous 2 years had not shown an enlarged liver ... and his labs had been normal to moderately elevated - but he still had a badly damaged liver.
It is very important that your husband have his vitimin levels checked and if low, he probably needs to be taking a multi vitimin supplement and additional B vitamins. Mention this to his doctors. It could prevent or improve many of the neurological problems associated with alcoholism ... it prevented my husband from losing his eye sight. One thing I have learned over the last several years, it that long time alcoholics many times develop nutritional deficiencies ... and become dangerously low on B vitamins. These contribute to all sorts of serious nervous systems conditions commonly associated with alcoholism. My husband couldn't stop drinking ... but he carefully took his B vitamins everyday for the last year or so.
I was shocked that this information about low B vitamins isn't given to alcoholics and their families - it is an easy inexpensive treatment. My husband had this low B vitamin problem revealed many years ago .. and the doc simply told to stop drinking ... not likely with an alcoholic. I have wondered many times if the extreme pain he was in was due to neurological problems ... and he also later developed dementia. By the time he was told to start taking vitamins, he already had irreversible damage.
One of the problems my husband experienced was that in his last several years he developed a round stomach on his normally slender body frame. He felt he was gaining weight due to lack of exercise ... but his stomach keep growing and growing and eventually his face became fuller. When his stomach started to grow more rapidly and I noticed his legs were swelling, that we both realized this was not normal weight gain. His weight gain was all fluid in a condition known as ascites associated with severe liver disease. I had never heard of this condition before this happened. When my husband went on diruetics, he lost 45 lbs and his arms, legs and face looked thin and frail ... but his still had an enlarged stomach that we were told would probably never go away. He died within 2 months of this diagnoses. His tests the previous 2 years had not shown an enlarged liver ... and his labs had been normal to moderately elevated - but he still had a badly damaged liver.
It is very important that your husband have his vitimin levels checked and if low, he probably needs to be taking a multi vitimin supplement and additional B vitamins. Mention this to his doctors. It could prevent or improve many of the neurological problems associated with alcoholism ... it prevented my husband from losing his eye sight. One thing I have learned over the last several years, it that long time alcoholics many times develop nutritional deficiencies ... and become dangerously low on B vitamins. These contribute to all sorts of serious nervous systems conditions commonly associated with alcoholism. My husband couldn't stop drinking ... but he carefully took his B vitamins everyday for the last year or so.
I was shocked that this information about low B vitamins isn't given to alcoholics and their families - it is an easy inexpensive treatment. My husband had this low B vitamin problem revealed many years ago .. and the doc simply told to stop drinking ... not likely with an alcoholic. I have wondered many times if the extreme pain he was in was due to neurological problems ... and he also later developed dementia. By the time he was told to start taking vitamins, he already had irreversible damage.
Recovering Nicely
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 935
SeekingWisdom,
How are you holding up? I know your husband passed recently, and again, my condolences. I have a question re: your husband's eyesight. About a month ago, my AH had an eye infection (eye really bloodshot, etc.) had to have steriod drops for it. Last week he went for his follow up to the eye dr., everything was good. Over the weekend he developed a bump under that same eye. Now his eye is purple, black and blue underneath like he has a bad black eye (I know he didn't fall, fight, etc.). He's not even concerned. Was that the symptoms of your husband's eye problem. Sorry to hijack this post, but I was just curious since my AH won't go to the eye dr. Thanks.
QT
How are you holding up? I know your husband passed recently, and again, my condolences. I have a question re: your husband's eyesight. About a month ago, my AH had an eye infection (eye really bloodshot, etc.) had to have steriod drops for it. Last week he went for his follow up to the eye dr., everything was good. Over the weekend he developed a bump under that same eye. Now his eye is purple, black and blue underneath like he has a bad black eye (I know he didn't fall, fight, etc.). He's not even concerned. Was that the symptoms of your husband's eye problem. Sorry to hijack this post, but I was just curious since my AH won't go to the eye dr. Thanks.
QT
Member
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Lake Luzerne
Posts: 1,786
A shiner that just appears
This indicates that he's bleeding under the surface? Any nose bleeds? This is an incation of the status of his blood vessels. This time may be harmless because it bled outward. He may have hit his eye on somemthing when drunk and doesn't remember or smacked it when he was asleep. It could also mean his vasculature is shot. Sort of like a strke that bled outward instead of inward. Does he have varicose veins on his legs? Does he have little spider veins anywhere on his body, like around his ankles? Do you have any idea of what his blood pressure is? Are his feet and hands always cold or does he complain of being cold when no one else is?
Recovering Nicely
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 935
Mallowcup,
Yes, my prior post explains that he has significant liver disease and possible portal hypertension His platelets two months ago were 117 and dropping steadily (6 mos. ago they were normal, a month prior to the 117 they were 132). He has spider telecangia (sp? angiomas) all over his face and nose (like ALOT!!!) where is face and nose look purple most of the time. And he does have bloody noses every day. Thanks for any insight you can give.
QT
Yes, my prior post explains that he has significant liver disease and possible portal hypertension His platelets two months ago were 117 and dropping steadily (6 mos. ago they were normal, a month prior to the 117 they were 132). He has spider telecangia (sp? angiomas) all over his face and nose (like ALOT!!!) where is face and nose look purple most of the time. And he does have bloody noses every day. Thanks for any insight you can give.
QT
Member
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Lake Luzerne
Posts: 1,786
My fathers nose was purple and he was always freezing. I would expect some changes in mental acuity. His platelets are low which means he will bleed easily. You will probably notice sever random bruising all over his body. Get his an electric razor.
Member
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: state of confusion
Posts: 351
queenteree
My husband had damage to his optic nerve called toxic nutritional optic neuropathy ... it also goes by several different names. He was having increasing problems with his central vision and then he developed a blind spot in one eye and his second eye started to deteriorate. It took at least 5 visits with an Neuro-Opthamologist...and many advanced tests before they could diagnose him. Even though the doctor could smell alcohol on his breath at 8 am the morning of his visit visit .... it didn't occur to him to have a simple blood test done to check his vitamin levels. We lost weeks, ongoing failing vision and many dollars ... trying to diagnose his problem. I finally started to searches on the internet, and was able to come up with the answer before the doctor could ... it was frustrating. He was told to stop drinking and smoking .... and to start taking a wide assortment of B vitamins. After several weeks his vision slowly started to improve .... but it never returned to normal. It was during this time, I realized how important B vitamins were to alcoholics ... and frustrated because no one is telling them to take vitamins (especially B) to avoid or reduce damage related to the many neurological problems usually seen in long term alcoholics.
In regard to your question about how we are doing ... It has now been a little over a week since we suddenly lost my husband, and since I am the only adult nearby, I am having to handle everything associated with his sudden death on my own. It has been an overwhelming week with so many details to take care of .. including having to drive my eldest son back to school the day of an ice storm ... just 24 hours after his dad had died. I am planning a memorial service for my husband in about a week ... the same day as his birthday. I still can't believe he is gone ... and I am continually reminded everyday of how tragic alcoholism is.
My husband had damage to his optic nerve called toxic nutritional optic neuropathy ... it also goes by several different names. He was having increasing problems with his central vision and then he developed a blind spot in one eye and his second eye started to deteriorate. It took at least 5 visits with an Neuro-Opthamologist...and many advanced tests before they could diagnose him. Even though the doctor could smell alcohol on his breath at 8 am the morning of his visit visit .... it didn't occur to him to have a simple blood test done to check his vitamin levels. We lost weeks, ongoing failing vision and many dollars ... trying to diagnose his problem. I finally started to searches on the internet, and was able to come up with the answer before the doctor could ... it was frustrating. He was told to stop drinking and smoking .... and to start taking a wide assortment of B vitamins. After several weeks his vision slowly started to improve .... but it never returned to normal. It was during this time, I realized how important B vitamins were to alcoholics ... and frustrated because no one is telling them to take vitamins (especially B) to avoid or reduce damage related to the many neurological problems usually seen in long term alcoholics.
In regard to your question about how we are doing ... It has now been a little over a week since we suddenly lost my husband, and since I am the only adult nearby, I am having to handle everything associated with his sudden death on my own. It has been an overwhelming week with so many details to take care of .. including having to drive my eldest son back to school the day of an ice storm ... just 24 hours after his dad had died. I am planning a memorial service for my husband in about a week ... the same day as his birthday. I still can't believe he is gone ... and I am continually reminded everyday of how tragic alcoholism is.
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