My mother in law went to the hospital over 3 weeks ago because she was severely swelling and feeling very bad. They said that she has cirrhosis of the liver. They have not done a liver biopsy yet. She does not drink and we are unsure how she got this. She does have Chrones disease, and I am not sure if that could have caused it. She saw her Chrones doctor and he said that the liver is what is causing the problems not the active chrones disease. She can't eat and has lost about 40 lbs. over the past couple of weeks. Much of this could be from the fluid. The hospital she went to (in a small town) said that she needed to see a specialist at a bigger hospital and that they were going to send her test results over and they would make an appointment. Nobody has called yet and she has not been feeling any better. This morning she coughed up some blood (not a large amount). She thinks it is because she is sick (with a cold) and she thinks it came out of her nose. When she was in the hospital a few weeks ago they mentioned esophigal varices. They never said that she officially had them or not. I was not sure if this would cause large amounts of blood or not? She just left to go to the emergency room (after about an hour of convincing). I know that it is not a good prognosis, she has had severe swelling on her abdomen, all of the other side effects that I have read about she has experienced for years and never knew why. She has the red palms, extreme itching, hair loss, fatigue, abnormal sleep patterns. She does not drink so nobody would have even thought cirrhosis. We don't know what to expect, the doctors take forever to tell us anything. She is so depressed, my father in law is on the verge of a nervous breakdown. Does the small amount of bleeding she had mean that she has the varices or whatever? What can we expect from this diagnosis? What tests are they going to run and is it going to be painfull (she is afraid of this). Is she eligible for a transplant? She is 66, has cirrhosis, diabeties and chrones disease. We just don't know what to do or what to expect?

Cirrhosis has various causes. Obesity is becoming a common cause of cirrhosis, either as the sole cause or in combination with alcohol, hepatitis C, or both. Many people with cirrhosis have more than one cause of liver damage.

The build up of fluid in the abdomen, called ascites, is a result of the liver damage and as I understand it, can only be drained two or three times, otherwise infection starts. This condition alone is very uncomfortable for the person.

Coughing up blood is a direct result of Chrones because it effects the GI tract from the mouth to the anus, so the blood probably came from her mouth and not her nose, or possibly both.

You don't say if she has type 1 or 2 diabetes, but assuming type 1 and insulin dependent which is not helping her other symptoms and I don't believe they offer liver transplants as the liver is the largest organ in the body and much too difficult to accept by the body.

I am afraid she has a lot stacked against her. You must be persisten with the doctors and have them explain everything, absolutely everything that is going on.

I wish you luck and please keep us up to date.

Best re gards,

Ms tickle

I don't think she would be considered obese. Although she does not eat well at all! Like you said, it may be multiple causes.
The fluid on her abdomen was drained once while she was in the hospital. They took 2 liters off in a matter of minutes. It has went down (not all the way though). Her leg keeps swelling though.
She just saw her Chrones doctor yesterday, he said that her chrones was active - but not bad at all. He did not believe that is was causing any of the issues.
She has type 2 diabetes and was only diagnosed within the past 5 or 6 years. This may even be a result of the liver. She also got diagnosed with osteoporosis last year, also may be from the cirrhosis.
My husband has been going to the doctors with her, I stay home with the baby. I think they are not being aggressive enough with the doctors though (not mean - just aggressive with questions and asking for time frames). I told my husband that he needs to ask every question he thinks of.

Unsure, yes, he needs to ask and ask and ask. Make a list of issues/questions he wants to address, otherwise, not all will be sorted out.

She has type 2, so she is on tablets, maybe metformin, if not and just diet controlled, maybe not a good idea right now, so you have to ask about meds for diabetes and have her blood sugar checked out, if not at home, at the hospital. . But, with her medical condition, type 2 could go to type l very quickly. I hope her blood sugar is monitored with the regular appliances and glucose strips.

I can't diagnose, unsure, just from professional experience and observance of medical conditions can only surmise what the problems might be.

Yes, I think the obese qualification is far out, my clients have not been obese just very large in the midrift, not from eating, they don't eat a lot, it is from the fluid build up.

Her legs will swell quite often, and her abdomen as well. Very uncomforable for her, just realize that.

She is too young, 66, for so many problems, but mind you, the diabetes is not a forgiving ailment (I will not say disease, because I have diabetes type 2) I am in the healthare profession in Ontario, so I know what she is going through,a and the two of you as well.

So they said that there does not appear to be any bleeding from her esophagus. They did notice some kidney abnormalities. I have no idea what that means. They decided to keep her in the hospital and let her finally see a specialist tomorrow. We will see how it goes.

Glad they are keeping her in, unsure, that is where she belongs right now for the proper treatment and I hope she has good doctors.

Tick

They are still running a lot of tests on her. They have taken blood multiple times. They mentioned possibly getting her on the transplant list. They said that they can't see any reason that she would not be eligible. They have not run all of the necessary tests yet, but think that the liver is in a very bad state. They have not officially called it end-stage or whatever, but I think they need to finish running some tests before they say that. The problem is my mother in law has a tendency to be negative. She is also so malnourished that she does not have the energy to fight. I believe that this makes a difference. The doctor told her not to throw in the towel. I just don't know what to say to her to make sure that she doesn't.

The fact that she is only 66 may be a good reason to remind her. She has a lot of living to do yet!



Tick

So she is out of the hospital at this point. They said that they are going to hold off on the liver transplant for now. She still has to go through the testing to see if she is eligible. She is still really weak. She is on a strict diet because of the liver and the diabeties. I don't think she is following it as well as she should be. She still feels really bad, but she will continue to feel bad unless she starts to take care of herself a little better. She kind of has the "I can't do it" and "Why me" mind set. Hopefully that passes though.

Probably has a mindset. She is not in a good position really if they say she still needs testing to be eligible. It is not an easy process for her or her doctors.

She absolutely has to follow her diabetes regime.

ms. tickle

You guys are talking about esophageal varices right due to liver failure?

Does anyone know the exact symptoms?

My love of my life passed away a month ago as a result of a
Bleeding esophageal varices (cyst). The last two weeks he started complaining about swelling in his stomach and feet, he stopped eating two weeks prior to his passing and was having massive stomach cramps, and heavy constipation. He was curled up from pain from day to night.

The day before his passing his breathing was weezy even though he said he felt better.

A week before his passing someone a friend had a look at him and said usually the way he looks he only got a week to live... (and true it was)

Is this the same symptoms?

He never called me back the day he passed away but I believe it was because he did not want to upset me even though I have been there with him through it all, supporting him.

If I can gather some info on is symptoms of passing away maybe I can get some healing and closure.

The cause of death was put down as natural causes but there is an investigation going on because of the chance that he might have been poisoned but we have to wait for the results.

Please help?

Hi Chrisna, yes, cirrhosis of the liver is the most common cause of esophageal varices. IOne if the symptoms is escitiis (sp) which is swelling of the abdomen all around the body which is fluid build up. Can be drained two or three times only, after that it can't be done without serious infection.

Can't offer you a diagnosis the way you would like, Chrisna. You asked if his symptoms were similar and they are, but they are caused by, as I said above, liver disease.

Did the coroner not do an autopsy to determine death ? Of course, it would have been natural causes, but that is a grab bag.

Tick

Hi Tickle, yes I'm sure in my case it was liver disease as well because a couple of years ago he was a very heavy drinker but he cleaned himself up for us.

When he passed away he literally drowned in his own blood and was covered in blood over his whole body.

I know he had a persistent cough which they say might have ruptured the cyst in the esophagus.

The coroner can't still tell us the same cause of death because they are still busy cultivating his blood because poisoning was a motive as well.

All know is for two weeks he went through pain which he couldn't take anymore. He did not eat and he swelled up badly, He was also very constipated.

So even though he sobered up and cleaned himself up it might have been to late for him.

I know the coroner said his liver was still intact because someone who saw him said he basically coughed up his liver, but we know now it was the ruptured cyst.

He refused to see a doctor though even though I begged and begged at him, but I'm sure he knew his time was close. I would just like to have some idea what had happened that night he passed away but only he will know.

It is very hard having lost a precious loved one and still not really knowing what had happened but you been there all the way through his struggling.

I truly hope on a medical way that when this had ruptured that you go unconscious and feel no pain but I doubt it the coroner said usually they pass away within 6 minutes...