Cirrhosis Support Group

My husband got screened for Coxi now the infection dr doesnt think he had Hepatatis of any kind(What???) He has end stage cirrhosis and Im sure the heavy drinking and years of alcohol abuse did damage and now he is saying when he gets a liver transplant his immune system will be sooo weak he cant be around pets of any kind when I read a man who had a liver transplant had four cats and lived with them and his new liver. UGHHHHH Im venting at all this with no answers. I was told he had Hep B another said Hep C and now possibly A??? Whats happening??? Im more confused than ever!!!! Input PLEASE!!!!! HUGS!!!!!

Are you seeing a hepatologist?

A simple blood test would give you the answers you are looking for.

Get copies of the blood test results.

Something is wrong.

Sammy.

Yeah he is seeing a hepatologist and all these Drs have different answers and Im soo confused because I dont understand how in the HELL did he end up end stage liver disease without any kind of hepatitis was it fatty liver???? He got a shot for menegetius because he was told after a liver transplant he could no longer get a vaccinne?? Huh??? What abt the flu shot???? UGHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! More clueless and wanting answers!!!!!!! Hugs to all!!!!

There are MANY causes of cirrhosis: alpha-1, hemachromatosis, Wilson's, PBC ...

Vaccines after transplant are fine as long as they are not LIVE virus vaccines.

I think you will find lots of great information from this web site.

It has helped us all.

http://mysickliver.weebly.com/

Good luck.

Sammy

BREATHE!!!! Alcoholic Liver Disease can progress to cirrhosis at different paces for different folks. Medicine has not yet determine specific reasons but have noted many trends on the progressions. In matters of the liver, I would go by what his hep is saying regarding his condition. Hep B and C (HBV, HCV) can both cause cirrhosis but HBV is pretty uncommon in the US. As Mike says, vaccines are fine after transplant as long as they are not "live virus". The only precaution my med team insists about pets is that I have no contact with their litter/fecal material. We had 2 cats when I was transplanted and are down to one 15 year old kitty. If you are not satisfied with your doctors, as we have said before, find a new one. They need to become as trusted as a member of your family and will when you find the right one.

Heavy drinking is a common cause of Cirrhosis,The good news is if he stops drinking, takes his meds and follows a low salt diet he can greatly improve. My daughter has gon from a MELD score of 23 to 9 in 5 months. The doctors now say she could completely recover.

I've been following your posts a little.Maybe take a break from the cat issue and revisit later. You both have a lot on your plates.I know you have been through a lot.

Blood tests will easily tell if he has any hepatitis issues, whether A B or C.

Alcohol is obviously the cause of your husband's cirrhosis, not hepatitis. You have stated he drinks often.

I agree with Virginiamom, sounds like his health is enough of an issue for both of you right now that maybe worrying about pets after transplant is a bit premature.

Ask the Hepatologist for copies of his blood work and remember HEPATITIS means INFLAMMATION. Be sure you are not misunderstanding what the doc is saying. He may not mean HCV or HBV. As Dennis said, Hep B is pretty rare to begin with and to get Hep C one must have contact. I was always monitored for Hep C as working with the inmate population puts us at higher risk.

Hepatitis basically just means his liver is inflamed. Caused by a number of things. The viruses A,B,C,E or injury or disease. He is a drinker. Alcohol causes injury to the liver. But you can have cirrhosis caused by any of those things without the liver being inflamed. I've never had inflammation of my liver (hepatitis) and I am in stage 3/4 cirrhosis. Hepatitis has never been one of my diagnosis or symptoms.

It sounds like you need to get more organized in dealing with this disease. Prioritize things. Get the blood work, find one doctor whom you can trust and stick to treating his symptoms and not worry about what one or the other has said. His symptoms of HE, ascitis (whatever he has) are due to cirrhosis, no matter the cause. If he stays away from the alcohol then he might not need the transplant. And if you think about the poor cat, does it really need in a house hold that is going through so much right now? Being at your neighbors is a calm environment for it right now until you guys get his disease on track.

Post edited by: 1polarbear, at: 05/04/2012 08:34 AM

Thanks Everyone it seems like we have been all over the place with this disease. He has his good/ bad days and yet the itching in his skin is sooo intense he doesnt sleep at night and he is starting to swell in the feet again and of course he is still big in the stomach. My parents will be here in early June to visit and they are taking the cat back to Illinois for me and I will feel better as family will take care of it for me as right now its a one day at a time situation. He sees the infection dr here at the end of the month and the liver dr in early June. I will ask once and for all if he had HEP B or C or not and what was the cause. His Billirbin is 16 and his MELD is 23. Hugs to all!!!! Elizabeth