My dad has esld...alcoholic cirrhosis

The procedure is pretty much the same as a paracentesis. It's called a 'thoracentesis' and it is a bit more uncomfortable, only because the needle is inserted into the chest wall instead of the abdomen (but they do a good job of numbing the area). But again, I only mentioned this as one possibility.

Albumin infusions are usually needed only after large-volume paracenteses (over 5 or 6 liters). So with 9 liters, your Dad would have definitely needed it. Glad he's feeling better today.

Hi Themiz, thank you for your care, it's so nice to see. Yes I have a binder but I may have to get my dad to sign for me to get his medical records, the only reason I knew his bili creat and inr is they told me while he was in a coma. I will ask mom tonight when she is home from work to read me off his meds. And I will post this.

The cold sore on his lip, we believe was a cold sore, no white or anything in mouth, mom said it was going away.

I can call his doctor and ask about the HE drug, helping my mom out is # 1 and I try and do this to help her. And I can ask about his breathing, I will call today.

And yes his meld is very high, I will call today, I'm having to decide who to call his family doctor or his liver doctor??? I'm thinking his liver doctor, but I'm not positive I can try both.

Thank you :)

Thank's for the update, Sad.

Sometimes we caregiver's get very caught up in the emotional side of the disease, becoming reactionary. We need emotional support to get through grieving the person we see slipping away into the disease. I really understand the helplessness of ESLD for the caregiver, and the children who unselfishly take up some of the caregiver chores.

Staying grounded is vital to being a good caregiver. Don't get too reactionary at every little thing, like a cold sore. He will go up and down with HE. Lactulose, lactulose, lactulose. Get info, call the doctor for your Mom. That helps her. Make an agreement about what you will do, what she will do, what your siblings will do. I would always call the liver doctor with this stage of the disease. If your Dad is still alert enough to drive and take care of his own health care, he is the one who probably will do that. Often you will leave a message and wait for a call back. What may seem very important to you may not be life and death....so patience will be needed.

I can suggest a few things, since I am in your Mom's shoes, but with no child or sibling support system. Supporting her is very noble. She will need you more as the disease gets worse. I only wish I had a daughter that would be willing to help.

Here are some ideas of some things we would love at our house. Mom is still working, right? So,once a week you can run her errands and take in dinner, help her clean the house. It can be simple meals. Full time caregiver's wind up letting their own needs wait until they too are in crisis. Commit to one day per week she can count on. Stay with your Dad and have a visit just watching a movie together while you run some laundry through. If he feels good, maybe do something he enjoys and still can do together. Fix him lunch. Laugh and don't dwell in the disease when with him, unless he wants to talk about it.

I hope this helps you some. It is not easy to see our loved one so very ill. Big Hugs

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themiz

Wife of themister, a fine man living with ESLD.
Eradicated Hep C geno 3a SVR July 2012-- TIPS, HE, January 2013
Transplant list, Mayo AZ- July 11, 2013 MELD 14

“Out of suffering have emerged the strongest souls; the most massive characters are seared with scars.”
Kahlil Gibran

Well...I guess I'm one of the gang - I LOATHE hospitals. Guess it's really a phobia. Which of course made Robert's many hospitalizations quite the 'adventure' for me - except for the last one. For those 11 days, I had none of my usual 'symptoms' - guess I was so concentrated on him that my brain forgot I was phobic. When I was younger, I never had a problem with hospitals. But then I got into a very toxic relationship and for 6 years was in the E.R. multiple times. It's weird, cause it's not like I think about it or have 'flashbacks' or whatever - it's just that as soon as I walk in the doors of a hospital, every fiber of my being wants OUT...NOW! Lol

Somebody is gonna have to dish out some tough love and possibly a straight jacket. Maybe not a straight jacket....... just pull up in front of the entrance to the big hospital. He'll be out cold by the time the stretcher get's there.


Ziff

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" Never try to teach a pig to sing , It wastes your time and annoys the pig . "

Here is a list of my dad's medications:

Potassium chloride 8 meg/ 1 per day
Spironolactone 100 mg/ 1 per day
Folic acid 5 mg / 1 per day
Rabeprazole 20 mg / twice per day
Nedolol 40 mg / 1 per day
Furosemide 40 mg / 1 per day
Vitamin b12 - cyanacobalamine 250 mcg / twice per day
Metformin - hci - 500 mg / twice per day

Not sure what all these medications mean.

Oh yes he takes lactalose I think 60 ml twice a day. And going to look into xifaxin.

I really don't think he urinates that that much maybe that's why he retains so much fluid in his stomach. Mom said he has lost more weight this week and he hates ensure won't take it. He is only allowed 4 glasses of fluid per day, I don't know why. I'm guessing to keep down the fluid retention. I'm going out there tomorrow for a visit.

Metformin is taken if you have Type 2 diabetes.

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nullum beneficium impunitum...

The Nadolol is a beta-blocker - it's a blood pressure medication. And the Rabeprazole is a proton pump inhibitor - it's used to treat acid reflux/GERD and ulcers - it also decreases the amount of acid in the stomach.

The freezing cold is just another symptom. Electric blanket may help, It did for me. Hospital was always freezing cold when I was going through outpatient all the time. The nurses all knew me at the front desk and would see I was coming in that day and put extra blankets in the warmer.



Ziff

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" Never try to teach a pig to sing , It wastes your time and annoys the pig . "

So I talked to mom tonight and she dad is having a VERY rough day. He has something new he hasn't had yet. He is having major pain on his right side underneath his arm and into his chest.....also where his liver sits. My mom asked if this could be his lungs, I said mom I'm not sure a doctor needs to look at him. Also, he was very very yellow this morning she said, and she asked him do you want me to take you to the hospital to get looked at. His response was, no what are they going to do for me!!! Mom did say tonight the pain is subsiding a bit and his colouring is a bit better, but he never complains about pain so I am a Bit worried tonight, he is a strong person to never complain, so I know it must hurt a lot. Would anyone know what this maybe???? Also, he has been sleeping quite a bit more lately, which isn't all bad, because he does need to rest. Thanks for your help.

Blood in stool and coughing up blood is a sure sign he has to go to E.R, No delays. He needs to have endoscopy done. You can bleed out pretty quickly if banding is not done. I didn't have varicies but was checked a few times. I hesitate to say the other problems he's having are liver related other than being tired. My back stayed sore around the base of my spine but nothing was ever found by imaging. There's alot of stuff inside the area where he's complaining about. At a minimum take him to the local veterinarian and let him/her have a look.

NAAAH.... Just joking but a trip to the local doc he feels comfortable with might answer some of these questions with the bruising. I have a friend who's in his late 70's that took a nasty spill last Fall and bruised his leg up pretty bad, Never seen a bruise like that. He went to docs to get it checked out and it was fine. Better safe than sorry.


Ziff

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" Never try to teach a pig to sing , It wastes your time and annoys the pig . "

Anytime, And thank you for helping Sasha's mom. That's what we should all be about, Helping.



Ziff

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" Never try to teach a pig to sing , It wastes your time and annoys the pig . "