My Husband is sick

I don't think Matt has had an endoscopy. Mostly ultrasounds and x-rays. I live in a small town in Ca. I looked in the yellow pages and only found 1 hepatologist. I called on friday to see if i could get him in but they were close for the holidays. Matt's been having cramps alot, not only in his legs but more in his stomach. I am more then worried about his family doctor putting him the hospital on wed. Who's going to do the draining? If he is only a family doctor will he do that? This is a scary thought. Matt went last night to pick up my daughter and got a cramp in his stomach. He could not sit in the car. He keep getting in and out. I wanted him to go in to the ER but he would not go. I will call his doctor and That Hepatologist monday. Matt told me his has been gettng those cramps in his stomach for a while but never told me. I was a little mad because if i don't know what kind of troubles his having the doctor will never know. He went last week and told the doctor he was fine. I had to jump and and say no this happened ect... I told him i need to know everything from now on!!

Mia,

Sounds like you are on the right track w/ the hepatologist. Call them Monday and INSIST they get him in.....tell them everything!! The family doc is NOT an expert on liver disease, and they really need to turn his care over to someone that is knowledable! My hubby was getting leg cramps pretty bad, and during one of his ER visits, they said is potassium was low, so "topped" him off and it really helped. He gets pain in the belly quite a bit, and unfortunately, I think it's part of this horrible disease.

I had to take the keys away from my hubby for a while....not only because of the pain but also because of his mental confusion. I just could not chance him being behind the wheel of a car. So, wee play that day by day.

You hang in there....and I will pray that the hepatologist gets him in quickly!!

Mia, check around in towns or cities around you call and ask other Dr. offices if they know of any. There has to be some somewhere, even if you have to drive 30 to 40 miles your husband realy needs to see a hepatologist cause thas the only way he is gonna get the help he needs. Where i live we had to drive 30 min. there and 30 min. back. i hope you find one soon for your husbands sake. Take Care and dont get to upset even though i can relate very well how hard that is but things will work out just dont give up. Mary

mia, you may want to call your insurance company because medicade as far as i know you do not need a referral cause my husband didnt and he had medicade so call and check. But i live in Va. so the medicade program may be different there, but hang in there things will work themselves out. Take Care, Mary

fifi08, I'm sorry i don't know much about pacreatitis. I am sorry your in so much pain. It would be best if you stopped drinking though.

Fifi, I understand that pancreatitis is very painful.  You absolutely have to stop drinking--and it's possible.  I have been sober for 22 yrs. in AA.  Please find an AA meeting near you and go.  Call them and ask if someone can 12-Step you, if you are unable to get there yourself.  This is the very best thing you can do for your physical problems.  No doubt your liver is inflamed.  Continue to drink, and you will develop alcoholic cirrhosis.  I'm sure you probably know this.  Alcohol is the very worst thing you can do for both your pancreas and your liver.

This forum is for those who have been diagnosed with hepatitis C (or whose loved ones have.)  So, unfortunately, we really don't have much knowledge of pancreatitis and are unable to help you much with this, aside from what I've mentioned above.

Good luck and I hope you will take my advice to heart.

Connie

Mia,

I completely understand your frustration. My hubby, too, is on medicaid, and he has to have a referral from his primary care doc to see a specialist. The medicaid program he is on here in TX is a "managed care" type thing. So, there is a PCP. What I have found, though, is if I call the number on his medicaid card when I need help navigating all this, they are verry helpful in helping me find docs, etc. I was so frustrated one time, I "unloaded" on them, and they assiged a caseworker to us to help us find docs, get referrals, etc.....I say all this to encourage you to call medicaid as well. This doctor you are seeing SHOULD give a referral. If he does not, I would pitch an absolute fit, tell him you will call the medical board, etc.......not sure of the rules there, but didn't they take an oath??? Sorry, didn not mean to get on my soap box. In order to see our hepatologist we have to drive about 30 miles, but it is worth it in the long run. I know it seems overwhelming.....but, it can all work for you. But do start by calling medicaid and telling them the situation....

Hang in there....keep us posted on your progress.

Take care....

Mer

Good Morning Everyone, Matt had his tests and went back to the doctor. His doctor sent in a resident in to see Matt. After her long check up and questions she said results from the ct were not in yet. Thae chest X-ray looked good.  She said Matt's lungs sound clear and good. Matt lost 15 pds since last thrusday. She said since the results were not in we could go home. Since Matt lost the a lot of weight Matt did not have to go in to be drained. So we waited all day for the doctor to call but he never did. They are having Matt do blood work after we told them about those cramps. So i think they will be putting him on so kind pill for that. I told them he has been eating bananas and drinking orange jucie but he still gets cramps. Matt had a good day yesterday. He got in the car and starting laughing. What's so funny i said. He was laughing at the resident doing her check up touching his face and head, and the million question about nothing. He said what was that all about ! But sleep took him early in the afternoon. He does feels good with the fluid off.

Hello Everyone, Matt seemed to be doing well except for the cramps. Sunday night we had dinner and matt watch some tv and said he felt full and went to bed. He woke up sometime later in pain. He said he felt really full and his stomach was sore. Sore like he had a big cramp and it was still really sore. I ask him to go to the ER but he refuse. I woke the next day and has still in pain. I feel full he told me. He said he only ate a banana. I tried for two hours to take him in. When i sat next to him his tummy was really hot. I took his temp and it was 99*. I called his doctor but by the time they called i already had Matt at the door leaving for the hospital. We had to wait in the ER for 6 1/2 hour before being seen. I was so angry they made him wait. They took blood and and said it looks like he has an infection. They did  a chest x-ray and then did a tap.They said he did not have hardly any fluid to take. I just got homeand he seen two doctor who say they don't know much right now. The test on the little bit of fluid is not back yet. They gave him two different antibotics. They also gave him morphine and something for the nausea. So we have to wait till tomorrow to see if they can find out what it is. They were sure it was infection in fluid. But the fluid in his belly thats leaking out from that tap is clear. So at this point no body knows anything.  They said he can go home tomorrow . The pain has is almost gone and he has no fever. His blood presure also came down. It was 153/147 last night before i came home at 2am, tonight it was124/70. He was in such pain and painful not being able to help!

Mia, I am so sorry that Matt is feeling so bad. I'll be praying that he feels better soon and that the doctors can find the reason behind the pain.

Take care!

(((Mia))), All of our thoughts and prayers are with you and Matt.

Take care.........

I'm glad to hear that Matt is home and feeling better!  At least they stabilized him.  I wonder what his doctor meant by referring him "soon?"  I would have said, "He needs a referral NOW."  What the heck is he waiting for?  Another crisis?  Geez!  Sorry, but I hate the way some docs just take their darned time with things that are important!  There will be so many new patients in Jan., with changes of insurance, etc.  I really would push for a referral NOW, so he can be assured of an appt. in Jan. or Feb.