End Stage Liver Disease - 18 litres removed....

Good morning all,

Dad was in hospital for 5 days and had another drain where another 15 litres was removed, this time it was initially quite bloody but then ok.  He was released but he never seemed to fully recover. He lasted 5 days and was admitted again on Saturday morning with another hepatic encephalopathy turn. He was not eating, drinking or taking his medication. I saw him yesterday and he had absolutely no recollection of Friday night or any of Saturday.

His diet and medication is under review but one of the Specialists it taking him off the high protein diet for some reason. I can only assume that it is a short term solution to the hepatic encephalopathy and a normal high protein diet will return once he is stable again. I am going to have a look on the web to see if there is any reason for that as a protein reduction will lead to faster muscle wastage. He had finally admitted that he is dying and has asked if palliative care is an option to give my mother a break.

So, today he is still in hospital awaiting a review from the team that decides on in-home care as well as Social Workers for help for mum. My dad is a proud man But I think he has realised that the end is near. I hope not, but maybe him slipping away is best for him and us………

Tazdevil, thanks for the update.  It's good that your dad is not eating much beef.  The Lactulose is for encephalopathy, so would have no effect on the fluid.

Keep us posted!

Following his last trip to hospital my parents received assistance three times a week. Mainly to be in their appartment when dad is showering but they also did some domestics like washing the floors and helping to change the bed etc.

They are moving on to a slightly different program where they still come three times a week but the jobs they will be doing are a little different. They do offer someone to stay with dad if mum wants to go out and that is the really big winner.  Dad can get quite agitated and abrupt and he is not being very accomodating to those around him.

We are letting him go with it as you can not talk to him about it. All part of the process I guess.....

He is now statring to struggle with the rate of fluid build up and the frequency of trips to hospital every three weeks. He tried to last 28 days but by the time the drain was done he was having difficulty getting a decent breath and eating.

He is retaining about half of his daily intake of fluid. Dad is quite slurry at the moment even though he is still taking the Actilax twice a day. My mother also said that dad is really itchy and has a rash all over his back. I have tried to talk to dad about getting the drains at more regular intervals to retain his comfort levels but he doen not agree with my logic. I think he is realising that the fluid build up is a sign of progression of the failure and an increase in the portal hypertention.

We will see how we go.