Good Evening everyone! I have read other threads on this day all threads regarding encephalopathy. My sibling has Cirrhosis of the Liver. In the beginning when he received his diagnosis I began a journey to obtain all the information I could get on this diagnosis. I know the stages and most of the complications. This site has been very helpful and I love the internet and google. Although they are extremely helpful, I still feel that the quality information comes from all of those who are living this terrible nightmare.
My sibling has been under this cloud (diagnosis) for approximately 3 months. During this time he has been noncompliant, continuing to partake in alcohol. He has had three hospitalizations. This most recent being the worst. I have been enlightened by another post of a member who has a husband looking for info on the encephalopathy complication. During this past hospitalization my brother had: elevated ammonia, hyperglycemia, hypertension, epistaxis times three days, headache that wouldn't go away, poor gait, confusion and passing blood rectally. During his 2nd day of this hospitalization he went missing, local authorities were enlisted to locate his whereabouts. My mother was contacted and told about the elopement/AMA. After she hung up the phone, my brother got off a car at the end of the driveway in hospital pajamas, and was very confused. He thought he was at the YMCA and that they were putting babies in his bed.
He was returned to the hospital, guards were posted outside the door, sedatives, antipsych & antianxiety meds were administered for the next 24 hours. These meds ontop of the existing state of confusion we thought were causing the agitation, poor gait, SOB he was experiencing and the confusion. To get to the point. Not once did I think about encephalopathy. During the 3rd night it was observed that he was having episodes of apnea. They ordered a sleep lab. I inquired about O2 sats, and CO2 blood levels. Neither were being done. He also had a psych consult. Amid all of the going ons and the labs, nurses and doctor not once mentioned encephalopathy. All of the symptoms above fall into everything I have read of encephalopathy.
He is home now after one heck of a storm. He still gets agitated, moreso than ever. His doctor called today and has requested him to have an EMG, why we don't know. Possibly to confirm encephalopathy? At what point does/will the doctor say "done" cannot do anymore or "that hospice is resource that should be considered at this point" Since his diagnosis is so recent and he has had, it seems severe hospitalizations and we are where we are, how long before he is in real trouble? if not already. Does the encephalopathy diagnosis continue as in, progressive, no reversal? Is the encepalopathy an indicator or precursor to active liver failure?