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Hep C and on life support

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Posted 6/2/2012 10:56 PM (GMT 0)
Thanx so much for the feedback. Yes he has hepatitis c. he got it from being a heroin addict. he was diagnosed in 2003. he has been drinking pretty heavy for the past 4. the bleed was in the esophagus & he had 1 varice that they put a band on. Hes been on life support for 6 days now. he did wake up but was very aggressive. they r giving him laculose rectally because they r afraid to put a tube down his throat w the varice. Hes 51. Is he gonna pull thru this or not? what's his quality of life gonna b like? how long do we have? trippin a lil bit

Post Edited By Moderator (hep93) : 6/4/2012 8:52:00 PM (GMT-6)

Posted 6/2/2012 11:05 PM (GMT 0)
Tlasky, nobody can say if he will pull through or not. If he is on life support, it would seem that if he's taken off of it, he would die pretty quickly after that. Due to all the blood he lost, even if he survives, he may be in a vegetative state. Have the doctors spoken to you about that possibility?

His drinking definitely accelerated the disease. It's not looking very good at the moment, but miracles do happen. I'm a miracle myself. There were many times where I should have died, but I'm still here. I also contracted hep C as an H addict in the late 60s.

You might want to read the info in the folder entitled Hepatitis Resources at the top of the page. There's a lot of information in there about hep C and liver disease in general, and it also touches on end of life issues.

I gave your thread a title as the administrator wants that.

My thoughts will be with you.

Hugs,
Connie
Posted 6/3/2012 7:28 AM (GMT 0)
Most likely if he pulls through this, he will succomb at some point to the enevitable. My partner passed away two years ago. He had Hep C that he got from a transfusion prior to the time when blood was tested for HepC or donors screened. It's a tough path that you are on right now. A person's mind races a hundred miles an hour. It's surreal. The questions flood a person's mind and often one just plain asks: is this real?? Unfortunately it is. I found myself always wondering if Mike was just going to beat the odds.. maybe Mike would be the one who didn't die. Maybe the six months the doctor gave would be 10 years. Then I would calm myself down and focus on the here and now. I would again realize that yes, he was going to die. I then focused on what we could do, what should be done, and responded as best I could to each days situation. I wish I had better answers for you. Be kind to yourself. Be in the moment. Take each step one at a time. Don't look too far down the road, yet be prepared.  My prayers and thoughts are with you. Sandia
Posted 6/3/2012 4:15 PM (GMT 0)
"Most likely if he pulls through this, he will succomb at some point to the inevitable."

Sandy, I don't agree with this. We have people on this forum who were at death's door, then got much better and are still with us. I know that your Mike succumbed, but I believe he stopped drinking too late. If Tlasky's partner pulls through and never drinks again (this is key), plus has successful hep C treatment, he could very well be around for many years.

Hugs,
Connie
Posted 6/4/2012 12:26 AM (GMT 0)
Sandia,

Why didn't mike get listed for transplant? I have forgotten. Also, my dauther's mother-in-law is in rehab and is still having HE problems with, I think, three doses of lactulose. I understand that her ammonia was up to 90 something today. She packed all of her things today thinking she was going home. She did not know that it was Sunday. She grabbed her head and said "I am losing my mind." It is just so heartbreaking. It is the most devastating thing.

I just really think that my daugher's MIL needs to get listed and hope that she will try to be in the near future. It is her only chance. I don't think her current quality of iife is tolerable for her.

I understand that her husband lay on her bed with her today as she wanted that.

Georgia.
Posted 6/4/2012 8:22 AM (GMT 0)
Tlasky, I hope your husband pulls through. My prayers will be with him. Lets get more positive. When he gets out of the hospital he will be sober from alcohol. Hopefully this episode scared him good. You said he is 51. How long has he been infected? Just the last 4 years or many before. The reason I ask is I am 47. I contracted HepC 1a in 2008. I found about it in 2011. I was intoxicated every second I was awake during that 3 year gap. Thanks Cary
Posted 6/4/2012 8:49 AM (GMT 0)
Mike and I were at the Mayo Clinic ... for a transplant evaluation.. I was going to be a donor...

I based my thoughts on the fact he has been drinking for the past four years... yes if he become sober there is hope. Without sobriety.. and that is his current state... it is likely that he will succomb. If he chooses sobriety... yes there is hope... forgive me if my tone was negative...

Mike had a tumor that grew too fast and he did not meet the criteria for transplant based on that. He was not a candidate for chemoembolization.

My prayers and thoughts are with you.
Sandia
Posted 6/4/2012 4:34 PM (GMT 0)
Sandia, just out of curiosity, why was Mike not a candidate for chemoembolization?

Hugs,
Connie
Posted 6/4/2012 11:57 PM (GMT 0)
Wow .. gonna have to rack the brain.. I believe it was the location of the tumor.. and the size... along with his medical condition... the Dr. said the chemo.. could kill him faster... didn't think Mike would survive the chemo...   however... my webs are pretty foggy right now... I'll have to think a little more... think the primary concerns were the location and his deteriorated medical condition..

Sandia

Posted 6/5/2012 2:17 AM (GMT 0)
Dear tlasky, I have been with this forum since the end of last year--the reason I belong to this forum is because my husband also woke up in the middle of the night throwing up blood. He was taken to the hosp and was there in ICU for almost a week. He had been diagnosed with hepC in 2007 but we wern't given much information about what to do about it (thanks Kaiser). Anyway, he was banded, tested, given sonograms, you name it we had it. Then a few weeks later banded again and a few weeks later after that went in to get banded again but the varices had healed up. Since then we have radically changed the diet, he doesn't drink so that is a good thing. Staying on his meds--behaving himself. If you didn't know his history you would not know there is anything wrong with him. I finally got him away from the gastro and internist drs and he will now be seeing a hepatalagist. We also had no insurance but hospitals have financial assistance available to people like us. We applied for SSD in November and starting this month he will start receiving his checks. So---all I'm trying to say is even though it looks BAD things have a way of working out. Chuck was given a year to live that was last Sept, he is doing good and I bless every day that I have with him. Just sayin......Pat
Posted 6/5/2012 2:49 AM (GMT 0)
Good to see you here, Roxie, and with good news! That's great that he was approved for SSD. It's about a 2-year wait for Medicare, but can he get Medicaid in the meanwhile or is family income too much? Thanks for the update!

Hugs,
Connie
Posted 6/5/2012 2:57 AM (GMT 0)
Sandy, thanks for the explanation.

Hugs,
Connie
Posted 6/5/2012 3:00 AM (GMT 0)
Thanks, they say our income is too high???? My Social Security and part time job is just too much money for us!  I'll just have to keep him going till Medicare kicks in-- ha! thanks for the good words,  love to all   Pat
Posted 6/5/2012 3:22 AM (GMT 0)
Roxie, I know...it's ridiculous.

Hugs,
Connie
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