Liver disease and personality changes

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A.Ziffle

Veteran Member

Joined : May 2011

Posts : 2092

Posted 3/29/2016 5:24 AM (GMT 0)

You are responding to a old thread. Don't think Linda is still around to answer your questions. Maybe one of the others will help you sort out some of this with your mom. Cancer is a nasty and the treatment is usually harsh in itself. My family has a history of cancer. Being cirrhotic myself I am aware of the high risk of cancer following, I ain't happy about it but...... I accept what ever comes. Trying not to think of the prospect of a bad MRI or a Sonogram weighs heavily regardless. I have had a couple cyst on my liver over the years but that's to be expected in my case. Just had Labs done a week ago and strangely I got a appointment for imaging a week from now. My mind is a buzz with why they want me in so quickly. That never happens.

We are human we worry. For the better or worse? I mentioned I accepted my potential fate prematurely years ago. That's the biggest issue. Sealing the deal was going over a Living Will with a attorney. Mind numbing to say the least. A bit somber, I eventually thought....... Man, I'm lucky. How often do folks get a chance to say their peace, Embrace life (squeeze it till dry), See the world as I have and smell the fragrance of my wife's hair and the spring flowers, Watch a child wonder in amusement of a butterfly or a bird. Yes it has been a good run minus the pain it took for me to get here.

I wish I could change things but, If I did, Would I appreciate all I might miss today? Ehhh people are a-holes. Family, friends or the chick who cut you off in traffic. Doubt it will make a difference in anyone's mind at the time of death. All we can do is be supportive of their decision, but you could always be a a-hole also. Just my thought's. Hope it works out for all of you.

Ziff

MamaLama

Veteran Member

Joined : Oct 2010

Posts : 4907

Posted 3/30/2016 12:08 AM (GMT 0)

still here

We are a group of patients and caregivers affected by various liver diseases.

Ziff is right. Best to start a new thread. Copy and paste this into the new one and
I will lock ths.

You can call it the same name if you like.

There are good articles and links in the resources at the top of our page.

Mental changes are VERY typical for those with failing livers. It is called hepatic encephalophy. HE for short.

We hear caregivers describe HE as confusion, fantastical thinking, and often oppositional or grouchy behavior.

My partner had HE bad before a liver transplant. He made me cry day after day. He got his transplant and that behavior was gone. As a matter of fact, he can't remember almost a whole year of his life or causing me all those tears. Fortunately I found ths site and realized he didn't mean anything by it, couldn't control himself.

I'm glad I learned not to listen to him, not to let it break my heart. Maybe you could have a family meeting and help educate others that HE is a real thing. That the liver is not processing properly and wastes are not being sent on to kidneys and bowel. Instead they circulate through the whole body to the brain...and that's no good...as you know.

If her family and friends knew she is not. doing this on purpose, they could step back a bit and not react. I'm reminded of my sis who has dementia...she is a handful sometimes...but we know not to react, rather distract and do what we need to do to keep her safe and cared for.

Best to your family.

Hus

MamaLama

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