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Posted 10/25/2011 10:19 AM (GMT 0)
I am new here. I take care of my 70yr old Momma who has Hep C & cirrhosis. Her ammonia levels stay pretty high. Last week it was 120. So she stays confused & lethargic. I do give her Lactalose 3 to 4 times a day. Sometimes it helps & sometimes it doesn't. I am wondering if anyone knows of anything else that helps lower levels? Anything else I can do to help her? It just breaks my heart to see her this way & feel helpless. confused
Posted 10/25/2011 1:31 PM (GMT 0)
There is another drug for HE called rifaxamin or brand name Xifaxan. It is very expensive so you have to check to see if your insurance will cover it. if your mom does not have drug insurance she can get assistance from the pharm company which makes it, Salix.

My ammonia levels were around 400 before medication. Now, I range between 100-150 and have a good level of function except for my short term memory and word finding.

Good luck!

Susie
Posted 10/25/2011 2:51 PM (GMT 0)
Here's the link to Salix's patient assistance program where the form can be printed and filled out and sent in, along with a physician's Rx for Xifaxan:


http://www.salix.com/search-results.aspx?cx=008049857550456395118:ybeue-rmkq4&cof=FORID:11;NB:1&ie=UTF-8&q=financial%20assistance&sa=Go

SORRY-I don't know how to make this clickable. Moderator help please!

Hi jstgt2beme-the above is from a post here on 8/16/2011. Maybe this can help with the xifaxan prescription. It is also my understanding that your mom should avoid eating beef. Beef is very hard for liver to process and can raise ammonia levels.

Emma

Post Edited By Moderator (hep93) : 10/25/2011 11:42:07 AM (GMT-6)

Posted 10/25/2011 5:19 PM (GMT 0)
Thank you very much Emma & Susie about the info on Xifaxan. I have never heard of it before. I'm gonna do some research on it & I take her to the doctor tomorrow. I will mention it to him & see what he has to say about it. Thank you.
Posted 10/25/2011 5:44 PM (GMT 0)
Jstgt2beme, welcome to the forum. You might want to also check out the info in the folder at the top of the page entitled Hepatitis Resources.

Emma, I wasn't able to make the link clickable, either, but it can be copied and pasted into the URL bar: Highlight, Control C, and then Control V. That will bring up the page.

Hugs,
Connie
Posted 10/29/2011 2:43 AM (GMT 0)
Hi to all on here. I just found this forum tonight. My mother is 72 and has had cirrihoisis of the liver now for over 2 years. They have checked her for everything and can not find out how or why she has it. She has never drank, neg on all Hep's. Any way she is in end stage. They said the liver is not functioning at all now. She is not eligible for transplant because of age and other medical conditions. They ammonia level is raising high now and they have her on alot of water pills, she is leaking internally. She was bleeding and they took her off her Plavix that she took for TIA's. It was causing alot of the bleeding because her platelets are extremely low now also. She gets confused real easy now too. I know from research that all of this is the progression of this disease. But do any of you know something else I can do for her. I have already lost my dad and not ready to lose her too.


Any help or advise is greatly appreciated.
Susie
Posted 10/29/2011 3:10 AM (GMT 0)
Sorry to hear your mother is so sick and not eligible for transplant ...have you contacted hospice to help you ? Is your mom in hospital or at home . Is she on laculose ? Or xifaxian these meds help with h.e and the conf
usion.

Post Edited (blonde504) : 10/28/2011 9:13:44 PM (GMT-6)

Posted 10/29/2011 3:37 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Susie,
Welcome to the healing well forum. I am sorry that your mom is suffering from esld. Please read the hepatitis resources folder at the top of the threads. It has lots of information about liver disease. Your mom should be avoiding salt to help with the fluid retention. She should avoid eating beef, as this is difficult to digest and causes ammonia levels to rise. She should be taking lactulose, which is a laxative. Having several BMs per day help to rid the body of ammonia. The xifaxian that was mentioned also helps with this. It is my understanding that it very expensive. In a post above, there is a link that can be copied and pasted to the search bar to go to the drug manufacturer's website to look for patient assistance. Keep asking questions. There are lots of kind people on this forum that can help. Prayers for you and your mom.

Emma
Posted 10/29/2011 4:03 PM (GMT 0)
Susie,

Welcome to the forum. Your Mom is having problems so many of our members and member's loved ones share.

come visit often with your questions and concerns. There are many folks here who will share their information and stories. I have come to count on this to get through the rough days.

Good luck to you both,

Mama Lama, aka Carol
Posted 10/29/2011 4:03 PM (GMT 0)
Susie,

Welcome to the forum. Your Mom is having problems so many of our members and member's loved ones share.

come visit often with your questions and concerns. There are many folks here who will share their information and stories. I have come to count on this to get through the rough days.

Good luck to you both,

Mama Lama, aka Carol
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