At what point in your process?

Hello...Mr. B again...today is better and I hope it is for you too.  How involved in directing your care is your GI?  Mine sent me home from the hospital and said see you in a year unless anything else comes up?  Is this unusual for a doc to do with alcoholic cirrhosis.  I am thinking that I am not getting anyone to be an advocate for me to get what I need?  I'm not even sure what the "standards of care" are for my illness?

Any help or advice? 

I agree with David.

Hugs,
Connie

Mr B,

I agree with the others, my husband has alcoholic cirrhosis we were seeing our family doc and a GI doc, when neither one would do any thing about the ascities and fluid build up in his lung.  We had to see a cardio-thorasic surgeon before the other 2 docs finally referred him to a hepatologist.  Once we started seeing the hepatologist, it was recommeded that he be evaluated for a transplant because his liver was so far gone.  You really need to see a liver specialist.  Ours sees us every 4-6 weeks at this point.

Thanks Emma...I hope I am as fortunate.

Mr. B,

Mike had a combination of liver problems -- Alcoholic Cirrhosis, Hep C, Heptocellular Carcinoma -- the hat trick of liver disease I call it. You are dealing with Alcoholic Cirrhosis.

But you don't say if you are sober at this time. If you are still drinking there isn't much to do but wait for the XXX to hit the fan. The docs don't pay much attention unless the symptoms are severe and even then if the person isn't trying to stay as well as possible they don't offer much help themselves.

Those who quit drinking before the cirrhosis gets really bad buy some time, may even stop progressing toward end stage. I am hoping that is you.

Mike continued to drink until the fall of 2010 and it almost did him in. One doc ran a blood test and his numbers had crashed really bad and she got him into see a hepatologist and that was the beginning of the beginning. Mike did the 6 months sobriety,got on a transplant list, and made it to and through the surgery.

He now has a second chance at some quality years again. He is 62.

Good luck to you.

Carol from Florida