CIRRHOSIS AND LOSS OF BOWEL CONTROL

Hi CW, and welcome to the forum.

We are group of patients and caregivers affected by liver disease.

There is some interesting information at the top of this forum, links to information that may be helpful.

Your husband's symptoms are quite typical of advanced liver disease. Many suffer with ascites and need to be drained often. My partner, Mike, kept the fluid in his legs instead. They were so huge and "tight" that they wept fluid...

Many have loose stools because of the lactulose they give to manage the high ammonia which causes hepatic encephalopathy (confusion, sleepyness, coma...). They want to get the ammonia down. I guess he will need to use the diapers for now.

Mike had a couple of episodes like your hubby. He was most embarassed the day his daughter was here and had to clean him up. He cried.

In late stages most are weak, confused, sleep many hours a day, thought they may be wakeful through the night.

What meds do they have him on?

Has he had an endoscopy to check for esophageal varices? Sometimes the veins in the esophagus can burst and the patient needs to have them banded...call 911 if he is bleeding!

Is there any discussion about qualifying for transplant? Do you live near a center that does them? Does he have medical insurance or qualify for Medicaid? Mike had a transplant in 2011 and is doing well now. His big problem was to stay alive until he had 6 months of documented sobriety. he made it...but it was close!

Has he had a liver biopsy to see how bad the damage is?

Certainly he knows that he cannot drink alcohol AT ALL.

This is going to be rough, CW. He is a sick husband.

Best to you BOTH,

Mama Lama