Results from Hepatologist

I had my 3 month interval pilgrimage to UNC last week and got hold of my some of the paper work today. MELD went up slightly to 9 from 7 at prior visit.
Sodium 146
Creatinine 1.25
Billi 1.0
INR 1.0
AST 21
ALT 29
Alk phos 155
GGT 52
WBC 11.3
HCT 44
Platelets 312,000
AFP -4.07

Assessment: Mr. Ziffle (Not really my name) is a pleasant 45 year old gentleman with a history of cirrhosis secondary to alcohol. Complications of cirrhosis include ascites and Hepatic encephalopathy status post TIPS in 3/2009. MRI from 9/2012 showed no evidence of hepatocellular carcinoma. He has not been considered for transplant in the past secondary to low MELD score and good quality of life as well as financial issues. He has been abstinent of alcohol for 5 years now. Since his last visit, He denies any complications or hospitalizations.

Not too shabby for a guy who was wheeled into an E.R. 5 years ago with an extremely sick liver and kidney failure. A MELD score of 30 and odds of survival being no more than 3 months max. Of course my liver is still in bad shape, but with the help of the TIPS and medications I lead a reasonably normal life for a dead guy. I still have yet to get results from imaging. They are constantly finding nodules on my liver, so they watch them closely for possible signs of cancer. Anyhow, just thought you all would like to know what your resident piggy has been up to lately.


Ziff

Post Edited By Moderator (hep93) : 11/21/2013 10:18:26 AM (GMT-7)

OH, that's great Ziffie, you great big lovable swine!

Ziff, you are an inspiration. I can only dream of labs like those, though I'm getting there slowly. MELD for me is 10 now (10 months sober), down from high of 26. Your platelets are amazing and that INR is unreal! Long may it continue and many congratulations.

Jamie.

Thanks Jamie, Where have you been? Was just thinking yesterday that you haven't been around lately.

Ziff

German's are good at sausage making, too. If you get my drift...

I also wanted to say how great that is! What an inspiration you are to me through all of this (and by the looks of it, many others too)! Thanks so much for sharing your news.

Eyes

Jamie, It just ain't the same without a limey around here or at least someone who has worse English than me. You guy's talk funny. I do believe your letting David mislead you into thinking my innards are tasty. Probably not the case with me unless you Brits like pickled pork. Sorry about the job, Dragging you away but glad your getting along well. Should you run into a drunkin Irishmen along your work travels please send him our way. I get a kick out of those guys to.

Ziff

Very happy and thankful for your results and for your continued better health!!  Thanks for all you have shared and continue to share - it helps so much  

You have a "way with words" that is enjoyable and refreshing.  Small language errors do not detract from your well written heartfelt posts.

Very happy for you.

So, you're going to be here to bug us for a while...

Yea Ziffie! Very good job!

I bet the Captain at UNC had a smile for ya too!
I just got my labs from UNC and my AFP is creeping up a little. Now 12 from 3 immediately post RFA. Even with the cancer it only got to 18. My husband's was 150, and I have read about others in the 400 range!
I asked if I "still had cancer" and Hya said he doesn't know. They can't see it. (??) My MELD is still 22, but I will recalculate soon when I get this mess cleared up on top of my desk and come across my labs.

I go again in Feb. for a scan and more blood work.
As everyone is saying, and I hope this doesn't go to your big fat pig head, :) you are an inspiration to me, too. You truly are. This entire group has helped me a lot.

So, thank you Ziff, for being you, and caring enough to do the best thing even when you didn't want to.

Big hug to you,
Zo

P.S. I was told I had to continue the Laculose and Xifaxan. Do you, or anyone on the list disagree? What if I don't need it anymore? I could restart if I saw it was not so good without...

Post Edited By Moderator (hep93) : 11/23/2013 11:48:52 AM (GMT-7)

Zo I think you should be taking it always. I still do. I tried to get away from the lactulose completely awhile back but found myself having problems with mood swings and dizzy spells. As David said you need to stick to what the doc says. Hayashi was grinning from ear to ear like a mule eating briars. He had Steve and a intern with him this go around, I think he was showing out (Looky what I did) . I thanked him for saving my life and he said "You did all the hard work, We did a good job huh". Hope your doing alright, Haven't seen you back on the forum and was started to get worried. No sign of cancer is good news and you should be tickled yourself.


Ziff

Zo, Xifaxan, Xifaxan, Xifaxan. It ain't that difficult.

I agree to continue taking your meds. Your doc is obviously keeping an eye out for HCC. They used to check mine every 3 months, alternating between MRI and CT. Now it's 6 mos. and always an MRI. So try not to concern yourself about that right now. You know that if it's found, it will be treated.

Hugs,
Connie

Kierstin, not a day goes by, those memories of where I was, that doesn't haunt me. Subtle little things pop up while I'm fiddling around and I smile. It was painful times in every sense of the word, but it gives me a new perspective on just how precious life is. If every human had to endure these trials and took the notion to fight to live, this world would be a better place. Something maybe primal we've long forgotten awakens, and you see life as newborn. Beauty, Hope and peace of mind. Said it before and I'll say it again: If not for this disease I'd be dead. Dead in the sense of the soulless, uncaring, and unappreciative person I was.

Of course life is never peachy, even today. But I sure have a new slant on what a "Problem" is. I like the person I've become. I like the fact I get the opportunity to help others here, if nothing else but make someone smile. I went for a year without so much as a grin. Thank you and all for caring enough to put up with my crazy arse. I hope everything is going well for you today, tomorrow, and preferably for your future existence. Thanks again and don't be such a stranger.


Ziff

Post Edited By Moderator (hep93) : 11/24/2013 12:24:25 PM (GMT-7)