Early symptoms

Hi Mae,
I'm sorry you have to deal with this. Has your brother who had the liver transplant ever talked to your other brother about getting straight?

Mae, you and Carol can't seem to catch a break. I can't say for sure but what happened to me just a week or so prior to being hospitalized sounded a awful lot like this. I hadn't had to drink at work but found myself having uncontrollable shakes during the day if I didn't start the morning before leaving the house without a drink. This reduced the shakes until lunch when I'd go home for lunch and have a few more drinks to get through the rest of the day. I always had tremors to a degree but pretty much undetectable to anyone else until the weeks prior to hospitalization. Week prior to hospital trip I couldn't keep the liquor down the first couple of tries and wound up puking. Persistence paid off and eventually got enough down to keep me steady. I knew something was wrong but had no clue just how serious it was.

I lived alone at the time aside from girlfriend visits so she didn't know what was going on during the week. As the week dragged by I continued the ritual but found myself getting sicker and sicker when I tried to drink. Each time like before I puked until I could finally get it down. I had to have what was killing me or be violently ill with uncontrollable shakes, The misery of initially getting through that first few pukes was nothing compared to the alternative, Or so I thought. By Thursday I had to leave work at 11:00 am I was so sick and shaking. Went home and drank till I passed out. Woke up the next morning feeling horrible and feet so swollen I couldn't put my boots on. Well you know the rest of the story ( ER, ICU, Kidney failure and liver failure).

I have a younger brother that's doing his best to get himself into my position but he uses drugs heavily also. He seen first hand what this looks like but it hasn't been a deterrent. He just like I did thinks it just can't happen to him. He seems to be doing fine at the moment but I fear it's a matter of time before he hit's the wall like I did. He may not be as "Lucky" as me is what scares the hell outta me. So much to live for, a wife, 2 kids, great job he's had for 20+ years, nice home, the works. I don't bother him about it although we have spoken about it a few times. I know there's nothing I can do at this moment but should he ever need my assistance in getting clean I'd be there in a minute.


Ziff

Mae, so sorry to hear about your brother's situation. It's hard to tell about your brother's condition precisely. He needs to see a specialist to get the complete picture. You know that by now. The only vomiting I saw Mike do was blood before the TIPS operation and believe me that was plenty. I think Ziff's post kind of tells you the answer to that question. My heart goes out to you and to your brother.


Sandia

Thanks Sandia, and WD. He is his own worst enemy but you can't help someone who doesn't want to help themselves.

They would all do the same for me, if I ever needed them :)

Hugs,

"I've always argued that young people in urban area's that pick up a gun and shoot someone have never had to witness the carnage up close and personal that a bullet does to flesh, Something us country folk learned early on in hunting and cleaning a animal. Like so with alcohol if used carelessly it can cause really nasty damage and unless you get to see it first hand it means nothing."


Ziff, truer words couldn't be spoken! I myself had no idea what my older brother was going through, in fact, I didn't even remember he had Hep C, he always took such good care of himself. It was the 40 yr. mark where he started to go south, and would've been sooner if he used drugs or alcohol, something he never really did, just an occasional drink.

So you're right, until you have witnessed the carnage, you have no idea!

I remember getting like this not long before I was hospitalised too. I remember having been to a volunteering open day that I staffed and had to walk down flights of stairs to leave. After sweating my way through the open day I tried to descend those stairs, but my legs were shaking uncontrollably beneath me. Vomited when I got home. Happened a couple of times again afterwards. Shortly thereafter I was in A&E and my journey to sobriety began there.....

I'm still knocking around these parts, don't worry! Work is keeping me very busy atm!!!

So sorry to hear about Connie. Thoughts are with her and all of the forumites.

Jamie

@ML yes, actually sometimes it IS the dry heaves. I'm surprised Mike still has some episodes post TP

@NCL I too always enjoy you stopping by the forum to impart your wisdom :)

Do you suppose that the anger/meanness that some folks exhibit with ESLD are from the Alcoholic hepatitis folks as opposed to those from hepatitis alone (with no alcohol involvement)?

I was just thinking that my older brother never got mean or really angry during his, it was mostly aggravation with the whole deal, taking lactulose, eating his food, etc. He's the one without any alcohol involved. But I can sure see a whole different scenario in the future with my younger brother.

My younger brother has both hep C AND alcoholism (or many years). He will jump down your throat for the slightest thing. He is a very bad patient, judging by past hospitalizations. Sober, he is rude and nasty a lot with people, though he doesn't dare try that with me. Oddly, he'd give you the shirt off his back first time meeting you.

No offense to any alcoholics, I just was making an observation and wondered if there is any validity to my theory judging by past posts from caregivers and/or patients.

Thoughts?

Mae ... if he's doing drugs, too, the vomiting may be from that.  Heroin is like that ... and some of the other drugs are worse, like methamphetamines.   Mixing alcohol with drugs is so common and so very dangerous.  I did it many times.

As to your theory, it's an interesting one.  My take is that it probably depends on how recent the abuse of drugs or alcohol is.  In my case it was 35 years ago.  So I lived with some peace and success and self love for many years before I even knew I had Hep C.  Turning my life around was old news.  I think for someone who is in the throes of a terrible addiction, having your health go south so fast is an entirely different experience.

I have great respect for you and Ziffle and everyone on here.  Your families may not show it but at some level they see you as someone to be respected and aspire to be like you.  They may not know how to get there but one day they might!   I'm just wondering, Ziffle, have you told your brother you'd be there for him if he truly wanted to get clean?  My role is similar in my family ... have helped four or five folks get into treatment or programs that worked for them.  In my experience sometimes we have to take them by the hand like toddlers and walk them through each step until they can stand strong alone.   Others you just point them in the right direction and they're so hungry for healing they just run with it.  Everyone is different.

Much love, everyone.  You are not alone in your unbelievably challenging battles!!

 

Deb, In regards to me telling him "I'd be there". No, I haven't said that to him but he knows I'd do anything for him and he for me. We aren't big on getting mushy with eachother (unless he's drunk as I metioned earlier) typical guy stuff. He's my younger brother and I looked out for him (kept him from getting beat up) when we were kids. He knows without question how I feel and to what end I'd go for him. The subject was broached when we spoke of our fathers health issues recently. I could tell the mere glancing of his addiction problem made him feel uncomfortable, That's enough for me. I know it's on his mind. Funny how we can beat ourselves up worse than others ever think of doing.

Ziff