sicker than I look..hepatic encephalopathy with bipolar disease and Hep c?

Its been awhile since Ive written. Have had hep c for 30 years. Havent drank for years but on alot of psyche meds for severe bipolar. I know the meds exasperate my liver, but Im between a rock and a hard place balancing between the 2 diseases.
Within the last month or two I have really declined physically. Although Im disabled and unable to work I had to be involved with alot of upgrades and refurbishing the property I live on. Mentally I had to stay in a fight or flight mode to get the labour intensive work done. I knew I would probably crash at the end of the 6 months it took to complete the work.
With bipolar the manic up times can make for seemingly unlimited energy. But my theory was proven in this last upside stretch which is Im exahusted from Hep C even when Im supposedly manic and speedy. Ive wondered for awhile if I was tired because I was on the down side of bipolar. This is where the whole thing got so frustrating....Am I tired becsuse Im depressed with bipolar or because Im exahusted with Hep c?
Because I dont look ill, it is really hard for me to get anyone to understand how terrible I feel. The state pays for a helper to come in and run alk errands, cook, clean, do laundry etc. The state will not give someone help and pay for it if its not deserved. So I remind myself that I am not imagining this exahustion.
I went to emergency in Oct. I thought I may have ascites. The doctors said I didnt, gave me an ultra sound and said I didnt have cirrhosis but ammonia on my brain. My liver enzyme were raised some. So I figured I must not be as sick as I think. Until a month ago.
Major nausea, every morning, its bad, cant quite throw up, just hours of like motion sickness. And confusion. I turned the water on in the kitchen sink, got a knock at my front door. Started talking to someone and in those few seconds completely forgot the water was on. By the time I quit talking to my neighbor, I turned around and kitchen was flooded. Couldnt believe it.
But now finally, its the exahustion. As guilty as I feel about laying in bed, I just cant get out of bed for about a week now. Not sleeping, but just feel I dont have enough energy to sit up. Im writing because I know this is one place people can relate. I dont care what any expert says, I know my body and even though cirrhosis isnt the issue, I know Im getting worse. And even though Ive steadily declined over the last 3 years, the last 3 months have been a much faster decline.
I know all the things to eat, not eat, what doctors to see etc., Im not writing for alk that. I just want to hear other peoples stories that have experienced same, similar or worse. For some reason that is very encouraging.
God bless,
Dr. Love

Post Edited By Moderator (MamaLama) : 3/10/2015 3:26:54 AM (GMT-6)

I do have Lactulose. I dont take it daily because it upsets my stomach. I am genotype 1. I dont know what my MELD score is.

Good evening...having Hep C is hard enough, but dealing with another chronic problem must be really hard. It does sound like the fatigue so many report with liver disease has made things more complicated.

I agree with David that your HE is probably acting up. Lactose only does so much. When my partner Mike was so ill, the
lactose was not working so they added Xifaxan to his regimen.

By some of your spelling I think you are not in the US...maybe Canada or the UK. Xifaxan is not always available and is expensive. Some have taken Flagyl instead with good results. Talk to your Hep doctor to see if you can get some relief.

Bipolar is tough and the meds are strong. Hepatic encephalopathy is reversible once toxins that circulate to your brain are controlled. While the Lactose may make you have some loose stools and tummy aches, one has to weigh the benefit of reducing ammonia etc in your blood...kind of like double trouble for you.

Is there any chance you could get treatment for your Hep C?

Getting rid of the virus is now possible...and pretty accessible in THE US and Canada. That would be such an improvement in your quality of life.

Google luck, hugs, MamaLama

Mike got his Hep C in the late 60s from drug use. He cleared in 2014...so he was infected for 45 years. He was treated in 2003 though he was not feeling sick. His viral load was just iver 3 million. That didn't work. He was cirrotic already. They did a biopsy before treatment. Though he didn't clear they told him he could live another 15 years with good life quality if he did not drink. He did not heed that advice for long and his liver failed in 2010. He got sober and qualified for transplant though he still had Hep C. The Hep C came back and he got the new meds in 2014. He is finally feeling virus free though he has other issues...not bipolar...heart and kidney stuff.

It was important to be vitus free.

The insurance companies are treating those with cirrhosis for the most part...they approve from the sickest first. Mike got his meds from Medicaid with no copay. A miracle after all he has been through.

MamaLama

I read the report that themiz posted in the VA post about Mike's brother. It says that the VA is committed to treating all its vets with the virus...good thing because they infected many of the Viet Nam era vets themselves with the inoculation guns...lots of guys, long lines, no cleaning the equipment in between shots! And there are plenty infected on the battle field...one did not glove and mask when getting those injured guys into a helicopter I guess!!!

I think we should be as committed to this as to polio or other horrible diseases.

Hugs to you....ML