@herbswife, Hi, I'm Rosemary. I am a volunteer mentor here on Mayo Connect, more important is that I am a liver/kidney transplant recipient. I know exactly how miserable your husband is feeling right now because in 2008, I was where he currently is at. I am deeply aware, also of the feelings and emotions that you and he are experiencing. Please accept my welcome to our community. We are all here to support and to help each other as we share our experiences.

My first response is, Have you discussed this with herb's doctor? We always encourage communication with our health provider.

What is the liver disease that your husband is diagnosed with? This might better assist us with our conversations.
Rosemary

@herbswife, I have started a new Transplant Discussion named "How Do I cope When I Feel Awful".
http://mayocl.in/2uW4FXt
Every transplant person I have ever talked to has mentioned this same issue and I do not know why we have not created this discussion before now! I invite you to check in there for some responses. And I want to encourage you to post your question there, too.

I look forward to continued conversation with you.
Rosemary

@herbswife - I'm so sorry to hear about your husband's recent diagnosis. I'm hoping others who have been through liver transplants (@rosemarya, @contentandwell) can give you some insight. Is your husband's doctor/nurse able to give you some coping suggestions - especially so he can get all his meds down? I do know there are some good anti -nausea meds available but I don't know if they are appropriate if you have liver disease. I would encourage you to ask your husband's doctor/nurse about that option as well.

Thank uou for your reply Lynn. As we are still very early on in all of this we only have our gastroenterologist here in Miami to ask questions to. We see him tomorrow and of all the things that are bothering my husband right now, nausea is not om the list! Fatigue, pain, itchiness, depression.... but thank you so much for just replying and i will reach out to the others you noted as well. God bless!

@lcamino @herbswife I wish I could help but early on in my journey toward a diagnosis and eventual transplant the only symptoms I had were occasional HE episodes and fatigue. Then after getting on lactulose I did have nausea but that was generally @ an hour after taking it. At one point, during the summer before transplant, I did have more nausea and was given first one then another anti-nausea medication but they totally knocked me out and did not seem to help the nausea much.
When your liver is compromised it effects how medications are digested. My gastroenterologist prescribed numerous PPIs but each one made me sicker than the other. I finally went back to the least of the evils, omeprazole, and my body eventually adjusted to it. There were other medications also that made me sick, just can't remember which now.
I had pain following an ablation procedure and was prescribed pain relievers but they, rather than making me drowsy, kept me awake all night staring at the ceiling!
It is amazing how much your liver does and how many things are effected by it when it's not working well.
JK

@lexiopo, I hope that the GI can help your husband with his symptoms tomorrow. These are common symptoms for liver disease. And most of us with liver disease experience any of a wide variety of symptoms that are common for all liver diseases. Sometimes your doctor can provide you with remedies to ease some symptoms.
@lexiopo, I really want to help you, I know what a frightening time this is for you.

I would like to ask you a few questions so that we can get to know what is going on. Has your GI determined a liver condition or specific disease yet? You have mentioned the possibility of transplant, is he on the transplant list yet?
Rosemary

Hi Rosemary, my husband is in cirrhosis caused by alcohol.  On June 2nd I had to call 911 because he vomited massive amounts of blood, beginning our 3 week stay in ICU. It was the 1st and only incident he had indicating there was an immediate medical problem.  And it will be his last as he almost died 3 times while in hospital. He survived 3 endoscopies, the Blakemore balloon, 2 TIPS procedures, and 2 paransentisis procedures.      I know some people feel that because his actions put him in his predicament that oh well, too bad. Yes, his abuse of alcohol put him here, but i don't believe in judging anyone.  We have all done things in our lives, that if we had the chance, we would probably not do again. The results of our life choices are just different for everyone. I hope I have not offended anyone.  He is not on any transplant list yet.       We just saw gastroenterologist on Monday, 1st appointment since being discharged.  My husband has to wait at least 6 months before being put on a transplant list.  So he can show that be has completely stopped drinking. He knows he can never take one more sip of alcohol, as he would not survive another bleeding episode.       So I am hoping to become his living donor at the Mayo, because I am not sure he can survive the minimum six month wait.  As of yet no one has responded from the Mayo unless I have missed something.  I have no messages on cell and do not see anything in my email.  I filled out the online donor application and it said someone would contact me in 2-3 days.  I have not stopped either, but  I will reach out to someone today to see what is going on.     Thank you so much for your replies.  It helps so much to know that there are people who really understand how hard this is, both for my husband and for me.     God Bless!

@lexiopo Hi, no offense at all here. You are right, we all make choices that sometimes come back to haunt. I was overweight and my cirrhosis was presumably from NASH, but of course if so that was my own fault to not adhere to a healthier diet and stay in shape. Alcoholic addiction and food addiction are of course similar, and like an alcoholic I am doing the best I can to not "fall off the wagon". I have read that is actually more difficult with food than with alcohol because you have to eat whereas drinking is not a necessity.
Is your husband getting off of alcohol? I hope so and I hope as soon as that six months is up he will be at the top of list of transplant candidates.
More and more transplant centers are doing living donors now. Compare Transplant Centers published a list on Facebook this week showing which centers did the most living donor transplants. Are you on Facebook? If so look them up.
What is your transplant center? It would be interesting to see where if falls on that list. Maybe your center doe very few so they do not have a protocol in place yet.
Jane

Hi Jane,  thank you for your reply and kind, comforting words.  I am trying to have the Mayo in Rochester be our transplant center but am awaiting direction from them as to how to go about this.
Our doctor here in Miami gave us a referral to the University of Miami Transplant Center if the Mayo Living Donor does not work out.
I will look on FB at that list. I would imagine the Mayo is at the top!
Thanks again Jane!

@lexiopo, Here is the link to Mayo's Living Donor information to get you start4ed.
http://mayocl.in/2tf9l9N
Rosemary