1. < Transplants

Liver pre-transplant question

Posted by jodeej @jodeej, Mar 26, 2018

My husband has occasional issues with stomach upset resulting in diarrhea recently. Is this part of his liver issue or is it possibly something else? He went to to work today, but turned around and came right back home because of it. We do go back for his 3 month check-up the week of the 9th, so I can talk to the transplant team about it. I know his liver is really getting worse because his breath is starting to smell and his "brain fog" or cognition is getting worse.
Thanks,
JoDee

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beckyjohnson | @beckyjohnson | Jun 19, 2018
In reply to @jodeej "@rosemarya @contentandwell @gayle1 @kltchrmn I am almost certain my husband had a HE episode last week...." + (show)
@jodeej

@rosemarya @contentandwell @gayle1 @kltchrmn I am almost certain my husband had a HE episode last week. He was crabby, tired and said he'd had "fog" all day. The reason I'm somewhat uncertain is that his dad had passed away a couple weeks earlier and he realized that Father's Day was coming up. So it could possible be grief and depression causing it. After looking at the symptoms though, I know he has been having signs of HE for quite awhile. We leave for Rochester tomorrow morning, so we will see what the doctor says. His score is a 30 right now.
Blessings,
JoDee

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@contentandwell That is awsome for you to share the ups & downs because it shows a more accurate picture than just one side or the other

REPLY
beckyjohnson | @beckyjohnson | Jun 19, 2018
In reply to @gaylea1 "I have a question for people who take lactulose and rifaximin. They have suspended my driving..." + (show)
@gaylea1

I have a question for people who take lactulose and rifaximin. They have suspended my driving licence because of these two drugs. I don't suffer from confusion or dizziness. Has anyone else had a problem of their licence being taken away? This is in Ontario.

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I too have questions "Is HE normally accompanied by grumpiness or some form of agitation & does it go away with the transplant?"

REPLY
beckyjohnson | @beckyjohnson | Jun 19, 2018
In reply to @contentandwell "@jodeej I thought you said somewhere that his MELD was 36. I am not surprised that..." + (show)
@contentandwell

@jodeej I thought you said somewhere that his MELD was 36. I am not surprised that if it's 30 he has not yet been transplanted, particularly if he happens to be type O. I understand that type can take longer, probably because they can transplant those livers to anyone waiting, whereas type A. B, AB can only go to the same types.
JK

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It is my understanding that O is the universal donor blood type & AB is the universal recipient blood type

REPLY
kltchrmn | @kltchrmn | Jun 19, 2018
In reply to @gaylea1 "I have a question for people who take lactulose and rifaximin. They have suspended my driving..." + (show)
@gaylea1

I have a question for people who take lactulose and rifaximin. They have suspended my driving licence because of these two drugs. I don't suffer from confusion or dizziness. Has anyone else had a problem of their licence being taken away? This is in Ontario.

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Post-transplant people in my support group report it goes away and a few are embarrassed by what they put their caregivers through.

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JK | @contentandwell | Jun 20, 2018
In reply to @contentandwell "@jodeej I thought you said somewhere that his MELD was 36. I am not surprised that..." + (show)
@contentandwell

@jodeej I thought you said somewhere that his MELD was 36. I am not surprised that if it's 30 he has not yet been transplanted, particularly if he happens to be type O. I understand that type can take longer, probably because they can transplant those livers to anyone waiting, whereas type A. B, AB can only go to the same types.
JK

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@jodeej I got those extra points too, and then had to have MRIs regularly. By some miracle I was transplanted at MELD 28. My MELD would have been bumped up a bit, shortly after that, which had always made me wonder if the transplant center has some discretion in whom gets the call. Is it every three months it can get increased?
JK

REPLY
JK | @contentandwell | Jun 20, 2018
In reply to @contentandwell "@jodeej I thought you said somewhere that his MELD was 36. I am not surprised that..." + (show)
@contentandwell

@jodeej I thought you said somewhere that his MELD was 36. I am not surprised that if it's 30 he has not yet been transplanted, particularly if he happens to be type O. I understand that type can take longer, probably because they can transplant those livers to anyone waiting, whereas type A. B, AB can only go to the same types.
JK

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@beckyjohnson I didn’t realize that AB is a universal recipient, but it makes sense. I am type B.
JK

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JK | @contentandwell | Jun 20, 2018
In reply to @gaylea1 "I have a question for people who take lactulose and rifaximin. They have suspended my driving..." + (show)
@gaylea1

I have a question for people who take lactulose and rifaximin. They have suspended my driving licence because of these two drugs. I don't suffer from confusion or dizziness. Has anyone else had a problem of their licence being taken away? This is in Ontario.

Jump to this post

@beckyjohnson HE absolutely goes away after you have a transplant. You then have a beautifully functioning liver, filtering out all of those toxins. It is truly a hallelujah moment.
Also, my HE was often accompanied by agitation, and belligerence.
JK

REPLY
JK | @contentandwell | Jun 20, 2018
In reply to @jodeej "@rosemarya @contentandwell @gayle1 @kltchrmn I am almost certain my husband had a HE episode last week...." + (show)
@jodeej

@rosemarya @contentandwell @gayle1 @kltchrmn I am almost certain my husband had a HE episode last week. He was crabby, tired and said he'd had "fog" all day. The reason I'm somewhat uncertain is that his dad had passed away a couple weeks earlier and he realized that Father's Day was coming up. So it could possible be grief and depression causing it. After looking at the symptoms though, I know he has been having signs of HE for quite awhile. We leave for Rochester tomorrow morning, so we will see what the doctor says. His score is a 30 right now.
Blessings,
JoDee

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This should have said “perfectly cognizant”.
JK

REPLY
jerrydrennan | @jerrydrennan | Jun 20, 2018
In reply to @contentandwell "@jodeej I thought you said somewhere that his MELD was 36. I am not surprised that..." + (show)
@contentandwell

@jodeej I thought you said somewhere that his MELD was 36. I am not surprised that if it's 30 he has not yet been transplanted, particularly if he happens to be type O. I understand that type can take longer, probably because they can transplant those livers to anyone waiting, whereas type A. B, AB can only go to the same types.
JK

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@contentandwell
I have a MELD of 33 and I have not even been staged.

REPLY
jerrydrennan | @jerrydrennan | Jun 20, 2018
In reply to @contentandwell "@jodeej I thought you said somewhere that his MELD was 36. I am not surprised that..." + (show)
@contentandwell

@jodeej I thought you said somewhere that his MELD was 36. I am not surprised that if it's 30 he has not yet been transplanted, particularly if he happens to be type O. I understand that type can take longer, probably because they can transplant those livers to anyone waiting, whereas type A. B, AB can only go to the same types.
JK

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thats 31 on the MELD.

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