, RE: Lurker out of the shadows

[Guest guest]

Complications of chronic liver disease can

in fact include nerve problems (Neuropathy), but the onset of symptoms shouldn’t

be so rapid that you wouldn’t have the opportunity to recognize and deal

with them, even if living alone. Mental acuteness can be affected as well. This

is called Encephalopathy, and results from toxins, mainly Ammonia, not being

filtered out of the blood by a failing liver. This can be managed by diet

(restricting the intake of protein), as well as a number of meds. This should

also not be a bar to living alone, as long as it is recognized and treated. However,

it is possible that you would be restricted from certain activities, like

driving a car or operating machinery, if you begin to show signs of severe Encephalopthy.

A common test for the severity of Encephelopathy is to have the patient draw a

clock face. An affected patient will usually draw a clock with all the numbers squeezed

into one quarter of the clock face. I heard of one patient who showed no signs

of Encephalopathy, leaving the hospital in Iowa City, IA,

intending to drive to his mother’s house across town, and winding up in Omaha, Nebraska. I also live alone, but I have a friend who checks on me every

day.

Steve

Rahn

L Tx

9/85; Waiting for Re-Tx

" Face

the Worst, Expect the Best,

Do

the Most, Forget the Rest "

Lurker out

of the shadows

Hi, my name is . I was dx with PSC

in May and have

been lurking since. This is a great list and

has more information

than any other single source.

About myself:

I am a 56 year old always single male. I

live in Idaho Falls, ID

about 150 miles south of Yellowstone park. and 80 miles

west of

Hole. (, our

mule deer make your little white tails

look like mice, not to mention elk, moose,

antelope, bison, and

caribou.)

I work as a Telecommunications engineer for the

INEEL, a national

nuclear research laboratory. I plan to

retire on my next birthday,

glad to be out from under the stress.

Most of my off-work time is spent with my

girls. I am an advisor for

the International Order of Jobs Daughters, a

Masonic youth group for

teen age girls. Just before diagnosis I took

on a job which will

lead to my being the top adult male in the state

in 4 years. I don't

plan to let any little disease get in the way of

that.

Enough.

In the last few weeks I have noticed a number of

posts mentioning

neural symptoms of PSC. I have not been able

to find any reference

to anything like that in the standard web

sites.

Questions.

1. What are the main symptoms?

2. Is it only active during cholangitis

attacks?

3. Is it severe and quick acting enough to

make me worry about

living alone?

With Confidence,

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