Re: Hepatic encephalopathy

[Guest guest]

shamrocksmom2 wrote:

> Has anyone had to deal with this particular side effect of using

> diuretics. If so please let me know how this was addressed by their

> docs.

>

Hepatic encephalopathy comes when the liver is not filtering the toxins

as efficiently as normal. I don't know whether diuretics would affect

it or not. My HE was dx last fall and I take Xifaxan and Kristalose for it.

Regards,

Carolyn B. in SC

[Guest guest]

Hello

Thanks for replying. I will certainly be looking up the meds you

mentioned. I was wondering if you were aware at any time that you

were experiencing the HE?

>

> > Has anyone had to deal with this particular side effect of using

> > diuretics. If so please let me know how this was addressed by

their

> > docs.

> >

>

>

> Hepatic encephalopathy comes when the liver is not filtering the

toxins

> as efficiently as normal. I don't know whether diuretics would

affect

> it or not. My HE was dx last fall and I take Xifaxan and

Kristalose for it.

>

> Regards,

> Carolyn B. in SC

>

[Guest guest]

>

> Thanks for replying. I will certainly be looking up the meds you

> mentioned. I was wondering if you were aware at any time that you

> were experiencing the HE?

Oh my, yes!!! Actually, my husband is much more aware of it than I

am. Sometimes I don't realize when I've done or said something that

doesn't make sense. At those times, I suddenly realize he's looking

at me oddly (obviously thinking, " OK, do I dare go back to work and

leave her for a few hours? Will she be OK on her own? " ). There's not

much in life as unsettling as being aware that you're losing your grip

mentally.

Classic example was this evening. Our pastor and his wife dropped by

for a visit and I wanted to give him my offering check. I opened the

checkbook and thought " Oh my! I didn't remember there were that many

lines on a check! What do I put where? And who am I making it to?

And how much? " My brain goes suddenly blank and I can't figure out

what to do. It's pretty scarey the first few times stuff like that

happens and I tended to panic and dissolve in massive sobbing. Now I

simply look at my husband and say " Please do it for me. " He is SOOO

supportive!!!

Not being able to figure out how to write a check is a mighty bitter

pill to swallow. I was a physics major in college. Now I feel as if

most 2nd graders function higher than I do on some days. And, yes,

the days are very different but I haven't yet figured out why. Some

days are really good and other days my brain is lost in a pea-soup fog.

Other examples ..... I can't find words I want to finish (or even

begin) a sentence. When I'm talking to my best friend on the phone

and am struggling for words and thoughts, my husband will give me a

big smile and say (in his best operator voice) " Conversational

Assistance Line. May we help you? " That cracks me up and so we laugh

instead of cry. Sometimes I know the word I want, but I can't get my

mouth wrapped around it to pronounce it.

It's extremely frustrating, even after you're able to work your way

from crying about it to laughing about it. Needless to say, I no

longer drive at all or use the stove when I'm home alone. Another

symptom that really bothers me is that my hands tremble a lot; the

foggier my day, the worse the trembling.

If there's any question of HE, the dr. should order an ammonia level

drawn. There are numerous methods of testing the ammonia level in the

blood (it is not standardized as most blood tests are), and so each

lab will likely have a different range for " normal. " Be sure you're

not comparing your ammonia level to someone else's whose lab may use

different values.

Hope this helps and doesn't scare you too much. There's an excellent

chart which outlines the stages, if I can just remember where to find

it online. I think Barb in Texas posted it originally.

Regards,

Carolyn B. in SC