RE: Distal Spleno-renal Shunt

[Guest guest]

,

Thanks for responding. Great news about the platelet count. Mine got as low

as 37 before they started the Beta Blockers. It went back up as high as 75

and now is on a decline again. I had labs today so I will get the results

tomorrow. 2 weeks ago it was 51 with a protime of 17.4. The bruising seems

better this week but last week I was on vacation and wasn't working. This

always seems to help. I have changed my appointment with Hepatologist from

the 31st of this month to next Wednesday. I hate to go because everything is

getting worse low WBC's RBc's Protein and Albumin and the protime is so far

out, I'm affraid he's going to rethink the transplant " thing " .

I must say though after seeing Randy and how well he's doing now I am much

less frightened by the thoughts of a transplant. He and Cheryl are such

great people and are so obviously in love that they are an inspiration to us

all.

Thanks for the info and will let you know what the dreaded lab's have to

show.

.

[Guest guest]

Aisha,

Your protime simply put tells how quickly your blood clots. They check my

albumin & protein because these are indicators of how severe the liver damage

is. (These are routinely included in the Hepatic function panel they order

for me. The WBC and RBC's they check because of the Cellcept. This can

cause a decrease in these to labs. Because of the portal hypertention they

check the platlets. As the spleen enlarges due to the portal hypertention

your platlets drop. If you get the Dr. Palmer book she explains in great

simplicity what all these labs are for and what they indicate.

[Guest guest]

Thanks Patty,

I know you are going through a lot. You hang in there. I'm to tired to

worry about true love right now, I'm just happy they found each other.

[Guest guest]

Can somebody tell me, besides the basic liver panel (AST, ALT, Bilirubin,

GGT), what other things should I be tested for? Like protime? Why is

protime important? What else besides protime?

thanks, aisha

>From: MKANTZLE@...

>Reply-

>

>Subject: Re: [ ] Distal Spleno-renal Shunt

>Date: Thu, 11 Jul 2002 18:38:00 EDT

>

>,

>

>Thanks for responding. Great news about the platelet count. Mine got as

>low

>as 37 before they started the Beta Blockers. It went back up as high as 75

>and now is on a decline again. I had labs today so I will get the results

>tomorrow. 2 weeks ago it was 51 with a protime of 17.4. The bruising seems

>better this week but last week I was on vacation and wasn't working. This

>always seems to help. I have changed my appointment with Hepatologist from

>the 31st of this month to next Wednesday. I hate to go because everything

>is

>getting worse low WBC's RBc's Protein and Albumin and the protime is so far

>out, I'm affraid he's going to rethink the transplant " thing " .

>

>I must say though after seeing Randy and how well he's doing now I am much

>less frightened by the thoughts of a transplant. He and Cheryl are such

>great people and are so obviously in love that they are an inspiration to

>us

>all.

>

>Thanks for the info and will let you know what the dreaded lab's have to

>show.

>

>.

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Thanks for info, ! Yes, I ordered the Palmer book the same day I was

given the title. I can't wait to read it.

thanks, aisha

>From: MKANTZLE@...

>Reply-

>

>Subject: Re: [ ] Distal Spleno-renal Shunt

>Date: Thu, 11 Jul 2002 18:55:07 EDT

>

>Aisha,

>

>Your protime simply put tells how quickly your blood clots. They check my

>albumin & protein because these are indicators of how severe the liver

>damage

>is. (These are routinely included in the Hepatic function panel they order

>for me. The WBC and RBC's they check because of the Cellcept. This can

>cause a decrease in these to labs. Because of the portal hypertention they

>check the platlets. As the spleen enlarges due to the portal hypertention

>your platlets drop. If you get the Dr. Palmer book she explains in great

>simplicity what all these labs are for and what they indicate.

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

,

You have been through alot, sounds like modern medicine is doing its job (as

is stress). My thoughts are still with you regarding the death of your

father. I recall how sad it was when I lost mine.

Hang in there you came through your crisis like a trooper!

Congratulations!

Patty

[ ] Distal Spleno-renal Shunt

Dear and all,

Just an update. My shunt is working well. Everything is flowing the

way it should. In fact, my Portal Vein has reduced in diameter. My

platelets are 69K. If I had been closer to a transplant they would

have done a TIPS surgery. My surgeon said the TIPS was mainly used

for patients waiting for a transplant because of the risk of it

clotting off. The shunt surgery was more permanent and the good

thing is that it is done on the left side which doesn't cause

adhesions and scaring complications for a transplant further down the

road. They shunt the venous return from the esophagus, stomach and

spleen into the vein coming out of the Kidney and thereby bypass the

Liver. The venous return to the heart from the intestines and lower

body still come through the Liver but it is less volume and therefore

lowers the pressure on the Liver and the Portal vein. The hope is

that this proceedure will cause both the spleen and the veins in the

esophagus to decompress and heal. It is a very complicated surgery to

perform because the vein from the kidney is located deep and under

the pancreas.

Because of the stress of surgery, my father passing, etc. I had a

flare up of my AIH. My doctor put me on a Prednisone burst and my

labs are looking much better. I have never been off Prednisone.

There was bridging damage to the liver when it was first diagnosed in

1988. I couldn't tolerate Beta Blockers to lower the Portal

hypertension is why they did the surgery. I was starting to have

bleeding problems because of very low platelets and increased Portal

Hypertension. I am down to 15mg of Prednisone today and get to go

back down to my usual 10mg/day next week. I am so sensitive to that

stuff! It was a rough last few weeks. Only two weeks to go before

the move to Oregon. I will remember to rest and not push too hard.

Any more questions, feel free to ask.

You are all in my thoughts and prayers..../88/WA

[Guest guest]

, I'm glad you are less anxious about the transplant after seeing

Randy, it really does work for the majority of the people, If you have to

anticipate a transplant I urge you to see if your area has a support group.

There you can meet people who have gone through or a waiting for a

transplant. The spirit of these people is amazing. The situation of a

transplant is rarely a choice. Unlike a kidney there is no method of

compensating (I am referring to dialysis). Now, finding true love is a

different story...

Good luck on both!

Patty

Re: [ ] Distal Spleno-renal Shunt

,

Thanks for responding. Great news about the platelet count. Mine got as

low

as 37 before they started the Beta Blockers. It went back up as high as 75

and now is on a decline again. I had labs today so I will get the results

tomorrow. 2 weeks ago it was 51 with a protime of 17.4. The bruising seems

better this week but last week I was on vacation and wasn't working. This

always seems to help. I have changed my appointment with Hepatologist from

the 31st of this month to next Wednesday. I hate to go because everything

is

getting worse low WBC's RBc's Protein and Albumin and the protime is so far

out, I'm affraid he's going to rethink the transplant " thing " .

I must say though after seeing Randy and how well he's doing now I am much

less frightened by the thoughts of a transplant. He and Cheryl are such

great people and are so obviously in love that they are an inspiration to us

all.

Thanks for the info and will let you know what the dreaded lab's have to

show.

.

[Guest guest]

Oh, I hope you are recovering well

now. I will keep you in MY thoughts!

[ ] Distal

Spleno-renal Shunt

Dear and all,

Just an update. My shunt is working well.

Everything is flowing the

way it should. In fact, my Portal Vein has

reduced in diameter. My

platelets are 69K. If I had been closer to a

transplant they would

have done a TIPS surgery. My surgeon said

the TIPS was mainly used

for patients waiting for a transplant because of

the risk of it

clotting off. The shunt surgery was more

permanent and the good

thing is that it is done on the left side which

doesn't cause

adhesions and scaring complications for a

transplant further down the

road. They shunt the venous return from the

esophagus, stomach and

spleen into the vein coming out of the Kidney and

thereby bypass the

Liver. The venous return to the heart from

the intestines and lower

body still come through the Liver but it is less

volume and therefore

lowers the pressure on the Liver and the Portal

vein. The hope is

that this proceedure will cause both the spleen

and the veins in the

esophagus to decompress and heal. It is a very

complicated surgery to

perform because the vein from the kidney is

located deep and under

the pancreas.

Because of the stress of surgery, my father

passing, etc. I had a

flare up of my AIH. My doctor put me on a

Prednisone burst and my

labs are looking much better. I have never

been off Prednisone.

There was bridging damage to the liver when it was

first diagnosed in

1988. I couldn't tolerate Beta Blockers to

lower the Portal

hypertension is why they did the surgery. I

was starting to have

bleeding problems because of very low platelets

and increased Portal

Hypertension. I am down to 15mg of

Prednisone today and get to go

back down to my usual 10mg/day next week. I

am so sensitive to that

stuff! It was a rough last few weeks.

Only two weeks to go before

the move to Oregon. I will remember to rest

and not push too hard.

Any more questions, feel free to ask.

You are all in my thoughts and

prayers..../88/WA

[Guest guest]

Hi Aisha!

The protime

measures the amount of time it takes for your blood to clot. Since the liver

makes many of the clotting factors, a long prothrombin

time means that the liver is not functioning well. It shouldn’t take more

than 12 -13 seconds for your blood to form a fibrin clot.

But some people on anticoagulants can take

longer to clot, say 14 to 16 seconds, because the doctor wants them at that

level to prevent a possible stroke. That is a different thing altogether.

I get the hepatic profile, protime, CBC with differential, serum protein

electrophoresis and occasionally, glucose, tests run every month.

Re: [ ] Distal

Spleno-renal Shunt

>Date: Thu, 11 Jul 2002 18:38:00 EDT

>

>,

>

>Thanks for responding. Great news about

the platelet count. Mine got as

>low

>as 37 before they started the Beta

Blockers. It went back up as high as 75

>and now is on a decline again. I had

labs today so I will get the results

>tomorrow. 2 weeks ago it was 51 with a protime

of 17.4. The bruising seems

>better this week but last week I was on

vacation and wasn't working. This

>always seems to help. I have changed my

appointment with Hepatologist from

>the 31st of this month to next

Wednesday. I hate to go because everything

>is

>getting worse low WBC's RBc's Protein and

Albumin and the protime is so far

>out, I'm affraid he's going to rethink the

transplant " thing " .

>

>I must say though after seeing Randy and how

well he's doing now I am much

>less frightened by the thoughts of a

transplant. He and Cheryl are such

>great people and are so obviously in love that

they are an inspiration to

>us

>all.

>

>Thanks for the info and will let you know what

the dreaded lab's have to

>show.

>

>.

>

>

>