Cirrhosis Support Group

Rummi,
I was somewhat confused in your first post as to what was actually going on with your fiance. I an still unclear.

Firstly you say he had an esophageal bleed (once) in 2004. Cirrhosis is the most common cause for this type of bleeding, but not the only cause. If it was varices and left untreated then 70% of people with this condition will die within the first year. The varices can be caused by alcoholic cirrhosis or viral hepatitis.

Was he treated for esophageal varices?

You then go on to say that he had a Mallory Weiss tear in 2007. The most common reason for such tears is forceful or long term vomiting or coughing. There does not seem to be any connection with cirrhosis.

Between then and now, it would appear that nothing else has been wrong with him. So now I don't understand why he has had conflicting medical diagnosis in the last two years. Diagnosis of what??

If he has had no symptoms of cirrhosis since the bleed in 2004, why do you even suspect he has cirrhosis? And what was he being diagnosed for during the last two years??

Cirrhosis as a disease is only called cirrhosis at stage 4 of liver disease. Blood tests, ultrasound and/or a biopsy will confirm it. But from what you say he has not had ultrasound or a biopsy or a CT scan. You say his 'labs' are normal, assuming this means blood/urine, I guess with no sign of raised liver enzymes.

Who told you he had cirrhosis? Was he diagnosed with alcoholic cirrhosis and if so HOW was he diagnosed?

Your second posting muddies the water even more......

When did he attend AA meetings and why did he go?
You also say that he didn't like AA and that is understandable. Some people get great benefit from it, others do not. There is a huge amount of controversy about the effectiveness or otherwise of AA, but that is not a discussion for this board.

You say you have not told him to stop drinking completely, but as I'm sure you know there is no half way measure for an alcoholic. They either drink or they don't. Occasional drinks at special occasions do not work.

You say that right now he is locked up for multiple DUIs - this pretty much confirms he is a hard core alcoholic. If he is a clever man and aware of his humanity he would realize the stupidity of drunken driving.

Then you go on to say that he has been sober for a year - Is that because he was jailed for 1 year or more? Or did he give up drinking before going into jail??

To compound the confusion, you then say he is bi-polar (which is controllable with drugs) and that he is now suffering from two diseases; namely cirrhosis and bi-polar disease.

Is he being treated for either? and what impact has one got on the other if any??

So, finally you ask for help. But help for what. There is no evidence that he has cirrhosis, and there is no cure for it anyway. The bi-polar stuff is way outside my realms of experience so I cannot comment.

So, taking your two posts together I am lost as to what is really going on and even whether he is free or incarcerated!

I know people here are always willing to help and will do their best to do so. But I feel you need to concisely state what the known facts are and not present a moving target with no clarity about anything.

I don't want to be harsh, but having spent a long time trying to pull your posts apart to try to help you I have ended up with more questions than answers!

Judging by the multiple answers already given in this thread from intelligent, knowledgeable people, I suspect I am not the only one who fails to understand either what the problem is and what you actually want help with!!!

Please clarify if you can, or just call me stupid!!!

Confossed from Atlanta,

Craig

Craig I am sorry for your confusion. Let me try to add clarity in the best possible way that I can. I ramble because there is too much to say. So let me start by answering your first question. His 2004 bleed was treated by Variceal banding. He had a minor bleed a few months after that but was treated as well. He was given Nadolol for treatment however he took it for a short while and then stopped until he met me in 2006. His next hospitalization was for the Mallory Weiss tear. During that visit the GI doc that scoped him told me that he had multiple stage 1 varices in his stomach and esophagus and that he would be dead in a year if he did not get a transplant. Now where it gets confusing is because another doc, the internist, told us that he didnt understand why that GI doc had told us that. He said that my fiance had a good 20 years before he needed any transplant. SO that was the first confliction. Now since then, my fiance has been healthy. No symptoms of Cirrhosis. SO you ask why I think he has cirrhosis. Well because that GI doc told me so. He said that even though my fiance had not had an ultrasound or biopsy he could confirm his diagnosis based on the varices.
Now about his drinking. Well he was going to AA meetings because of his probation. HE does not believe in AA. He does not like to go but since it was court ordered he went. From 2006 to 2008 he remained sober due to an alcohol monitoring device on his ankle and because of his strict probation. However in 2008 he failed a breathalizer test when he attended a probation meeting which revoked his probation and sent him to prison for 5 years. He has been in prison now for 1 year. Now the docs in there have told him that his liver is working fine and that they have no reason to believe that he has cirrosis since he has no history of HEpatitis nor a lengthy enough history of drinking since he is only 36. And since he has gone for periods of time without drinking they say that his liver has had time to regenerate anyway. SO I guess this is where I am confused. Shouldnt he have more symptoms by now. Especially since he has had varices since 2004?

As far as his bipolar. He is on medication for treatment however it doesnt seem to work and to be honest I dont even know if he is truly bipolar. THats a total different case. Either way he does see a psychiatrist and they prescribed Seroquel to him.But he is not consistent in taking his meds anyway.

And as for what kind of help do I need. Well I guess I just need to vent and share, not really help. I hope to attain information on related symptoms and course of treatment for cirrhosis. IN addition I would like to meet people who also suffer from alcoholism and cirrhosis and learn about their success stories in hope to apply similar strategies to my fiance to assist him in his rehabilitation. I guess I am doing my homework.

Rummi,
Thanks for making that clearer for all of us!

In terms of finding information, read back through the posting in both the discussions and advice sections. I would also point you in the direction of the alcoholics group though whether you get much actual help there is questionable.

Ask targeted questions here, and make use of messages if you want to ask someone a question, but don't want it visible to everyone.

We are all here to help and will do so. Ask away!!!!

You are welcome to message me at any time.

Thanks,

Not confossed any more in Atlanta!

Craig

And yes do get a firm diagnosis.