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Avatar universal

Sister with stage 4 liver cirrhosis and now CHF

As if things couldn't be worse, my sister who has stage 4 cirrhosis.  This alone is bad enough, but now she has been diagnosed with CHF.  She is in the hospital now because she had ascites and peripheral edema in both legs.  She has not walked in over 2 months because she has been so weak and also because her legs and feet as so swollen from the edema.  The edema in her legs are causing an arrhythmia in her heart, and they can't seem to get a grip on the edema in her legs.  They cannot release her from the hospital until they get her arrhythmia under control.  I cannot imagine her being released from professional care at all, but before the arrhythmia occurred, they were going to release her and send her home!  I live 1500 miles away from her and I have our 90 yr. old mother to take care of.  Naturally, I am going crazy trying to get her some more help if she goes home.  I have to say that she has been a life-long smoker, and even smoked after she was diagnosed with cirrhosis 5 yrs. ago.  I am not sure she can recover enough NOT to go to a nursing home after the hospital discharges her.  She will be 60 yrs. old soon.  She can't talk on the phone due to not even having enough air to speak.  She can barely text me.  There is no other family near where she lives, and although she has some concerned friends, they cannot provide the amount of care she is going to need.  Will she need oxygen?  I cannot believe this new diagnosis.  Anyone else have experience with these complications?  I am not a negative person, but I don't know how she will overcome this.  She has to be on a very strict diet, and there is no way she can even cook for herself.  I advocate for my mother on a weekly basis it seems, but now my sister needs an advocate and I can't help her.  
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Avatar universal
They will be sending her home with a life vest.  (Still not sure when).  And they will send her home with help and a physical therapist.  Thank goodness.  I don't know anything else really.  I only get a little information here and there.  The life vest intrigues me.  I wonder why they can't put a device in her?  I don't think there is any general anesthesia involved is there?  Does anyone know?
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Avatar universal
This sounds like my sister ridey777.  I am worried if they send her home because she lives alone and there is no one to help her.  I live 1500 miles away from her and I take care of our 90 yr. old mother.  It would be difficult to leave my mother to help her, but she doesn't want me to help her anyway.  In fact it stressed her out so much when I mentioned getting someone else to stay with our mother for a while so I could come and help her out.  Anyway, I don't know what to think and I am worried that they won't get her arrhythmia under control and she may need more care in a rehab.  She hasn't walked in over 2 months because of the edema and ascites and now I realize she must have been majorly out of breath in doing the littlest things.  There are so many complications that I just don't know how she will be able to live by herself if they send her home.    Before she was diagnosed with CHF she was thinking she had bronchitis.  So a lot of self-diagnosing going on.  I don't know if she has been evaluated for a new liver, or if she is even eligible.  May I ask what would keep her off the transplant list at this point?  Just your opinion.  I know the usual things that would keep her off the list like continuing to drink alcohol, or smoking and of course other co-morbidities.  Is CHF considered a co-morbidity?  I would think that a transplant may help her cirrhosis and CHF and any renal failure she may have.  I am pretty sure the CHF is caused by portal hypertension or pulmonary hypertension caused by cirrhosis and I suppose this diagnosis has stages too.    She said that her heart is very weak because apparently this has been going on for some time.  She only saw a gastroenterologist for 5 yrs after her diagnosis of cirrhosis, even though I pushed her many times to see a hepatologist instead.  She just didn't take her diagnosis seriously I guess.   Sorry if I am all over the place with this!  And I am sorry to hear that you have this diagnosis too.  It is difficult to deal with.   If you have any more advice, I would love to hear it.  And prayers for you too.  TY
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5931836 tn?1466960190
Hello, I am 46 years old and have end stage liver failure also. My liver caused pulmonary hypertension which has led to CHF. Pulmonary hypertension is fatal. Just very recently I have experienced more all over body swelling and shortness of breath. I was in the ICU in a transplant hospital for 3 weeks. They have me on meds to control the pulmonary hypertension with the hopes of helping me breathe better, so far not good. 10 days later I was back in the hospital because i literally could not draw a breath, but oxygen levels were fine. I had fluid in my lungs. They used iv lasix to help get the water off. I am on oxygen at night because my level drops, but lately if I do anything strenuous I have trouble breathing, look for having to have oxygen 24/7. I totally know how she feels, tell her I am praying for her and if she wants to contact me, my email is ***@****. Oh, and I am not eligible for any transplant.
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So sorry to hear this, my husband 39, was just diagnosed with CHF and is having problems every night with fluid and coughing. It's so hard
Avatar universal
Every system is breaking down it seems.  Even her endocrine system, as she has thyroid problems now too.  Did your husband start with liver failure?  My sister has been in end stage cirrhosis for over 5 yrs. now.  It seems the kidneys failed after that, and now the heart.  I may never know if she has been evalutated for a new liver.  She probably won't tell me.  
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Avatar universal
So sorry to hear this, my husband who is 39 , was just diagnosed with end stage CHF, and also kidney and liver failure. It's so hard getting meds to work for everything!
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