HEPATITIS C and HEPATIC ENCEPHALOPATHY

[shenandoah299]

A patient, today forties, was born of 8 months and on day 3 in the incubator developed very high levels of bilirubin –30%-. The following day patient was transfused after being exposed to the effects of bilirubin for about 12hrs. Along with kernicterus, also presented gastro-intestinal bleeding from mouth and anal orifice. At 6 mos patient couldn’t hold the head up –hanging-, couldn’t bend legs and presented joint abnormalities. Around age 30 patient tested positive to hepatitis C –the most aggressive type-, was put on very high doses of interferon alfa for 1.5 yrs and eventually recovered, although psychic balance seemed compromised. Over the last year, following 2 shoulder surgical operations -2 total anesthesias, analgesics and antidepressants-, patient presented symptoms such as severe irritability and anxiety, reversed sleep rhythm, fainting, low blood pressure, lack of appetite, behavioral and personality changes, phobias, poor/impaired judgment, hypochondria, decreased self-care, flat affect, deterioration -nearly inability- of handwriting, claudication as well as neurologic physical symptomatology.
I would like to know if above symptoms reveal the presence of hepatic encephalitis. Thank you.

[kwill531]

Those are indeed all signs of hepatic encephalopathy, but they can be signs of other things.  I am sure that you should consult a physcian to illiminate all the other possabilities.