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Mother has very high ammonia levels due to hep c

My Mother has chronic hep C. She has been in and out of the hospital for about 2weeks now. On average she goes to the E.R. atleast once or twice a month because her ammonia level gets too high.Last week she went into the E.R. and when I got there her level was so high she didn't even know who I was, she was shakeing real bad and kept repeating the same thing over and over. It was like one minute she was aware of things, and the next she was ''out of it''. like I said she's been in the hospital because of this before, but lately she's been in there every other day. I'm very worried about her. Her liver doc says she has cirroses of the liver. Her ammonia level was 174. I'm just afraid her liver will crash. It's scary when she's so bad she doesn't know who I am.She is going to have a liver biopsy next week. My question is how high can her ammonia levels be before it will put her into acoma or worse?
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683231 tn?1467323017
You could also post a new question in the cirrhosis community
http://www.medhelp.org/forums/Cirrhosis-of-the-Liver/show/1390
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683231 tn?1467323017
Hi Watusi welcome to the forum

This is a very old discussion from 2007. To help you get more answers start a new question by selecting the post a question button on the top right of the page so more people will see it.

I hope you are seeing a hepatologist at a liver transplant center as you have advanced cirrhosis and that is where you will receive the best care.

Yes you absolutely need to take the Lactulose. It is not for treatment of bowel movement problems it is to help remove the excess ammonia from your system to help with your HE symptoms. I am not taking it but I believe you are to be taking enough to have 3 bowel movements daily. I have hear the taste is not the best fut mixing with water can help. Others here know much more than I about how  to take Lactulose .

There are new medicines available to treat hep c but you need to be seen ASAP by a hepatologist at a transplant center.

Best wishes
Lynn
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Avatar universal
I am 53 years old and live alone in White Plains, New York.  I have no family here and I have cirrhosis I just had an episode of confusion and my lab test showed that my ammonia level was 174 when I went to the hospital.  I am very afraid of dying alone and no one being aware of my passing.  I am taking Xiflaxin and a Beta bloker.  My Doctor did prescribe lactoluse for me but I have not taken any because I thought it was for diarrhea and I have no problems with bowel movement.  Should I be taking it?  I am also HIV+
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Avatar universal
You might want to repost your question by clicking on the ‘post question’ button near the top of the page; this will open a new thread. The one you tagged onto was started in 2007.






answerfilecode: Y342.4
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87972 tn?1322661239
You might want to repost your question by clicking on the ‘post question’ button near the top of the page; this will open a new thread. The one you tagged onto was started in 2007.






answerfilecode: Y342.4
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Avatar universal
"You might want to repost your question by clicking on the ‘post question’ button near the top of the page; this will open a new thread. The one you tagged onto was started in 2007.

I know damn well that's a C&P from the book of Billisms, fess up!
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87972 tn?1322661239
You might want to repost your question by clicking on the ‘post question’ button near the top of the page; this will open a new thread. The one you tagged onto was started in 2007.

I’m sorry to hear of your grandma’s problems; hopefully they can adjust her medications and diet so she can process the ammonia a bit better.

--Bill
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Avatar universal
Hello everyone,

My grandma has Hep C with cirrhosis of the liver and this morning my uncle found her incoherent in her bed with a lot of fluid on her pillow. She was taken to the emergency room this morning and they have been doing xrays and taking CT scans of her since then. She has been on Laculose for a while now and has still been having a lot of trouble using the restroom and remembering things. I just got off the phone with my mom who is at the hospital with her and she told me that my grandma isn't talking, but she has her eyes open and just gives you a blank stare and can't remember who anyone is. Her ammonia level is 84. What does all of this mean? will she ever be able to remember who anyone is again if her ammonia level goes back down or does this mean that her liver has gotten so bad that it's just giving up? please help
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Avatar universal
My husband passed away last week. He had hepacelluar carcinoma secondary to Hep C. He became real confused and on the last day of his life he fell and had a siezure. He recovered and lasted 2 hours. He began to hemorage from his esophecus,( bad spelling),and vomited blood. He then took a another siezure and died. He asperated his blood during the siezure.
No way was I prepared to have witnessed such an horrific death. Especially of that of my very heart of 22 years. I don't know how Im ever going to get over this pain. Not only of losing him but of the way he died. No one should suffer as he did. But he fought hard for 21/2 years. I thank God that he allow him and I in those last 2 hours to express our love for each other.
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Avatar universal
Hello,
My mom recently passed away from liver failure. She had open heart surgery in July - but because of the lengthy surgery they were not able to close her chest. Because of this , not being able to turn her, bed sores started setting in. Eventually they were able to close - she was getting up and sitting in her chair... but along with daiylsis for her one kidney not working.. her liver was having a hard time too. They started getting it under control .. i thought. It was down to a level of 86. Then she started being in a coma like state. We asked what the levels were (we were assuming that they were taking it every day) We were told 86 again and that the coma was probably from the infection that she also currently had. We found out that the last current read was from tuesday and the next test they did was on that friday morning, were the reading was 450. She was placed on the medication for it.
By friday afternoon it was at 520. When I asked why they didn't test for the ammonia everyday since she had been batteling with it.. I was told that when they got the result of 86 they were 'assuming' that it was going down or leveling off. That they didn't feel that it was nessassary to run an 'expensive' test.
It might have helped if they caught it at 100. She passed away a few days later. Make sure to MAKE them to test... costly or not.. its not as costly as loosing a loved one... especially your mother.
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Avatar universal
How is your mom now? I see this forum is about a year old, so I don't know if you are still posting on it.
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250084 tn?1303307435
Hello, welcome here and sorry for you both and family members. I'm having a very 'brain foggy' few days myself as for replying, writing.....but had to reply here!


Babydoll, **You said ......"She's got hep c pretty bad. It's at a level 4.I figure since I'm 22,I young enough to bounce back from it."

**In your comment above, what do you mean ? Do you have Hep C also or Do you mean 'bounce back ' from the stress of caring for her? I sure hope it is not you also have Hep C. Wish the best and reply better tomorrow.

You are both good souls for trying to help your family members!

Shelly, can you please be a little more clear in your post.
1.Your Uncle is in the 'mental hospital' as a patient or right now due to current mental problems possibly from the high ammonia levels?
2.They are trying a new med and won't tell you what it is. Are you listed as allowed to be told his info. on his records? (HIPAA laws)
3.They said he is schizophrenic. Recently? Or because of current problems?

  I ask those questions as the high ammonia levels can cause 'mental problems', so were they all diagnosed before now?
I don't think just high ammonia levels is the only reason they would say 'make burial plans' and as for if you can take him home, care for him, handle him, that's all very unsure without more info. and someone talking to his Dr.s and getting the proper info.
Someone needs to get with his Dr.'s and get better information.
If you can be more clear in this, someone here can help you more.

Good luck, bless you both.

LL



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Avatar universal
My uncle has hep C and is curently in a mental hospital they called and said that his ammonia levels were high and that we should start making barial plans. What do you think they said they were tring a new med today but would not tell me waht it is. He is schizophrenic. Do you think we could handle him at home to get him out of the hospital and is ther anything we can do to help him live a long live. they also have him on a fluid restriction why?
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Avatar universal
I don't know if this will help, but here is a link to one of the Mayo Clinic's living donor programs. Possibly you could contact this place in Arizona and speak to an expert.
http://www.mayoclinic.org/liver-transplant/livingdonorlivertransplant.html

All the best to you both.
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Avatar universal
by the way i do have cirrhosis and am on transplant list but as of today im still not too bad off my meld numbers (model endstage liver disease) are probably about an 8 which is what they were last year,my daughter is onlyy 22 also and this has freaked her out too,good luck and god bless!!
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Avatar universal
i hope you read this i have hep c geno type 1 and have had it either 34yrs or 22 yrs, im for sure no expert on the disease but have studied it since my dx in 2004 trying to stay alive, my daughter would also love to give me some of her liver,but from what ive read those surgeries are mostly being done on babies sometimes the high numbers on my ammonia levels dont necessarily reflect on how retarded my brain is ,like i said before it must be other things like her blood counts as well , i always know who people are just their names elude me i hope this helps you, feel free to ask anything, by the way im not treating for the hepc right now im too poor a candidate, im on hold, as in for dear life!!
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Avatar universal
I would speak to her doctor about her transplant status, has she been evaluated for transplant?How is her diet? I would discuss this with the doctor too to see if that can help. You can also ask the doctor about you sharing your liver. I'd make a list of the questions so you can get him to answer them all.

Im so sorry you are going through this, it must be very scary for you. You stay strong and try to get the health care workers to help you figure out what is going to happen and how you are to deal with it all. Please, see if you can get some help dealing with this. The ammonia causes a form of dementia and that is very hard on you, especially dealing with it alone. Find others who have gone through this, contact your local Hospice and tell them your story. You might contact the doctor's office and discuss with them the issues you are having as her caretaker and see if they can line you up with some support in dealing with this. Try the Ombudsman program at the hospital that is there to help you and assist you in going about caring for someone in her condition or ask for help for support services from the doctor's office staff.
She acts that way because the ammonia affects her thinking process. I'd ask questions about what the plan is from here and ask for some help.
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Avatar universal
Wow!! I didn't realize levels could get that high. I don't know how u get, But when my Mom's levels get high
it's like she's 2 years old or something. She doesn't know where or who she is-pretty scary. If u don't mind asking, what level of hep c do u have? My Mom is at a level 4 which is the worst I think. Maybe we could keep in touch I really don't have anyone to talk to when it comes to this kind of stuff it sure is reasureing that we are not alone in this fight. Bless u and thanks for ur input!
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Avatar universal
Hello Kalio1,
Yeah, she is takeing laculose.As a matter a fact um...
the last time she was in the E.R. they told her to double up on it. I don't think these doc here know what they are doing sometimes. She has a liver doc in Oklahoma City. He saw her this week and was amazed that she was still here. It sure is frustrating yah know? I mean I never know when her ammonia levels will get so high that shes back in the I.C.U. All I do is pray every night that she will be okay the next day. Well, I have a question um,how hard do u think it would be to have the docs take some of my liver out to give it to her? She's got hep c pretty bad. It's at a level 4.I figure since I'm 22,I young enough to bounce back from it. I would sure like to get ur input on that. I hope to hear from u
soon!
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Avatar universal
hi! my ammonia levels have been running about 200 even with lactulose and flagyl,to maybe give you some insight,sometimes i am more on the ball than other times regardless of the high numbers for me its more of an instant recall thing good luck to you and mom!
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Avatar universal
Does the doctor have her on Laculose? That is given to those who have this problem. If she is on Laculose, is she taking it like she is supposed to? If she is not on it, see if you can talk to the doctor about that.

I can't comment on the levels but that would be a good thing to discuss with the doctor or nurse.
She's lucky to have you advocating for her. It's good a biopsy is being done. That will help. Best of luck, see if you can determine if she is taking Laculose to help reduce the ammonia levels.
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