My brother

[lilsis551]

Last week my brother was diagnosed with cirrhosis of the liver and hepatitis c.  He was an iv drug user and had been clean over 17 years.  The past two weeks he was not felling well and within that time, he had acities, which was tapped this morning. The family is really worried.  We know that there are a lot more tests to be done, but what else can we expect.  He has already begun to have a yellow hue to his skin.  I appreciate any information I can get.  Thanks.

[chasjl]

Sorry about your brother, my brother in law is in the same condition, but because he was an alcoholic they said that his chances of a transplant are slim.  They said is definatley a candidate if he was dry for long enough.  I am going to watch what anyone tells you and hope that I can get some good information here.  Good luck and god bless.

[copyman]

sorry about your brother. try and get to a hepatologist and get him on the transplant list ASAP. have him eat a strict diet with no meat, fats or sugar. moderate exercise. NO alcohol! take supplements, there have been many types talked about here in the last few months. especially some mentioned from a poster called hepatitisresearcher. search the archives to see what he reccomends to take. good luck.

[moahunter]

I don't think there is much you can do, except to encourage him to follow the adivce of his medical providers, and to try to live as "cleanly" as possible (i.e. no booze, if he is a drinker). This disease can be beaten, but there are no certainties with anything in life, we will all die at one time or another.  I hope for your families sake it is later not sooner, and it may very well be.

You have to be sensitive to his wishes as well. While for many people, the preference is to find out as much as possible about their conditions, others feel differently, and may make different choices from what we would do. Being supportive of the choices that are made, regardless of the consequnces, is I think, the key.