Slugish

[Gremlin2]

I AM A 47 YEAR OLD MALE, HAVE HAD CHRONICH HEP-C WITH CIRROCCS , DIAGNOSED IN 1997 ,BECAME INFECTED IN 1977 FROM A BLOOD TRANSFUSSION. SEEMS ALL I READ IS THAT HEP-C CAUSES ADVANCE LIVER DISSEASE IN JUST A FEW, (VERY CONFUSE-ING) HAVE STARTED HAVING BOUTS OF H,E. PARDON THIS SPELLING TRY HEPATIC ECPHATHEDY. DOES THIS MEAN I AM IN A LOOSING BATTLE, OR DO I HAVE ALOT OF TIME LEFT. THE LAST BOUT MY AMOMIA LEVELS WERE UP TOO 272 WAS IN A COMA FOR 4 DAYS. THIS IS THE 2ND COMA IN THE PAST YEAR AND A HALF,
HOW DO I TALK WITH MY WIFE AND KIDS ABOUT THIS WITH-OUT SCARE-ING THEM TO DEATH,   THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME
                                           PHIL

[new-sojourn]

Cirrhosis is liver damage-extreme liver damage.  And don't you think being in a coma twice didn't scare the pants off your family?

You have a progressive fatal disease that is now in the latter stages if your having encephalopathic comas.  there's nothing left except death.  How much worse to you have to get before you come to grips w/ your disease?

First things first, what's your genotype?  I was a 2b, infected in 1967 via trasfusion, dx in 2001, tx'd and cl'd in 2002.  I'm older than you, had liver failure and one brief coma, b/that was hospital induced largely.

In the fall of 2001, i was making ammends, building bridges and saying good by b/c the doctors told me I had little time.

Well, I didn't die.  And got to start a whole new life w/o the baggage-I had made my apoligies and everyone had said that's ok.

It's a different life b/c its highly structured to be 'liver friendly.' That means a strict, almost veggie diet, little dairy or protein-that ammonia thing w/the encephalopathy-and lotsa rest and much simpler now.  Material things are not so important.  We chose a 'lower', simpler standard w/'higher' rewards and satisfaction.

[twotells]

Have you explored the possibility of treatment.  My understanding is that many of us, not just a few, will progress to cirrosis in time without treatment.

Does your family know you have HCV?  I think some people here have had Brain swelling (encephalopathy) which is associated with high ammonia levels.  Maybe one of them will respond.  Perhaps your doc will explain this to at least one family member who can then help you communicate to the others.  Dave