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315996 tn?1429054229

What are the first signs of varicies?

Not sure I am even spelling it right. It's the thing where the blood veins in your esophogus bleed. I think thats how it works. It is common amoung HCV people. I am not on treatment, feel great, better than when I discovered I had HCV a year ago, no other symptoms of anything but this morning there was some blood in my morning cough. I cough more when I'm stressed out, and I'm stressed out from a job promotion coming up so I think I have been coughing more in the morning. If I spit into the sink it is red. I'm thinking maybe just raw from coughing more. I don't want to go to any hospital or doctor.
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Avatar universal
My first variceal bleed was at home, and I just thought I was sick with the flu and then later wondered if I might be having a heart attack.  I had no car, phone or adults around to help me and I just lay there as white as a sheet, heart thumping,  for a few days, and my daughter brought me food which I managed to eat, somehow.  It wasn't until days later that I had the thought that the tarry black stools were blood.  My second bleed I passed out and fell on my face, but had someone to take me to the hospital.  The emergency room nurse and doctor decided I was just having an "anxiety attack" and were sending me home when I mentioned the black stools, and upon testing I was admitted and received 4 bags of blood over 3 days.  It's a horrible, sick feeling and you shouldn't wait to get to the hospital and insist on being checked for internal bleeding, esp. if you have hepC.  Terrible things go on inside the body when you bleed, chemical changes and such, and it's not just like you're missing a little bit of blood.  I was totally ignorant of that the first time around.  Be prepared and have a plan and warn your family of the symptoms so they can get you to the emergency room fast.  It is best to go to the doctor and get the endoscopy so that they can prevent the bleeding!  I put off treatment too, it just makes everything worse.  Save yourself while you still can.  The tests and treatment aren't near as bad as having one of those bleeds.  I have had a couple of small ones too, so don't take it lightly if there's only a small amount of blood or black stool.
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Avatar universal
My husband has Cirrhosis and has had one episode of verices bleeding.  He continues to drink and is having four more blood vessels banded this week.  If the vessels burst before then, how much time does he have to get to the hospital and once he is there could he be saved??
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Avatar universal
You bleed because your platelets are so very low. And you can bleed just about anywhere. Your platelets have to be raised as soon as possible. And it looks that predinisone is not enough.

If the spleen bleeds, it doesn't go into intestines or stomach; blood stays in the abdominal cavity. This is a dangerous situation, because spleen has a lot of blood in it.  But usually, spleen bleeds as the result of trauma.

What does your oncologist say about such low platelets? Do you have liver disease? You should be in the hospital with platelets this low.

Let us know how you are doing.

Helpful - 0
1111202 tn?1262528841
Was able to find out a little more info on varicies. My question is: Is it possible to have bleeding from the spleen (mine is diseased) and it not be enough at a time to drain into the stomach or intestines where it would have to drain out or vomit it up? I am bleeding from somewhere inside my body and my Oncologist can't seem to find out where? Can a blood disorder cause this as well? I have had an endoscopy which bled through the procedure, slightly. Have a huge ulcer of which will not heal but no bleeding that I know of.
So you see I personally am in a state of confusion about "where is my blood going?" For now Prednisone 20mg daily is keeping my blood platelets at 6500..for now. Help?
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
It doesn't sound like varices from my personal experience and from those I know who have had bleeding varices. It is usually a lot more than a little blood in spit - I vomited 4 units in a flash. But I suppose that they could also just slowly leak so I can't rule out the possibility. I would absolutely get seen because living under the threat of bleeding varices is a life of constant extreme anxiety. Will I bleed out or could I be bleeding right now? Blood has a copper like smell which, once you smell it, you can't forget it. I used to swallow air constantly and then burp into my hands cupped in front of my mouth and then smell to see if that copper smell was there. I drove Karen nuts but she was present during one of my bleeds so she knew how dangerous varices can be. I had two major bleeds and then, through consecutive endoscopic sclerotherapy treatments, the varices were obliterated and I had no problems for 4 years. Then I was transplanted.
Good luck,
Mike
Helpful - 0
315996 tn?1429054229
"could it be your gums bleeding? just a thought"

You know, it might be. I had flossed right before going to bed and wasn't that polite to my gums.
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315996 tn?1429054229
No dark stool. Heading to doctor. thanks. Going to sleep with phone on bedside table.
Helpful - 0
318582 tn?1248118551
the symtoms of my varices were dark stools. the one morning i felt like **** but went to work anyway. good thing i did i felt dizzy and stepped outside and passed out. i woke up with someone holding my head and covered in blood. if i had stayed home im sure i would have died. i was told i lost about 35% of my blood by the time ems got me to the hospital, and about 40% bleed out and die.
go to the doctor.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
could it be your gums bleeding? just a thought
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Be sure to go see your Doctor
Helpful - 0
315996 tn?1429054229
Captain's log: no red today
Helpful - 0
315996 tn?1429054229
wow, thanks for the input.
It was just red spit this morning.
I coughed later in the day and nothing, hang on. . . .
I just went into the bathroom and imitated my coughing this morning and spit was clear.
But you all are really making me think about seeing a doctor. thank you

Helpful - 0
439539 tn?1233465815
If you are coughing up blood IMHO atleast see your primary care Dr. Have you had any more blood today ?Do you feel bad? I would have it checked out.
Have you seen the show, Deadliest Catch when Phil coughed up blood and it was a blood clot in his lung?Blood clot was in his leg, went through his heart and ended up in his lung.He had severe chest pains when that was happening.Had severe problems breathing.I just wanted to give you an example.Your the only one who can take care of you.I've never coughed up blood no matter how sore my throat was.
Good Luck on your promotion.
Tammy
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Go to see a doctor.

I have known of my HCV for >10years and have done all the right stuff to stay safe /heathly. Over a weekend in early 2007 I began to have a varices bleed. Thought I felt bad and was coming down with flu. By Monday I was so confused that I did not realize what was actually happening. That evening I passed out in my home, EMS came and by the grace of God my life was saved by great doctors at a great hospital. Before I passed out I did not even realize I was bleeding. Again, I thought I was coming down with a flu/bug and stomach pain with bloating.

Please do not mess around with a possible bleed from HCV complications. It can be very bad very quickly
Helpful - 0
419309 tn?1326503291
Esophageal varices can have no symptoms, and that's what makes them so dangerous.  Varices develop as a result of portal hypertension (increased blood pressure in the liver), usually caused by cirrhosis.  When varices develop and grow, they may not have any noticeable signs at all until they rupture, and when they do, the bleeding can be life-threatening.  If you do not have any significant liver damage the chances of you having varices would be small, but I would be very concerned if you have fibrosis or cirrhosis.  An endoscopy, a exam of your esophagus/upper GI with a lighted scope, is the way to check for esophageal varices.

Scratch, I can empathize with not wanting to go to a hospital or doctor, but I think anytime there's unexplained bleeding it warrants attention.  What you want and what you need are often times two very different things!  I certainly hope it's nothing serious, but unexpected/ unexplained bleeding should definitely be checked out by a health professional.  Best wishes.
~eureka

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