Help?

[1979ts]

My father has informed me he now has satge 2 liver disease and pancreatitis. He is an alchoholic and has hep c. He states that he will not quit drinking. Im wanting to know how long he has and what is going to happen? TS

[Deb9991]

There is an old saying:  "God looks after drunks and little children," except when hepatitis C is involved.  

Bill and nygirl gave you some wise and prudent advice.

First, it is great to have you posting.  It is also touching to see the love you have for your father, and how caring and concerned you are.  It is really hard seeing someone you love so much with an alcohol problem...I know.  

Giving up alcohol is no easy task, even when the alcoholic desperately wants to.  There is the "intervention method," that is being pushed now on recalcitrant alcoholics, but you can lead a horse to water, but....  I think right now, it is important for you to learn all you can about this devestating disease, coupled with hepatitis C.  I would call a treatment center, and talk to them, and maybe they can give you some advice.  You can keep talking to your father -- keep trying.  It is difficult.  You can call the National Council on Alcohol and Drug Abuse and see what they have to say.  You can, as Bill mentioned, try and get your father on this forum just to talk to people.  Tell your father that we help each other, we vent, we discuss our physical and emotional issues, we talk about the effects of hepatitis C on the liver and other extrahepatic conditions -- hep c just doesn't effect the liver, it can effect your kidneys, be a contributing factor to different types of cancers, and adversely effect numberous, other bodily systems.  Sometimes things get crazy on the forum and we have a lot of fun.  This is by no means a dour forum -- it is enlightening and mind expanding and, from my personal experience, I have learned so much that I never knew before.  You father can learn too and maybe he'll start to change his way of thinking. Knowledge is power!

Also, as mentioned above, hepatitis C, by its very nature, attacks the liver -- so does alcohol.  When you asked how serious your father's situation is, there is no way of knowing -- but one thing is certain.  If he continues to drink, with hep C, there is a high possibility that the liver disease he already has, very likely will progress even faster.  Also, you father will suffer a lot just from pancreatitis and from what I hear, it's no picnic.  Try to get the facts and present them to him in a calm, informative way.  Alcoholism is a disease of denial -- that denial has to be smashed.  Also, as Bill mentioned, before he can even treat for hepatitis C, he has to be sober for at least six months.  

I wish you and your father the very best.  You need support too, so keep in contact with the folks on this forum and know that we are all here to help you and each other.

Debbie

[nygirl7]

Excessive alcohol use is the most common cause of chronic pancreatitis can also be a contributing factor in acute pancreatitis.  Alcohol  use with hepC will help exacerbate the inflammation of the liver (fibrosis which leads to cirrhosis).  

Obviously he needs to quit drinking but that is not as easy to make someone do as you'd like.

Good luck.

[Bill1954]

Hi, and welcome to the discussion group. I agree with Diane; while his liver damage isn’t terribly significant at this point, it might not remain this way if he continues to drink. Fibrotic progression is difficult to predict, but the one things that stands out in every study is that alcohol hastens this process.

Unfortunately, there’s not much you or anyone else can do until he makes some positive choices and decides to stop drinking. He could consider stopping for a year or two, manage his HCV, and then take another long look at his alcoholism; but as it stands, doctors will likely refuse to allow him the interferon therapy if he continues to drink.

He’s welcome to stop in here and read for a bit; lots of us, including myself have had issues with alcohol in the past—he might enjoy the banter in here?

Good luck to you and your family—

--Bill

[Diane12855]

I'm grade 2 stage 2......... That's pretty much the middle of the road as far as liver damage goes... not healthy, but not cirrhosis either. Him stating that he isn't going to quit drinking isn't good though. Alcohol and hep c together will damage the liver much faster than hep c alone. He needs to realize that he needs help with his drinking first and foremost. As for what is going to happen... nobody can tell you that. There are some people who have gone for many years and are fine, and others who have died a horrible death. This disease treats everyone differently.

Diane