Hepatitis C a reason for my recent ER trip?

[Nighthawk61]

I suffer from Type 2 Diabetes (recent diagnosis) but have chosen not to take meds and control it with nutrition. I'm doing fine with that. I also have HepC and am awaiting a biopsy and fibroscan. The question I have is this. The other week I went into emerg with what they said was a "slight infection". I vomitted and had diarreah simultaneously before the ambulance was called. I was unable to understand anything, could'nt give my birthdate or even answer how many fingers were held up. I was in emerg for 8 hours before they let me go. My question is this, could this have anything to do with my hepatitis C? I didn't have any input really from the doctor. Could I have been dehydrated? Any comments?

[orphanedhawk]

The thing you need to find out, for yourself and your husband is what condition your liver is in.
He does not necessarily have the same amount of damage that you have, even if you were infected on the exact same day.
The virus doesn't work like that.
Some people's bodies are more able to resist it's affects than others.

No, don't wait for the new year to quit smoking. Do it now !
Smoke like everything you eat and breath is filtered through your liver
. If you want to continue living, you've got to realize this is serious. Stop now. You don't have to do it together.
You are the one who was in delirious in the hospital, not him.

[Nighthawk61]

Learning from you all IS allowing Gerry and myself to feel somewhat "brave" as we stand on the edge of this abyss, as opposed to being overwhelmed with the fears that come from knowing zip about this disease. It is so much easier to hear these thing from you all that have experienced them, rather than to try to rifle through the internet for some clue as to what's going on now with our bodies, or what we can expect to maybe happen in the future. Honestly, I wouldn't know where to even start.

MD appointment on Sunday, fibroscan mid October. Now, I'm more worried about my husband than myself, in that his doctor missed some of the blood work that i had requested.  So, not only have I got him to join me on a "quit" date in the new year for smoking, he's also agreed that we would both be better off with the same doctor, so that I can use your advice here, with him. This is a HUGE worry off of my mind.

Thanks from the bottom of our hearts for picking up my thread after my ER trip!

[BoceprevirGal]

  Thank you, Hector.   It is alarming that a Doctor wouldn't feel treatment was needed, when he/she first discovered NH"s liver to be scarred.
  
  

[orphanedhawk]

Thanks for the clarification. I thought scarring always meant cirrhosis.

[HectorSF]

Fibrosis and cirrhosis

After the liver has been inflamed for a long period of time (for example from chronic hepatitis C) connective tissues in the liver lobule accumulate. Fibrosis is accumulation of extracellular matrix proteins including collagens in different parts of the liver lobule. Fibrosis is asymptomatic and its major clinical importance is the potential for progression to cirrhosis.

Cirrhosis cover a wide range of illness. It can be asymptomatic or or near death. Death can result from progression of liver failure, from complication of portal hypertension (bleeding), or from hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Stage 1 cirrhosis:
Scarring always means cirrhosis. Although in early cirrhosis there may be incomplete scarring and the cross-linking of collagen. This can occur when there is little portal hypertension and no varices. No symptoms may exist.

Stage 2 cirrhosis:
Cirrhosis, in particular the development of portal hypertension, is responsible for the clinical manifestations of chronic liver disease. During more advanced compensated cirrhosis portal hypertension will exist with a HVPG (hepatic venous pressure gradient) of >10 mmHg. Varices will be present and the architecture of the liver changes. This is when thick cellular scaring is present and regenerative nodules exists in the liver. This interferes with vascular blood flow resulting in portal hypertension. This is when any imaging study can confirm the diagnosis of cirrhosis by seeing the regenerative nodular growths. Which is the classic sign of cirrhosis. No symptoms may exist.

Stages 3,4,5 cirrhosis
When the cirrhosis becomes decompensated the liver can no longer perform all of its functions. This is when the complications of cirrhosis appear. HVPG  is then > 12 mmHg. Ascites, bleeding varices, hepatic encephalopathy, sepsis, renal failure etc. Which in time will progress to either death or liver transplant.

For photos of the stages of fibrosis and cirrhosis try this link. You can see the fibrosis spreading from some portal areas to completely surrounded lobule boundary (cirrhosis).
http://www.intechopen.com/books/liver-biopsy/can-we-replace-liver-biopsy-with-non-invasive-procedures-

Hector

[orphanedhawk]

In cases of advance cirrhosis biopsies are not recommended.
I've suggested to NH that she have a full hepatic panel as well as ammonia levels checked with her lab.

There also is the chance her situation in the ER was caused from some other cause, unknown to us laypeople.
When it happened to me, there were several things they checked for including a stroke.