Liver cirrhosis

[Dixiebell123]

Hi as I have written in the past my husband as been suffering with liver failure for 12 months now he seems to have turned a corner now gaining weight he failed to get on transplant list due to being to weak he's now walking round house with walking stick not able to do stairs yet but he's determined to he sleeps downstairs my question is he keeps having these little arm jerks on left side his arm will just move randomly and it's starting to affect his sleep it wakes him up to all time I just wondered if anyone else has had these strange movements he is getting down by it it's like his limbs have minds of there own he does have H .E. he will sleep all day if I let him and short term memory loss at times but. Otherwise he's doing well we're still under Leeds for possible transplant in future he also has odema and ascites thanks for all replies

[AyrshireK]

Hi and glad to hear your husband is gaining weight and strength, all important should he progress to another transplant assessment.

You say he has HE - it can certainly cause flapping/involuntary movement of the hands and this could be the jerky movements he is experiencing. When you see the doctors at Leeds do they do a test with him where he has to hold both arms out straight with his palms flat facing away from him? In severe HE this can lead to a real flapping of the hands (lots of videos of asterixis on You Tube). My husband has tremors in his hands especially noticeable when gripping things like his knife and fork but doctors haven't seemed unduly bothered about that saying it is mild and nothing to get excited about but they do check him for 'flapping' at every appointment.

Short term memory loss and losing the thread of conversations also happens alot with my hubby. At his transplant assessment he was prescribed RIFAXIMIN along with the lactulose he'd been on since diagnosis.

Don't know whether your husband takes these also, if not it might be worth asking about. The HE and any new symptoms he's displaying need to be discussed with your consultant.

Fingers crossed your man goes on to get stronger and he can get another go at the transplant assessment. Just a thought, have you been given a diet plan to follow and supplements? My hubby was about 9 stone at TP assessment in June 2014 and was prescribed ensure on top of his carbo and protein diet and he is now approaching 11 stone which all the team at Edinburgh are delighted with.

All the best to you both,

Katie

[Dixiebell123 in reply to AyrshireK]

Yes they check flapping its different to that it looks like he's doing a body popping move lol sorry that's my only way to discribe it yes on all supliments I will speak to consultant were there tomorrow thank you for ur reply he's gone from 7 stone to 10 stone since September so I'm proud of him been hard at times but he's starting to enjoy food again x hope ur hubby is well

[jillian65]

My husband also gets arm jerks when he's encephalopathic. Is your husband taking lactulose, if so increase his dose, and get him hospitalised