It is all a can of worms 🌼

Hi guys. Hope you are ok and coping?

Results of my gastro was no varices found but got a sliding Hiatus hernia. The other thing they disclosed was portal hypersensitive in stomach (I can't remember the exact wording)

Could anyone please shed some light on this as I haven't found much on the internet. No mention of spleen or anything else 👍

Also, I am taking lactulose 20ml 2x daily and am not going for a poo regularly at all. When I do, it is light in colour. Not an ideal Sunday afternoon conversation i know 😵 but it is bothering me, guys . I am eating salad, fibre, eggs, fruit etc etc etc every few hours. I feel bloated but hungry. My stomach is swollen a little with ascites again also loss if appetite. Sorry to sound confusing.

Any help, words , thoughts would be welcomed 😘

X x

[AyrshireK]

Hi Mellow, it was probably Portal Hypertensive Gastropathy that they found in your stomach lining - you will find details of this on line and it can make the stomach lining more sensitive (my hubby has that and he would often be bent double with horrendous pain after eating anything acidic - oranges, orange juice, coleslaw, pasta sauces, pickles etc.). Hubby knows what he can eat and what he can't to avoid these symptoms he is also prescribed OMEPRAZOLE to reduce stomach acid production.

You need to be going to the loo upto about 4 times aday so perhaps you need to up the dosage of your lactulose - it is one medication which you can 'play with' and amend to your needs. If you are really constipated then perhaps you need something in addition to get you back on track - hubby was prescribed laxido or movicol sachets to get things going but he doesn't have to take this very often. He finds that a slice of fruit cake (like Christmas Cake), coffee and chocolate also aid him to go.

Hubby was advised not to eat that much salad, since he was malnorished he was advised to eat more carbohydrates and protein rather than 'fill up on salad stuff' from which the body wouldn't get enough fuel.

I don't know the implications of a hiatus hernia so can't offer any guidance there - one for the doctors.

As regards ascites, if you really feel like you are getting fluid building up then it is not something to hang about with - that is a medical emergency and needs treating.

Please look afteryourself Mellow

Katie xx

[Hidden in reply to AyrshireK]

You're an angel 😇

Thanks loads, you take care too 😘

X x

[jules45 in reply to AyrshireK]

Hi Katie, as I've mentioned to you in the past and you have been very kind to me, I have portal hypertension and gastritis. Is this why I can't tolerate citrus fruits. Grapefruit I tried recently and made me feel like I was passing battery acid. Used to be on omeprazole - now on lansoprazole to no avail. Also, have been diagnosed now after ultrasound with grossly disstended bladder and acute bladder retention. Haven't had official scan report yet but the disstended bladder with a bit of ascities would equal huge stomach which made me think it was all ascities. Sorry to butt in with your conversation with mellow but thought I would catch you while you were on subject of stomachs with Mellow.

thanks and keep well

julie xx

[Hidden in reply to jules45]

Hi! 🌼

Hope you don't mind me asking but what symptoms do you have with disstended bladder? I have tried a stir fry tonight with no fats, oils etc to try and get things moving 😵. Also taken extra dose of lactulose like Katie said.

Been toilet since, still light in colour.

I have a scan sometime in march.

X x

[jules45 in reply to Hidden]

Hi mellow, nice to hear from you. I have suffered from not being able to wee for a long time and my bladder is disstended which means is huge. I have to empty it with a tube as it can hold up to 4 litres and could rupture which can be fatal. Went for ultrasound last Tues and the radiologist was shocked as they asked for a full bladder for scan and it was then picked up as grossly disstended. Im in the hands of urologist but awaiting official report. Seeing hepatologist next Tues for cirhossis. I will probably have to manually empty my bladder with handbag size catheters for life. With the bowel issue, I take Picolax as I can get blocked up. Told my GP that lactoluse made me feel sick and made my stomach gurgle and gave me wind and didn't work. Eggs used to block me terribly so I don't eat them now. I googled disstended bladder and wish I hadn't but it is also connected to ascities where the fluid on the abdomen is slowly escaping into the urine causing more fluid to go into bladder. Im waiting for a follow up urology appointment now. I have no urge to pass any until I have about 3.5 litres then it wont come out! Your pale stools might mean you should have a sample sent away to check it out properly. Could you suggest to your GP or your liver doctor

lots of best wishes

julie xxxx

[Hidden in reply to jules45]

Good idea, Julie, I will 😘

I've just been reading your history and I must say that I take my hat off to you as I do others on here 😘. I love your honesty. Good luck for Tuesday 🌼

X x

[jules45 in reply to Hidden]

Thanks mellow, its better to be honest in the hope that your experience can somehow help others. You've been through it as well so give yourself credit. Hope doctors goes ok and scan in March and if theres anything just ask me and if I dont know I won't make it up x Quite nervous about Tues as a lot has happened since I last saw hepatologist but he is a nice man thank goodness. Going on my own isn't pleasant either.

Keep well and remember that your trying to help yourself as best you can

julie xxx

[Hidden in reply to jules45]

Thank you.

Have you got anyone who could go with you?

X x 🌼

[jules45 in reply to Hidden]

We are a pair of nightowls. Noone to come with me as my only family is my auntie who is always busy. Hope the hospital transport driver isn't creepy as it's an hour and a half's drive from here.

Thanks for your interest. What time are you normally in bed. I can be up till 3 then awake by 7 which was a topic of discussion on here recently and there are links with liver problems and sleep issues. Did you read the posts?

cyber hug

julie xx

[Hidden in reply to jules45]

No, I didn't read those posts. Would bve very interested to! Where are they?!? 👍

Yes, I am awake until about 4 then wake as my husband goes work at 7.30. Sometimes I fall back to sleep for an hour or so. 😴

Would love to have your company if you are still up. I'm always here checking posts on here with the shopping channel on in the background with hubby sleeping away! Lol!

Where do you live? I'm junc 23 M1. Do you work? I have had to leave teaching. Gutted. 😢 😢 😢

I'm wanting to do some kind of work once this hopefully stabilizes.

X x 🌼

[julieju in reply to jules45]

Count me in with you nocturnals! Is it a symptom of cirrhosis?

[julieju in reply to jules45]

Hiya jules45,

I haven't been on here for a while. I care for my Dad (Parkinsons) & I'M also on my Haemochromatosis Forum - it's quite time consuming trying to catch up! I am also trying to read up on liver cirrhosis (I'M @ gp's in few hrs) & ascites & also Dad's PD....... I don't sleep too well, so this is my catchup time although my appt with gp is in few hrs.

I hop you are doing OK xxxx

Julie

[Bolly]

I was diagnosed with mild Portal Hypertensive Gastropathy 5 years ago via endoscopy.

I have compensated cirrhosis so am not as advanced as you Mellow or Katie's husband.

Basically it means the mucousy lining of your stomach has changed and the blood vessels are dilated and more likely to bleed like with varicies. If you are already on beta blockers these should be helping, if you are not on beta blockers then maybe its just in the mild stages like me and no treatment is offered.

I've not been on any treatment for mine over the past years but am having another endoscopy soon to see if it has got worse or if I now have varicies.

[Hidden in reply to Bolly]

Thanks, Bolly. I've been on propanalol for years now so I think that might have reduced slightly the development of varices. Well I'm hoping that is the reason! Lol!

When is your next endoscopy? Good luck!

X x 🌼

[Bolly in reply to Hidden]

Sounds like you are already on the right treatment for the stomach lining issue.

No idea about my next one, i hate having them done but they are a necessary evil. My hepatologist said he would do it this time and that after his 7,000 procedure he stopped counting so he knows what he's doing, ha ha.

[jules45]

Hi Mellow, for short term constipation I was given Picolax sachets which are an agressive laxative that clear your whole system. I can't tolorate lactolose and hate the feeling of being blocked up so I have sachets in stock which would be suitable for some people but not everyone. I dont get confusion from toxins either as the food waste quickly goes through my system.

Best wishes

julie x

[Hidden]

Thank you!I have drs next week so will mention what you suggest. ☺

X x

[Koinonia]

Thank you all so much for your posts on the subject of portal hypertensive gastropathy. I hadn't heard of it before my latest gastropscopy 12 days ago and couldn't find out much. I began to wonder if it was rare but your posts have shown me that it is not. I wish you all well. I hope to find out more when I see my Hep on 9th march.

Diane

[Hidden]

Hi Diane!

I have found it so useful too. People on here are invaluable 🌟

Wishing you well 🌼

X x