Blood test result

[em25]

Would like a bit of advice my wife had a tipps four years ago since then she has been up and down has been hospitalised several times with HE went to see consultant yesterday and he said left are in normal limits and also got to have iron infusion has HB and ferritin has dropped and she will still get HE

[AyrshireK]

Is your wife being prescribed lactulose and Rifaximin for her hepatic encephalopathy symptoms? She needs to be going to the toilet 3 to 4 times a day to rid her body of the toxins and lactulose aids this plus Rifaximin does seem to be helpful in combatting symptoms of HE. My hubby is on both and although he has the confusion, memory issues, slight tremors, sleep disturbance etc. brought on by mild HE, he thankfully as yet hasn't displayed any of the major and more serious symptoms.

Unfortunately TIPPS is well documented for causing HE to become worse since the blood being channelled through the liver via the TIPPS (canal) isn't going through any processing by the liver and therefore it isn't being de-toxified and this leads to more toxins getting into the blood stream & making their way to the brain leading to HE.

[em25 in reply to AyrshireK]

Thanks for reply she has been and still is on refacing and lactalose

[Hidden in reply to AyrshireK]

Hi, my husband also has HE as a result of TIPPS...he is also on lactulose and rifaximin, he was recently hospitalised as symptoms were more serious than he experienced before. Could I ask you how much lactulose your husband takes and also has he had the stent reviewed / checked and who does that ? Many thanks.

[em25 in reply to Hidden]

She has the stent reviwed by ultra sound she takes about 30 mil

[Hidden in reply to em25]

Thanks , that's good to know 😊

[AyrshireK in reply to Hidden]

My hubby takes 2X20ml of lactulose a day and may on days when he feels he hasn't been to the loo sufficiently will take an additional 20ml. He's been on lactulose since April 2012, Rifaximin since June 2014 & does not have a TIPPS.

He has never had ascites though has had lots of varices, gastropathy and aneurysms in his splenic artery due to Portal Hypertension.

His HE remains on the milder side but doctors have said to make sure he is going regularly otherwise he will be prone to greater HE difficulties.

[Hidden in reply to AyrshireK]

Thanks for taking the time to get back to me x

[dckimberly]

They recommended a Tipps for me, saying even though my ascites was out of control, blood tests were actually in the normal range, putting me pretty far down the list for transplant. I had not had HE before the Tipps..did your wife?

Thankfully while we were still deciding we got the call.

Is your wife on the list?

So sorry you are going through all this.

Cheering you on!

Kimberly

[em25]

She did not HE before Tipps and no not on list