Diet

[Soso444]

Hello I am the daughter to a man that has the liver disease he was a drinker and did drugs and it’s been 10 years that we know he has a liver disease and dr just say take pills and keep ur diet he has stop drinking and doing drugs since he found out and now it’s been 10 years and he is in pain goes to hospital every week some times 2 times a week to take out water from his belly and he’s in so much pain my mom is with him in every step of the way . Yesterday we found out that he needs a liver transplant but they can’t do it cuz his levels are very low at 20 and he needs to be at 35 .hes been on a diet and taking his medicine but the levels don’t go up and life is becoming harder for him I’m so helpless I want answeres about so many things and what to do . He has 5 kids and we are all healthy and non drinkers or smokers or drugs we are ready to give part of our liver but he is not ready I really need to know how to get his levels up to 35 with diet or anything plz help if u have any answers

[Fastkat]

What is the 35 requirement? What are they measuring?

[Soso444 in reply to Fastkat]

I don’t even know they just say levels and it has to do with his diet I’m not with him when he goes to dr he’s with my mother

[Fastkat in reply to Soso444]

Sorry I don’t recognise that figure. Someone here will help you though.

You do have to be fit enough to survive the operation which would be evaluated if he’s been through the transplant assessment process.

If you could find out more you will get better advice here. The doctors should have made clear why they need to achieve that level

[Soso444 in reply to Fastkat]

My mom and dad don’t speak English and I live in another country that’s why and my dad is old he’s in his late 50s and getting weaker by the day I just want to know what should he eat and we are watching his medicine . The doctors seem to be talking a lot about his diet and medicine . He’s in a lot of pain we just want to help

[Hidden in reply to Soso444]

Hi

Could it be the platelets count? Mine were around 45 before transplant I think and that was really low. Not sure how you can bring the number up if it is indeed the platelets count you're referring to.

Best of luck!

[Soso444 in reply to Hidden]

No I don’t think so they say it has to be at 35 and now he’s at 20 and he hates the diet and cheat on it when no one is looking we don’t know what to do and they didn’t give him a list what he can and can not eat so it’s making it harder

[BSA-3 in reply to Fastkat]

Hi, could it possibly be his sodium level? I had hyponatraemia really badly ( can you even have 'good' hyponatraemia! 😁 ) and somewhere in the back of my mind the number 35 is relevant and they had a real struggle to get mine back up to 35, if memory serves. There isn't a lot of leeway with the optimal level so if he's down to 20 then he really is quite sick. Take care.

[Soso444 in reply to BSA-3]

If it’s his sodium how can we get the levels up any info will help and yes he’s very sick he goes to hospital every week to empty water from his belly and now is coming to two times a week they can’t just leave him like this

[BSA-3 in reply to Soso444]

It's exactly because he has ascites that IF, ( and I must stress that I'm not a doctor; I can only say what I vaguely remember, ) it is hyponatraemia then that is why they are struggling to get his sodium up. Again, I can only go by personal experiences. I hope this helps, take care.

[kyia in reply to BSA-3]

My other half is currently struggling with low blood sodium - I believe normal is around 135?

[BSA-3 in reply to kyia]

Hi, you will obviously know better than I then, being on the outside looking in, so to speak. To be fair, I did say that I 'vaguely' remember 35 as somehow being relevant. I'm sure that you can appreciate that as at that time I had hyponatraemia, H.E. and alcohol detox all at the same time, along with everything else I had going on, that my memory was/ is not as sharp as it once was. Like I say, as the question mentioned 35 it rang a bell for me. Sorry for any confusion.

[BSA-3 in reply to kyia]

Hi, again. You were correct, not that I doubted you. The reason why the question struck such a chord with me is that it mentions 20 and 35. As you rightly say, the optimal level is 135 and mine had gone below 120, which , I think/ know is serious and that's what rang the bell for me. Sorry again for the mix- up.

[kyia in reply to BSA-3]

Like you, the 35 mentioned made me think of the blood sodium as well, before I saw your reply. Please don't apologise - I wasn't sure if there might be some other measure that I don't know about - I'm pretty new to all this!

[AyrshireK]

As its to do with diet, I wonder if its his BMI which needs to get raised. Malnutrition and too low a body weight is a potential contraindication for transplant as you need that 'reserve' to get through the op and recovery. A liver specialist dietician should be consulted to advise on correct eating plan. My hubby went from a deemed malnourished 8 1/2 stone to 11 stone and regained muscle following advise from dietician and inclusion of ensure supplement drinks.

Katie

[Soso444 in reply to AyrshireK]

Thank u so much this helps a little I’ll ask the dr in a week when he goes back

[Njovu]

I wish you - luck - your father is very fortunate - my son and daughter refused to be a living donor for me (friends had collected funds for this to be done in India for me as I could not have it done in the UK even though I was British I needed to come back here for 12 months as was living in Africa) - I moved here waited and now am out of the bracket for transplant and the NHS messed me around so much in 5 months I was in and out of the Child Pughs score now cannot be treated with anything!

Once again I hope your father regains his levels and his children can help him

[Soso444 in reply to Njovu]

Thank u so much and family give us life so we have to give our life to them specially when it won’t harm us and we can help. I wish u luck as well

[Njovu in reply to Soso444]

my ex wife and UK doctors told my kids big risk to them....

[BSA-3]

Hi, I've replied to Fastkat instead of you. My answer should be above. Sorry.

[Soso444]

It’s okay thank u for trying to help

[Cabin4]

Look into Reishi mushroom, raw honey and tumeric. Make a tea of that every morning and drink on empty stomach. All these help improve liver function. No alcohol ever!