Spider naevie

[GrandmaDylan]

I am getting more and more spider naevie. They're predominantly on my arms, shoulders, chest and back. I also have them on my face and hands. Is this something many of you have? Also do you have the red palms? It was only after being diagnosed with anaemia and seen by a haematologist who recognised the spider naevie who then referred me for an ultrasound that they realised that I had cirrhosis.

[sheridan41]

Hi. I look back on pics from 2012 realising I had this on my chest. I also got it on my face. Nobody picked up on it for years although I remember being in Asda & a child asked his mum what I had on me. I hadn't realised how bad it looked. I started to be ill and I had a surgery, afterwards I was told I had portal hypertension. Sent to a liver specialist. I had 2 tipps procedures done to sort the blood flow but both failed. I was bleeding out & was seen at St James who told me I needed a liver transplant . Students were shown the spider neviea & a pulse in my neck that could be seen even on rest. I had cirrhosis my liver was goosed. I went on the super urgent list after being told I wouldn't live past 3 months. Complete shock as never drunk. People always asked me that question. I hope your having regular bloods & under a specialist. I had my transplant in 2016. You might not be like I was. I don't remember much I know I was so full of fluid I couldn't walk & very yellow and slept around 22hrs a day. Hope I didn't scare you. Just what happened to me. Best of luck xx

[GrandmaDylan in reply to sheridan41]

Hi Sheridan. After the haematologist recognised the spider naevie and felt my enlarged liver she referred me via my gp for a liver scan which confirmed cirrhosis and an enlarged spleen with varices. I asked my gp to ask for an urgent referral to Manchester royal hospital to see mr.Prince. who is an hepatologist. Unfortunately my local hospital said that as I was already under their care I had to stick with them. They obviously decided that I wasn't an urgent case and told me it would be a minimum of an 18 week wait for an appointment. I paid privately that very same day and saw a gastroenterologist who works at the nhs hospital and at our local private hospital. He didn't seem unduly concerned but said that he would arrange for my treatment to be done on the nhs which comprised of a CT, a capsule endoscopy, a bone scan and a blood test for autoimmune hepatitis. I had the CT 3 weeks ago but apparently it takes 6 weeks for the results. I had previously had a gastroscopy and colonoscopy due to the anaemia which didn't find anything untoward. Today I got an appointment with the haematologist for next Tuesday..not sure what this is for as I'm no longer anaemic. I desperately want the blood test as I have other autoimmune conditions but the consultant in charge of the blood test lab has refused to do it three times so far. It's been 3 months since my diagnosis and I'm no further on. My original referral to the haematologist took from February till july to finally see a haematologist.During this time I was put on double iron tablets which might have been the wrong thing. I am virtually tea total so it's not due to alcohol.

I'm glad you got your transplant and hopefully your life back. Deb