This may be an odd question to ask but can having Cirrhosis affect movement? My mum was diagnosed last year following significant symptoms (heart attack, ascites & HE) and a period in intensive care. She has been hospitalized several times since, due to her reluctance to give up alcohol. I feel that I have learnt a lot about Cirrhosis and spotting the signs that she requires urgent care, however the one thing I have noticed a lot more recently is that she is shuffling when walking. She has done this since she came out of hospital the first time, however I have noticed it much more over the last couple of weeks. Is this linked to ascites/HE?
Thank you,
Alex
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AlexJ91
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HE can certainly cause co-ordination difficulties, slow movement, balance issues, falls etc. The BLT has a useful page on the condition together with a downloadable Hepatic Encephalopathy passport at:- britishlivertrust.org.uk/in...
Obviously if she is still also drinking it can affect her mobility.
She probably needs some tests to check up her ammonia/toxin levels. Is she taking medication for HE? This would be Lactulose and Rifaximin perhaps.
She is prescribed Lactulose however, I don’t think she takes it as regularly as she is prescribed due to the side effects, which is another issue.
She definitely does have more falls since she progressed to Decompensated it’s just that the shuffling seems to have escalated a lot in the last two weeks but none of the other HE symptoms seem to have escalated which was what made me wonder if it was directly linked.
It may not be but my hubby is certainly very slow in all his movements (doesn't shuffle though) and he has a diagnosis of minor HE but he takes his Lactulose and Rifaximin as prescribed. I know that lactulose has it's down sides with urgent and unannounced need to 'go' and even toilet accidents but a patient with cirrhosis does need to move their bowels 3-4 times daily to prevent toxin build up.
Sorry to hear about your mother. Cirrhosis/HE can cause coordination problems, as can alcoholism directly. Chronic malnutrition/vitamin deficiencies (especially B vitamins--she may have been tested for these) caused by alcoholc use can directly lead to nerve and brain damage, and chronic alcohol use affects the cerebellum (coordination part of the brain). Hope she gets help soon.
If she has had a spell in hospital, her muscles will deteriorate due to the lack of use. It happens surprisingly quickly, especially if she has been unable to get to the toilet. Try to get her to move as much as possible, just getting up and down and moving around the house. It will help her to increase her strength.
HE isn’t a muscular disease but the ascities will increase her weight and gravity will move it downwards, making her legs heavier and more difficult to move around. The leg swelling is oedema.
Hi there, my dad also has a similar history to your mum minus the heart attack. He also went through a phase of shuffling around. Sadly, shortly after he started the shuffles he ended up in hospital when we discovered he was passing alot of blood through stool and coughing. It seemed to be weakness related. It didn't seem to be HE for him. After 3 weeks in hospital he required a zimmer frame and physio to build up his strength. He no longer shuffles, he does however require a hip replacement which he can't have as he is actively drinking still. It's very difficult to watch. My heart goes out to you.
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