Hi. My husband is in a hospital with Liver failure and kidneys have also failed but been filtered. He has bad ascites and is struggling to breath, you can hear him struggling and his breathing is gurgly. They have tried to drain his ascites three times but he is haemorrhaging each time, so no drain can be done.
they think he is bleeding internally and he has huge bruises on his tummy now.
Billirubin is in the high 500's, Platelets are very low.
What happens now? His organs are struggling as under so much pressure.
Any infomation would be really appreciated as I just do not know what happens now.
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swbsoniab
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Without being too melodramatic or negative - things are pretty touch and go at the moment and you may need to prepare for the worst. If his liver and kidneys have failed and they are struggling to drain him resulting in all the symptoms you describe he is very, very poorly just now. Medics will do their all to help him battle back (and some people do) but do prepare yourself that he might not do so.
If he does come through this then alcohol will absolutely need to be a thing of the past or his days are numbered.
Thank you for your fast reply. Are there options if a drain cannot be done and what would the bleeding be whilst trying? He's been banded twice already. I have seen him bleed out twice over the last few years and he just hasn't stopped drinking and more recently been having a 70cl bottle of vodka every day.I know he cant have a transplant so I understand he may not be coming home. I just cant seem to get much information from the hospital as i fear they are trying to protect me from the trust, but i would rather know so I can prepare.
Sorry to hear and to report that the situation seems rather grim. Obviously to drain him they need to pierce his belly and with low platelets and clotting difficulties any small cut can bleed profusely which is probably why he is haemorraging as they try to insert a drain. The big danger now is the fluid will either become infected or just the fact his lungs are compromised with the fluid build up can lead to massive infection. Obviously they don't want to tell you yet that this could be the end because they are going to fight every step of the way to bring him back but reality could be that he might not battle back - this really can go either way at this stage. We have seen forum members who have come back from the brink and eventually go on to sobriety and transplant BUT we sadly also have many forum members who have been in your shoes and sadly lost their partners. There is no dressing it up but a death from cirrhosis isn't normally very pleasant.
The BLT does have a page about planning for the future which includes end of life care etc. I am hoping he does battle back from this and gets a wake up call but it doesn't sound like his two earlier dices with death from the earlier bleeds did that which is very sad.
My husband has been gaining around 2 kgs every few drains in fluid, the y cant drain and keeps bleeding and now fluid in infected. As I type he is being transferred to St Marys hospital in London. He is no liver function and kidneys are still drying out. He has been internally bleeding and passing black tarry stools. My question is what can be done for him now? He is going there to try an ascites drain, but what happens after that. His liver is not working and fluid will keep building up. his platelets need replacing constantly. I just need to know now what is going to be the likely outcome.
Billirubin still in the high 500's and he is struggling to breathe due to the fluid. He looks huge, legs, feet and tummy full of fluid.
Being an alcoholic surely he isn't going to be having a transplant?
I can't answer with any certainty nor really expand on what i've said previously, they are obviously battling to bring your husband through this crisis but this is a knife edge situation at present and could go either way.
You really need to have a chat with his medical team - they should be giving you the full ins and outs of where things stand but sadly I wouldn't imagine that transplant is an option given hubbies very recent alcohol usage. At the moment I would say they are battling to save his life.
Thoughts with you at what is obviously a horrendous time.
Last night my husband had a fall in hospital... when they stood him up they realised he was drunk... he has been buying alcohol and drinking it in hospital.... His tummy is filling up fast - he was drained of 12 litres 2 days ago and he's full again so they are draining him today. He can hardly breathe and cannot and hasn't eaten for a very long time. Today they said he has hardly any bowel or bladder control... Is this the end? they are not telling me anything apart from they have been testing his blood for 5 days and every day he has had a very high alcohol level in his blood.
How has he been managing to buy alcohol in hospital? Is he leaving the hospital grounds? Surely no shop within the hospital sells booze. It's not the end 'yet' if he's managing to get out of hospital to go and source booze.
Have you spoken to him and what is he saying about the booze? Have you asked him very bluntly "Do you want to die?".
If he is taking little to no nutrition and is struggling so much with decompensated symptoms then sadly the end could be approaching but ONLY if the booze was a thing of the past. I can't imagine the medical team are too chuffed if they are doing their utmost to bring him back from the brink and yet seeing him trying his best to reverse all their good work. I would have thought they would have brought in some alcohol specialist to help him with therapy or detox but maybe they have and he's not compliant.
I hate to say it again but you might need to prepare yourself for the worst possible outcome because he is either unable or unwilling at this stage to let the medics help him.
Last week he was walking two minutes from the main hospital entrance to a Tesco Metro in his socks and pyjamas. Also Amazon deliveries straight to his ward. I have asked him but he denies it to me which has always done. He now cannot get out of bed as too unwell.. The hospital said he is now very poorly and cant even make the toilet in time as has virtually no control. He said he cannot eat as the fluid is taking up too much room and he cannot swallow any food down. He hasn't eaten anything in nearly two weeks. I can see the bank transactions but cannot see what he's buying. the hospital have confirmed he was very drunk when he fell in the early hours and has been over the last week walking around drunk but they couldn't find the bottles.
I am ready for bad news as i just cannot see him being able to come back from this - he is just too unwell. xx
Such a desperate situation, I feel for all you partners who are trying their hardest to support loved ones who are on self-destruct like this.
My poor hubby would (and does) do everything he can do to improve his health but his cirrhosis is nothing to do with alcohol so there are limits to what he can do re. his liver but he concentrates on improving everything that he can to maintain the rest of his health.
Look after yourself in all this because before the end they are likely to have to move him to ITU before things go downhill.
If he is so poorly he doesn't need much alcohol to get drunk - the weeks before my husband's liver failed he was getting very drunk from very small amount of alcohol.
Also, as I realised later, he was having HE episodes that looked like he was drunk.
If he struggles to get out of bed and is still getting drunk maybe he's hiding alcohol in his room?
Hopefully they can get things under control and he can make some improvement, but this can only happen with his cooperation xx
I would have a word with Amazon about them delivering alcohol - to a hospital!
As the above have said, it’s tough and he may have sealed his fate by the stupidity of drinking in that state.
No one can help him while he is still on denial and trying to lie about drinking. You need to try detach a bit and have a blunt word with him, as hard as that may be, but it’s all you can do to try get him to see the utter stupidity of his actions. I usually apologise for coming across as harsh or blunt in these posts, but not this time. I feel sorry for you having to go through this but with behaviour like he is displaying you may as well ask him if he’d rather just drink bleach if he just wants to self destruct.
I'm so sorry to read of your poorly husband. as Katie has mentioned he is quite sick with multiple issues.
I'm praying for you all that he will pull through..please look after yourself and your little girl whilst going through this difficult time
In my thoughts..Linda x x
Hello,
As your fellow forum members have indicated your husband is extremely sick. It is really important that you have chance to sit down wih your his medical team so that they can update you on his condition and the possible outcomes. Speak to the ward manager and ask for a meeting to be arranged asap.
I do hope you have some support for yourself in what are very difficult circumsatnces for you and the rest of the family.
We have a free telephone helpline if you think it would be useful to talk to one of our liver specialist nurses: 0800 652 7330 Mon-Fri 10:00 - 15:00
I'm so sorry for you going through this. I hope you are surrounded by lots of love and support.Sending lots of hugs your way
Xx
Although the circumstances around my own diagnosis were different, I was in a very similar situation and can identify with everything you describe. He is incredibly sick. I don’t know what kind of headspace he’s in at the moment, but all I can say is that he has to want to fight.
I actually gave up at one point and owe my life to one kind registrar who made me see that I needed to fight. Just the will to live is so powerful in turning things around. I really hope he’s ok x
I had the similar scenario. I had to fight as well. We went toe to toe. I said to my own liver your inside me not the other fxxxng way round. As I was being booted from within. Stay strong please. Blue wow.
Sorry you have to push the team. Drains I have had 17 since January. He really needs the drain but Katie is right. I am feeling for you right now. The pressure is intense. Please get the drain in somehow. X
Every time they try to drain he haemorrhages so they have to stop, he then went into shock when they did the tap to take a small amount for testing. the fluid is now infected. his platelets are too low to do a drain so they have been transfusing platelets but now transferring him to St Marys in London. I just dont understand whats now happening to him. I am asking daily and they just keep saying they are running out of options. x
I don't know your availability. But I'd would be there with him. Because you have to be strong mentally. BlueAster is right. Something has to come from somewhere for any kind of improvement. There must be the operation where they can go in with the ultrasound and extract fluid directly from each pockets. I had these things done to me and it's always down to the team. I would be there with him and give him some strength and take some of mine with you as well. 🤜 The best of luck and we will all be thinking and hoping for the best. I promise you that.
He is now in a hospital almost impossible for me to get to. We have a 2 years old and i work full time. Trying to pay the mortgage on my own now so work is a must. I guess i will have to call in the hope a doctor is available to talk to.
Today they said they cannot drain as levels are too bad... the fluid is red and infected so they said it wont be till next week they look into draining. Im not sure how he will survive with no drain as he is struggling to breath now. I feel this isn't going to be a great outcome. He's becoming irritable with me and the nurses. Over the last few years i have taken so much time off work that i just cant do it anymore. I need my job as now the only earner. Everything is just awful. xx
I'm devastated. My husband died. He had a massive internal bleed. they called my while he was in theatre to say they had to stop as they couldn't stop the bleed. I sat with him 24-7 until his organs shut down. He's gone. thank you for all of your kind messages.
Very sorry to hear this Sonia, look after yourself. Sadly this did look like the inevitable outcome with the degree of his damage and continuation of drinking. The hospital could only do so much and they will have pulled out all the stops until it became obvious there was no further hope.
Do look after yourself, thoughts with you at this horrendous time.
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