Getting on the move

[utep99]

I currently reside in far west Texas (not a great place to be) The Veterans Administration have no clue what to do so after 2 years of lets monitor it I finally was sent to a Gastro Doctor. Our fist meeting was poor he said well we caught it early. My current condition is varices of the spleen and throat (not bled yet). low platelet count most Doctors here are slow to want to do any kind of surgery. HE was last hospitalized 2 weeks ago with high ammonia 122. Enlarged spleen and Liver as well as Portal vein Hypertension. My HE attack was first time in two years. The ultra sound tests read cirrhosis but only mention course echo texture throughout. The lack of knowledgeable care here is absent at best so I am considering a move to Ohio to perhaps get better VA care and close to the Cleveland Institute which I hear is a pretty good Liver disease treatment facility, Questions are.

1) Is the Cleveland Institute a good place to seek treatment?

2) Anybody have a estimation of time I may have left as insurance documents for me to get a small lump some of cash I have to be about 1 year from death. The funds will be 66000 to help move and acquire a place to live. My wife gets the bult upon my death of 340000.

[nash2 Partner]

Well Utep99

That is an unhappy commentary. Cleveland Clinic has an excellent reputation though I have no personal contact with them. They are very involved with research and advanced treatment.

If San Antonio is a possibility for you to consider, one of the best in the world is there. His name is Dr Stephen Harrison and he is with the Pinnacle Research clinic

pinnacleresearch.com/about/

You need a real diagnosis before you can really understand your situation. You could get one there and they are doing the cutting edge research for new therapy. I would personally go to him, or anyone else on that staff, if I had the kinds of questions you do. He spent most of his career with the Brooke Army Medical Center doing liver research.

There is no way to predict your mortality even with more information. We have people here who have been very ill, with HE and all the rest, who took control of their diet and lifestyle and have managed the disease for years. The specific details are important and you need a good hepatologist to sort that out.

Hope that is of some help.

Wayne

For whatever value it might be, this is the diet I have used to control my cirrhosis, first diagnosed in 2010.

fattyliverfoundation.org/na...

[Transplant911 Moderator]

Here are the VA's transplant centers. TheMichael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center in Houston is probably the closest to you.

va.gov/health/services/tran...

Since you have cirrhosis, I would recommend getting listed at a liver transplant center. They have Hepatologist and Nutritionists as part of the transplant team. After the VA does all their evaluation tests, then it might be a good idea to get a 2nd opinion elsewhere or perhaps reach out/transfer to a more opportune VA liver transplant hospital.