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I haven't had time to post at all for a few weeks. Thus the parade of tweets and twitters. But my mother has been having substantial, spontaneous epistaxis (doctor talk for "nosebleed") for a few weeks now. They have been getting worse, and this week she had to have the vessels cauterized for the second time because it just would not stop.
The doctor she went to said that he could see two possible causes, one being "bad luck" (by which I suppose he meant "idiopathic") or arising from her cirrhosis. I find it listed as a complication or symptom, and it does not look good.
But there's not much you can do about livers, so we try to stop the bleeding. :(
Some of you know my mom, and some of you care about my mom because of me, so here's the history/skinny:
My mother's primary physical issue throughout her adult life has been obesity. She's been a yo-yo dieter for years, but really lost control of it after my dad died in 1991. Thus, she's had high blood pressure for years and developed type 2 diabetes. She's had problems with her feet and legs, and they're talking about her needing knee replacement in a couple of years.
Her other primary problem has been underlying all these years, a condition called hemochromatosis. We'd thought we were pretty lucky, as it seems that we'd gotten off with only liver damage, although, of course, since they found it, they'd been watching her closely. However, the cirrhosis is severe, and so a lot of medications are now not available to my mom, etc.
What happens now? I don't know. Her life expectancy is definitely shortened, but by how much? I'm more concerned, at the moment, that episodes like the nosebleeds will map a long, slow decline for her.
So, from here, I got nothing.
The doctor she went to said that he could see two possible causes, one being "bad luck" (by which I suppose he meant "idiopathic") or arising from her cirrhosis. I find it listed as a complication or symptom, and it does not look good.
But there's not much you can do about livers, so we try to stop the bleeding. :(
Some of you know my mom, and some of you care about my mom because of me, so here's the history/skinny:
My mother's primary physical issue throughout her adult life has been obesity. She's been a yo-yo dieter for years, but really lost control of it after my dad died in 1991. Thus, she's had high blood pressure for years and developed type 2 diabetes. She's had problems with her feet and legs, and they're talking about her needing knee replacement in a couple of years.
Her other primary problem has been underlying all these years, a condition called hemochromatosis. We'd thought we were pretty lucky, as it seems that we'd gotten off with only liver damage, although, of course, since they found it, they'd been watching her closely. However, the cirrhosis is severe, and so a lot of medications are now not available to my mom, etc.
What happens now? I don't know. Her life expectancy is definitely shortened, but by how much? I'm more concerned, at the moment, that episodes like the nosebleeds will map a long, slow decline for her.
So, from here, I got nothing.
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(no subject)
Date: 2009-02-13 02:49 am (UTC)I'm sorry you're having to go through this.
*offers hugs and peaceful energy*
(no subject)
Date: 2009-02-13 03:05 am (UTC)Oooh.
Date: 2009-02-13 03:28 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2009-02-13 04:19 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2009-02-13 07:07 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2009-02-13 03:30 pm (UTC)I'll send good thoughts and energy out to both of you. Dealing with an aging and ailing parent sucks ass out loud.
(no subject)
Date: 2009-02-13 07:50 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2009-02-13 07:50 pm (UTC)Have you been tested for hemochromatosis?
Date: 2009-02-13 08:03 pm (UTC)Bob Rogers
Executive Director
Canadian Hemochromatosis Society
www.toomuchiron.ca
Re: Have you been tested for hemochromatosis?
Date: 2009-02-16 10:25 pm (UTC)Sherri
Date: 2009-02-13 08:48 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2009-02-14 01:09 pm (UTC)Surviving Hemochromatosis
Date: 2009-02-17 12:32 am (UTC)Too much iron in the liver is worse than booze.
Drinks that have tannins work very well also. Black tea and my favorite, green tea are very helpful. Most herb teas do not contain tannins.
Hemochromatosis sufferrers should drink lots of water every day to keep the blood thin for easier phlebotomies and to keep the kidneys nice and flushed out.
For people who are diagnosed and treated early, normal life spans are possible. If left untreated, HH will lead to critical organ damage and most likely death.
You can find lots of real life tips from Pat at his blog:
Http://ironoverload.info