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Had Mitral Valve Repair, Have Cirrhosis, High Gamma GT, Water Retention. Is It Risky To Drink As It Will Hamper Recovery?

Posted on Fri, 6 Jul 2012

Question: I WAS MAKING WATER. I HAD A HEART SURGERY (REPAIR A MITRAL VALVE) WHICH LEFT ME LIKE NEW IN A FEW DAYS, BUT DID NOT CURE THE WATER RETENTION. THEY DISCOVERED A CIRRHOSIS WHICH THEY DESCRIBED AS ALCOHOLIC, I HAD VERY HIGH GAMA GT; IT WAS THEIR TAKE ON IT. NO MORE WINE FOR A YEAR; GAMA WENT DOWN BUT STILL THE WATER . . . THEY PUT ME A TIPPS WHICH SOLVED THE RETENTION PROBLEM.
MY SCORE OF MELD ONCE AT 17 OR MORE IS DOWN TO 13 AND GAMA GT GOT DOWN TO 70. NOW I DRINK WINE AS B4 AND A BLOOD ANALYSIS SHOWS GAMA GT AROUND 230 WITH BIG RED CELLS AS I ONCE HAD. THEY SAY IT S RISKY TO DRINK AS BEFORE SINCE IT WILL EVENTUALLY STOP MY HURT LIVER RECOVERY. IT S PROBABLY RIGHT. DO YOU THINK ON A BOTTLE A DAY AT 13° WOULD HAMPER THE RECOVERY UNDER WAY ? I CARRY JUST UNDER 200 LBS. THANK YOU.

Answered by Dr. Aparna Kohli (4 hours later)

Hi,

Thanks for writing in.

Any amount of alcohol at this juncture would seriously hurt your liver and greatly retard your recovery. I would agree with your physicians that its way to risky at this time.

Alcohol actually damages the cells of the liver. In the initial stages, this injury is reversible. However, on prolonged intake of large amounts of alcohol, this injury becomes irreversible. At this time, the liver cells start getting replaced by a thing called fibrous tissue. This last stage that I just described is called cirrhosis.

Given the symptoms you currently have, I would strongly suggest you stay away from alcohol; get immunized for Hepatitis B ( if you already aren't); have a high protein diet and try and lead a healthy lifestyle in general.

I hope I have addressed your concerns. I would be available for follow ups.

Regards

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Aparna Kohli (15 hours later)

THANKS.
I WILL STOP AND WAIT FOR THE NEXT FULL ANALISIS AND SCAN OF THE LIVER IN 6 MONTHS.

BTW I WOULD LIKE TO ASK A QUESTION TO A RENOWNED SPECIALIST OF LIVER PROBLEMS (USE OF TIPPS) WHICH INVOLVES HE QUICKLY GOES THRU MY 4 PAGES STORY, WHICH U HAVE ALREADY, AND ANOTHER ONE TO A KIDNEY EXPERT.
QUESTIONS 1
RATHER THAN KEEPING ME IN STORE IN POOR CONDITIONS FOR A REWARDING (FOR THE HOSPITAL) LIVER TRANSPLANT, THEY SHOULD HAVE PROPOSED A TIPPS, WHICH THEY NEVER DID.
THE TIPPS WAS FINALLY PUT AT MY ONLY REQUEST AND SAVED MY LIVE.

AT WHAT TIME, IN THE COURSE, DID THEY MISS THE INSTALLATION OF A TIPPS,
WAS IT 2 MONTHS, ONE YEAR ? FAILING TO DO SO NEARLY KILLED ME DUE TO SINTROM OVER DOSE AND A FAULTY LIGATURE OF VARICE IN ESOPHAGUS WHICH BROKE LOOSE AND CAUSED XXXXXXX HEMORRHAGE.

QUESTION 2
THEY REMOVED A LIVER WHICH WAS OK, SHORT OF MAKING DUE ANALYSIS OF WHAT THEY LOOKED LIKE A CANCEROUS TUMOR.
WHAT CAN I CLAIM FOR THIS IN MATTER OF FINANCIAL COMPENSIATION ON TOP OF THE COST OF A REPLACEMENT GRAFT WHICH I CAN ONE DAY NEED ?

I CAN TRANSLATE MY STORY IN GENERAL AMERICAN, LEAVING THE SPECIFIC MEDICAL WORDS AS THEY READ.

PLEASE FORWARD THE INQUIRY TO THE EXPERTS AND TELL ME HOW MUCH THEIR WORK WILL COST, TAKING IN CONSIDERATION THAT SUING A GREAT HOSPITAL IS A MATTER OF PRIDE AND NEVER PAYS BACK IN EUROPE.

I LOOK FWD TO HEARING FROM YOU,
XXXXXXX DUBUISSON

Answered by Dr. Aparna Kohli (14 minutes later)

Hello XXXXXXX
Thanks for writing back.

I am glad you agreed to stop alcohol. An opinion from a nephrologist and a liver specialist will cost you 50 Euros in all.
Please go to the following link WWW.WWWW.WW Here, once you select the 2 specialists, please post the same query that you have posted above. I will make sure that the top specialists in our forum answer your query.

It was a pleasure being of some help to you.
Regards

Note: For further follow up on digestive issues share your reports here and Click here.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar