@greengirleunoia,
First, I’m so sorry your Dad, you and your family are dealing with this. Feel free to look up the only post I started on this site (as I posted a longer version of my story). But, short story, I was born with Hemophilia in 1974. Science was not my friend back in the early eighties, as I was infected with HIV and Hep C as a kid (also Hep B, but my body cleared it). Through the grace of God, I survived as thousands of Hemophiliacs died from HIV. I made it until 2002 before I had to take medications for the HIV. By that time, the medications were pretty safe (i.e., few side effects).
However, I still had Hep C hanging over my head. I ignored it the best I could, as I had no issues. So, after the HIV meds, I drank anytime I wanted. I got blackout drunk a number of times, just because I was carrying the pain of seeing my peers drop like flies in the 1980’s. I just wanted to throw caution to the wind - I was sick and tired of following doctor’s orders (as they were the ones that, indirectly, infected me with these viruses in the first place).
I’m not sure if my consumption of alcohol sped up my liver issues (I’m sure it did), but Hep C is working 24/7 on destroying your liver, drinking was only hurting it until it cleared my system.
Unfortunately, like your Dad, when the alcoholism is to the point where you need to be constantly medicated (like all day), it acts just like Hep C.
I had gone through a nasty Hep C treatment back in 2010ish. It was 6 months, and it sucked. It didn’t clear it. Thankfully science started understanding that different genotypes responded differently. The genotype 1 responded great to the nasty treatment. Unfortunately, I was genotype 3A - it hardly responded to that treatment.
In 2016, when I coughed or sneezed, or when I was breathing heavy (moving heavy stuff), I could start to smell the ammonia being exhaled from my lungs. That was a sign my liver was failing.
I really, honestly, thought I was finally done. I had dodged too many bullets, my “save a life” tokens were empty. My liver scan said I was stage 3-4 liver cirrhosis.
In 2017, science finally found a really, really good drug that cured most genotypes, it was called Epclusa. It took me six months on it to rid my body of Hep C (a normal course is 3 months). It was a once-a-day pill (if I recall), and I had no side effects.
I recall a few weeks after taking it…maybe a month, my ammonia smells completely went away. Test after test showed the viral load dropping. My liver tests were suddenly normal.
Ends up I’m still kicking.
However, I’m only telling you this story because I hope it will help you. I’m not sure if your Dad is still with us, but alcoholism is often a disease that results from past trauma, depression or anxiety. It’s an easy drug to get a hold of, it’s socially acceptable, and it flies under the radar of doctors (until it goes too far).
And truth be told (I’ve experienced this myself), once a person moves from childhood to adulthood, the medical community stops caring. Personally, it’s heartbreaking to me, as I was once treated with the utmost kindness and complete care as a boy…even up to a teenager (there were some that were sympathetic to my conditions). Now, as a 48 year old guy with the exact same fears and uncertainty and with exactly the same conditions - I’m often dismissed.
I’m sorry I went long, and I promise I’m not making this post about me - I just wanted to let you know your post really, really hit home with me.
Thanks.
. I am sorry for your dads health issues. I hope you can get with