Help! Trying to get my mom Better

[MyMomsSick]

My mom has Hep C, her liver is already damaged. She was first diagnoised with it 20 something years ago. Never paid attention to it, she didn't realize how bad of a disease it was. She says back then the Doctors knew nothing about it.

Well today, we are finding out her doctors still do not know much about it.
I do not have her levels on hand but lately I know the doctor said they were doing "okay".

Problem is she is not feeling okay at all.
She is tired all the time even when she gets PLENTY of rest.
She has "brain fog" all the time and repeats questions to be 3 or 4 times before she remembers that we already discussed it.
She has no engry that is the main problem she is facing.

She is only 44 years old. She is also fighting depression because my Dad passed away May 07.
I do not want to lose my mom, I need someone to help me figure out how to get her better help.
We live in Nuecess County, in South Texas.

She is on the Counties Health Program. The doctors are 3rd year students. They do not know anything about Hep C. They just check her levels. No treatment, nothing.
No specialist.. NOTHING.

There has to be a better way to help her. I just can't find any information about it.
I'm scared to death, I do not want to lose my mom. I just lost my dad.

I need to find a way to help her. If any of you have any suggestions please let me know.
this I feel like is my last hope.

Thank you.

[MyMomsSick]

Thanks to both of you!

I'm going to go with her to the Doctor and request they send her to the specialist mentioned above.

and also request a liver biopsy.

They check her viral loads every time they do a test from what they told her.
I know they were in the millions. I am going to have to ask her the exact #.

I appreciate the kind words. Thank you!

[meki]

Well first... Your mother has to decide that she wants to help herself.

You sound like a very loving child - and that's awesome.

Your mother needs to check her VIRAL LOAD.

It is possible to have HCV antibodies - and not have an active virus. This happens with people who have treated or who have spontaneously cleared.

Now - the other issues... Those could be ANYTHING.

I don't know.

But I will say that depression mimics a lot of symptoms and can cause a lot of symptoms.

And I'd be pretty depressed too, if my family member had just died.

The only thing you can do is read up on this forum... Go through the posts... Use the search tool bar... Research and spend some time getting familiar with the terminology - the signs --- the symptoms --- the relief for those symptoms.

Next thing is to attempt to take that information and discuss it with the doctors. Print it out - make a list of questions and ask them. Go with her - help her through this very tough period of time.

But most of all...

Be supportive of your mother's choices - but be there for her.

I know that it's pretty tough for you right now... I'm so very sorry and humbled by your post.

I send you many warm thoughts and good hugs.

Meki

[Marcia2202]

Hi sweetie, you need get your Mom checked by a Hepatologist. This is very important, as it is not really possible to see from the blood counts, how ill your Mom really is. The doctors should make a biopsy of the liver to find out, if she should have treatment. They take a little piece from the liver with a syringe. It is almost painless and a very fast procedure, so don't be scared for her. From looking at that they can see if there is and how much damage there is on the liver. Unfortunately I live in Denmark, but I'm sure that someone on this forum is living in Texas and could maybe advise you whom to contact. I wish you all the best... Big hugs... Marcia