My latest episode.

[Guest guest]

Hello, been a while since I have posted, but I've logged some major

hospital time lately, so it's time to report.

On May 14th I started vomiting up blood and went to the ER, where I

found out I had esophageal varices veins that had burst. So, I now

have Portal Hypertension. The Dr. says that my liver is not yet

scarred to be obstructing blood flow this way, so I have had

ultrasounds and an abdominal CT scan to try to find a blockage.

Then, on May 25th, I woke with a fever, and began

vomiting/dry-heaving. I was not vomiting blood this time, but I was

still concerned that it might be related, so I went to the hospital

again. This time it appeared to be a bacterial infection. Strep

bacteria was found in my blood tests, and the Dr. thought that it

probably entered my blood stream when my varices were banded. They

were also saying Colangitis before they determined it was strep

bacteria, so I am not sure if the infection was in my bile ducts or

not, they never really made it clear if it was one or the other or one

in the same.

Anyways, they started me on antibiotics and I am continuing to take

them at home. My mother flew up here to take care of me while I

recuperate, so things are going ok now.

I just thought I would post and ask for advice from anyone else who

has had a similar case. If you have any idea what the cause of my

portal hypertension might be, or any tips on what to watch out for in

the future, please let me know.

Thanks,

Trevor

[Guest guest]

Hi Trevor;

I'm so sorry to hear of your esophageal varices, bleeding, and Strep

infection. But glad to hear that your mom is with you, and that you

are recuperating from the ordeals. If cirrhosis is not the cause of

your esophageal varices, then it could possibly be caused by a blood

clot in the portal vein or in the splenic vein, which feeds into the

portal vein, or blood clots that obstruct the veins that carry blood

out of the liver. The latter is a condition called " Budd-Chiari

syndrome " . These and other potential causes are listed in Table 2 of

this article:

http://www.postgradmed.com/issues/2001/02_01/hegab.shtml

Did the doctors find anything on the ultrasounds and abdominal CT

scan to indicate where the blockage(s) might be?

Best regards,

Dave

(father of (23); PSC 07/03; UC 08/03)