Hello. I think this is an important question for every doctor treating patients who have Hep C.

Do you know what the Coroner determines the cause of death to be when people die of hepatitis C?

If the doctor cannot answer that correctly, do ask them to refer you to someone who can. You cannot trust anyone to prescribe medications to you unless they understand the answer to that question and the possible side effects of medications they can prescribe!

Hi Wes,

My best friend died from esophogeal bleeding from HepC. He started hiccupping and they wouldn't go away and then he started vomiting blood. By the time he went to the hospital it was too late. He went became unconscious and never came out. They took him off life support and he passed away. I think there are several complications of Hep C that can lead to death. Am I correct about this? It was three years ago May 10. He was my first boyfriend and my best friend since I was 13 years old. I miss him terribly.

Diann

My best friend died from esophogeal bleeding from HepC. ...I think there are several complications of Hep C that can lead to death.
Diann


That's the one I am most concerned about. The primary care doctors I have seen did not know about esophogeal varices or the effects meds they prescribed can have. After telling them about my concern, they changed the prescription to another that has the same potential to cause bleeding. People need to stay informed and keep their doctors informed about these issues.

I wonder how many people who had esophogeal varices and were prescribed NSAIDs or anything else well known to cause bleeding had the varices eroded to the point of leaking that resulted in death.


Sorry about your friend.

Wes

OOPS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Even if you don't have esophogeal varices, YET, do you think it is a good idea to take drugs that erode your esophogus? What if the varices appear in an esophogus that is already eroded????????

Hi!
In response to your question, this is what i know. My mom died in January, and she was diagnosed with advanced hep c, which led to chirrhosis. when she died, the cause of death was like 7 different things. they did list the hep c, but not at the begining of the list. it was almost last. it wasn't the hep c itself, that killed her, it was the complications that got her. hope this helps.

That's pretty scary. Is this pretty common? Now I have something else to worry about with my husband. He's going to the doctor next week to discuss treatment. How do we know if this will happen?

Can you somebody translate the word "esophogeal bleeding"?

Petr