What would you do if you found out an MD KILLED YOUR LIVER?

Question

Can't sue. My friend has always avoided tylenol. 3 years ago, after a very serious injury, that state is serious about narcotics, and he couldn't tolerate celebrex. The MD told him to take 3 arthritis strenght tylenol(650mg) every 4 hours and 5 ibuprofen no sooner than every 3 hours. This was well above the label directions, unless prescribed by MD. MD did a liver workup and said it would be no problem. My friend was able to reduce his intake to 2-3 ASTs every 4 to 5 hours, and 3-5 ibuprofen with them, after about two years. He developed skin problems, and happened across a pain management clinic across the state line, and ceased all the tylenol and ibuprofen. After breaking a leg and weathering a hurricane, doctor told him recently the leg hasn't healed because of leukemia, and when he went for chemo, his hepatitis was too bad for chemo. Never had either of those before, nor any symptoms of hepatitis. Computer research on websites indicate the tylenol probably killed his liver.

Litigation is out of the question, because you can bet the MD that prescribed all the tylenol and ibuprofen didn't write that down. Ortho MD may not be good either, because he didn't tell my friend to stop taking the Lortab before the tests. Turns out that was pretty important for the specified tests. Rescheduling tests tomorrow at different Onco lab. But the last few months have been incredibly miserable, and maybe he increased his xanax dosage. He had some reserves, but not enough to cover facing leukemia, possible ankle removal, chemo and now hepatitis. The hepatitis was a shock. It turns out the prior doc may have killed the liver.

On the plus side, the medication I am currently taking may have read a false positive on Leukemia, but liver damage and hepatitis-b may still be extant. Any hints for taking the test?

farmgirl: Even worse. he was my attorney's lawyer. He said to take that amount of tylenol and ibu forever.

A website for medical tests says that excessive tylenol usage can produce false positive for hepatitis-b. That's a plus, I'll know more after the next tests.

I have never had symptoms before, and had been tested thoroughly in July 1999 for everything, and several liver tests in the interim. Including a few liver screens, and unfortunately I hadn't shared bodily fluids with anyone. I was quite orthopedically challenged.

But the liver may still be in trouble.

Correction to prior statement: The long term use AND current usage of lortab, xanax and soma could produce a false positive. I have to find out tomorrow how long I have to go off and be miserable to get a good test.

Answer 1

The test for hepB is directly looking for the hepB surface proteins. If they aren't there, no amt of tylenol can make it look like they are there. I'd be very interested in the website that said it can. I am still a student, so I know I don't know a whole lot.

*he was my attorney's lawyer* I'm confused. did a doctor prescribe it or a lawyer.

Answer 2

So what you're saying is that the doctor actually told him to take that much medication for TWO WHOLE YEARS???? Was this a real doctor? Was the doctor living in a nursing home or showing any other signs of advanced dementia? Because no doctor who even approached being in his right mind would recommend continuing to take that much medication for such a length of time. And you're right - that isn't probably written on the chart anywhere and the doctor will deny to his dying day that he ever said that.

And Hepatitis B is a communicable disease, not even remotely associated with using too much tylenol. The only way to contract it is from another person or their body fluids.

Answer 3

he could have had nash and the comination of meds could of done the damage, he could have hepatitis c...there are many things that could of attributed to his issue.