Mystery Diagnosis - Alpha-1 (2 of 2)

Discovery Health Channel's "Mystery Diagnosis". A man's shortness of breath eventually diagnosed as genetic COPD. Ultimately leads to a double lung transplant.

Category:

People & Blogs

Tags:

• Alpha-1
• antitrypsin
• deficiency
• genetic
• copd
• len
• geiger
• mystery
• diagnosis

[montanerfan10]

That's horrible! I know you have a daughter named Ava Corrinen Geiger, I think Do you know if she has Alpha? It isgenetic, after all.

[lengeiger]

@montanerfan10 Good question. We did not test our daughter. Instead, we tested my wife. When it turned out that she did not have any Alpha-1 deficiency genes, we knew that our daughter (and any other children we might have) would be a carrier (heterozygous as opposed to homozygous). So long as she doesn't smoke she should be unaffected.

Len

[sugarbep]

have you ever felt guilty about living with the fourteen-year-old girl's lungs when it seems like her life was cut short?

[lengeiger]

@sugarbep I suppose that if I was the cause of her death, then yes, I would feel guilty. As I am only the recipient of this incredible gift I feel an overwelming sense of gratitude to Korinne and her family as well as a heightened sense of responsibility to treat this gift and my new found life as an opportunity to make a difference...to have a positive impact.

[aliananazarova]

Len is so hot and so charming, hope all will be well with him!!

[youngdoctor84]

Though this is very sad and incredibly diffuclt to live with as it can lead to hepatocellulr carcinoma as well....LUCKILY Len was not diagnosed with the other major causes of such refractory shortness of breath at rest............Heart Failure # 1 cause of death in U.S.

[ellethekitty]

@lengeiger Certainly, no need to feel guilty! Some of the questions people are asking here are somewhat unkind. Glad that you are well.

[MrBaldie1rob]

I am alpha on list for tx I uk great Vidio

[toxicnuke]

i whas tested postive for alpha-1 and i know what your talking bout fealing ota breth alot i cant walk to my brothers house half the time just down the street like 4 houses down man i didnt know the only testing plase is in florida thay sent my test out and it came back in a week for positive i go to the palminarey offis alot for chest scans to make shere it dosnt get wors let me know how things are by e-mail pleas kuz its varry confusing

[dexydexa]

This was such an amazing story to hear from you Len. I hope you are living a full and healthy life! Goodness gracious though!!! You sure are one handsome guy.. ;)) Take care Len :)

[jhoov1407]

Hey man, Im a urgent care/cardiac medicine nurse and I love these shows. I love to see recoveries like this and its amazing to see you recover so well.

Definitely glad your doc took extra steps... I see cut corners too much in medicine. Not cool

Youre blessed man, so so blessed.

Hope all is still well!

Jason

[becamarita1]

@MsAnna1967

My 22 mnth old son has Alpha-1 ZZ phenotype. His liver is starting to fail. We are repeating LFTs 8/11/2011 & a GGT to see if he is developing cirrhosis. His pedi has told us that if we can't get the liver to stop rising in enzymes our only option is transplant. I agree that there needs to be more awareness of this. We had no clue until a couple of weeks ago that the ZZ phenotype is one of the most severe forms and he wasnt diagnosed until 15 months.

[JedediahForeverMD]

What was it like, waiting so long and then realising that you had Alpha-1? It must have been total hell for you and your family up until then.

[skateatburners]

this show makes you think there is shit wrong with you when there isnt

[MsAnna1967]

My brother had Alpha-1. Thanks for posting this. He had two double transplants. He is one of the 10 percent which had his liver affected by this devastating genetic disease. He had his first kidney-liver transplant at 25 years old in 1991 and another in 2006. He passed away 8 months after the last transplant. There needs to be more awareness of this disease and more research to find a cure. This is all the more reason I think everyone should be an organ donor. Hope you are doing great.