to Maureen, questions about end stage liver disease

January 8, 2008

Hi, Maureen.My name is Bobby, and I have cirrhosis.I am so sorry to

hear about your husband. You didn't mention how old he is. Cirrhosis is

the end stage of liver disease. There is no known cure. The only

treatment that can save the life of someone who has decompensated

cirrhosis is a liver transplant. Decompensation is when certain major

complications have developed. These are usually the signs that the

diseased liver is beginning to fail. A person can not live without a

liver. Even a small amount of function can keep a person alive for a

while, but a failing liver is a bad sign. A swollen belly, swollen

feet,legs,bleeding from the esophagus, (a medical emergency that

results in a 50% mortality rate from the first bleed) Yellow eyes,

profound mental changes.(Subtle changes can be a sign of liver

encephalopathy too, but if the changes are severe, then it is almost

certain toxins are crossing from the blood into the brain. The effect

is a lot like alcohol. Slurred speech, flapping hands, anger,memory

loss, talking complete nonsense, a foul fruity smelling breath, these

are some signs of more advanced encephalopathy. A lot of us in this

group are being treated for this condition, with a medication that is

an osmotic laxitive. For a person with end stage liver disease, the

colon is rife with toxins that can travel from the portal vein in the

bloodstream to the brain. The liver is full of scar tissue, and cannot

circulate blood in a normal fashion. So, blood finds ways around the

liver. Certain vessels swell up. In the esophagus, rectum, belly,lungs.

Nitric oxide builds up in the body,causes the spleen to enlarge. This

can cause back pain. Here are some links for you. This link is very

scientific sounding, because it isn't for us, it's for doctors, but I

allways go here to refresh my mind. If you have any questions about

certain words, just post them. There are many folks here who know a

hell of a lot more than a lot of doctors. They can answer your

questions for sure, and if they can't they will look it up for you.

This one has signs and symptoms in table 2. It is the best I have ever found to

answer some of these questions

Good luck to you, Maureen.

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