Worried carer

[Gerryb20]

Recently diagnosed cihirosis. Fibroscan 25 u/s showing mildly coarse echotextor blood results.Ast41 Alt52 Alp79 Ggt132 Bill9 Inr1.1 resulting from long term fatty liver

I am 72 years of age with a bmi of 29 and a full time carer to a wife who is totaly dependent on my support The liver specialist has put me on 6 monthly check ups and I am wondering if there is any advice on slowing the progression of the deasese to enable me to keep fit enough to carry out my caring responsibility.

I have recently lost a stone in weight and lacking energy but not sure if this is a result of the desease or the worry of the prognosis. I used to drink 6 units a week but have stopped .

Would be grateful for any advice

Many thanks gerryb

[AyrshireK]

Hello Gerry, welcome to the site, so sorry to hear of your diagnosis and the worry it must be causing you especially with your wife to care for too.

Have you seen a specialist dietician at all? They would help you to see what you should be eating in order for your body to have the necessary energy needed for fuel and to keep your weight up. Your liver won't be processing food to provide energy the same as it used to when healthy therefore you need to eat regularly - not just the three big meals a day but snacking in between and having plenty of carbohydrates and protein. Your liver will start to use your muscles for fuel if you don't eat little and often, the most important thing to have is a supper too - quite a large one with lots of carbs and some protein - the overnight fast is a huge gap when your body doesn't get any fuel. I used to send folks an email with the leaflet our dietician provided but she has advised against that and just told me to urge folks to try and see a dietician themselves. The BLT have a diet booklet too at britishlivertrust.org.uk/li...

You've already recognized that alcohol won't help your condition and well done on removing that from your weekly intake - it will help prevent further damage with the liver not having to deal with that toxin.

I understand that you are probably fiercely independent and you want to care for your wife but don't forget there are supports in place that you might tap into for additional support, I know how tired and fatigued my hubby gets and he's only 53 - he would certainly struggle to do much caring for long. Your local social work department and/or health authority should give you guidance on this.

Try and get a referral to a dietician and see where you go from there, there are supplements available on prescription which will help with weight and providing the necessary nutrition if perhaps you can't face lots of eating. My hubby has gone from 8 1/2 stone using those plus regular good meals to touching 11 stone (they are trying to bulk him up in preparation for transplant).

Wishing you all the very best, Katie x

[Bolly in reply to AyrshireK]

I would second Katie in that it might be helpful to ask your GP to help point you in the right direction for getting some outside help in caring for your wife. There are lots of care agencies out there, either get a personal recommendation from your GP or better still a district nurse if your wife has any coming in, as they often look after people who are already receiving care from agencies and can tell which are good and which are not.

[ancientadolescent]

I am 69 and had a transplant 2 years ago. You will be better off eating small meals but more often as your liver will not be able to process large meals properly. I ate 6 times per day but only small meals. In addition I was also prescribed by my gp a supplementary protein energy drink called Fresubin which tastes similar to a milk shake and comes in several flavours. You have done perfectly correctly by stopping drinking alcohol as this should be your best course of action to try to stop any further deterioration of your condition. I have not taken alcohol for the past 5 years. I wish you the very best of good fortune for the future.