I had a fibroscan today and the kPa result was 8.1 ! I had a liver transplant 2009. Is this something to worry about ? I know the doctors will eventually contact me but it usually takes weeks. I wondered if any one else knows anything about Fibroscan results. I exercise daily at least an hour and eat healthy except at weekends - when I become a "sweet- tooth-aholic" eating cakes with cream, chocolates and so on. I am also a cheese craver and crisps etc. But only weekends and holidays. During the week I live on fruit, veg and yoghurts. I have to have SOME PLEASURE so I save my "sins" for the WEEKENDS. Another question is ; would a liver Detox now and again do any good or taking supplements like Milk thistle ? A lot of questions, I know - sorry !!!!
Thank you in advance !
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Louisepeters
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Elevated enzymes (swollen liver) can cause the scan to appear stiffer than it should.
why did you have a transplant?
Something like Hep-c will attack a new Liver if its not eradicated after destroying the native Liver. Also if you had an auto immune condition that too can start to attack a new Liver.
The test suggests you have early scarring appearing or your Liver maybe swollen, or it could be a bit of both.
Hello and thank you for answering. I had Cancer / Cirrhosis. I did not drink anything for 2 years before I knew I had this and never even touched a chocolate with any alcohol in afterwards either. I had heard that a drink or 2 in moderation was OK after 6 months of the transplant. I did however never feel I wanted one. Although I felt guilty towards doctors and the donor's family. I did have a drink on two special occasions last year and again this year. It was then 6 years since the transplant (will be 8 in January) This year the occasion was only about 4 weeks ago. I have also this year been on medication for pain (broken shoulder) and antibiotics for an infection, as well as being prescribed with painkillers or similar for the chronic cramps I have suffered from since the transplantation. I don't intend to have another drink either unless it is a special occasion and OF COURE if it really is OK. The painkillers I also only take when it is an EMERGENCY. Antibiotics obviously must be taken until the course is finished. I also told the doctors that I binge eat at weekends with loads of sweet things as well as savouries and cheeses, but eat normal and practically only fruit and veg. during the week. You might ask why do I want to have a drink at these parties !?!? Well, it is nice to join in now and again and as I suffer from so many side effects in any case with or without - I just thought it would be a "treat" for me. I have been through a lot (I know others have as well and WORSE) It all started at 17 with Anorexia and Bulimia & I still have chronic eating disorders.
I am not and never was "ALCOHOLIC" - It is just nice to know that if it really is in moderation i.e. a woman can have up to 2-3 units a day or 14 a week. But if I do drink it might be (since last year - every 4 to 6 months) For me it is a "break" from suffering the side effects I do get regardless. I have written similar to another member as I don't know if EVERYONE gets to see the replies. Sorry I am new !!!!
Anyway have a nice weekend and I really appreciate your response to my post.
Liver cancer is usually secondary to Cirrhosis, its the scarring where it grows. Did you ever get a cause for your Cirrhosis ?
The medications your are on could be inflaming the Liver, have you had bloods with the Fibroscan? If so what are the numbers?
I have heard of people on life time medications for illness's unrelated to the Liver and ending up with Liver failure later on in life. The Liver has to process anything you ingest it particular, long term meds increase your chances of getting Liver problems, obviously some more than others.
That was quick. Thank you. Apparently alcohol was a blame but also the anorexia / bulimia and my ways of eating did not help. I would go days sometimes up to a week without any food and survive on black coffee. I counted and still count EVERY CALORIE. As there is so much in alcohol this is usually TABU on my list. 'Even when I I DID have a drink last year I calculated the calories and the units of alcohol in the glass of wine I had - I also drank water along with it. As I say only special occasions. I was totally NIL alcohol for 7 years. You seem to know quite a lot and are willing to help me. I thank you very much for this. I don't have my next bloods taken until the end of October when I am then due to my routine visit in the liver clinic here.
Its true that anorexia and drinking is a very bad combination. The Liver needs nutrients to repair itself, take away the nutrients and it cant repair very well.
One of the reasons people get Acute Alcoholic Hepatitis is thought to be because of lack of nutrients.
That said, many people get the cause "Alcohol" even if they drank only slightly over limits. Sometimes the doctors are too quick to pin "Alcoholic" on to people, probably because its an easy diagnosis.
Usually if no others issues are present it takes ALOT of alcohol to take the Liver to the point of failure. Often it will be 120+units week for 10 years, or 2 bottles of wine every night for 10 years. Some even drink 200-300 units a week, i have heard of even more this too.
Anti biotics are hard on the Liver, it could well be then inflaming your Liver and making it appear stiffer on the Fibroscan. One thing im not too sure about is rejection, if you start rejecting the Liver, will that cause inflammation ?
Thanks Ralph again. That all sounds very logic. I have calmed down a bit now. I just hope now that the result may go down. As I said I had the celebration at the beginning of July followed by a course of antibiotics when my foot got infected from a cut. The Fibroscan being within a month of this.
I had rejection symptoms straight after the transplant. This showed in my blood test at the time. Apparently this quite normal straight after the OP. This was handled with a high dosage of "Cortisone" intravenously. Although I didn't used to drink the amounts you mentioned and not everyday. I was with my anorexia going without food for days on end and then having drinks at the weekends. Now the situation is different. I still have the eating disorders but get plenty of nutrients by eating EVERYDAY. My problems are the binging at weekends !!!! You are quite correct. The doctors do pin it down to alcohol abuse pretty quickly. It would be nice to know something about you if you would like to inform me. You certainly are very knowledgeable. If not I quite understand and wish you all the very best.
7 kpa is normal. I would be delighted with 8.1. What was the background to the transplant and might the underlying cause be beginning to affect the new liver slightly. Have you had a Fibroscan on this new liver before, to compare results.
Hello and thank you for answering. I had Cancer / Cirrhosis. I did not drink anything for 2 years before I knew I had this and never even touched a chocolate with any alcohol in afterwards either. I had heard that a drink or 2 in moderation was OK after 6 months of the transplant. I did however never feel I wanted one. Although I felt guilty towards doctors and the donors family. I did have a drink on two special occasions last year and again this year. It was then 6 years since the transplant (will be 8 in January) This year the occasion was only about 4 weeks ago. Could it be that ? I don't intend to have anything either unless it is a special occasion and OF COURE if it really is OK. I also told the doctors that I binge eat at weekends with loads of sweet things as well as savouries and cheeses, but eat normal and practically only fruit and veg. during the week. You might ask why do I want to have a drink at these parties !?!? Well, it is nice to join in now and again and as I suffer from so many side effects in any case with or without - I just thought it would be a "treat" for me. I have been through a lot (I know others have as well and WORSE) It all started at 17 with Anorexia and Bulimia & I still have chronic eating disorders.
I haven't had a Fibroscan before. It was just twice yearly blood tests which have until now been very good. I hope this was not too long for you. I would interest me to know what you suffer from (I hope I haven't offended you in any way with this news) How is it that 8.1 would be a delight for you ? In the meantime have a nice weekend and take care. Thank you in advance if you decide to reply again.
Did you ever have a diagnosis for what caused the (liver) cancer and cirrhosis or was it of unknown cause? For example i was diagnosed with liver cancer and cirrhosis 6 years ago but we knew the cause was a type of viral hepatitis.
Hi again Louise. The alcohol may be a red herring in your case. If the new liver was never assessed by Fibroscan soon after transplant you have no benchmark to assess whether the current 8.1 kpa is better, the same, or worse than the level of stiffness when the liver was transplanted.
Has the underlying cause for your own liver failure been removed , or do you have a chronic condition that may be damaging the transplanted liver.
Hello Bolly, I have had a few normal Ultrasounds but have been told these are not the same as Fibroscans. Regarding the 2nd question. I don't have any other chronic condition and have been told that I am "cancer clear" now. I am still wondering whether the 8.1 comes from having those "special occasion" drinks and subsequently course of antibiotics within a month of the FIBROSCAN. I emphasize on subsequently as I had a foot infection and had to take antibiotics. This was not on the days I had had an alcoholic drink though. I just want to mention I am pleased that I can discuss this without receiving any "nasty" replies. I had expected someone getting "down my throat" by even mentioning the question whether it is OK to have an occasional drink. We are after all only human ! Thank you Bolly.
Hi Louise. Yes you have been told correctly, ultrasounds and Fibroscans are totally different technology and not suitable for comparison.
Primary liver cancer (Im assuming that is what your cancer diagnosis was?) is very rare. The type i had, that starts in the liver, is called a Hepatoma, also called hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Many people have secondaries that spread to the liver from elsewhere, but thats not the same.
There are only a few causes of primary liver cancer: 1) viral hepatitis C or B (mine was caused by Hepatitis B), 2) excessive alcohol, 3) Haemochromatosis, itself a rare genetic condition, and 4) Non alcoholic fatty liver disease (commonly a 'lifestyle' disease, but not always).
It may be that your bulimia caused some type of NASH? I presume when you had your assessment for transplant and the transplant itself the doctors gave you some idea as to what had caused the liver cancer/cirrhosis? If you are still struggling with a balanced diet (ie still binging at regular intervals) it may be that your new liver doesnt like this. Have you had medical help for the eating disorder - it may be the underlying 'cause' i have mentioned before.
Well that is something to feel better about ballie52. I thought that without alcohol for 7 years and only having something on special occasions within the last 2 years. With months of space between, that the results would be a lot lower. I only had the test on Friday, so I'll wait now how long it takes for a letter or phone call. Perhaps it will have to be done again. Thank you again and all the very best.
I really don't think one glass of wine on a special occasion every couple of years would cause any harm..I think maybe as you have had a transplant it might just edge the numbers up slightly. .I honestly don't think you have much to worry about.
My husband has had 3 liver transplants..I'm almost sure if he got a fibroscan his would be much the same and he is very healthy right now!
Don't worry I'm sure the consultant will be able to discuss this with you. XX
Wow Ballie52 ! THREE liver transplants for your husband. How did he manage that? I take it he doesnot even THINK of even a glass of wine at Christmas ? With me perhaps it is that feeling of guilt towards the doctors and of the the donor's family. Perhaps they would be disgusted if they knew the thought had come to me. For 7 years it was absolute NOTHING not even a chocolate with some sort of liqueur. There are so many very ill people who are on the waiting list. I was on for 6 months. The tumor had grown quickly and too big to receive any other treatment - putting me further up on the list each month. I was even called twice in one week regarding the new liver. The first time was on a Monday and when I was out shopping I had forgotten my mobile. Came home and a message was on the answering machine. I was too late though. I thought my chance was completely gone. That same week another call came on the Thursday. I was at home and travelled to the clinic and was lucky to receive this liver. The patient also donated his other organs and so save other lives too. I carry a donor pass with me all the time now. I thank you too for your reply and wish you and of course your husband the very best. It would be nice to hear from you again.
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