New Member Steve

[SteveNW]

Hi, I'm a new member and go between being highly anxious, to calm (due to fatigue). I would say I am also moderately depressed (being a psychotherapist, the obvious signs are there). Awaiting further tests to confirm or refute diagnosis of Cirrhosis. There is almost certainly Chronic FIRBOSIS. I've started the gym, swimming and healthy eating. I'm on long term sick leave from work. I feel I need the company of others who have been in a similar situation to me, someone I can just talk to. I have close friends and family, but I feel so alone.

[ballie52]

Hi Steve cirrhosis can make you feel exhausted and can cause depression in some people due to not being able to do normal activities because of the fatigue it can cause!

Hopefully you will find out the cause of these problems when your test results come back..i think taking exercise and having a healthy diet can definitely help you feel better..there is a lot of very nice people on this forum suffer from all sorts of liver related conditions that can and do give eachother a lot of advice and support. X

[SteveNW in reply to ballie52]

Hi, Thanks so much for your response. I did go a little crazy when the GP told me the results from my fibroscan. He basically held my hand and said "Oh Steve, i'm so sorry". That weekend, I was in A&E, called th on-call GP several times and used the BLT help line as my own hotline number. I've calmed down a lot since then, but the exhaustion/depression is a tough one. It's so good to read your reply. Thank you so much.

[RodeoJoe in reply to SteveNW]

Although well intended a reaction like that from the GP must have made you think you're a goner.

Glad you've calmed down a bit, it must have been a real shock. But I'm here to tell you that I had a similar experience about 18 years ago when I was 27. Although mine was definitely cirrhosis. I went about 15 years with minimal treatment and checks every 6 month until I needed a liver transplant. Theres a chance you don't have cirrhosis, and there's a good chance that if you do you can stabilise it and live a normal life. Failing that and the disease progresses (which can be very slowly) you may need a transplant in a decade or more. If you need a transplant then I can tell you that life definitely goes on afterwards.

For the moment the best thing to do is just take one day at a time.

[SteveNW in reply to RodeoJoe]

Thank you for a very well grounded response. What I mean by that is it has helped to reground me somewhat.

[RodeoJoe in reply to SteveNW]

Glad it helped. I was pretty much told the above on my first hospital consultation and they suggested 8-15 years before transplant. Although a good prediction I managed to go the full 15 years. At best that was a guess though, and at many of my consultations I was told the condition had stabilized.

I would have probably had huge anxiety myself, but rather than that I "chose" to go into denial (you're more qualified than me to explain that). I just continued life as I had done before only with huge anxiety a few days before the consultations.

The cause of the liver disease was never found although virus and alcohol were ruled out.

I can tell you that as horrific as a liver transplant sounds all the fatigue, anxiety, brain fog etc. is now gone. Six months after transplant I was able to get back to work (also university), and now after two years I've just signed up for a 50 mile bike ride to raise money for a liver charity. Stay positive!

[SteveNW in reply to RodeoJoe]

An emotional thanks coming your way!

[SteveNW in reply to SteveNW]

An emotional thanks coming your way

[Smyally]

Hi Steve

Hopefully you get your test results back soon. I've had the feeling of being anxious one minute and exhausted the next. Just take things one day at a time and don't be too hard on yourself. It's good that you are eating healthily and managing some exercise as this will help you to stay as well as you can do

[SteveNW in reply to Smyally]

Hi,

Thanks so much for your reply. I'm being prescribed Ramixifan this week as my consultant says it will help with my tiredness and flatulence. Apparently, the results are very good. I'm hopeful. I look forward to talking to you in the future.

[fizzix50]

My OH has cirhossis too and finds some days he has more energy than others - all I can say is from our experience, get plenty of rest, and on the days when you feel you can push yourself a bit more, do so, then take a day off and rest again. Not perfect, but at least the "busy" days you get a real sense of purpose and achievement which helps with the depression. Maybe use the "quiet" days to read all the books you have always promised yourself you would, learn to paint watercolours, listen to music, or do something which feeds the soul. You always have to be hopeful and get the most out of each day; with all the technology in the world, and the great strides being made, who knows what treatments might be around the corner. Thinking of you and hoping your anxiety (I call mine my "train-crash" thinking!!) is calming down. xx

[Jeannieb12]

I really felt for you when I read your post .... I'm a novice on here but I know how I felt when my results came through and I panicked ! There are tons of knowledgeable people on here who have walked in your shoes. I hope you are able to draw strength from them. All the very best Jx

[Shazzamattaz]

Hi Steve,

I know exactly how you feel, I'm not working at the moment, but applying for jobs but feel so tired and exhausted everyday and feel depressed too, also I get anxiety and palpitations, sleeping has become not good, it takes me ages to drop off, then I wake up pretty late in the mornings now it's horrible I know!

Going for walks, exercise can help, takes your mind off of it for a while, I have a bike so I go out on that.

This has got me down terribly of late as you cannot do as much as you want to do, but as that other person said the people on here are lovely & you won't feel alone, as I know it can be lonely but this site is good, I'm so glad I found this site too, there's a lot of support on here, I hope you will be ok and feel more positive.

Sharon 😊 X

[Hidden]

Welcome Steve,

We hope you will receive lots of wonderful support on the forum. If you do need to call the helpline again then feel free,

Warm wishes,

Rebecca

[SteveNW in reply to Hidden]

Thanks Rebecca.

I was massively aware that my anxiety was out of control when I was calling a couple of weeks ago. I may call in the next couple of days. You were really supportive, so thank you.

Kind regards

Steve

[Hidden in reply to SteveNW]

You are very welcome, I am just sending you a PM so check your messages

[SteveNW in reply to Hidden]

Thanks. Nothing received yet, but will keep checking.

[Foxman555]

Hi Steve, being a counsellor I thought I was quick on picking things up, this illness does not discriminate who will get it, and having been told I have a decompensated liver I really thought I could make the right decisions, but as much as you try you seem to fail, I think being told by my hepatic consultant that I would die, and my Gp as well, no mincing of words just straight blunt words, I have to try to create a life that doesn't include alcohol, most of my peers are heavy drinkers, so meet them away from pubs and places that include alcohol, my one saving grace is that if I drive I will not touch any alcohol, so it's the car that helps me, plus I want to see my grandchildren grow up, all the best to you, try and sort out a diet that nourishes the liver.

[Brett11]

If I had a $ or £ for everyone who told me I was going to die with my decompensated liver, I would have about $8 (£8) by now lol. Now my liver is compensated, I feel worse but at least the life threatening stuff has eased now. I stopped drinking in October 2016. I still dream about having a good session with mates but I always wake up before my first sip. Strange?

Cheers,

Brett

[Worriesalot]

Know how you feel. Scans and bloods normal but I know I’ve got severe liver disease. Family and friends, medics think I’m crazy, makes me lonelier.