His everyone,I'm on sickness benefits and I only have £50 a week and I'm struggling to keep a healthy diet with little money,all I'm starting to eat Is cheap microwave meals from Iceland,I've only been out of work for a month and it's depressing me,anyone have the same problem,really need help with this x
Lee
Hi
Sorry 2 hear this. Have u made sure u r claiming all u r entitled 2.
Haven't a clue what I'm entitled to carmik,all they do is fob you off in the jobcentre,I'm off to see citizens advice on monday
Well done that is the best place to go
Let us know how u get on
Good luck
The British Liver trust website is a good place to look. I sure that's where I got information on what I could claim. Citizens advise were brilliant with me too. I wish you the best of luck xx
Thanks carmik for your support
Your local council should have some sort of welfare rights service who might also be able to give you guidance as to what you might be entitled to in the way of benefits and can also help you with the application procedures - I know we used them as we no longer have a CAB in our area.
If at all possible you should avoid the ready meal option, yes I know they are cheap but sadly they are full of salt, sugar and are so highly processed that they are just the thing you need to avoid with cirrhosis. Always better to cook from scratch and actually it isn't all that expensive when you do.
Would have thought you should be able to claim Employment and Support Allowance at this stage and that opens up access to other benefits like Council Tax & Housing Benefit, Free Prescriptions if you are in England, dental and opticians fees, travel to hospital appointment costs etc.
All the best, hope CAB get you some help on Monday.
Katie
you need to cut out the microwaved chemical, toxic ready meals out immediately, just get chicken , veg, fish fresh fruits and veg and eat fresh ingredients, Aldi has really cheap vegetables
I agree microwave ready meals are full of rubbish, but when you're having a really poorly and crappy day they are the easy option. If you have a freezer big enough then cook up extra meals when you're having a good day and freeze them. Sometimes that can work out cheaper than buying microwave meals
Totally agree with eekk. I am on support group esa, with some disability top.up .after all my outgoings and 3 cats to feed my total food budget is around £30/£40 a week. I do usually have Tesco home delivery every two weeks; but after looking at the Aldi app on my phone along with many others that I use to compare prices, I have noticed Aldi do great prices on fresh veg and fruit. At present I do cook from scratch as much as I can. I do have a lot of quorn products like mince , chicken fillets etc as they are high in protein and low in saturated fats. I have sweet potato .salads , fish , eggs which are very versatile. I can't afford fresh fish so I have tinned mackerel; tinned salmon, I make my own curries at the weekend with sweet potato and spinach I do have a local store by me called herons, they are fantastic with their prices; especially the natural yogurt pots 400g for 69p.then I buy frozen berries to put in the plain yogurt. I do have a terrible sweet tooth ; so bad that I was eating a full 200g bar of dairy milk as they have all been on offer but I noticed how sluggish I was feeling so now I have Tesco chocologic reduced sugar chocolate or Maltesers instead. Good luck with everything there are benefits to help you.
hi pure it can be scarey, cut out salt as much as possible and really look and read the label they do try sneaky tricks, `go shopping soon after the shop opens and look at the reduced stuff add be sensible some things are ok a few days bast the BBF date, there be some where local where you can buy stuff lose 'weight to save,' ? and dried beans and pulses are the cheapest food stuff you can buy,
You must get your benefits sorted, and apply for ESA and even PIP. Gather ALL your evidence/ all our paperwork about your illness/illnesses and its all about how they affect your everyday life. Get supporting letters from GP/Specialists; keep up with all your medical appointments also. Its absurd expecting you to live on such pittance. If you were on sickness benefits, its not possible that you would get only £50 a week. Take others advice about diet here; i know one of the main things is cutting out as much salt as possible. Good luck. xx
Asda for me is the best place to shop people get bought in by the 3 for 10 pounds, but if your alone or just 2 you don't need that big a pack of meat. If you look around you will find a full fresh chicken for £2 you will get 3 meals out of that. They do mince packs for £1.50 and again you do a spaghetti bolognse 2 meals, you can buy the wonky veg, I got a bag of 9 peppers other day for £1.09 the thing is buy the whoops veg you can chop, blanche and freeze it if you go about 2 pm in Asda that's when they have best deals. I know it's hard but it can be managed I bulked cooked when I was having an ok day, also my slow cooker was my life saviour.
Citizens advice will help you as well with getting your benefits sorted most of us have been in or are in the same position x
Hi hun, my friends swear by the alkali diet, you take lemon juice in hot water as much as you can every day and do not cook anything above boiling ie no oven baked stuff or fried foods. Its largely veggie diet but as people with probs with liver need good protein (unless you have a taste for quorn) you will need lean meat. Def switch to aldi or Lidl though i read Aldi is going organic for all veg so Aldi would be the best choice.
Hopefully your meeting will sort out your benefits, good luck x
Home cooking is always the best if you can. Thankfully I love cooking and do enough for a small army every time so our freezer is always full of various leftover meals.
You need to sort your benefits out and CAB should be a good starting point.
Hi,that sounds really tough Lee !! I don't know about benefits etc in theUK,i don't live there,but get off those ready-meals,Bad for you ! Try and get a 'Juicer' from a friend or someone who doesn't use it. Buy loads of cheap veg...etc..juice them....drink the juice as often as poss...can be quite filling...and you can use the pulp as well, from certain vegies to make some tasty sauces for pasta dishes....DON'T add any salt....Anyway hope you get on OK
Big thank you to all who replied and gave good advice,I'll all your information on board,I'm starting to write a list of food I like then I'm off barging hunting,making food and freezing them seems a good way for me,thank you all once again it's priceless information
Love Lee x
I personally would recommend soups. You can make enough for more than one day and they can use up any veg. You can make them tastier with spices or herbs and they are really filling and nutritious. Porridge is a great start to the day and with cooked fruit added to the porridge, it will make it more tasty and give you a better range of nutrients. All the very best and take advantage of the time to experiment. 
Just remember that with late stage cirrhosis where you are loosing body mass and muscle, carbohydrates and protein are more important than filling up on lots of veg. Your needs are different than someone who is eating healthily to look after their liver. Little and often is the motto with carbohydrates and protein with every meal.
Katie
I didn't know that ? I'm a salad girl with the quorn chicken but do have fresh chicken too. I never have carbs. No bread .No better. no potato unless it's sweet. Makes me think now as I am now f4 is that is what's causing me to be so so tired yet sleeping at night is impossible. It's affecting me every day now that I am falling behind on things I need to do 😯x
Your fatigue and sleeplessness at night isn't really to do with diet, my hubby follows the diet plan he's been given for late stage cirrhosis to the letter and also takes a supplement (Ensure) daily but still has similar symptoms to you. To explain the carbs situation here is an excerpt from the diet planner we were given by transplant unit which explains the liver's role in providing 'fuel' and how this doesn't work when your liver is badly cirrhotic and instead metabolises the bodies own muscles for fuel.
"Introduction
When your liver is not working well or when you have liver disease, your body needs extra energy (calories) and protein. This is because sometimes your body cannot digest and absorb its food properly and therefore is unable to store and use energy.
Malnutrition (weight loss and muscle wasting) is common in people with liver disease.
Malnutrition has many causes, including decreased food intake due to liver disease symptoms such as:
- Loss of appetite
- Nausea and vomiting
- Feeling full easily which may be due to ascites (fluid collecting around your middle)
- Unnecessary or inappropriate dietary restrictions.
Good nutrition is vital to overcome symptoms of liver disease, by:
- Stopping muscle wasting and feeling weak
- Maintaining strength and mobility
- Reducing hospital admissions
- Helping wounds heal more quickly
- Speeding up recovery from operations and infections
- Helping to prevent ascites and encephalopathy (confusion caused by liver disease) getting worse.
Carbohydrate
When you eat starchy carbohydrate it is broken down into sugar (glucose). This is your body’s main energy source. Some of this energy is stored in your muscles and liver as a starch called glycogen. This is a back-up energy store to be used later when it is needed, between meals, if you have missed a meal or during a long fast such as overnight.
The liver co-ordinates the release of this energy until you next have something to eat; these energy stores are then replaced at your next meal. If the liver is not working properly and you develop liver disease symptoms, the liver cannot replace this store.
The energy from the food you eat only lasts for 2 hours. If you have liver disease and have no energy stores, your body must find an alternative source of energy after this time. Fat tissue is hard to break down quickly, so instead your body will break down its own muscles for energy. If this continues, your muscles will get weaker and waste away.
It is important that you try and eat regular meals and snacks containing carbohydrate every 2-3 hours.
To prevent muscle being used for energy and to keep you strong, it is important to ‘re-fuel’ your body regularly. Eating meals and snacks containing starchy carbohydrate every 2-3 hours provides enough energy to stop your body breaking down its own muscles. "
When you next see your specialist, ask for referral to a liver specialist dietician as your requirements are different than a person who is eating to 'look after your liver'.
Katie x
Wow , see I did not even know that , I was only ever told to have a high protein and low salt diet but I'm talking back in 2008 when I was in hospital for 6 weeks very poorly. Your information has opened my eyes so I thank you katie. My next appointment is 9th may. Ultrasound to be done then I will see my hepetologist an hour later. You don't think about a difference in the diet I was given by a nutritionist 9 yrs ago as to how it should be now that I have reached end stage. My best wishes to you and hubby. Much appreciated..linda 😊x
Your high protein, low salt is still correct but you do need the carbs too.
Leaflet goes on to say about Protein & Veggies
"Protein
Protein is essential to build and repair body tissue.
When your liver is not working properly your body needs more protein than usual. Extra protein in your diet can help to prevent further muscle breakdown and re-build lost muscle.
Try to include a good source of protein with at least 3-4 meals every day.
Examples include:
- Meat and poultry
- Fish
- Cheese
- Eggs
- Pulses such as peas, beans (including baked beans) and lentils/dhal
- Meat alternatives such as tofu, soya and Quorn.
Fruit and vegetables
Fruit and vegetables are important for vitamins and minerals, but they are not a good source of carbohydrate or protein.
Fruit can be a good snack. Try to have a couple of portions of fruit, vegetables or salad every day. If your appetite, food intake and weight (without fluid) are normal, then aim for 5 portions a day.
If your appetite and food intake are poor or you need to gain weight or muscle, try not to fill yourself up on these foods or have them as snacks."
IT MUST BE HIGHLIGHTED THAT THIS IS THE DIETARY REQUIREMENTS FOR SOMEONE WITH LATE STAGE CIRRHOSIS, SUFFERING FROM MALNUTRITION AND REQUIRING BUILDING UP AND/OR REMAINING FUELLED. IT SHOULD NOT REPLACE THE ADVICE OF A DIETICIAN WITH YOUR OWN INDIVIDUAL CIRCUMSTANCES OR HEALTH RECORDS AT HAND.
Katie x
I have always sustained the high protein low salt, but I stopped carbs thinking that they were bad and made you gain weight. I most defanateley need to see a liver nutritionist, also to ask about this " ensure " that your hubby is taking. Many thanks for your help Katie. Linda ☺x
Well Katie, this is very interesting to know. A font of knowledge as usual. I would have suggested eating bread with the soup, and making homemade soda bread, but my brother tells me that not everyone is as disciplined as me, so suggesting lots of homemade things might be offputting. Anyway, it's good to know that you are talking from a position of knowledge with regard to cirrhosis, whereas I was making suggestions regarding how I managed my initial AIH diagnosis and therefore not as well guided as your good self. Thanks for your very informed post as always
You need to be in the support group where your benefitare concerned. You also need to apply gor pips. I advise you to get as much supporting information to support your claim and get some knowledgeable to help you fill it in (its all in the wording). As for food, I shop most places, but definitely aldi is great for vegetables and meat . A meal i do a lot is roasted vetables then blended with juice into a jar of passetta or a tin of tomatoes chopped upand i throw in any herbs that wiyh pasta and grated cheese if you so wish ,on the top . Its cheep filling tasty and nutritious, what ever veg is on offer it go in. Or i do soup vegetables, chilli or curry powder and red lentils and a dash or leak and potato soup, with a dash or cream. But it is tiresome cooking for one. But make enough for a couple days just store in the fridge there is nothing to go off in it.hope this helps ! Good luck my friend we are all here to support each other in any way we can.
Hi, if you have a garden you could maybe try to grow your own veg & a couple of chickens would give you eggs
xx
Have cheap porridge for brekky with frozen berries, seeds and nuts. Make meat stews in batch with whatever offers are on at supermarket and freeze rest in individual portions. Make your own soups. Fish fingers. Omelettes.don't forget cheap fruit and dairy stuff.
Try and find out times supermarkets do their reductions and pop in and you can save a fortune. Wholemeal pasta, beans and pulses are filling and cheap. If you have access to the Internet go on supermarket websites and look at offers. This is how I do my shopping. You can save a fortune. Good luck 🤞
Vote Labour
Hi pure silver, I'm sorry to hear your struggles. My whole family was virtually from England but we move to Canada. We have nothing like this liver trust forum here in Canada, which saddens me a great deal but I did come across the British one enjoying that. All I can say to you is 50 pounds would be what approximately $120.00 A week in Canada? I find our food extremely expensive and we have a similar sickness benefit here. I've been living with liver disease for 30 years through no fault of my own and now become a diabetic insulin injection. It's very expensive to buy the needles that go on the pan and I have to give myself for shots a day; plus lance my blood 8x a day. Some of my medication is covered others aren't I can be very expensive let alone eating healthy for your liver and your blood sugar problems. What I would suggest to you if you have food banks go to them if you have a friend you can share a place with do that I have two children grown up one with severe health issues along with aspBerger and Tourette's syndrome not including blood sugar and anger issues. I just became a grandmother and my daughter has made it almost impossible for me to see him. She wanted me in the labour room and then blurted out to everybody; I have a liver disease. It was a horrible feeling inside especially because of the stigma attached to it in Canada. I make a lot of vegetables and steamed them eat a lot of beans that are high in protein and even playing butter is good for you rather than eating margarine. It depends on how you eat what your weight is that's going to motivate you to continue on a healthy diet. You can do it I know you can do it but it's gonna take a lot of strength from you. Once you feel better I guarantee you continue on to a better path. Try and look up as much as you can that's got to be some areas that will actually bring you over to your home vegetables I just found that out yesterday can you believe it they have a food bank on wheels when they bring in fresh produce. The more vegetables you eat as well as fruit not juices that are you going to feel! If you want more information I can try and look it up for you if I have time in your area but I'm not too sure what your area is. Be strong we're all here for you! ❣🇨🇦👵❤️
Cirrhosis 
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