Am I right in thinking if you don't drink alcohol at all your Ascites won't return?
Ascites: Am I right in thinking if you... - British Liver Trust
Ascites
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Yuiop
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31 Replies
•
No. It depends upon the capability of your liver to process toxins. If it has not been scarred by cirrhosis then it can regenerate. If not then recovery can be limited. Either way it is sensible to stop drinking and reduce intake of other toxins by changes to diet.
Cirrhosis is not only caused by alcohol, other toxins or conditions can effect it.
Ascites is a build up of fluid caused by a liver not functioning properly. I should add that all this is only my opinion based on my personal experience. It is far better to speak to your consultant. Good luck.
No Sorry, your liver still needs to process and filter products like blood waste. It's the build up of fluid that has to go somewhere and leaks out into the abdominal cavity.
My husband got admitted again yesterday and has, up till now had 13 litres drained and still draining. The doctor said he has never seen so bad a liver case for someone who's stopped drinking!
That seems a crazy comment to make seeing as how people who have never drank alcohol at all can still get cirrhosis and in turn the serious side effects such as ascites. It's decompensated cirrhosis that leads to ascites not alcohol.
Is your hubby seeing a hepatologist? Needs to see someone with proper liver knowledge.
Katie
That was the doctor in admissions at hospital
Same kind of muppet who saw my life long t-total hubby in high dependency unit and told him (following his massive upper GI bleed from burst varices & diagnosis of decompensated cirrhosis) that he had to take it as a warning and to change his lifestyle. Ignorant and shouldn't be passing comment if they don't have the proper medical knowledge. GRRR!!
When I was admitted to hospital the first time I was put into a ward with alcoholics. I told the doctors that I was not an alcoholic. “They all say that!” Was the reply I got. I had three days with people being medicated for dt’s. One person woke me up and asked me to look under my bed for a crate of bananas that he had lost. With hindsight it was an interesting experience. Seeing the lengths that they, and their friends, went to to smuggle in alcohol. I was glad to be moved when it became apparent that I was not alcoholic. If anything it strengthened my resolve not to drink.
I sympathise with the doctors. Their lives are made difficult by the lies that some of their patients tell them. I saw it first hand.
That's terrible, it's hard enough being ill without being wrongly labelled . And yes, your right. Lies make it all the more difficult for the medical staff. Hope your keeping well. X
I’m well, thanks. Had a transplant last year. I had non-alcoholic fatty liver syndrome. I had been a drinker in the past and think that it may have played a part in my illness. I stopped drinking years ago. The most difficult place I’ve found to get a non alcoholic drink is Ireland. I used to order tea as there was often nothing non alcoholic or non fizzy, low sugar.
That sounds identical to my experience when I was admitted with burst varices. Took me 3 days to persuade them to stop trying to give me stuff to wean me off booze, when I'd have preferred to get in the ring with Anthony Joshua than have a shandy.
18 beerless months later, my ascites has never returned (had 10ltrs drained), and I've no symptoms at all, doing a full time, very heavy job.
Hopefully my luck holds, but it can happen.
Gordon,
Welcome to the group and its good to see you contributing to the discussion.
However, I really must object to what you have just written.
This is a support group for all who are affected by liver disease. There are many on this forum who had liver disease caused by alcohol, myself included, who would be offended by such prejudice and lack of compassion.
You have decided to judge those with serious life-threatening illness, as ‘a ward of alcoholics'. What did you know of their diagnosis or the cause of their delusions / hallucinations?
I'm surprised that you were able to say with such certainty why they were there - especially as, in England and Wales, alcohol is responsible for only 37% of liver disease. Also, not sure what you mean by 'dts.’ Could it possibly be that you were witnessing hepatic encephalopathy, which, regardless of the cause, affects around 26% of people with advanced liver disease.
I am sure some of those people were alcoholics, and could well be dying, others may have changed their lives but still be in end stage liver disease, still others may have never have drunk in the first place. You could not have known why everyone was on that ward.
I'm glad you were moved as those patients didn't deserve to have to share their pain and distress with someone who both misunderstood and showed little empathy. Whatever caused their illness, they had the same problems, worries and concerns as you.
Happily, nurses and doctors continue to treat and care for all patients equally with unconditional positive regard - choosing to save life or at least ease its end.
Please be aware that 90% of all liver disease is preventable, so not many of us are entirely without some responsibility for our condition.
Take care
Jim
Hi Jim
I’m sorry to have offended you.
I have great sympathy with people addicted to alcohol and have tremendous respect for anyone who manages to beat it or any other addiction.
I agree with much of what you wrote.
I’d like to say that I didn’t make any assumptions. My comments were made after I came to know the three people who I had shared that room with. The room I was moved to was nearby in the same ward. One of them would sneak out to visit the and ask me if I wanted anything. The others would talk to me about their experiences and wave as they passed my room.
I was in & out of that ward for three years and often meet them during their repeat visits.
Occasionally sharing experiences of our efforts to quit drinking. I was lucky enough to do so a few years previously.
I should have pointed out some of these facts in my post but didn’t want it to be too long.
I’m sorry to anyone else whom I may have inadvertently offended.
Gordon,
Really appreciate your reply.
I had hepatic encephalopathy for most of my illness so I was particularly hurt by your comment about the man looking for the crate of bananas. After not having a drink for seven or eight months, I had a similar episode when I was convinced I had lost a 'white object' that was really important and I did look under the hospital bed, even got the staff to help look for it. Needless to say, it didn't exist and was entirely in my head.
I have been part of this group for two years since my transplant , Lucy a year before that, and we know the importance of being totally non-judgmental in any discussion of liver disease and the support we all need.
Liver disease doesn't discriminate and neither should we.
Yours,
Jim and Lucy
I fully understand. I had HE myself and know how worrying it can be for the sufferer and their family.
One day I spent hours taking my jumper on and off continually for some unknown reason. I had to ask how to flush the toilet. One day when going to shave I slapped foam on my forehead and stared at myself in the mirror, razor in hand. I knew something wasn’t right, but couldn’t work out what it was.
It wasn’t my intention to belittle anyone. I’ll try to be more careful with any future posts. Thank you for your well expressed concern.
Cancer is a disease, alcoholism is a choice
• in reply tofkdup
Oh it is is it? Thanks for the tip. I see you've made only 2 comments since you joined in April 2018. Both an hour ago on 2 posts that are over 6 months old. You've said nothing of note on either other than to open your mouth about things you clearly are uneducated on and dont understand. So whats with the one liner comments anyway? You currently enjoying the effects of the "choice" you speak about? Heres a tip: go read up on the things you say before you say them as this world is filled quite enough with loud mouths that hide behind computer screens and until you can respect the forum your on and the people who use it you should either leave the site or just sit back and keep your mouth closed while the adults talk. You might learn something along the way. Your user name is quite fitting. Points for that one.
Garyvh• in reply to
Well said Phoenix!
• in reply toAyrshireK
The doctors comments are not totally unjustified. All cirrhosis is caused by whats called an "insult" to the liver. Yea cirrhosis can be caused by many things. IE many different "insults" . The underlying insult is refered to in the medical world as the " etiology". As mentioned here and can be researched if you like.. removing an insult can alot of times move a patient from a decompenasted state to a compenasted state. For example if the etiology is alchohol than stopping to drink removes the insult. As another example if the etiology is hepatitis C .. curing the hepC removes the insult. Some etiologies do not have cures and there for liver deterioration is inevitable. So the fact that the Dr made a statment that he has never seen a liver react so poorly in decompensation after the insult was removed is quite a fair statment to make about the obvious state of his liver. It basically means the damage is so extensive that even removing the insult will not and has not helped at this point. That being said keeping the insult away will surely still help slow the progression as it seems to be showimg clearly althqt progression is beyomd halting.
• in reply toYuiop
Not sure how long he hasnt drank but there is def still hope he will return to compensated state of he stays off it 😊
The liver produces Albumin ,it maintains pressure in the vascular system without it pressure lowers and fluid leaks out into the abdominal cavities which create Astites , layoff the alcohol, watch the diet, restrict water intake 1.5 litres a day (all fluids tea, coffee etc.)
I had it bad , they didn’t bother draining me in the U.K. as I was too far gone (dying) but I had 12 litres drained in Australia over 4 days, it didn’t return and my health certainly improved, fluid tablets also helped a lot I’m sure, they call it ‘pregnant man syndrome ‘ in India I believe ( I think I was carrying twins..elephants at that!) it’s a depressing reminder in the morning I know but I got rid and as I said it hasn’t returned, luck to you.
Barry
Same here Gordon.
No once you have ascites it's there untill you have transplant or liver tips. It doesn't matter if you stop drinking. You will continue to be drained
Well that doctor was right out of his depth!
• in reply toFreddiecat99
Not at all true. Acites can resolve if the insult is removed as long as damage is not to far gone. This has countless times been proven in alcholics who stop drinking.
He's been on a low salt diet, and now they are saying it is too low. I assume this is because of the amount of fluid in him!
As salt is in lots of foods it is actually a sign of being successful in cutting it from your diet. Too successful! It can be dangerous for your body to become low in salts, minerals and vitamins yet difficult to keep a balance until you become accustomed. But this is not easy with ever changing meds. I’ve found myself on drips to raise my salts after having a struggle to reduce them. It can be tricky. Ask what your levels are every time blood is sampled because unless you ask you’re often not told unti a deficiency or surfeit it becomes serious.
Alot of times the simple cessetation of alcohol (if alcohol is the only cause) in liver cirrhosis can return a back to a compensated state where there is no GI bleed and and no ascites. Often the cessetstion of alchol can stop any further progression of cirrhosis. That being said im some people the damage is to extensive for the liver to return to compensated state and the cirrhosis processes regardless of stopping the drink. In that case liver transplant is the only course
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