IS CHRONIC CIRROSIS A DEATH SENTENCE?

[woollid]

Forum members,

My son who is 34 is in hospital with this condition. He has been an alcohol abuser for many years, and this is his first admittance to hospital. If his liver cannot recover or repair itself, and without having a liver transplant, is there no hope for our sons recovery?

Worried Woollid in need of hope

[AyrshireK]

This will be a critical stage, hopefully, the hospital can stabilize his condition just now and then if your son commits to total abstinence there is hope he can improve. His liver will never fully recover and he might be left with some symptoms - the liver does 500 different jobs and a struggling liver will cut off some of these functions. A cirrhotic liver exists in one of two states - compensated (where it can do most of its essential functions) or decompensated when it is really struggling and this is where the most life threatening aspects of cirrhosis exist.

A really good page to tell you all about cirrhosis and it's effects is at:- britishlivertrust.org.uk/li...

It is possible to improve from a decompensated state to compensated and there are many members who have seen that. Your son will need to leave alcohol alone or sadly there will be no hope.

Katie

[woollid]

Thanks for all your responses. Hoping to receive more, but encouraging news!

Woollid

[AyrshireK in reply to woollid]

There are many forum members who have been in a critical condition in hospital due to cirrhosis caused by alcohol. They have recovered sufficiently and used it as a wake up call regarding the booze. However, some have gone on to require liver transplant and in the UK the transplant system requires a minimum 6 months proven period of abstinence (often attendance at some form of addiction support is needed as proof) before a patient can be assessed for transplant.

Whilst your son is possibly very poorly just now, dependent on the symptoms being experienced at the moment there is still the possibility of improvement. Long term though he is unlikely to be A1 fit although you can live a long life even with cirrhosis (my husband has been living with the diagnosis since 2012 - his due to auto-immune liver disease. His doctors has patients on his list who have had cirrhosis for 20+ years and are still no closer to needing transplant).

Katie

[Hidden]

Hi Woollid.

If you are in the UK why don't you consider calling our helpline today? we can have a chat about your son's diagnosis. It is open Monday to Friday 10am to 14.45 on 0800 652 7330

Best wishes

Trust1

[woollid in reply to Hidden]

Hi Trust 1 administrator. I'll talk with my wife ( Sons mother) first if you don't mind.

Thanks to all concerned,

Woollid

[Hidden in reply to woollid]

Of course, take care

[Supportinghubby]

Hi Woollid, you've had great responses from Katie. In short, the answer is, I hope not. My husband has cirhossis, caused by alcohol. He got in a bad habit of drinking on an evening to unwind without having many breaks & boom, ended up in hospital vomiting blood. It was a massive shock.

The key thing is for your son to stop the alcohol. My husband stopped immeadiately luckily & his liver function improved pretty swiftly. He went back to work full time after 7 weeks & has lived a normal life since. Has to have 6 monthly checks, still gets varices & has endoscopies & banding (although did go 6 months between endoscopies). We can't have our pick of countries to go on holiday to (not that we could afford to go to whatever country we wanted to anyway). His spleen is enlarged so he has to avoid contact sports. But his life is still great quality.

I don't know what the future holds for your son but if he stops drinking, sees a dietician & makes the neccessary lifestyle changes there is hope. It's a worrying time for you, I hope he improves.

[woollid in reply to Supportinghubby]

Yes Indeed, Katie has been very helpful, and taken away much of the ''end game'' thoughts

[woollid in reply to woollid]

Thanks for your story showing that there can be hope after all