Hi all.
Just back from having an ultrasound on my liver and spleen. The radiologist said that my spleen is a bit bigger than it was when he did it in January this year. It has been enlarged from the time i was first told I have liver problems, and I know the medicos always may a bit of a thing about an enlarged spleen-- why is that, does anyone know? And what are the implications of it being bigger since January?
Grateful for any insight others can give.
Thanks
It's taking on some of the jobs the liver can't cope with it happens to everyone with liver problems 😊
I am post transplant and my liver is still enlarged and it causes no major problems x
Hi Taar,
My understanding is that the spleen is often enlarged due to portal hypertension. This back pressure causes the spleen to enlarge. An enlarged spleen causes it to do more work cleaning the blood of old cells. If it’s getting bigger between scans then it’s an indication that the disease is progressing.
However if it works too hard you can end up with a reduced blood count, white cells and platelets. See here for detailed information nhs.uk/conditions/spleen-pr...
Best wishes - Peter
Im also in the category of large spleen. Actually mine is considered massive at almost 25 cm long. 2 things happen. One of those things is the spleen gets larger due to blood pressure backing up from portal hypertension (splenomegaly) second thing as JoJo says is that the spleen becomes hyperactive and starts doing some of the blood cleaning the liver cant do all on its own (hypersplenism).
The implications are that you have portal hypertension. You can get symptoms of it being enlarged like lowered appetite and pain from it pushing on your other organs. Which is common but not always true. Even with my spleen being 25cm Id have no clue it was if the ultrasound and platelet counts didn't show it.
Needless to say it won't hurt you or kill ya. The only risk factor really is if it ruptured. Which is unlikely unless you injured it badly. So no more contact sports haha 🙂
Do you take special care to ensure yours does not rupture, Phoenix? I hope so. We need you, and that spleen of yours sound so uncomfortably large. 😥
I do .. well mostly.. My 8 year old daughter loves to give me big yanking hugs at the waistline forgetting its enlarged. She did that to me at the hardware store 2 weeks back. She was like " Daddy I love you and gave me a big yank of a hug. It brought me to my knees with a loud yelp
Hi Phoenix has your spleen not reduced in size since TP? as mine has yet I’m still in agony every so often.paul
I have not had a TP Popel. But in general it hasn't shrunk at all. I don't have any other sequale of portal hypertension either. However on last ultrasound they did find a lesion in my spleen. They are monitoring it to see if it gets bigger but the next ultrasound follow up isnt till July 24th. So I will keep you posted on if that has any bearing on its size and if the size has changed.
Good luck Phoenix for the 24th !
Love Trish x
Thank you for this, it is just the sort of information/background I was looking for. You are all a great bunch of people!
Hi there.ive only just had an ultrasound on Monday after having severe pain in my spleen and in particular my left shoulder.i had a Liver TP in February and although the pain existed it wasn’t as bad and after having numerous ultrasounds over the years it was the first time I found out the size of my spleen and it has actually shrunk as it was 19.9 before TP and now five months after it’s 17.3 and a normal spleen is around a 14 so I’m told. So even though it is smaller I’m still experiencing pain every now and again.but the thing that annoyed me was when I’m explaining to a new doctor about the pain in the shoulder some are dismissive of the fact that it’s my spleen and I know as well been told by my consultant that pain in my shoulder is conducive with an enlarged spleen.wish you well.paul
Very true. Its interesting how some will have pain from a moderately enlarged spleen and some with massive will have nothing. Apparently they think it may have something to do with how quickly the spleen became enlarged. Not sure how true it is to be honest. But purportedly if the spleen becomes enlarged slowly over time it will sort of shift itself into spaces and find itself a " home" without pushing to much on other organs. Where if it gets large really quickly it doesn't have time to do that and just barges its way in anywhere it can. Apparently this is why acute spleen enlargment tends to come with pain as a symptom more typically than chronic spleen enlargment does.
Again not sure the truth of it all but did make a bit of sense to me. As far as your spleen causing pain even though its become.smaller is very interesting Popel. I wonder if its pain from ot shrinking, like a healing pain?
Out of curiousity Popel how tall are you?
Hi again.im actually five foot ten and weigh twelve and half stone.but I was told my spleen would shrink after a TP so I’m pleased its shrinking but the pain I have is Twice as painful as it was.which is quite scary.the only time before transplant that I experienced this pain was in work driving excavators as they push and pull you about depending on what your excavating .its like being in a boxing ring at times.id also worry about rupturing it while in work.paul
Hi Popel
Sorry to read your still having horrid pain! I do hope this improves with time! Have you mentioned this to your consultant or GP?
Love Trish
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