liver cirrhosis needs more publicity - British Liver Trust

British Liver Trust

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liver cirrhosis needs more publicity

75 Replies

Everyone knows the seriousness of cancer and its horrifying effect on the body, but tell someone that you have liver cirrhosis and 90% of people will reply "its ok, the liver can repair itself"

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75 Replies
davianne profile image
davianne

Great post, You are absolutely right c1jam, Drinkers think any damage resulting from their drinking will be repaired by the liver. It needs a big national campaign to make people aware of the dangers of alcohol, as has happened with smoking, drugs and cancer. If you say you have cirrhosis, then most people think you are an alcoholic, which we know is mostly not true. Some people are genetically more susceptible to cirrhosis, as well as Hepatitis sufferer's.

Liver damage was not on my radar when I was a moderate drinker, and I think I am typical of many others.

David

in reply to davianne

Absolutely right vadid.

Countrywalks profile image
Countrywalks in reply to davianne

Spot on david there needs to be more said about this all that wine on supermarket shelves and massive packs of beer and not a word of warning what can happen its disgusting and the nhs cant cope now with liver disease so whats going to happen if all this drinking escalates ? Like you say people assume your an alcoholic if you get liver damage its not that way tho .and its silent you dont know unless you have a check up and its found accidentley because once the symptoms happen ut too dam late its so unfair not to warn people .

davianne profile image
davianne in reply to Countrywalks

Yes, I agree with everything you have said, Judy. As you say, very often the damage has been done before people are aware there is anything wrong. I only found out after a colonoscopy, and blood results showed the extent of the damage to my liver. Then a fibroscan proved the worst. I think the problem is that there are so many scare stories about health, people are immune to them now, and just ignore them. I remember the "2 glasses of red wine" was said to be good for you.

David

Countrywalks profile image
Countrywalks in reply to davianne

The health service are facing a massive future problem that needs to be adressed not ignored .nobody thinks having a couple if glasses of wine a week or a few pints could slash your life expectancy by decades . I will give you an example i encountered a guy drinking tea at the local hospital cafe i sat down and began to chat with him just to be polite he was about early 50s id say he was on crutches and bandaged arm cut head ect . He asked me what i was there for i replied a fibroscan he said he had never heard of one .i then asked him did he drink he said yes i asked how often and how much ?. He said ohh im on my own i get loneley so i go to the pub for company maybe 5 nights a week and i drink about 4/5 pints a night i said are you aware thats above safe limits .he said no . There is a prime example of how unaware people are too the risks . He had also sustained his injurys falling over while drunk.

Ocean_ovna profile image
Ocean_ovna in reply to Countrywalks

Unfortunately, even doctors in scientific articles write "How much alcohol is safe in a week?" But they should write everywhere - "There are no safe doses of alcohol"

Countrywalks profile image
Countrywalks in reply to davianne

This is so true my mum is 83 i told her about chirrhosis and the nasty things that happen she said no your wrong the liver repairs if you stop drinking .those things dont happen its all lies off the internet .she argued with me when i told her you could not take painkillers or have surgerey once you had very bad chirrhosiss . She said no thats wrong you can and the drs have tablets to cure chirrhosis .so you see how stubborn older people are when it comes to liver disease .

Laura009 profile image
Laura009 in reply to davianne

Isn't this exactly what many of us here have been banging on about for months/ years. Until you are in the thick of the illness or living with someone whose died, dying, on the transplant list or been transplanted, no body knows or takes it seriously until its all too late. Ive said before... where are the posters with rotting livers ? They should be in doctors surgeries, hospitals, bus stops super markets , I'll get lashed for this but to hell with it.... pubs. As you say these campaigns are working for the ex tabacco smokers.

Not all liver damage is caused by booze and if you have any of those other illnesses, surely people should understand that by drinking alcohol aswell is only heightening the risks of a much shorter life with chronic illness.

But yes as you say its this ' it wont happen to me ' attitude with lack of goverment backed liver health versus alcohol shemes, warnings, campaigns whatever you want to call them, the problem will never be properly addressed.

I'm bored of telling my story, I'm greatly saddened by reading others exactly the same and moved by reading the strength and bravery of those who have been taken to the depths of despair by alcohol albuse because they thought it would cure them mentally only to find it was killing them physically, but fought it to come out the otherside and still fighting on.

I wish I had photographed my husband in intensive care, his yellow eyes and skin, his lank dull hair, the tubes in his neck, the blood pouring from his mouth, dried blood around his nose on oxygen and morphine and posted here. Would it have made any difference to those who would have laughed it off with 'I wont end up like that'

I wonder .......

davianne profile image
davianne in reply to Laura009

WOW Laura, what a Great post. Never was a truer word was spoken. The high given by alcohol is very short lived, whilst the depression it gives lasts a lot longer, and means the cycle is just repeated on and on. The "Drink Aware" labeling is wholly inadequate, and producers should be forced to put graphic images on bottles and much larger, as they did with cigarettes, have no branding on them, just the graphic warning. Of course,we know that will never happen because it would affect the amount of duty the government would receive.

David

Laura009 profile image
Laura009 in reply to davianne

Yep you are literally saying exactly what I said when I 1st joined this forum 18 months ago.

The powers that be won't do anything about it because they benefit so much from the sales of the stuff. What do they call it when someone supplies you with a poisonous substance which kills you ? ........ manslaughter? Murder ? .....

As a for instance Michael Jacksons Dr done for murder for giving Jackson painkillers which HE had insisted the doc give him......

Countrywalks profile image
Countrywalks in reply to Laura009

That last paragraph is shocking but true i wonder how many glass waving idiots posing on facebook i see daily would want to end up like that .alcohol is poision nothing more you may as well drink bleach why ohh why is it legal to sell it i will never know .

Supportinghubby profile image
Supportinghubby

Do you think so? Most people I know are really worried when I say hubby has cirrhosis. When they told me that's what he had I was really scared.

I do agree that people don't understand how they can get cirhossis though. I didn't think my hubby drank enough to get it although he was drinking way above the recommended units. I think people think they will get the chance for their liver to repair before it gets to that stage but often there are no warning signs, or they're difficult to spot.

And of course there are many other causes of cirhossis besides alcohol that people aren't aware of.

davianne profile image
davianne in reply to Supportinghubby

Yes, people were concerned for me, and were aware of the seriousness of cirrhosis, although they thought their liver would repair itself. But many, didn't transpose that to their own drinking habits (my daughter being one) It's the " It'll never happen to me" syndrome.

David

Countrywalks profile image
Countrywalks in reply to davianne

I think there are many people drinking above the limits without knowing and also people are not aware that weight can affect your liver too .

davianne profile image
davianne in reply to Countrywalks

Very true. The problem is that the authorities keep changing their advice on quantity, and most people aren't aware of what 125mls look like in a glass.

Countrywalks profile image
Countrywalks in reply to davianne

No they dont you have 2 large glasses of wine and you have gone over the limit and most people dont use small glasses anymore the glasses are getting bigger ive seen these new gin glasses like dam goldfish bowls 🐟

Chris-harris profile image
Chris-harris

I agree with you on that, if someone suffers lung cancer from smoking or diabetes from lifestyle choices then everyone knows of the dangers of that and are very sympathetic, I have found with some/many people alcohol damage becomes a "bought it on yourself" disease (but that’s another converstation)

One thing I find is that you are diagnosed and often after the initial hell and weight loss you recover to a stage where you look fit, cmments like "good to see you so healthy" and "are you fixed now" are daily,

the 100's of little horrible things are invisible to everyone so its assumed you are now fine.

Chris

47 years old, stage 4 compensated, struggle to get up without a million groans, can't feel feet, have occasional stutter and walking issues and a mountain of little thing you can't see :)

in reply to Chris-harris

Too right Chris. Even on my Assessment day the Anaesthetist said to me “you’re looking well, Mr. H...” To say I was dischuffed was an understatement 😁

Miles

alfredthegreat profile image
alfredthegreat in reply to

I remember at assessment when I met all the transplant team individually, the anaesthetist told me that I might be considered too well for transplant. This comment floored me! I had a MELD score of 54 :-(

davianne profile image
davianne in reply to Chris-harris

That is Soooo true Chris, i could have written that myself, that is me exactly, except for the age (72 in my case), well done👍👍👍

Countrywalks profile image
Countrywalks in reply to Chris-harris

Well said and the tv are much to blame all the soaps on tv have pubs at the centre of the show and people seem to be in them every lunch time and night always having more than one drink at a time basically promoting drinking as harmless. It was like eastenders phil mitchell went from normal to getting a transplant very quickly were was his acities his weightloss his HE his varacies bleeding . And his long wait on the transplant list ? .that programme did show how you can damage your liver but what they did not show was all the suffering in between .

in reply to Countrywalks

And thats all Phil Mitchell has to do now to stay healthy is drink the odd glass of orange juice in the pub now and then.

Countrywalks profile image
Countrywalks in reply to

Exactly and he seems to have full strength and be able to fight like a man who had never had a transplant what a load of rubbish it is . And what about coronation street that peter barlow hes an alcoholic no mention of liver damage tho is there ?

Countrywalks profile image
Countrywalks in reply to

If a very famous person got chirrhosiss through drinking someone in the public eye that shocked everyone maybe this would prompt some action about raising awareness of liver disease i have read anout 2 famous men who recently bragged about consuming 1 full bottle of wine everynight as if it was normal if one of these celebrities got ill because of this maybe people would take notice more i dont know its just a thought .maybe rich and famous people have better access to private medical care and get checks on there livers more often and so avoid undetected nasty suprizes .

Laura009 profile image
Laura009 in reply to Countrywalks

Paul Gascoine?

George Best? His son is patron of NACOA. ( National Association for Children of Alcoholics.) You'd think someone like him could kick start a much needed campaign.

Countrywalks profile image
Countrywalks in reply to Laura009

Did paul have a transplant or has he just got chirrhosiss ? I remember he looked poorly and lost a lot of weight .never hear much about him these days . But i dont buy newspapers so maybe i missed something . The sad thing is george best was a massive drinker but in reality you can wreck your liver with nowhere near what he drank people dont realise that .

Laura009 profile image
Laura009 in reply to Countrywalks

I know George Best had a transplant and continued to drink. Gascoigne I believe has been in and out of hospital and rehab so many times, I'm amazed he's still alive .

Countrywalks profile image
Countrywalks in reply to Laura009

Yes how is he still alive ? That also gives people the false impression the liver repairs its self they probably think his livers fixed

Laura009 profile image
Laura009 in reply to Countrywalks

I dont think the state of his liver has ever been mentioned. More about his state of mind at the time when he goes on benders.

Countrywalks profile image
Countrywalks in reply to Laura009

He must have a strong liver to last this long hes drank in very big quantaties over the years . but there are people on this forum who only drank 20 units who need a transplant it makes no sense at all .

Laura009 profile image
Laura009 in reply to

Carla on corrie... alcoholic ..... kidney failure...... kidney transplant......came back, straight back on the red wine. No educational benefit portrayed.... dispicable

Countrywalks profile image
Countrywalks in reply to Laura009

Exactly theres no way she could drink in reality if she had bad kidneys especially after a transplant .this kind of rubbish on tv gives people a totally incorrect portrial of medical procedures and how to behave after a transplant its so wrong .

Annie2402 profile image
Annie2402 in reply to Chris-harris

I agree with what you say Chris. When I first recovered after 3 week stint in itu/General wards following serious variceal bleed I was like a "walking skeketon as my daughter kindly described me". A year on and I'm compensated and Alive, have put on weight, been on holiday and look so much better therefore understandably people think you are "healed" so no one really understands how you can possibly have days you just don't have strength energy to do anything or waking up with severely painful joints every day that you cannot take painkillers for so for some of us it is quite a"lonely" not sure if that's correct word, illness. I personally don't even mention my off days now as I can see some people think I'm just a hypochondriac and just try to pretend everything OK with the world whenever someone is around me. Still I am forever grateful to the wonderful nhs for my treatment for getting me to this stage where I do look do well. I am one if the luckier ones I know.

bintcliffe profile image
bintcliffe

Hi c1jam

I agree totally that's all I hear off friends and family, or anyone else who I choose to tell.

But to be honest before I came on here I was surprised how many people do suffer with liver problems.

Regards

Hayley

Countrywalks profile image
Countrywalks in reply to bintcliffe

Yes they all think it repairs but learn different if it happens to them .the british liver trust needs to get bigger it needs to be promoted on a scale to match cancer warnings promotion . The idea that your a tramp under a railway arch drinking from a bottle is so wrong .a lot of the people affected are people who are well educated with proffessional jobs who i dont think realised the dangers of what could happen or house wives opening a bottle of wine in the evening after putting the kids to bed not realising its become a dangerous habbit that could harm them badly .

in reply to Countrywalks

images on every bottle or can of alcohol as the type shown on cigarette packets would be a start

Countrywalks profile image
Countrywalks in reply to

I agree totally let people see the evil of liver disease . Wetherspoons announced shutting 16 pubs good news i say shut some more .

Chris-harris profile image
Chris-harris

The sick notes I received for work had "Alcoholic Liver Damage" on them,

I remember a conversation with my doctor asking if he put "heart attack due to being unfit and overweight" on heart patients notes and he agreed it didn't seem right, my notes now read either "live damage" or another symptom, this little thing helped me a lot as I have always blamed myself for this although I was never as bad as a lot of my friends who are still going strong.

I found my management started to treat me different and because I looked "OK" I was treated ok, for the first time in 25 years I was marked as underperforming, no sh*t I thought, I'd nearly died, this again shows the lack of understading when it comes to Cirrosis or HE etc

Also a lot of friends either couldn't understand how ill I was or added comments like "well you did drink a lot didn't you" my first 12 months was spent telling people as much as i could and explaining Cirrhosis, like you say it's a bit of a mystery or ignored illness where the only people who get it "deserve it" and just means they can't drink anymore.

Cirrhosis really can have some awful symptoms and a lot of these can't be seen, I suspect as the 90's generation catch up there will be many more cases, whether the government act on it is another thing, at present a small "Drink aware" on a bottle does nothing.

in reply to Chris-harris

Chris - good on you for telling doctor what’s what. I felt so ill I just gave up working - because “I looked OK”. So silly of me in retrospect- no sick pay, no retirement through ill health . Diddly sqwat 😁. But hey ho one learns. But wait oooh nooo a bit late to learn now 😁😁.

Miles

Countrywalks profile image
Countrywalks in reply to Chris-harris

Your so right chris a lot of the younger generations will be affected because they do not inderstand the risks they just think drinking is fun and the only problems you get are hangovers the next day really its so unfair not to put better warnings in the bottles and tins it could save a few lives sureley .a local petrol station near me has just been refurbished the shop made bigger its stacked to the hilt with alcohol i went in there to ask for a non alcoholic drink to take to a wedding reception the other day the lady in the shop said ohh we dont stock many of them .

Chellie007 profile image
Chellie007 in reply to Chris-harris

What a great analogy and it’s so damn true.

Countrywalks profile image
Countrywalks in reply to Chellie007

Its very well written

Laura009 profile image
Laura009 in reply to Countrywalks

And would someone like to explain why you can walk into any super market any time of the day or night and buy as many bottles and cans of alcohol as you like but you can only buy 16 paracetamol tablets ???? !!!!!

alfredthegreat profile image
alfredthegreat in reply to Laura009

Hi Laura .Side tracking a bit here but it's annoying about the tablet rule. I was on paracetamol after transplant and my wife wanted to buy two packs of paracetamol for me (to save keep running into town) and a pack of Beechams powders for herself, but of course that is not allowed. It's either one of each or two of one. Then she went into Poundworld, where you can buy 3 packs of paracetamol for £1. It's laughable! :-)

Peter_Plymouth profile image
Peter_Plymouth in reply to alfredthegreat

Maybe teaching grandma to suck eggs - but if you need paracetamol, you can go to a chemist and ask the pharmacist to see you. If you explain your position and that you have been advised to take them regularly then they can sell you 96 at a time - only for a couple of quid.

This is what I do as I take between 3-4 doses of paracetamol a day.

alfredthegreat profile image
alfredthegreat in reply to Peter_Plymouth

Thanks Peter. I'm now on Co-codamol but have been reading on here though that some people take just codeine because it's kinder to the liver, so going to ask specialist about that when I see him in a couple of weeks. It just amused me that all other shops you were restricted to 2 boxes of whichever pain killers but at the pound shop you can have 3 for a £1. You would have thought it would have been one rule for all :-( :-( will bear in mind for the future though about having a word with the chemist over tablet restrictions. Hope you are doing well now after all you've been through? All the best. Alf

Laura009 profile image
Laura009 in reply to Peter_Plymouth

The point l was making is how much easier it is to buy booze than paracetamol in a super market.

Thankfully though, you can't yet buy booze in a chemist ..... !

Countrywalks profile image
Countrywalks in reply to Laura009

Thats a very good point irs pathetic makes no sense at all those supermarkets have a lot to answer for they dont care just rake in the money in the 70s and 80s you never saw alcohol in supermarkets like it is now and the wine was weaker about 8 % now its 11/12 / 13 %. And now gin is the latest craze its a terrible situation .

Laura009 profile image
Laura009 in reply to Countrywalks

Yes. Its a dire situation l agree x

Countrywalks profile image
Countrywalks in reply to Laura009

The nhs cant cope now what will happen when millions turn up with liver disease there is a shortage of heptologists now !!

Countrywalks profile image
Countrywalks in reply to Laura009

The nhs cant cope now what will happen when millions turn up with liver disease there is a shortage of heptologists now !!

Hi, good point.

I feel that there is a lack of knowledge and stigma connected with it. When asked what its wrong with me and i reply my liver, it is assumed that it is alcohol thay has caused it. Not all liver damage its due to alcohol. Why do i feel the need to justify to someone i dont know.

Chris-harris profile image
Chris-harris

What gets me is even if Alcohol is the cause. so many people do this in the week so who are they to judge. I don't see many people with man-made" illnesses such as heart attacks, certain cancers etc being "blamed" it's an awful trait for someone to have, saying to a very ill person that "they asked for it", I have not had tis said to my face as such but have heard comments that make my blood boil, most of these "do gooders" are sat there with a beer and sometimes a ciggie thinking they are invincible"

davianne profile image
davianne in reply to Chris-harris

That's dead right Chris, when I tell people I have cirrhosis, they say I didn't think you drank that much, and I've never seen you drunk. I just reply "I didn't drink that much and I've never been drunk". They have no reply after that.

David

Countrywalks profile image
Countrywalks in reply to Chris-harris

Its not your fault the government have not done enough to warn people boldly what can happen like you said many of yourfreinds drink more than you did but there okay its just a dam lotterey if you get liver disease or not .i believe not one person on this forum with alcoholic liver disease would give anything to turn back time and are victims of the poision by simple lack of knowlage and should not be judged by anyone .

Chellie007 profile image
Chellie007 in reply to Chris-harris

I have family members who don’t speak to me anymore even though I’m sober because they didn’t agree with my drinking. Never did anything to them except drunk call them, which I know was annoying. My Mom just this morning asked me why don’t I reach out to my sister and I replied, “because I don't agree with her over eating and obesity, when she gets that under control then I’ll call her”. I know it’s not the right thing to do but being judged for my alcoholism is tough and over indulgence in any thing is really the same thing isn’t it? Two years sober and I now have to prove myself....family of all people should not judge.

Thank you for posting.

The British Liver Trust aims to raise public awareness of liver health risk factors, in order to prevent liver disease and improve early detection.

We also lobby to ensure that people understand there are many other causes of cirrhosis, not only alcohol intake.

There is still much work to be done and we will carry on supporting those in need.

Warm wishes

Trust1

Chellie007 profile image
Chellie007

So true. I heard that so many times from the age 14 and up....and I believed it until I didn’t because of my own experience

Chris-harris profile image
Chris-harris

I think the thing that's hurts me the most is the "there are many other causes of cirrhosis, not only alcohol intake", I am not saying in your context its bad, it's just that I know i drank too much, I have been punished more than anything for that but people are made to feel ashamed for the cause of their illness being a completely legal drink ... in a lot of case the following are caused by other factors but the same is not said about them

heart attack = obese and unhealthy .. or .. some underlying issue

diabetes = no exercise, bad diet, sedate lifestyle = laziness or some other factor

Lung Cancer - smoking (can't hide from that one)

skin cancer - too much sunbathing

For whatever reason people hear Cirrhosis and have you down as a bad alcoholic, don't tend to comment on heart attacks, diabetes, lung cancer etc.

I lived my live happily, brought up my now 20 year old son on my own, held down a professional job and don't have a bad bone in my body .. To a lot though I'm just another alcoholic.

Countrywalks profile image
Countrywalks in reply to Chris-harris

You are a very kind man and no one ever has the right to judge you . Like you said who judges people about obesity or smoking ect a lot of liver disease is down to genetics even the consultants say alcohol related liver disease has a genetic component to it because not everyone gets it who drinks .but like you said earlier the hypocrites soon are quick to judge .your not a criminal just a guy who drank like many millions in society do these days you did a job paid taxes raised a family so its unfair to be judged .

Poobear69 profile image
Poobear69 in reply to Chris-harris

Chris, im one year post liver transplant and almost 2 years in recovery and I have never felt that being a recovering alcoholic on this site has been an issue, not saying that you have I should add. Screw the rest of them fella. If you need support around your cirrosis and liver issues you'll definitely find it hear. I hope that your well fella.

Katiesgran profile image
Katiesgran in reply to Chris-harris

Well Chris I am diabetic and have cirrhosis so I am doubly judged. So I do hate when people assume liver disease was caused by alcoholism same as when people tell me I can reverse my diabetes. Never been obese, exercise plenty and apart from in my younger days consumed little alcohol. So when did you see any public awareness campaigns that confirm diabetics have a higher risk of fatty liver. Nowhere. So I suppose I’ll just have to carry on being judged.

Sand123456 profile image
Sand123456

Absolutely, why are there no warning signs on alcohol?. There is on cigarettes and vapes. Where are the addiction warnings?. The gruesome pictures on bottles, like cigarette packets have. We need awareness, and we need it big time.

I do go and sit in a pub, I have coffee only, I'm constantly being hounded by other people in there. "Oh, go on, have a glass of wine, it won't hurt you."

Then my mind goes back to watching my then boyfriend dying of liver failure........

I see face book posts of people boasting of how much they have drank and how awful they feel next day, not just once but same people for years now, totally unaware. Same as I see said same people, post pics of large glasses of what ever there drinking each night, like it's something to be proud of, yet I feel pity for them, as every one else is encouraging it.

After watching some one, far too young, be taken from the addiction. I flatly refuse to let a drop pass my lips. I see it as poison.

At a recent wedding, the venue put trays after trays of free alcholol drinks for every one. I asked " Do you not have any non alcoholic drinks? Bare in mind, lots of drivers were there, some, who ended up having to book rooms, because they had exceeded the drink driving limits. To be told. "Erm no, but there is a jug of water on the bar." Great.

Getting back to the topic, it's badly needed awareness, people don't realise the damage that is being done. But why are we waiting for someone else to do it? Let's get together and start one. You know, let's make our own poster, let's get it out there. I'm up for it, any one else?

Laura009 profile image
Laura009 in reply to Sand123456

No one is waiting for someone else to do it. I have written to MPs following the public announcement a year or so ago by one of them, that he was a child brought up in a household with an alcoholic parent. I thought this could be the start of what we need to get people realising what alcohol does to the liver, kidneys, mind and how it affects the whole family. Guess what ? No reply.

I have written to ITV complaining about the amount of adverting, beer swilling and wine consumption on the soaps... not even an acknowledgement of my letters or emails.

Merely as the widow of an alcoholic, I have been in contact with NACOA, National Association for Children of Alcoholics. They sent me posters at my request to put in my local chemist and doctors surgery who agreed to display them, only to descover they have never been put up.

Richard has done and is still doing alot of research into alcohol, how and why people abuse it plus the mental and physical damage it causes. He can speak about it from personal experience from his childhood right through to coping after transplant. He has spoken openly on this forum, giving facts about each stage of cirrhosis as he has gone through each of them, so is completely qualified to offer the advice he has and helped alot of sufferers along the way. He too has actually spoken to MPs and again hit a brick wall. There are more members who have been here a long time who have suffered greatly from cirrhosis, other liver diseases and alcoholic cirrhosis with a lot of experience to offer but have been unfairly lambasted when offering actual facts to people who have posted but who sadly can't or won't accept the truth.

So you see, many of us have tried, got frustrated at getting nowhere and stepped back. So for many new posters here, sadly the knowledge of some of the most dignified cirrhosis sufferers and transplantees won't be contributing on the open forum again.

Countrywalks profile image
Countrywalks in reply to Sand123456

I agree facebook is just full of people waving full glasses in the air boasting .there are 2 ladys i know who do this on there weekly they are starting to look bloated in the face they used to look so slim and fit i do think they could be harming themselves without realising it i bet they dont know about liver disease at all like i didnt its all so sad theres just no warnings nothing in place this disease is going to claim millions more victims .and no body wants to do anything to stop it the liver trust is so important i just wish all these glass wavers could read the posts on the liver sites they would be waving cups of tea instead .

Sand123456 profile image
Sand123456 in reply to Countrywalks

Yeah sadly I know what you mean, I hosted a alcholol free wedding the weekend, my gosh, some felt like I'd cut there right hand off. Even got the venue to close the bar completely, I did have lots of variety soft drinks on hand, only two people snuck in a bottle in their bag, I saw them pouring from it.

Countrywalks profile image
Countrywalks in reply to Sand123456

Soft drinks are great once you drop the booze but people just dont know the nasty truth about alcohol so its a never ending battle .just an hour on this site puts you off alcohol for life such sad and devastating storys of loss and suffering .

Sand123456 profile image
Sand123456 in reply to Countrywalks

I agree they don't realise. There not going to, unless there is a big awareness campaign, also of the other causes of cirrhosis. People are in the dark about those causes too. Drs ask every one these days if they drink, but don't tell people why. Just write it on their notes.

I honestly wonder if there are cases for suing alcohol companies, as daft as that may sound, because of lack of warnings. Do you know where I'm coming from? If it's alcohol related and someone has drank liquid that causes their Illness, but because they've not been warned about the damage, especially the addiction, maybe if some one tryed that, it would change things. You would soon see warnings going on wine bottles and the such.

You can't with tobacco companies because your warned heavily. Vapes too, not the risks because they don't know the risks yet, but with addiction.

Countrywalks profile image
Countrywalks in reply to Sand123456

Yes i know where your coming from i agree the alcohol makers should be taken to court and sued for poisioning people without warning its nothing short of murder .

Sand123456 profile image
Sand123456 in reply to Countrywalks

I'd love to do it, but I wasn't marride to my bf and I think it would have to be a next of kin. Frustrating because I would definatly try if we were.

Poobear69 profile image
Poobear69

I totally agree with you. Another very frustrating rely is "oh it's alcohol related then"

Laura009 profile image
Laura009

I have to say, I do feel your post has been hijacked by alcohol related cirrhosis. Whatever the reason or cause for having any kind of liver disease, you are absolutely right, there isn't enough information about it.

What causes it, how it's possible to reduce your chances of getting it, how to live with it and how there is no cure. Even after a transplant you still have to look after it, your health and your wellbeing. Its not plain sailing thats for sure. Yes there is information on google and of course this site, but you probably wouldn't be looking until you already have the disease at any of its stages by which time for many there is no turning back.

We are told how to look after our teeth, our hearts, our joints etc etc, but certainly not enough information about how what we put into our bodies can have a profound and detrimental effect on the liver and the power of its 500 functions.

Chris-harris profile image
Chris-harris

All my moaning aside I would happily be involved / help out on any fundraising event I can,

I have been through many of the awful things associated with Cirrhosis and so far lived to tell the tail. so maybe could give a few others a glimmer of hope.

Also if I can help make more people aware of this often invisible illness I would love to, one less homer Simpson laying in hospital thinking its all over would be great.

Guessing I am not going to change many peoples mind though, I for one would deliberately ignore these type of things, head in the sand and all that, it's only when you are struck down that you wish you had paid attention (too little to late)

in reply to Chris-harris

Hi Chris-harris

If you would like to get involved in any fundraising for the British Liver Trust we would love to support you. Please email our Community and Events Fundraiser Louise, at louise.crook@britishlivertrust.org.uk

Warm wishes

Trust1

Ocean_ovna profile image
Ocean_ovna

Your offer is absolutely correct. However, in addition to cirrhosis, there are a number of liver diseases that not only patients, but also doctors know little about. These diseases are more difficult to diagnose. But their consequences are almost the same. I want to write this clarification that not only cirrhosis, but also other conditions can lead to the terminal stage of liver disease.

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