Can anyone signpost me to a UK website about liver fibrosis?

I had a FibroScan a few months ago and was told that I had liver fibrosis - I’m due a follow-up soon. I don’t understand much about the condition, there is little or no info on the NHS site and the British Liver Trust. Is it a disease (such as cirrhosis) or a condition? Also, I’ve just tried to get travel insurance (for 2021) and been turned down - anyone else in a similar situation?

[Jojochr]

Fibrosis is a stage of liver disease. Your fibroscan results should give you an idea of the extent of the damage. I dont have a lot of experience as I'm newly diagnosed and not yet seen a specialist. Hopfully someone here cam tell you more about it

[Hidden]

Hi Novas

You may find it useful to contact the British Liver Trust helpline regarding your fibrosis concerns: [e-mail]

Please also see link below to the insurance section of our website:

britishlivertrust.org.uk/in...

Best wishes.

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Thanks, will do.

[AyrshireK]

Liver fibrosis is the liver’s response to injury.

In the same way as skin and other organs heal wounds through deposition of collagen and other matrix constituents so the liver repairs injury through the deposition of new collagen -this fibrous tissue builds up in the liver causing the liver to become more dense hence fibrosis.

If the cause of the fibrosis or liver inflammation can be identified and dealt with by means of medical treatment, medicine, lifestyle changes etc. then fibrosis can often be reversed. But, if not and the fibrous tissue continues to grow and grow it eventually impacts on the cells of the liver squashing them and putting the liver out of shape with cells starting to die off and this is the stage where fibrosis becomes end stage liver disease or F4 or cirrhosis.

Your fibroscan would have given a reading in kPa which reveals how dense the liver is, it will then be compared to a chart detailing different causes of liver disease (as each disease has it's different points where kPa rides up the scale).

Fibrosis is split into four stages (which is where the F4 figure I used earlier comes from). The METAVIR scale splits fibrosis into the following :-

F0: No fibrosis

F1: Portal fibrosis without septa

F2: Portal fibrosis with few septa

F3: Numerous septa without cirrhosis

F4: Cirrhosis

Some doctors panic patients by saying fibrosis is early cirrhosis - well I guess in effect it is BUT if the cause can be identified and treated then fibrosis is often reversible and doesn't inevitably lead to full on cirrhosis. The British Liver Trust page about cirrhosis does go into the various stages and early changes seen and it might be worth seeing that page. britishlivertrust.org.uk/in...

Key things to find out when you next see your doctor is what stage your condition is at?what has caused the fibrosis? What can be done to treat the condition? Are their lifestyle changes to be made? etc.

I hope that helps a bit.

Katie

[Hidden in reply to AyrshireK]

Thanks for taking the time to reply Katie, that is very useful, I’m due to go back next week and I’ll be asking those questions. I think I was a bit bemused by it all at my last visit and didn’t take it all in - my KPA was 9.5 and was told my fibrosis was F2/F3 but wasn’t told what was causing the disease. I’ve made some lifestyle changes (stopped drinking) so hopefully wont have got worse. Thanks again...

[AyrshireK in reply to Hidden]

It's very easy to become befuddled when confronted with lots of med speak so to make the most of your appointment and make sure you get the information you need make sure you take a list of written questions with you and make sure you work your way down them - jotting down the answers.

I always accompany my hubby to all appointments as he is the one with cirrhosis - in his case due to auto immune liver disease. He struggles with taking in information so before appointments we make a list of his current meds, a list of current symptoms and a list of the questions we want to ask. It helps keep conversation on track with doctor and we avoid coming home saying "I wish i'd asked that!".

If you learn as much as you can before hand it will also help you understand a little of what's being said and you can ask more pertinent questions.

Best wishes for your clinic appointment, hope you do get some answers then.

Katie

[Hidden in reply to AyrshireK]

Thanks Katie