I was diagnosed with liver cirrhosis due to alcohol. I clearly had a problem with my alcohol consumption, but it was very easy to quit.
It was never questioned why my liver was damaged as I said right from the start that alcohol was the reason.
Now I had to visit another doctor and he - other than all other doctors - was really interested in my case, asked many questions and he was very surprised. I was absolutely honest, but he said that it would be very unusual to develop a cirrhosis only by drinking the amounts I consumed. He said I should think about other factors that might have contributed to it.
I could not think of anything. But yesterday something came into my mind. I was collecting mushrooms with a friend some years ago. He said he was very knowledgeable and careful. But after eating the mushrooms, I got very sick. It was very drastic, at one point we thought it would be better to call an ambulance. But after several hours vomiting and cramping I felt better.
Now I know that mushroom poisoning can be very dangerous for the liver. Could that incident have been a first "weakening" for my liver...? I'm just asking because that doctor was so sure that there must have been something else and that is the only thing that crossed my mind.
I would be stunned if that 1 incident with the mushrooms would have anything to do with you having cirrhosis.There are several reasons for developing cirrhosis .... are you on any long term medication which states it can cause liver disease listed in side effects on the leaflet enclosed? Are you overweight, eat unhealthily and don't do much exercise?
I would be looking at these possible causes first.
Best wishes
Laura
in reply to
Thank you for your answer.I'm not overweight, but my nutrition surely could be better and I've never been into sports. Rather sedentary lifestyle, to be honest 😐
Would the liver benefit much from regular exercise?
Have you looked into Haemachromatosis.... it’s called the Irish curse... only found out about this few months ago while my son was in hospital with cirthosis
I’d really echo this as something to look into. Haemachromatosis can cause the vulnerability that other factors that damage the liver, most notably alcohol, can exploit.
in reply to
Definately it would. Exercise doesnt have to be sports. A good brisk half hour walk a couple of times a day would be a good start. Invest in some hand weights and a good dvd demonstrating how to use them... l recommend Kathy Smith or Kelly Coffey Mayer. You need to build strength in your muscles as cirrhosis will cause them to waste away and weaken substantially. Even wearing ankle weights while walking around the house will help keep your leg muscles strong. Has your doctor prescribed protein shakes for you to drink daily? You need to make sure you have a high intake of protein which will also work with your exercise in keeping those muscles strong.Take care.
Hello. This is exactly the same as my husband. They eventually decided the anti-inflamatory drugs he'd been on would have contributed massively. I always felt as though he had to prove himself first that he isn't alcohol dependant. I also have had the impression that the main thing is saving his life and concentrating on getting the most liver function as possible for now. It's been recommended that he has further tests for rarer forms of haemochromatosis - he doesn't have the common form of it. However, there hasn't been any rush to sort this, as like I say,the main thing for now is dealing with the life saving stuff. I hate the fact that for now, he is diagnosed as alcohol related liver disease and there's always a degree of suspicion that he can stop drinking so easily and still deteriorate.All the best, I hope you get some help
Hello, welcome to this forum.
If your doctor thinks that your alcohol consumption was insufficient to cause cirrhosis then generally further blood test would be done to check for othe possible causes eg autoimmune conditions. It might be worth you asking whether this has been done.
We have several publications on our website whih may be helpful to you and we also have a free telephone helpline if you would like to talk to one of our liver specialist nurses Mon-Fri 10:00 - 15:00 0800 652 7330
Just going to throw this in here, similar situation and after further testing was diagnosed with Alpha1 anti trypsin disease which is a genetic disorder. Not common, but can affect your liver.
No, it’s not a dumb question AT ALL.I hope u get lots of help here.
Just eating healthy, exercise and not even a drop of alcohol (or unknown mushrooms) then your liver will heal in time.
You will be so fine so no worry
Good luck
Hi,I'm in a very similar situation, I never found it difficult to pack up the drinking,dont miss it at all,I have always had a pretty good diet ,Mediterranean food,I still have issues with a heart attack I had when I was 36, of which they said I would never be able to run again,but managed 8- 10 mile every other day,I am now 54, don't jog or run,I was diagnosed with cirrhosis last Oct,kpa, 39.9 ,High,but I feel great to be honest, it was suggested alcohol, but it seems very likely aspirin for 17 years has played a big part,it was said my varices was alcohol related,I have just discovered that they are severe upper GI ulcers,which has contridicted what has been happening, in no doubt though that probably hitting the drink heavy after lengthy divorce has had complications,but I still remain abstained and very happy, just wish I could talk to people and share problems with a coffee,far to much medical details to keep posting,but had some great help here.hope you find your answer.
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