Liver

[Petrina_gmfc]

Hi does anyone have other things wrong through liver.

[AyrshireK]

Your liver does 500 different jobs for your body so when it starts to struggle it begins dropping off the number of functions it does and this can then lead to all sorts of side effects and issues with other body systems.

My hubby has cirrhosis of the liver which in turn has knocked out his male hormones. temperature regulation, his has/had portal hypertension which lead to bleeding varices in his oesophagus and changes to his stomach lining (gastropathy), he had aneurysms in his splenic artery and has needed several procedures elsewhere in his body than his liver & that's just a few of the things he's had to endure. SO in short a faulty liver does impact on other body systems and cause issues elsewhere in the body.

Katie

[Petrina_gmfc in reply to AyrshireK]

How did your husband find out about his liver

[AyrshireK in reply to Petrina_gmfc]

Sadly by the time we knew he even had an issue with his liver he was at decompensated cirrhosis stage and was having a massive bleed from varices.

In the years/months previous he'd been having stomach problems (irregular bowel habit), chronic fatigue, disrupted sleep pattern, really bad indigestion, nosebleeds that wouldn't stop and little to zero sexual function. Sadly, he was looking after his dad who had dementia at the time and his then GP put his issues down to anxiety and depression with the stress he was under.

Ended up being auto immune related liver disease which had already lead to decompensated cirrhosis when it was identified (10 years ago tomorrow). Hubby fairly quickly got back compensated and after spending time on the liver transplant list in 2014-2015 he is now considered stable although not 100% fit. We live every good day to the fullest and hubby has taken up cycling which he's loving.

Katie

[Petrina_gmfc in reply to AyrshireK]

That is good I just thought you get it when you drink a lot .I don't drink

[AyrshireK in reply to Petrina_gmfc]

My hubby is life long t-total too, never drank.

[confused71 in reply to Petrina_gmfc]

My liver disease was due to food which was a shock --I donr drink either

[Petrina_gmfc in reply to confused71]

if I go to the hospital and they ask you questions about your health I tell them about my liver I tell them that I don't drink it is to do with some tablets that I was taken.

[Petrina_gmfc]

Does he have to get his bloods done to check out his liver .

[AyrshireK in reply to Petrina_gmfc]

He is under two consultants - one locally and one in Edinburgh at the main Scottish Liver Unit. He has bloods every 6 months to monitor his liver also 6 monthly ultrasound scans and annual endoscopy to check his stomach and oesophagus.

[Petrina_gmfc in reply to AyrshireK]

Do you go with him and are you a loud to go in with him

[AyrshireK in reply to Petrina_gmfc]

Yes, I am allowed to every appointment, hubby has a diagnosis of mild Hepatic Encephalopathy so he can't take in or understand med speak and it would be no use him going alone. I am classed as his carer and he needs assistance with travel (can no longer concentrate to drive) and needs assistance at appoinments.

Obviously when he's been in as an inpatient i've only been able to be in at visiting or whenever allowed for longer (I was there all week at his t/p assessment apart from during his tests and procedures).His doctors actually talk to me on the phone rather than him as otherwise we'd never get through a consultation.

Katie

[pushthrough]

Hello Petrina, you can get cirrhosis from several things, not just alcohol. Hepatitis, a few auto immune disorders and eating unhealthy for an extended period of time. Unfortunately they say mine was due to alcohol. I'm in the states so it will be different over there. However my wife is allowed to come with me for my check ups. Of course that depends on how Covid is impacting the area.

[Petrina_gmfc in reply to pushthrough]

I got really up set when my doctor told me that I have that the pain with it is wores than labour pain

[pushthrough in reply to Petrina_gmfc]

I'm not sure how your doctor can tell you that unless she/he had a baby and also has cirrhosis. It effects everyone differently. For instance I just had a slight discomfort when I laid on my side for a few months. It wasn't anything I thought was concerning at all. Others have really bad pain. My urine color was what alerted me that something was wrong. I thought the fatigue was from anxiety of the pandemic but it wasn't. Were you diagnosed with liver disease?

[Petrina_gmfc in reply to pushthrough]

I have had two kids so I know what the pain is like I started getting a lot of pain in my stomach a good couple of years then my GP sent a letter to the hospital to get it seeing to I have had a lot of tests and get my GP to put me on strong pain killers .

[Iro1]

I notice that others have spoken about a fall in testoterone levels. When I got a devastating ELF score of 10.8 4 years ago and went into duracell bunny mode swimming a mile a day and fasting/keto diet I suddenly got hot flushes and loss of sexual function I googled it and saw the connection to the liver I tried to kill myself by drowning and sticking a knife in me. To cut a long story short after being sectioned and spending time in mental hospital I finally got around to a proper treatment and I use testogel gel dailyAt first my sexual function did not return but I stopped anti psychotic drugs and then threw my anti depressants in the bin (not advised) it came back almost overnight. My wife and I now have a full and satisfying marriage. I have no idea if the drop in my T was related to my liver. My liver is fatty and apparently on the cusp of cirrhosis but I have no other symptoms and have been told by my consultant to come back in 3 years. If you have low T it is worth seeing if HRT would work as it makes a huge difference I got my T upto 24 n/mol the upper limit allowed is 27 with HRT felt amazing like I was 25 again!

[Petrina_gmfc in reply to Iro1]

I just wish the pain would go away some time s I am in bed because of the pain the doctor at the hospital put me on water tablets as my stomach was getting very big it looks like I was having a baby it was that bad I had to go in and get it taken away .

[Readlots]

Hi Petrina, I’m sorry to hear how much pain you are in. I get some discomfort around my liver but it’s not too bad. Have they checked that you don’t have gallstones? That can be very painful and is close to your liver.

It also sounds as if you have Ascites, which is when fluid builds up in your abdomen. It can be linked to your liver. Has the doctor given you any water tablets to help prevent the Ascites from building up? That might make you more comfortable.

The liver trust helpline is very good if you need someone to talk to

[Robsar17]

Hi he has repeated drains we are going to liver Consultant in Birmingham on Thursday so hoping to get more answers as he has agreed I can go in with him but we will see but he has lost so much weight and has a lump in middle of his chest which he says is his sternum but feels like quite a big hard lump to me Robsar17 x

[Petrina_gmfc in reply to Robsar17]

Sorry to hear that hope he gets on ok

[Robsar17 in reply to Petrina_gmfc]

Thank you x

[Petrina_gmfc in reply to Robsar17]

You are welcome make sure that you go in with him when he sees the doctor my hubby or my son goes with me x