Can I ask if you have a child Pugh score class A is your liver still decompensated?
Brother still drinking and on diuretics to control actices. Had a lot of fluid drained July 2020 and since been controlled by diuretics. Recently was in hospital to detox. He seems to have bouts of around 5 days of abstinence from alcohol and then will return to drinking a bottle of vodka a day! When he was in hospital they said child Pugh score class A. Wondered if anyone had any idea of prognosis. Thank you
The Child Pugh score is calculated using bilirubin level, albumin level, severity of ascites, INR( blood clotting times), severity of encephalopathy. It’s a predictor of severity/mortality and graded ABC. A is the lowest score and means the disease is compensated. Decompensated is when symptoms such as ascites are present. Your brothers ascites is being controlled using diuretics and the score is therefore adjusted to reflect the controlled absence. No one, including doctors, can accurately predict outcome but these scoring systems aid them in tailoring treatment. MELD is another that’s used. The one thing everyone will agree with though is that if he continues to drink a bottle of vodka a day the outcome will worsen. Guaranteed. He needs support to stop drinking and medical supervision to become abstinent. If he doesn’t stop his scores will worsen as the disease progresses and eventually there is only one very unpleasant outcome. I suggest he contacts his GP or consultant to access help. There is loads of support out there...provided he wants to access it. Only he can decide to stop. No amount of pleading and persuading from you will achieve anything if he isn’t committed to at least trying.
I concur with everything written above by aotea2012. Right now he can stop any problems (possibly reverse in rare cases) but most definitely soon it will be too late. He must stop drinking right now, but not cold turkey, only with professional help (rapid detox kills people sometimes).
Find the worst story you ca online about dying due to alcoholic liver cirrhosis and tell him that will be his future if he does not stop. There are plenty of links out there, you just have to google but that has to be done by you not anyone else. Not pleasant.
Thank you for your replies. I think he is in total denial despite the fact that he was recently in hospital for a weeks detox! What confuses me is that he can stop for a number of days and then goes on a massive binge again. Perhaps this is a usual cycle think he drinks until he feels so unwell stops feels better again and starts again.
How many years has this been going on?
Many years he has lived with me for the past 3 was diagnosed in 2020 actices drained etc now controlled through medication.
Well, I wish you the best.
Just show him something online about dying with cirrhosis, with pictures.
Or ask him, since money is tight, does he prefer his liver transplant operation take place in India or Turkey since they won't do one for someone still drinking in the UK and ask him how he plans to pay for it, or does he just plan on bankrupting the family?
Sorry to be so direct but someone posted this very approach a few months back, said it worked. Who knows? Sometimes it's like talking to a brick wall, though.
Sincere best wishes and don't be a stranger, we are here for you!
Can only tell you that average life expectancy for someone who continues to drink after symptoms develop is 2-5 years.He is already 2 years into that prediction.
Understanding doctors letter
fibroscan score and other scores
Child-Pugh Score for Cirrhosis Mortality
What is the difference between an ultrasound and a fibroscan?
I'm so scared....could someone please help?
