Diabetes and liver damage

[Lester14]

Hi again sorry for the barrage of questions. Alongside thinking I have cirrhosis I have also recently been diagnosed with diabetes. My question is - will I find it much harder to bring my diabetes under control if I have a damaged liver?

[Richard-Allen]

Hello Lester. I think you'll find that you may have to go onto insulin to control your diabetes.

When the liver becomes cirrhotic and covered with scar tissue, it becomes hard for insulin to get through to the liver.

The liver, acts as the bodies sugar factory and makes sure that there is always enough food available for all the muscles to work properly.

We have in our bodies a gene known as the CRTC2 gene (also known as the “switch gene”. There are a number of these genes around our bodies (the brain, liver, and even the placenta) this gene monitors the amount of sugar (glucose) that is in the body at any one time.

If our muscles require a lot more food as in when we run to catch a bus. The CRTC2 gene sends out a message to the liver telling it to dump more glucose into the blood system.

Now, when we’ve sat down and relax. The pancreas sends out insulin to the liver. It is believed the insulin is the signal to the liver to stop dumping sugar.

When the liver becomes scarred as in the case of cirrhosis, this insulin message can’t always get through, so the liver continues to dump more and more sugar.

The liver has become insulin resistant. Avoiding sugary foods is always a good thing and a dietitian maybe able to advise you about this.

Sadly even a liver transplant isn’t always helpful when it comes to diabetes.

For some people, the anti-rejection medication that has to be taken daily can alter the way the hepatocytes in the liver handle sugars. But some people have been successful in learning to control their diabetes and even no longer need to take medication.

I hope this helps.

Good Luck

Richard

[Roy1955 in reply to Richard-Allen]

Richard.Posters ultrasound scan says no cirrhosis.

Lester.

Your body is showing stress, possible because your a heavy drinker.

Type 2 diabetes and many other ailments could also be because of excess alcohol.

You don't need cirrhosis to be sick from over indulgence!

Quite probably lifestyle changes and healthier decisions could solve a lot of your problems and PREVENT others from progressing.