Check up

[lonmallin50]

just had a check up on Tuesday with gasro dr said still got a de compensated liver after 7months off the drink now feel great eating well has any one else out there still have a twinge of yellow after that long off the drink. asities all gone now

[Rshc]

do you mind me asking what other symptoms you have? I am sure you know this but decompensated vs compensated is diagnosed by the presence of specific symptoms including ascites. If your bilirubin is still elevated then you may still have some jaundice

[lonmallin50 in reply to Rshc]

that is the only symptom i have no ascites anymore i am on water tablets they went away about 4 weeks ago bilirubin level is a touch high but said still de compensated

[AyrshireK in reply to lonmallin50]

4 weeks without ascites is probably too early to say "Ok you are now compensated!". Ascites as you probably know is a key indicator of decompensated cirrhosis, it's now medically controlled with the diuretics but probably too early days to say compensated.

Katie

[Lizzie00007]

Hi lonmallin,

If you are still taking diuretics then you still have a serious problem. Even when your blood tests go back to normal with no drinking you still have cirrhosis. Too much vitamin A will cause an increase with bilirubin but please do your homework on all of what I said because I can only speak from my experience and the research I did to get the answers I wanted and needed to get started on a healthy new lifestyle. Best wishes!

[lonmallin50 in reply to Lizzie00007]

Thanks never new about vitamin a

[Cat-B]

it took a lot of damage to de compensate so you have to allow much longer for your liver to try to repair itself, sounds like your doing really well, so just keep going, it took me nearly 2 years to see a good improvement in my liver function tests, but it’s worth the effort. So as someone once said “ keep calm and carry on “ lol

[Mango5cm in reply to Cat-B]

I hope you do t mind if I ask some questions My son who is 62 was diagnosed with decompensated liver almost a year ago and he stopped drinking alcohol straightaway . He hasn’t been able to eat anything solid and has lost about 7 stone . He is beginning to feel a bit better and is eating now and is able to walk around the house . He has ascetics and gets drained every week -about 3 litres.

You have done so well to improve your health . Can I ask if you had ascetics and for how long and how often did you get drained . Are you still on medication. ? My sons blood tests say abnormal but as expected and no further action _ the doctor and liver nurse say they treat the symptoms and not the blood tests . Did they tell you this and do you know what it means.?

Thank you for your posts as they give us hope

Best wishes Carol

[lonmallin50 in reply to Cat-B]

Thanks it took 35 years to get like this so 7 months is a bit early for it to repair its self i just keep battling on

[Cat-B in reply to lonmallin50]

don’t give up and don’t expect miracles, you’re liver is incredible, mine is ticking along nicely with only my GGT above normal, but it’s stable where it is so my consultant has just reset it to my normal. As you say 35 years of abuse we can’t expect a young totally healthy liver again, but we can all help our livers be the best they can be lol. Good luck, stay fighting

[Cat-B]

I like questions and hopefully my experience will help others. Yes I had 12.5 l drained the first time and nearly 18l the second time, I wasn’t going through that again! So I did absolutely No salt an incredibly high protein and high calorie diet ( the nurses said see you in under 6 weeks lol, well I had to prove them wrong!) I drew up an obs chart, a fluid balance chart and a girth and weight chart ( I drew on my tummy 2 marks for either side of the tape measure and measured at my belly button and at the top) every morning I got up went to the loo and did my weight, girth and obs, I measured everything I drank and p’d. I took all my medicines ( lactulose and phosphate enemas) and if my weight was steadily rising for a week I rang my consultants secretary and spoke to him. ( Every clinic I took chocolate for Leslie, Dr P’s secretary lol) I struggled with food so I made a meal, and then put a small amount in a ramekin dish and ate every 2 hours ( by the clock, and I always had a snack when I got into bed at night, my teeth weren’t as important as my liver!) It might sound easy but it’s a very hard regime ( it took me a year before I could eat of a dinner plate! Sadly there’s no quick fix, only hard work and bloody mindedness) I followed all my blood tests ( I had them printed off and posted to me) I soon learned how to try to fix them, I used Kings and the Royal Free in London as my gold standard, I got books and found research articles. My liver was an obsession for 3 years and then I finally felt I could relax a bit. Good luck with your son, I’m here if I can help x