Hi, this is my first post. I have a very close friend who was diagnosed with stage 2 Cirrhosis with varices in late December last year. He has 4 large varices on his liver but, was told by his GP recently that varices can shrink on there own? Is this true?
He has also lost 7.5 stones and is now off insulin and excersises daily. He is determined to do everything he can to help with his condition.
Many thanks ☺️
Is your friend under a hospital consultant? If they have cirrhosis they should be under either a hepatologist or at least a gastroenterologist. Unless your friend is on one of the beta blockers for portal hypertension then the varices are unlikely to shrink on their own - usually they require either beta blockers or banding to remove them OR I guess if the liver improved substantially they may improve.
Hopefully your friend is scheduled for a repeat endoscopy soon to check on progress.
My hubby had a massive variceal bleed and over two years required 42 varices banded - he only stopped developing further varices when all his varices had become scarred up due to banding and they were eradicated. Plus, ended up with the loss of his spleen due to embolization of aneurysms in his splenic artery and this reversed his portal hypertension.
Katie
Hi Katie
Thankyou for the swift reply. Yes he is under one or the other. He is on Beta blockers, to reduce the risk of portal hypertension. He is well in himself at the moment, and i think is seen every six months. I do worry about him so much, and its only recently he has started to read up on his condition. He buried his head in the sand prior, i was the one doing the research.
Varices seems to be the main problem rather than the actual cirrhosis if im correct. Still new to all of this, i just want to be as supportive as i can.
How is your husband doing?
Kind regards
Claire
It's the fact the liver is all scarred/cirrhotic then causes the other symptoms like portal hypertension which in turn brings varices, splenic enlargement and possible ascites plus things like HE (Hepatic Encephalopathy) and a raft of other symptoms. If you've not seen it the BLT page on cirrhosis is quite informative:- britishlivertrust.org.uk/in...
My hubby was diagnosed with cirrhosis after suffering a massive variceal bleed (7 burst varices) in April 2012, a diagnosis which came completely out of the blue with earlier symptoms being put down to stress, anxiety etc. by his then GP. (He'd been suffering bad nosebleeds, sleepless nights, loss of libido, indigestion and such like).
Anyway having been found to have cirrhosis (due to auto immune liver disease - he's life long t-total) he went on to have repeated variceal banding where he was going every 6 to 8 weeks and had the 42 varices banded. He was assessed and listed for t/p in 2014 but at assessment they found the splenic artery aneurysms which were thereafter embolized. He spent 10 months on the list but the embolization killed his spleen which had the knock on effect of improving his liver bloods and he was delisted after 10 months. Also, regained weight and muscle mass and got into a stabilized situation.
7 years further on he's doing 'ok' in the grand scheme of things, still riding the cirrhosis roller coaster of poor days, decent days. Still has lots of the symptoms associated with compensated cirrhosis but thankfully none of the major nasties. Keeps himself well and we both do lots of cycling - not long returned from a holiday where we did 335 miles on our e-mountain bikes in North Yorkshire.
6 monthly scans, 6 monthly bloods and an annual endoscopy to check things are ok. Under two gastro's - a local one plus one with a little more of a liver specialism over in Edinburgh.
Katie
Hi Katie
I will look at that link you sent me, the more information the better. Your hubby does so well cycling so many miles, thats amazing! My friend walks a good 4 miles a day and boxes to keep fit. I hope things continue to be ok, i try to be positive. Take care and thankyou.
I hope your friend is under a liver team, liver disease is very complex and needs specialist care. To answer your question varicese are the result of portal hypertension. My portal hypertension had to be treated with cardivol and my ascites and varices resolved. Your friend needs to stop salt and eat a high protein diet. Good luck
Hi
Thankyou for replying hes doing most of those things, he is willing to do anything to help his condition. Im beginning to realise how complex it is. So glad i joined this forum. Its very informative,
Kind regards
Claire
that’s great that he’s fighting, it’s a long slow journey, I’m 8 years post diagnosis of de compensated liver failure, my bloods and ultrasound are normal. Remember the snail wins the race against the rabbit lol.
Well thats a good way of looking at it lol thanks again 🙂
Hello claire.
One of my first symptoms of cirrhosis, was a big variceal bleed. Ive been on carvedilol for 3years now. Had banding done. Unfortunately at my last endoscopy,i still have several grade 1 and 2 varices. So mine have not been completely iradicated ...so i am still having to have regular endoscopys....they are not pleasent,but essential. As already mentioned, it's a long slow process to get to where you feel 'more normal '. Alot of folk,mention about seeing a hepatologist!!!. I never have!! My consultant is a gastro consultant..... although she certainly seems to know her stuff..
Sounds as though your a good friend.
Take care love. Chris
Hi Chris
Thankyou for your response. When where you first diagnosed with cirrhosis? And how long before you had a bleed? Yes we are very close friends ill do anything that can help .
Claire
Hi love. My symptoms started in 2017,fatigue, nosebleeds, mild jaundice, loss of appetite and muscle mass. Forward to November 2018...went to see my gp, as had a massive distended stomach...he sent me straight to hospital. I had got terrible ascites.that's when I was diagnosed with cirrhosis. Very scary. Water tablets didn't work, so had to have a paracentisis to drain several litres of fluid, as was having trouble breathing. My first variceal bleed was in Jan 2019....middle of the night. Rushed in to hospital again ..varices had to be banded. I was very poorly at that point...i stopped drinking at that point...
Thats the start of a very long journey.
Take care love. Chris.
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