Compeensated or decompensated

[Nip1]

Hi there, I was diagnosed with decompensated cirrhosis 15 months ago after having blood tests and CT scan. My doctor has now told me after a recent telephone appointment that my liver has fully recovered after abstinence of alcohol and cigarettes and healthy diet ,although scarring will always remain. I had jaundice in my eyes and side of my face but only for a couple of weeks and I am now back with normal complection and normal looking eyes My MRI scan shows no sign of HCC and I have had no other symptoms .I was just wondering if I am back to compensated cirrhosis or decompensated. Also my recent fibroscan score was 20.

Thanks for reading,

[AyrshireK]

Depends on what symptoms you are having - if you have no ascites and arn't bleeding from varices or showing any of the major symptoms of liver disease then you'd be considered compensated.

BLT web page on cirrhosis has more details on symptoms etc. britishlivertrust.org.uk/in...

Well done on making the major lifestyle changes to help your liver get better - hope you live a long, healthy and happy life - just don't be tempted back down old ways.

Katie

[Nip1 in reply to AyrshireK]

Hi Katie. Thanks for your kind reply,

I have not had or got any other symptoms related to liver disease other than having jaundice and felt tired when I first got diagnosed which I no longer have,so I suppose I am as you stated considered compensated. Tests and scans showed no problems with any complications and my doctor said he's booked another mri scan for 6 months for hcc which I believe is routine procedure. I also have no intentions of going back to my old bad drinking and smoking ways and yes I will take a look on the BLT web page as you suggested .

Thanks again for your reply which has been very helpful and reassuring x

Nip1

[Richard-Allen]

I think sometimes a word of warning won't go amiss.

Back in the day (2014) my GP used very similar words. She had given me a liver function test and my results came back looking rather bad. She told me then to stop drinking for 8-weeks, which I managed to do. ( I had an alcohol problem back then).

She repeated the same liver function test and told me that the results were a lot better and that my liver was now all normal again. I took this as a sign that I could start drinking again. (not that I needed much excuses). Three months later I had my variceal bleed and my life changed forever.

So, even though a doctor may say that everything is looking normal again, they should also issue a word of warning.

So, here I am just over eight years later and I've not had any alcohol since that variceal bleed. I have combated and confronted all my demons and alcohol has no attraction to me anymore. I can pour my wife a glass of whiskey or a glass of wine and not have any interest.

A life of alcohol celibacy isn’t that bad, as it’s good to go forward and to be in control once again.

[Nip1 in reply to Richard-Allen]

Thanks for your reply Richard, I have not touched any alcohol or cigarettes since being diagnosed with cirrhosis and don't intend to go back down that road again. My consultant also told me that I must not drink any alcohol again as this will damage my liver even worse than before and that I did the right thing to stop immediately when I did. Were you yourself diagnosed with cirrhosis or was yours just fatty liver.

[Lrm3115- in reply to Nip1]

I'm glad that you were able to get past your alcohol addiction and get better. My husband died about 3 months ago from a heart attack which was brought on, due to Cirrhosis. He went into the ER with ascites and jaundice. He was admitted into the hospital with liver failure. The ascites was drained, but his liver was determined to be decompensated. After about a month in the hospital, his condition seemed to be improving. Enough to be getting to the point where he would be admitted into a rehab unit where he would receive Occupational and Physical therapy. He was set to go the rehab unit the next day, but then I get a call at 1:30 in the morning that he had died. I hope that people will still realize that there are consequences to out of control behavior and that finding a way to stop the power that alcohol has over you, is the biggest step to recovery.

[Nip1 in reply to Lrm3115-]

I'm sorry to hear this sad news and I totally agree with your views about the consequences that alcohol has over people. I have seen what this demon drink has done to people I know. I didn't realise myself how much damage I was doing to myself and I too hope people will come to realise what the power of this demon toxic killer has, and will find a way to recover from this terrible life threatening addiction.

[Richard-Allen]

No, l was one of those people who had no obvious adverse effects until waking up one morning with the whites of my eyes having a yellowish tint. Some people get some pain or discomfort, but l had nothing.