I’m confused about this. Does compensated cirrhosis mean no symptoms at all or just no HE, no ascites and no bleeding varices?
I had a CT scan in March that showed nodular liver contour which was diagnosed as cirrhosis. Then I had the FibroTest which came back at F3. I don’t have any of the above symptoms but I do have other symptoms: fatigue, stiffness and pain in upper abdomen, muscle cramps, nausea and loss of appetite. My recent bloodwork is completely normal though. My Fib-4 score based on this bloodwork is F1.
I went for the CT scan because I thought I had a kidney stone (pain on left side of abdomen and nausea). So since I have symptoms, do I have compensated or decompensated cirrhosis?
Thanks for your help. I’m so confused about all of this.
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FlippinOut
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You can absolutely have a whole raft of symptoms in compensated cirrhosis and even (sometimes) in earlier stages of liver disease - before it's reached cirrhosis stage. You are correct though in stating that ascites and bleeding varices are considered symptoms of decompensated cirrhosis. Hepatic Encephalopathy can also be present in compensated cirrhosis.
Compensated is when the liver is able to do it's most important (essential to life functions) but that's not to say it isn't struggling with many of the other 500 or so jobs the liver has to do. Decompensated is when it's struggling to even fulfill the most important to life functions.
Thanks Roy. Sometimes I think that too. But the CT scan said “nodular surface contour compatible with hepatic parenchymal disease”. My doctor wrote “likely cirrhosis “ in my record. That was before the FibroTest results came back at F3 though. I’m scheduled for endoscopy next month and then I’m going to insist on MRE which may show things better.
Do you think it’s possible the nodular contour is just from fibrosis? I thought nodules always meant cirrhosis.
"compatible with hepatic parenchymal disease" is a description of what they see, it's not a diagnosis!They then do other tests to see how far your hepatic parenchymal disease has progressed and yours proved to be F3.
You dodged the cirrhosis bullet and with care you can keep it that way!
Thank you so much for your reply. I wish my doctor would have explained it that way. I just read through your posts on the forum. It sounds like you’re doing well. You have given me hope that I can improve my situation too. Continued good health to you!
I’ve been diagnosed with Decompensated and now I’m compensated, I asked what the difference was and my consultant said it’s basically I’m not any longer showing all the physical symptoms including HE. Although, my bloods are still crap and I get fatigued that he said I would never overcome that
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Decompensated to compensated? 
Six month scanxiety.
compensated question
How can they say it’s cirrhosis?
