Worried mum ,

[Maximus9boy]

Hi everyone , my daughter was diaggnosed with liver cirrosis in march this year ... (sorry if im spelling wrong) her stiffness is 23.9 please could snyone tell me what stsge this could be .. were waiting on a review to see her consultant .. she had a firbro scsn 3wks ago . Thanks

[AyrshireK]

All the fibroscan result shows is tissue density in the cirrhosis / F4 fibrosis range it can't stage the condition further than that - staging of cirrhosis is determined by blood tests and symptoms present.

The fibroscan result could potentially be a false high too if blood tests reveal the presence of any serious ongoing inflammation - fibroscan notoriously can not tell the difference between actual fibrous tissue and inflamed tissue so there may be hope that things arn't as badcas they seem.

Key thing will be to identify the underlying cause or what us attacking the liver and getting it stopped so as to prevent further damage and even heal some of the damage already done.

The BLT has a page specifically about cirrhosis which I found really useful when my fiancé (as he was then) was diagnosed with it in April 2012.

britishlivertrust.org.uk/in...

Katie

[BillCh]

Two quick questions: 1: Why did your daughter have a fibroscan in the first place - was she having any symptoms or results from other tests ? 2: Is your daughter overweight ?

[Maximus9boy in reply to BillCh]

Two quick answered questions..... my daughter is 30yrs old and yes she was hsving problems ... her diagnosed was all in three diabetics type 2 forby enlarged spleen forby liver cirhorris ... yep hard to take in for a young lady with autism amounst other mental health issues (which she is stable thankfully at this time being... her weight was over yes but lost over 3 stone and her diabetis is on remission ... Jane

[BillCh]

I see, the reason I ask is that Fibroscans are notorious for falsely over-calling cirrhosis for people who are obese.

[Etymolog]

hi please don’t be disheartened. I’m no way medically trained but but fibroscan was high and the consultant has dimissed this result saying exactly what Katie said . They just go on symptoms and bloods. Mine were out of range and had some ascites . But now I’m cleansed as child Pugh A fully compensated and my bloods point to my liver coping quite well . Me periods have come back my ascites gone. My score is 6 and my consultant said I just need to keep it like that. He said I’m at the less serious side of things . I just keep my end of the bargain by being healthy dining my best and going to all my appointments.

This can improve and your daughter can live a good life . This is only my experience.

[Maximus9boy in reply to Etymolog]

Hi, sorry to anyone if i seemed blunt .. we were told my daughters bloods were normal in which they are far from normal according to her consultant .. he wrote out a letter about the results of firbescan and bloods and apolizies for being very busy in not able to see us at present to talk things through.. . My daughter was actully on this site a few months ago and someone put her off mentioning heath anxiety? Sorry but i do know she is a little bit different but this genuinely hurts her feelings (as if shes imaging it all) which is totally wrong .. mental health her keyworker sees her in daily basis and as i said in last post my daughter is stable thankfully at present.. she also has had lower heart rate since past month which is worrying and pains at front right thigh leg which is new .. im just wanting to know if her liver cirhorris id compensted or decompensated ..but i guess ive to wait on seeing her consultant Many thanks to u all . Jane

[AyrshireK in reply to Maximus9boy]

The fibroscan may be falsely elevated if the bloods are abnormal and revealing any sign of inflammation - as I pointed out, fibroscan can not tell the difference between inflamed liver tissue and that which is actually fibrotic/cirrhotic so the damage MAY NOT be as far on as feared. The only treatment either way is healthy diet and exercise which it sounds like she is doing.

Fibroscan can not tell you whether a person is decompensated or compensated - only symptoms can really reveal that.

One table which i've seen describes 4 stages of cirrhosis based on symptoms present.

Stage 1 - no varices, no ascites (Compensated)

Stage 2 - varices, no ascites (Compensated)

Stage 3 - ascites, +/- varices (Decompensated)

Stage 4 - bleeding from varices, +/- ascites (Decompensated).

Other symptoms can occur across the whole spectrum of the condition and are described on the British Liver Trust link I provided in my earlier reply but here it is again :- britishlivertrust.org.uk/in...

Sadly we do from time to time get members who do indeed have health anxiety, having had clear tests, clear scans and multiple doctors telling them they are fine they can't believe it and they often monopolize the forum so it's a shame your daughter was put off from getting support from the forum earlier.

Katie