Hi everyone. I was diagnosed in 2020 with cirrhosis following a fibroscan of 21kpa. I had Hep C from blood transfusion in 1986. Cured after treatment. Had endoscopy, no varices and MRI scan. Since then 6 monthly bloods & US. All normal, no changes. Recently a friend had a massive bleed and died. She had undiagnosed varices (she was an alcoholic). I am worrying myself sick now as she had no warning. I googled it and feel worse than ever. I keep thinking I could have developed varices and not realise. I’m not due another scan until April.
Any advice will be welcome.
Thanks
Anne
Written by
Ruby1960
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Keep an eye on your poo colour - any fresh blood or tarry, sticky, black poo would be your warning. When my hubby was having unknown variceal bleeding prior to his hospital admission and cirrhosis diagnosis in 2012 he was seeing blood in his stools for sometime before he threw up blood. (He'd ignored it and put it down to a potential rectal tear which one of his pals was being treated for at the time).
A sudden catastrophic bleed like your friend sadly had probably came as a result of ongoing alcohol use. (The former liberal leader Charles Kennedy passed away in the same manner).
Thanks Katie for your reply. Is it true that you have to have portal hypertension to develop varices? It’s always noted on my scan report that blood flow is normal in the portal vein.
I read your posts regularly, hope your hubby is still improving .
PH would be the reason for varices yes. It's the blood backing up and rediverting through smaller, unsuitable blood vessels that results in them bulging and potentially bursting.
Hubby is doing brilliantly- when we think back to this time last year and how he is now at 8 months post t/p it has proven to be an absolute miracle.
That’s great to hear. These surgeons are amazing. My mum had a triple heart bypass and her life was transformed. Hope you and your hubby have many more years.
Thank you. We certainly hope so too. At two monthly clinics now and soon to be 3 monthly. Hoping to start planning a wee caravan holiday sometime soon.
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Cirrosis
My Fibroscan results.
Compensated or Decompensated?
Cirrosis 
Varices banded
