Hormones.

[luco]

I was just wondering if anyone knows about how liver disease affects your hormones. I'm a 47 male and was diagnosed with cirrhosis last January. I started noticing about 6 months before I was diagnosed that I stopped having as much sexual feelings, and in the year since diagnosis I have developed breast tissue which I'm worried about. I like women but I don't want to become one

Has anyone else had trouble with hormones? (male and female) and is there anything that can be done about it? My first blog by the way, I hope its OK.

[papataal]

Hi Luco,

I had the same problems before my transplant, got the same issue after!! Thanks to my immuno-suppressents. It's just part and parcel of the conditions.

Good Luck!

[findasolution]

Luco,

Have you also considered the possibility that the things you mention might be side effects of medication rather than the liver condition itself?. You do not mention medication in your post but if you have been or are currently taking any then it may worth checking out particularly if there is a duieretic involved.

Good luck

[AyrshireK]

Hi Luco, we saw my husbands consultant on Wednesday and I asked about this very issue as let's say we have little activity in the bedroom following my hubbies diagnosis of auto-immune liver disease and cirrhosis.

There are issues with lack of sex drive and also erectile disfunction lets say. Doctor said that this can be a side effect of liver disease (my hubby isn't currently on any drug treatments just omeprazole to reduce stomach acid and lactulose, he isn't on diuretics just a daily fluid intake limit of 1500ml).

Doctor said that in simple terms the liver amongst its many other functions produces hormones including the sex hormones. During its production of testosterone it has to go through the production of oestrogen and sometimes it gets stuck there and never gets onto production of the testosterone so it can manifest in the increase in female hormones in the body leading to testical shrinkage, lack of sex drive and sexual function, growth of breasts and changes in body hair coverage.

Doctor said there are treatments for it although he didn't put us on to any.

Don't be embarassed about asking your doctor for treatment or discussing these matters, its bad enough living with the other stigmas associated with liver issues without getting depressed about this side of your life too. I understand there might be some hormone replacement type treatments available and we'll certainly explore that at some point, being newly wed its a bit disheartening to feel we'll not have that side to our relationship.

Best of luck with it,

K