What are the signs of each stage of Cirrhosis of the liver?

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My father has cirrhosis of the liver . He has had 5-litters of fluid removed from his adominal about 5 weeks ago. He also had 2 units of blood a little over a week ago due to being animic. He has been complaining of stomach pains after eating a small meal. His adominal is enlarged again and he has shortness of breath after walking a short distance. Legs and feet are retaining water again also. Skin coloring is yellowish in color and bruses easily. His 86 years of age. I would like to know what to expect and what to look for. So I and the family can help him anyway we can. Please if you can give me some insight I would very much appreciate it . For I love my Dad so much. Thank You
all i can tell you is that it varies between each person who has liver failure. sounds like the end is getting near, however, on the right meds he can put it off for a year or more (depending on the degree of cirrhosis.)

had a friend of mine who was dying in the hospital. he made it out of the hospital and lived 2 more years on the right meds.

in your case it could be different since he is elderly.

hospice can help with the end stages while you are there for the more emotional part. hospice does lessen the load so you can enjoy what time may be left concerning your father.  (+ info)

Can someone get Cirrhosis of the Liver from Malnutrition?

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Is it possible to get cirrhosis of the liver due to malnutrition? A family member has told us that they have it? Thank you for your help.
why sure! it's called fatty liver or NASH. malnutrition is a hard way of putting it, more than likely they were on the wrong diet, ie, too little fat absorbtion or too much. extreme weight loss or weight gain can cause nash.
other things can cause cirrhosis like iron, viral infections (hep b or c), over the counter meds.  (+ info)

Is fatty liver the same has having cirrhosis?

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My friend has fatty liver from being morbidly obese; he had gastri bypass surgery and lost about 250 pounds, now weighing about 275 pounds. He drank alot of alcohol continually, against doctor orders, before and after his surgery. Now he has severe liver problems and the doctor says it is cirrhosis. Q: Is fatty liver the same as cirrhosis?
Fatty liver disease can lead to cirrhosis. In your friend's case, it has, probably helped along by his drinking against doctor's orders.

Not everyone with fatty liver disease gets cirrhosis, though. Sorry your friend was in the unlucky group, but in a way he did it to himself by drinking.

If you can, help him follow his doctor's orders now, to the letter, or he may need a transplant.  (+ info)

my dad has cirrhosis of the liver, what are the end symptoms how do we know it's happening?

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My father has cirrhosis of the liver and has been given 6 months to live... Is there something that happens medically that will tell us if it's go in to be sooner then that?
Home : Digestive Diseases A-Z List of Topics and Titles : Cirrhosis


Cirrhosis
On this page:

What is cirrhosis?
What causes cirrhosis?
What are the symptoms of cirrhosis?
What are the complications of cirrhosis?
How is cirrhosis diagnosed?
How is the severity of cirrhosis measured?
How is cirrhosis treated?
When is a liver transplant indicated for cirrhosis?
Points to Remember
Hope through Research
For More Information
Acknowledgments
What is cirrhosis?
Cirrhosis is a condition in which the liver slowly deteriorates and malfunctions due to chronic injury. Scar tissue replaces healthy liver tissue, partially blocking the flow of blood through the liver. Scarring also impairs the liver’s ability to

control infections
remove bacteria and toxins from the blood
process nutrients, hormones, and drugs
make proteins that regulate blood clotting
produce bile to help absorb fats—including cholesterol—and fat-soluble vitamins
A healthy liver is able to regenerate most of its own cells when they become damaged. With end-stage cirrhosis, the liver can no longer effectively replace damaged cells. A healthy liver is necessary for survival.


The liver and digestive system.

Cirrhosis is the twelfth leading cause of death by disease, accounting for 27,000 deaths each year.1 The condition affects men slightly more often than women.

1 Miniño AM, Heron MP, Murphy SL, Kochanek KD. Deaths: Final data for 2004. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Web site. http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr55/nvsr55_19.pdf. Updated October 10, 2007. Accessed January 20, 2008.

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What causes cirrhosis?
Cirrhosis has various causes. In the United States, heavy alcohol consumption and chronic hepatitis C have been the most common causes of cirrhosis. Obesity is becoming a common cause of cirrhosis, either as the sole cause or in combination with alcohol, hepatitis C, or both. Many people with cirrhosis have more than one cause of liver damage.

Cirrhosis is not caused by trauma to the liver or other acute, or short-term, causes of damage. Usually years of chronic injury are required to cause cirrhosis.

Alcohol-related liver disease. Most people who consume alcohol do not suffer damage to the liver. But heavy alcohol use over several years can cause chronic injury to the liver. The amount of alcohol it takes to damage the liver varies greatly from person to person. For women, consuming two to three drinks—including beer and wine—per day and for men, three to four drinks per day, can lead to liver damage and cirrhosis. In the past, alcohol-related cirrhosis led to more deaths than cirrhosis due to any other cause. Deaths caused by obesity-related cirrhosis are increasing.

Chronic hepatitis C. The hepatitis C virus is a liver infection that is spread by contact with an infected person’s blood. Chronic hepatitis C causes inflammation and damage to the liver over time that can lead to cirrhosis.

Chronic hepatitis B and D. The hepatitis B virus is a liver infection that is spread by contact with an infected person’s blood, semen, or other body fluid. Hepatitis B, like hepatitis C, causes liver inflammation and injury that can lead to cirrhosis. The hepatitis B vaccine is given to all infants and many adults to prevent the virus. Hepatitis D is another virus that infects the liver and can lead to cirrhosis, but it occurs only in people who already have hepatitis B.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). In NAFLD, fat builds up in the liver and eventually causes cirrhosis. This increasingly common liver disease is associated with obesity, diabetes, protein malnutrition, coronary artery disease, and corticosteroid medications.

Autoimmune hepatitis. This form of hepatitis is caused by the body’s immune system attacking liver cells and causing inflammation, damage, and eventually cirrhosis. Researchers believe genetic factors may make some people more prone to autoimmune diseases. About 70 percent of those with autoimmune hepatitis are female.

Diseases that damage or destroy bile ducts. Several different diseases can damage or destroy the ducts that carry bile from the liver, causing bile to back up in the liver and leading to cirrhosis. In adults, the most common condition in this category is primary biliary cirrhosis, a disease in which the bile ducts become inflamed and damaged and, ultimately, disappear. Secondary biliary cirrhosis can happen if the ducts are mistakenly tied off or injured during gallbladder surgery. Primary sclerosing cholangitis is another condition that causes damage and scarring of bile ducts. In infants, damaged bile ducts are commonly caused by Alagille syndrome or biliary atresia, conditions in which the ducts are absent or injured.

Inherited diseases. Cystic fibrosis, alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency, hemochromatosis, Wilson disease, galactosemia, and glycogen storage diseases are inherited diseases that interfere with how the l  (+ info)

What kind of citrus fruits can a person with liver cirrhosis eat?Are lemons and lime okay to eat?

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Is a person with liver cirrhosis can drink soyamilk or any soya products for protein source?
If lcirrhosis is real bad, then u should avoid high protein diet. This can lead to ammonia in your blood and u can get loopy. Also make sure your kidneys are ok before eating lot of lime, as people with kidney problems (which can occur in cirrhostics) can develp high potassium with citrus food and high potassium can kill you.  (+ info)

What would be an example of AST/ALT levels for someone with cirrhosis of the liver?

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On my last blood test my AST was 38 and my ALT was 35. Is there anything else that needs to be considered besides AST/ALT levels when looking for liver damage/disease? How fast can those levels increase (to the point of cirrhosis) on someone who drinks often? Days, weeks, months, years? Is a blood test a reliable source for discovering liver damage? Sorry for all the questions. Thanks.
Well, besides the blood tests, they do ultrasounds on your liver too. This will show the general condition of your liver, the size, if there are any lesions etc on it. A liver biopsy will show without a shadow of a doubt exactly what's going on with your liver. There is a new test called "Fibrosure" that is not invasive. It shows the degree of liver damage (fibrosis) you have.
Generally, the liver deterrioates slowly. It takes years of hard drinking to destroy it. Also, the liver is the ONLY organ in the human body that can completely regenerate itself.

You really should quit drinking. But if you can't or won't, at the very least you should be taking the herb milk thistle. This herb is mild with no side effects. It has a restorative effect on the liver and can prevent liver damage.  (+ info)

How bad a disease is non alcoholic fatty liver disease?

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I am 21 and weigh 325 pounds. I have just been diagnosed with non alcoholic fatty liver disease. From what the doc has told me, my liver is about 12% heavier than it should be. He also said that it is obviously much larger than it should be but luckily, I don't have any liver scarring yet.
If you've been diagnosed with NAFLD it is a little different than the previous answer given who suggested NASH. NAFLD is when you have just a fatty liver, NASH is when the fatty liver has inflammation. Which you still may have. NAFLD can progress to NASH.
NAFLD is the most common cause of elevated liver tests. Fatty liver is the accumulation of triglycerides and other fats in the liver cells. In some patients, this may be accompanied by hepatic inflammation.
NAFLD is found in over 80% of patients who are obese. Fortunately, NAFLD is not normally life threatening and is reversible unless it progresses to a more severe stage of liver disease. So losing weight and keeping it off will improve your condition.
I wish you well and hope this helped.  (+ info)

How serious is Cirrhosis of the Liver?

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My mom has just be diagnosed with cirrhosis of the liver. I don't know what to make of this. I've done a little research and I"m still not sure how to take this news. Can someone live a very long time with this? Live a normal life? Is this basically a death sentence? I just don't know what to think about this or how I should react. How serious is this?
Cirrhosis of the liver is a very serious disease that will not go away without a liver transplant. I don't know what stage of the disease your mother is in, but there are 4 stages. It's a progressive disease that just not get better. The progression of the disease can be greatly reduced if one gets rid of whatever is causing the disease in the first place such as an alcoholic stops drinking. Even then, they still might need a transplant in time, but it would slow down the progression. If your mother would be in stage 4, then she would need a transplant much sooner.

If alcohol is the reason your mother has cirrhosis, then she will have to stop drinking now and forever, and if she doesn't, the disease has no mercy and will be fatal. Transplant centers usually require at least 6 months of proven sobriety before they will even consider you for a transplant.

If something else is causing her disease, then she needs to see a good hepatologist that specializes in liver disease. The doctor will tell her what her options are for treatment and will probably send her for a transplant evaluation if she is determined to get well again. This is what happened to me. I had a transplant and am cirrhosis free now.

I hope your mother will get the help she needs. Take care.  (+ info)

My Dad has stage 4 cirrhosis of the liver, how serious is this?

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My Dad has stage 4 cirrhosis of the liver. Doctors have told him he only has a 40% chance of successfully curring his hep C with treatment. I need to know how serious this is or what this means in general. HELP?
Stage IV is very serious. He may cure his Hep C, but the cirrhosis will last forever. Not only that, but it predisposes him to bleeding, ruptured vessels in the stomach and esophagus, life-threatening infections in the belly, and hepatocellular carcinoma (cancer). If he can lead a good, clean life for a year, there is a good chance he can get a liver transplant. Please be sure he has a good hepatologist (a specially trained gastroenterologist). He needs to have a small camera passed into his stomach to look for vessels that can rupture, and he needs a scan to make sure there isn't a mass in his liver.

I just diagnosed someone with this, and he wound up having cancer at diagnosis because he didn't see his doc often enough early on.

I don't want to scare you, but be sure he gets good care. Be there for him, because he is scared whether he shows it or not.

Best of luck.  (+ info)

If someone is an alcoholic what diseases could they get in their liver?

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I know someone who was an alcoholic and then their liver stopped working right. It started bleeding and not working right. What kind of disease could this be if they were an alcoholic?
Alcoholics usually cirrhosis of the liver, esophageal varicies, ascites and vitamin deficiencies.

The bleeding comes from when they get ulcerations in the stomach, colon and esophagus.

They can also get very thin blood from liver diseases.

Read my link, it will spell it out for you.  (+ info)

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