What are the symptoms of cirrhosis, I was diagnosed with hepatic steatosis/fatty liver and am still drinking..

Question

how would i know if I have scarring?

Answer 1

What Are the Symptoms and Complications of Cirrhosis?

People with cirrhosis often have few symptoms at first. The two major problems that eventually cause symptoms are loss of functioning liver cells and distortion of the liver caused by scarring. The person may experience fatigue, weakness, and exhaustion. Loss of appetite is usual, often with nausea and weight loss.

As liver function declines, less protein is made by the organ. For example, less of the protein albumin is made, which results in fluid accumulating in the legs (edema) or abdomen (ascites). A decrease in proteins needed for blood clotting makes it easy for the person to bruise or to bleed easily.

In the later stages of cirrhosis, jaundice (yellow skin) may occur, caused by the buildup of bile pigment that is passed by the liver into the intestines.

Some people with cirrhosis experience intense itching due to bile products that are deposited in the skin. Gallstones often form in persons with cirrhosis because not enough bile reaches the gallbladder.

The liver of a person with cirrhosis also has trouble removing toxins, which may build up in the blood. These toxins can dull mental function and lead to personality changes and even coma (encephalopathy).

Early signs of toxin accumulation in the brain may include neglect of personal appearance, unresponsiveness, forgetfulness, trouble concentrating, or changes in sleeping habits.

Drugs taken usually are filtered out by the liver, and this cleansing process also is slowed down by cirrhosis. The liver does not remove the drugs from the blood at the usual rate, so the drugs act longer than expected, building up in the body. People with cirrhosis often are very sensitive to medications and their side effects.

A serious problem for people with cirrhosis is pressure on blood vessels that flow through the liver. Normally, blood from the intestines and spleen is pumped to the liver through the portal vein. But in cirrhosis, this normal flow of blood is slowed, building pressure in the portal vein (portal hypertension). This blocks the normal flow of blood, causing the spleen to enlarge. So blood from the intestines tries to find a way around the liver through new vessels.

Some of these new blood vessels become quite large and are called "varices." These vessels may form in the stomach and esophagus (the tube that connects the mouth with the stomach). They have thin walls and carry high pressure.

There is great danger that they may break, causing a serious bleeding problem in the upper stomach or esophagus. If this happens, the individual's life is in danger, and action must be taken quickly to stop the bleeding.




Liver: Three Types of Alcohol Induced Damage


Three conditions of the liver are often associated with alcohol abuse. Liver disease in alcoholics usually progresses through the three conditions chronologically starting with fatty liver and proceeding to alcoholic hepatitis which can eventually lead to cirrhosis.





Fatty Liver: Fat deposits in the liver. To some extent, fat deposits will happen in almost all heavy drinkers. It can also happen in non-alcoholics after just one incidence of drinking.

Symptoms: People with fatty liver may have no symptoms and have just an abnormal enlargement of the liver that is smooth and non-tender with minimal or no functional changes. However, alcoholics may have

· Abdominal pain

· Severe jaundice syndrome(a yellow discoloration of the skin, mucus membranes, and white part around the eyes caused by greater than normal amounts of bilirubin in the blood)

· Acute liver failure

· Ascites (abnormal accumulation of fluid containing proteins and electrolytes and causing an abnormal swelling in the abdomen)

· Coma

· Death.

Outcome: Chances of recovery are better at this stage than with cirrhosis. Damage is reversible and does not necessarily lead to more serious damage.

Alcoholic Hepatitis: Widespread inflammation and destruction of liver tissue. Patients may develop fibrosis, where scar tissue begins to replace healthy liver tissue.

Symptoms: Fever, jaundice, and abdominal pain.

Outcome: May be fatal but also may be reversed by abstaining from alcohol.

Frequency: Occurs in 50% of heavy drinkers.




Alcoholic liver: Cut surface of gross autopsy specimen of liver showing unnatural paleness due to a dense network of scar tissue (fibrosis, cirrhosis). Scarring has occurred in response to chronic injury from alcohol abuse.
Alcoholic cirrhosis: Most advanced form of liver disease, 15-30 percent of heavy drinkers.

Early Symptoms: General weakness, weight loss.

Later Symptoms: Loss of appetite, indigestion, nausea, vomiting, abdominal swelling, and spider nevi (spidery red marks on upper body arms and face). Causes extensive fibrosis that stiffens blood vessels and distorts the internal structure of the liver. Functions of the liver may be impaired which may lead to malfunction of other organs such as the brain and kidneys.

Outcome: Usually fatal due to complications such as kidney failure, and hypertension (high blood pressure) in the vein carrying blood to the liver. This disease is usually fatal if chronic alcohol exposure continues; however, if the patient quits drinking, their condition may become stable.

Frequency: Statistics from different populations vary because of varying lifestyles; however, statistics show that between 40-90% of the 26,000 annual deaths from cirrhosis are alcohol-related.



The alcoholic will progress from fatty liver to alcoholic hepatitis, to cirrhosis. Sometimes heavy drinkers may develop alcoholic cirrhosis without first developing alcoholic hepatitis, and it could also happen that an alcoholic may have a sudden onset and rapid course of alcoholic hepatitis; then die before cirrhosis develops.


Not all liver disease in alcoholics is caused by alcohol. Also, alcohol induced liver disease may be accompanied by other conditions not related to alcohol but which can cause liver failure, such as nonalcoholic hepatitis and exposure to drugs and occupational chemicals. Furthermore, it is important to remember that fatty liver and alcoholic hepatitis may be reversed if you stop drinking alcohol, and cirrhosis can be stabilized if you stop drinking alcohol.



If the liver loses its ability to remove toxins from the brain, the patient may have additional symptoms. The patient may become forgetful and unresponsive, neglect personal care, have trouble concentrating, and acquire new sleeping habits. These symptoms are related to ammonia intoxication and the failure of the liver to convert ammonia to urea. High protein intake in these patients can also lead to these symptoms


Based on the above; pls consider this as a wake-up call and stop drinking immediately. You're asking for more trouble.
I have taken care of pts on the late stages. They have constant frank red stools ( bloody, foul odor) and can't stop bleeding.

Answer 2

Symptoms of cirrhosis:
People who have cirrhosis sometimes don't have symptoms until liver damage is extensive. Symptoms of cirrhosis and its complications may include:

Fatigue.
Yellowing of the skin (jaundice).
Itching.
Swelling from fluid buildup in the legs (edema).
Bruising easily and having heavy nosebleeds.
Redness of the palms.
Small red spots and tiny lines on the skin called spider angiomas.
Weight loss and muscle wasting.
Belly pain or discomfort.
Frequent infections.
Confusion.
you shouldn't drink too much alcohol because it not good for liver diease


If you have been diagnosed with fatty liver disease, you might be feeling afraid and somewhat bewildered and would appreciate more information about all aspects of this condition. What causes it? What are the treatments available? What are the possible diet and lifestyle changes you should make? What advice for a holistic approach to managing – and even reversing it? and i know the website is so good and full information a bout fatty liver at:http://adola.net/go/fattyliver-bible/

Hope this useful!

Answer 3

This Site Might Help You.

RE:
What are the symptoms of cirrhosis, I was diagnosed with hepatic steatosis/fatty liver and am still drinking..
how would i know if I have scarring?

Answer 4

Fatty liver disease affects a whopping 30% of the population. That's 30 out of every 100 people! And some estimates have it at 33%.

And if you're overweight, it's even worse overweight people are extremely more likely than healthy weight individuals to develop this condition.

In other words, you're not alone. Not by a long shot.

Other fatty liver sufferers have reversed their condition, lost weight, and rediscovered their energy, using completely natural remedies. And that means you can, too!

Keep reading to discover more...

Answer 5

Steatosis Symptoms

Answer 6

What did your doctor tell you? Certainly he must have given you some information about your condition, if he diagnosed you!!??

You should get help to quit drinking IMMEDIATELY and get on a healthy diet.

God bless you. Join AA and find some people who will help you. Try some hypnosis for healing and to quit drinking - Go to www.Wendi.com for some great hypnosis help.

Answer 7

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Answer 8

you are scarring

you already know that drinking destroys your liver..stop if you want to live

after you stop, take Milk Thistle to help rebuild your liver. It can repair itself if you stop drinking

Answer 9

please stop drinking if you know that is harming you don't do it