question about liver problems?

Alcohol is the number one reason for

cirrhosis of the liver. If the liver is

enlarged, it signifies that there is

inflammation inside of it. The doctor

can feel that on examination and if he

feels that, he may get either an ultrasound

or Ct scan to confirm it.

All liver patients are told not to drink any

alcohol. If the doctor is sure that alcohol

is the cause of it, stopping the alcohol and

following the doctors orders could reverse

the condition. However, if he continues

to drink and it is not treated...it could lead

to death of the liver cells and then there

is no turning back. He will be on his

way for having cirrhosis of the liver that

leads to a transplant. This is a horrible

disease. He may feel fine now, but he

will become more tired as time goes on.

He will develop his whites of his eyes

turning yellow and his skin also. His

abdominal area will enlarge with fluid

that has to be drained...otherwise he

will have difficulty eatting or breathing because of all the pressure. He May

develop "encephalopathy" in which he

won't be able to think clearly and someone

else is going to have to handle his affairs

now. That means an advanced directive

or power of attorney needs to be set up.

He could also develop a problem with

the blood trying to find its way back to the

heart and then varicose veins inside the

esophagus could break open and bleed and

he could bleed to death internally. If he

ever coughs up blood or anything that

looks like coffee grounds...get him to the

ER fast...it is an emergency.

He may not have any of this right now,

cause the liver doesn't usually show signs

of a problem until the functions it does

to keep the body well starts to deteriate.

A transplant costs in the range of

$250,000.00 and up. The drugs you have

to take afterwards can cost over $10,000.00

or more a year. You need the very best

insurance that will cover this. There is

no guarantee that comes with a transplant

as far as how long you will live with one,

whether an organ will become available for

you, whether you will be well enough to

withstand the long hours of 6 to 14 hours

surgery, etc.

There is alot more to this disease than

meets the eye.

I hope your husband will seek help now to

try and stop the alcohol. The doctors have

medications, if he is addicted, that will

ease the transition of all the symptoms

of coming off this fluid. There are also

program for detox at the hospital.

I am posting here so you can read more

about cirrhosis and also a picture of

someone with Ascites (which is build up

of fluid in the abdominal area).

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/cirrhosis/DS00373

http://www.emedicinehealth.com/cirrhosis/article_e...

http://depts.washington.edu/physdx/liver/index.htm...

There are many causes of cirrhosis of

the liver not just alcohol. Some people

can drink for years and never have a problem...others just take an occasional

drink and their body is not able to handle

it because their body is sensitive to it.

I would take this very seriously, if he

wants to continue to live.

The doctor can do blood tests like

the liver enzymes and the liver function tests

to see how well his liver is doing and if

there is any damage now. These tests,

however, just gives the doctor an IDEA

of what is happening in his body.

I know this is hard, but the sooner he can

turn things around the better off he will be.