Is Cirrhosis of the liver a death sentence, even if the person stops drinking?

No, it needn't be a death sentence:

http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/cirr...

There is a great different between someone who is diagnosed

with Cirrhosis of the liver or with Hepatitis.

Most people think of Hepatitis virus when they say that. A virus,

like Hepatitis A,B,C are only one type of Hepatitis...there are

many others....including alcohol consumption.

"Hepatitis is inflammation of the liver cells."

When someone drinks alcohol, the liver converts alcohol,

using enzymes, into acetaldehyde...then into acetate... and

then further into carbon dioxide and water. If someone

has been drinking and becoming drunk; has been drinking

for years; or is sensitive to the alcohol...then the breakdown

process of the alcohol may not be completed. It may

only get to the stage of acetaldehyde. Both alcohol and

acetaldehyde can damage the liver cells.

When the cells become damaged, the immune system of the

body responds to this and causes inflammation inside

the liver, which will cause the liver to enlarge in size.

UP to this point, if a patient stops drinking alcohol and

the inflammation (hepatitis) is treated...the liver cells can heal.

If not it can lead to Cirrhosis of the liver, which is death of

the liver cells and scar tissue formation inside the liver

that can block the flow of blood through the liver on its

way back to the heart and also block the flow of blood

to the other liver cells where they continually die off.

There is no cure for Cirrhosis of the liver...it is a progressive

disease. If a person stops drinking, however, it may slow

the process down of the cells of the liver dying. They "may"

live alot longer without the need of a transplant.

A liver biopsy gives the doctor a good idea of how much

damage has been done to the liver cells and how far advanced

this disease really is.

The cells of the liver are what do the 500 plus functions that

keep the body well. As the cells die off, the functions

deteroriate...this is known as liver failure. As more cells

die off, the more the liver is dying and the less the liver

is able to perform the functions to keep the body healthy.

The liver biopsy is the very best test known for Cirrhosis.

That is because the doctors are looking at the actual tissue

of the liver instead of just film (pictures) of it.

I hope this information has been of help to you.

Not necessarily, it takes time to die from cirrhosis, sometimes many years but many complications can occur and become life threatening. To continue drinking is very harmful though. Early treatment and to stop drinking can help stop damage to the liver. A lot depends on grading of the disease using Child-Pugh score. This helps to determine if a transplant will be needed, which is sometimes the only real hope of living a long term life!

Points Class One year survival Two year survival

5-6 A 100% 85%

7-9 B 81% 57%

10-15 C 45% 35%

Treatment leads to improvement in most cases when the disease is discovered in its earlier stages. Most patients are able to live a normal life for many years. The outlook is less favorable if liver damage is extensive or if someone with cirrhosis does not stop drinking. People with cirrhosis usually die from either bleeding, serious infections, or kidney failure. They often enter irreversible coma in their last days.

It depends on the amount of damage already done to the liver when the person stops drinking. If the damage is severe, then nothing will stop it from progressing to total failure over time. Not drinking will slow it down but will not stop it.

In the earlier stages of the disease, then the person could stop and actually get well again. A person can live without problems even if there is some liver damage. Stopping in time is the key as to whether or not it will lead to total failure.

Cirrhosis of the liver without treatment,

The treatment used depends on the cause of cirrhosis of the liver.

For cirrhosis caused by alcohol abuse, the person must stop drinking alcohol to halt the progression of cirrhosis

You can know more other natural ways to improve your liver,you can refer to here to understand more:http://adola.net/go/fattyliver-bible/

I HAVEN T HAD MUCH TO DRINK IN THE PAST 5 YEARS. A GLASS OF WINE OR A BEER HERE AND THERE, AND I JUST GOT TOLD ON THURSDAY, MARCH 31, 2016 THAT I HAVE CIRRHOSIS OF THE LIVER. I HAVE HAD HEPATITIS C FOR THE PAST 25 YEARS, BUT THE VETERANS DOCTORS AT THE VA HOSPITAL DIDN T HAVE A CURE,(yes they did) AND TO THEM, IT WAS TO EXPENSIVE $100,000 TO TRY AND CURE A 70 YEAR OLD. THEY WOULD RATHER SPEND THE MONEY ON A YOUNG VETERAN AS I AM TO CLOSE TO THE TOMB THAN THE WOMB. I FOUND OUT ABOUT THE CIRRHOSIS AND THE EXPENSE WHEN I WENT OUTSIDE THE VA TO A DIGESTIVE DISEASE DOCTOR FOR A SECOND OPINION. THE DOCTOR ORDERED 2 PERSRIPTION TO CURE THE HEPATITIS C AND HOPEFULLY, STOP THE CIRRHOSIS FROM DESTROYING THE REST OF MY LIVER. I AM SO AFRAID THAT BECAUSE THE VETERANS DOCTORS LIED TO ME FOR SO LONG THAT THIS COULD BE A DEATH SENTENCE BECAUSE OF THERE NEGLECT TO TELL ME. I WENT TO THE PATIENT ADVOCATE AT THE VA WHO WAS ABLE TO PUT ME ON A PROGRAM CALLED THE "VETERANS ONE CHOICE PROGRAM" FOR THE VA TO PAY FOR EVERYTHING TO THE DOCTORS OUTSIDE THE VA SYSTEM. I AM GOING TO BE TAKING SOVALDI & RIBAVIRIN FOR THE HEP C AND HOPEFULLY, HELP WITH THE COMPENSATED CIRRHOSIS WITHOUT A TRANSPLANT. I DO NOT KNOW IF THIS ANSWER TO THE QUESTION ABOUT STOPPING DRINKING & CIRRHOSIS. I DO BELIEVE THE CIRRHOSIS WAS BROUGHT ON BY THE HEPATITIS C.

CAN I SUE THE VETERANS ADMINISTRATIONS DOCTORS FOR NEGLIGENCE IN NOT TELLING ME ABOUT THE CIRRHOSIS, OR WILL I DIE BEFORE I RECEIVE ANY CHANCE FOR COMPENSATION, AS FIGHTING THE VA SYSTEM IS TO MUCH A CHALLENGE FOR ANY LAWYER TO WIN?

This Site Might Help You.

RE:

Is Cirrhosis of the liver a death sentence, even if the person stops drinking?

Please only answer if you have experience with this & list any credentials.

it would depend on the amount of liver damage, there are some treatments but not much to do if the liver had failed. however there are many degrees of cirrhosis, and it is not commonly a "death sentence" just a symptom of liver damage.

--->> Tips---> https://trimurl.im/d87/is-cirrhosis-of-the-liver-a...

The person would be WAY better off to stop drinking - that will stop any further damage from the alcohol.

http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/cirr...

Here's a link to more info.