Dieing of alcoholic liver disease?

There is palliative care to make sure they don't suffer. They will be given drugs to make sure they don't suffer and have the best quality of life possible until the inevitable happens.

If the doctor feels that your dad isn't going to live more than six months...

he could sign a form stating he could have care at home called

Hospice. The nurse that is assigned to him would constantly check

on him and see that he is provided with medications to keep him out

of any pain.

HOSPICE SERVICES: http://www.hospicenet.org/html/services.html

AREA OF THE AGING: http://www.n4a.org/

You could also check with the Area of the Aging in your area.

Some Area they will help the disabled just like they help the Aging.

It is worth a try.

The doctor can tell by doing a liver biopsy and blood test results how

far advanced in this disease he really is and only they can give the

family an educated guess how long he may live; if he is not

evaluated or placed on the liver transplant list.

Some of the signs of Cirrhosis near the advanced stages are:

1)Ascites (the build up of fluid inside the abdominal area). The

doctor can make him more comfortable and able to breathe and

eat better if they remove some of the fluid by a procedure known

as paracentesis.

2)Encephalopathy (mental confusion, disorientations, sleep pattern

changes, hand tremors). The doctor can give him medications like

lactulose or Xifaxan to help keep his mind clearer. It will also prevent

him from going into a coma early on.

3)Portal hypertension with varies (the liver doesn't have flow of blood

through it...it backs up into the portal vein, smaller vessels known as

varies, and also into the spleen..causing it to enlarge in size).

If these vessel break open (blood shows in the sputum, vomit, or rectal

area) the doctors can go in a band these vessels to stop the bleeding.

4) Edema (swelling of the legs, feet, etc) The doctor can place the

patient on a lower sodium diet and diuretics in an effort to remove

some of the sodium build up inside the body. The doctor will need

to watch the blood work very closely, because this is one of the

electrolytes that keep the heart beating in rhythm...it has to stay

at a certain level.

As the liver cells die off, the less functions they are able to do

to keep the body well. More signs and symptoms will occur

because of this. As the disease progresses, the sicker the

patient will be. Usually, near the end, they may go into a coma

before they die. This doesn't happen this way in all cases. But,

it is known to happen when patients reach the highest level

possible on the transplant list.

Best wishes

Links to click on:

http://www.medicinenet.com/cirrhosis/article.htm

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

http://yourtotalhealth.ivillage.com/cirrhosis.html

http://www.uihealthcare.com/topics/medicaldepartme...

http://www.texasliver.com/en/cms/139/

Yes they suffer alot..My uncle died this way,,,We had him put in a hospic its a place were people who are dieing is but it makes them not feel pain at all and go easyier