Cirrhosis Support Group

Cirrhosis is a consequence of chronic liver disease, most commonly caused by alcoholism and hepatitis C. Ascites is the most common complication of cirrhosis and is associated with a poor quality of life, increased risk of infections, and a poor long term outcome. Liver damage from cirrhosis cannot be reversed, but treatment can stop or delay further progression and...

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Can anyone answer my questions about cirrhosis?

todohert
todohert

Hello!  My husband was diagnosed with early cirrhosis back in January due to fatty liver or NASH (not sure which one).  He isn't a drinker, but is overweight and has lost about 20 lbs since then.  We have started exercising (walking) and are trying to follow all the recommendations.  He is compensated with no symptoms except maybe some faigue.  Here are my questions:


1.  Does early compensated cirrhosis always get worse or can it be stopped with exercise and losing weight?


2.  How long can you live with compoensated cirrhosis?


3.  How many people have cirrhosis and end up passing away from old age and not cirrhosis?  The reason I ask is many years ago I was facing a health problem and all I read on the internet was negative.  Someone finally said to me, the reason your reading all the negative is most people who have positive experiences don't go online and share those.  So I'm wonder if that is the same about cirrhosis.  I'm not trying to downplay the seriousness of it.  I just wonder if my stress level for husband is on a high level when it shouldn't be. 


I apprecaite this group!

Trissa01
Trissa01
Our bodies are amazing, disease and damage can be turned around even if the tissue doesn't repair itself, it will compensate.
If we take active steps to improve our health then yes, we have a good chance of dying in old age from something else!
paulwilkerson
paulwilkerson
Yep you right. Don't drink alcohol. Eat healthy.
mbolte
mbolte
My husband is in the same boat. As long as you get the weight down to get the fat in the liver down depending on the stage the liver can regenerate however that also depends on how far in the process it is in. We tried for years to get his weight down he is diabetic and that makes it much harder. We finally caved 3 years after his NASH diagnosis and did the gastric sleeve. His liver is finally stable but he is struggling with other issues unrelated to liver disease. I wish we had done the sleeve 3 years ago. He finally had an MRI after many CT of his liver and he is in the far advanced stages of cirrhosis however his is non symptomatic. His liver may never fully repair but at least it won't get worse.