Liver Failure: A Very Serious Issue

Cirrhosis is what most people will think of when one thinks of liver failure. If one were to picture cutting oneself, then seeing a hard exterior scab a few days later he will be familiar with what cirrhosis of the liver is. Cirrhosis is the forming of scabs, or scar tissue on its exterior that will inhibit the liver's ability from functioning properly. There are several causes of cirrhosis as well as symptoms of cirrhosis, while currently the only result for many is a liver transplant.

Currently only about 30 percent of patients will survive five years after discovery of cirrhosis of the liver, according to Netdoctor.com (July, 2007). Cirrhosis is when the liver cells are destroyed and certain needed functions are either inhibited or cease completely. I have been diagnosed for three years with severe liver failure, and have seen a significant change in both physical and emotional health. There are several new drugs are the horizon as well as a few currently being employed that have given relief to those who suffer cirrhosis, but none that will reverse the condition. The only method currently available to have a completely healthy liver again is to have a liver transplant and through this one may expect a long and healthy life once again.

Most people, even today with the medical advances, will think of alcoholism as the main factor for liver cirrhosis. To the contrary; there are several causes which include alcohol abuse, drug and chemical damage, inherited diseases, viral hepatitis which includes; Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C, while not including hepatitis A, autoimmune hepatitis, and Primary biliary cirrhosis which is found mostly in women. This author's failure is to several years of over using ibuprofen and other over-the-counter medications for major stress headaches, and the strong medication to fight a Brown Recluse spider bite. Opinion is still a dilemma in today's society where the majority of those unfamiliar with cirrhosis will assume a person must be an alcoholic.

There are seven main symptoms of cirrhosis, and this author currently suffers them in addition to other symptoms that will not be listed. The seven most common symptoms include; jaundice, finger nail discoloration, darkening of skin, fluid retention, spider varices of blood vessels, extremely easy bruising and nosebleeds, and alteration in brain functions. Jaundice is the yellowing of the skin and the eyes. Finger nails will begin to lose their pink coloring and will have spots of white, or turn completely white. The darkening of skin, for me is on my legs, and it resembles a very poor job of putting on an extremely dark shade of self tanning lotion. Spider varices are small little vessels that look like spiders where the blood will explode out of the main vessels. Bruising is interesting because just hitting your hand against a padded but hard surface can create a bruise. I have had several nose bleeds, which usually occur in the mid-afternoons. These nose bleeds come and go without warning. The alteration of brain functions includes loss of retention of information, mood swings, being extremely fatigued, poor sleep patterns and confusion.

The overall outlook for liver failure and cirrhosis is getting better. The advances in diagnosis, more effective medications that will restrict or stop continuation of cirrhosis, and more positive results for liver transplants are very encouraging. When one also includes the most current medical news which includes the research in the adult stem cells and the future ability to repair or even to regenerate a new liver for affected people if needed, the future is looking much brighter. The liver; being the filter for everything that a person drinks, eats, breathes or even touches is a very pertinent part of the living body. Once the liver has been damaged, there is no current ability to correct it, but maybe to halt any further negative impact. We need to be more kind to our bodies, for they are forgiving, but not all forgiving.