Cirrhosis

Question: How bad is level 4 cirrhosis and what is the life expectancy? If a smoker with diabetes has level 4 cirrhosis of the liver due to alcohol abuse and Hepatitis B, what is the likelyhood of liver failure? About how many years could they live this way? How long could they life this way if they stop drinking?

Answer: I'm not sure what classification you are using for your "level 4 cirrhosis". Mostly the Child-Pugh classification is used.

Question: What are the causes of liver cirrhosis or cancer? Alcohol is largely to blame for liver cirrhosis but my friend hasn't really abused it yet he got the ailment. What might have caused it besides alcohol abuse? He's skin and bones right now and deteriorating fast. Please add curative suggestions if any. His doctor sent him home as a hopeless case so i'm appealing for any other remedies. Thank you

Answer: I'm going through the same thing with my husband. He just came home Tuesday night and I have hospice helping out. He is already getting to where he can't walk hardly. People keep talking about a liver transplant but my doc. said my husband wasn't a candidate because he has cancer. But my husband drank alot when he was younger. He has been on alot of pain medicines. Along with meds for blood pressure and cholesterol. I think the cholesterol drugs caused this cirrohsis. He was taking to much at one time but thats what the doctor told him and it started scarring his liver. And later they changed it and he started getting jaundice and thats how they found the cancer. He also has blood clots from his heart to his liver. His liver isn't functioning right along with his kidneys. I wish you luck with your friend.

Question: Strep throat home remedies for a person with cirrhosis of the liver? My bro has no insurance so he can't go to doctor. He has strep troath and needs some home remedies that won't hurt his cirrhosis of the liver?

Answer: Hi Sol I have healing remedies for both mentioned. Cause Sore throats are usually caused by viral infections, but can also be due to bacterial infections, tonsillitis, overuse of the voice, exposure to irritating substances such as cigarette smoke, allergic reactions, infections of the mouth, and/or colds and flu. Caution: Sore throats are rarely serious. However, if your sore throat does not heal within two weeks, and/or occurs with a rash, seek immediate medical attention. If any sore throat occurs with a rash, see a doctor. A sore throat caused by a Streptococcal infection (strep throat) must be identified and treated, or else it could create rheumatic fever or acute glomerulonephritis (disease of the glomerulus, a network of blood capillaries of the kidney). -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Natural Cures Aromatherapy: Inhalations with benzoin, lavender, thyme, eucalyptus, geranium, lavender, clary sage, or sandalwood can help relieve symptoms. Diet: Increase your intake pure filtered water, hot herbal teas, diluted fruit juices, and broths. Eat an organic whole foods diet that emphasizes fresh vegetables and vegetable soups. Avoid all sugars, alcohol, milk and dairy products and any and all foods to which you are allergic or sensitive. Raw organic honey placed at the back of the throat can also help soothe symptoms and speed healing. Flower Essences: Crab Apple. Herbs: If your sore throat is due to an infection, chew a small piece of osha root (Ligusticum porteri) and/or gargle with an infusion of sage or licorice. For a sore throat due to smoke or pollution irritation, gargle with an infusion of lavender or hyssop. Other useful herbs include echinacea, garlic, ginger, goldenseal, and slippery elm. Juice Therapy: Drinking the juice of one or two red potatoes can soothe symptoms. Nutritional Supplementation: The following nutrients can be helpful: vitamin A, beta carotene, vitamin C with bioflavonoids, and zinc (in the form of lozenges taken every 1-2 hours unless nausea occurs, in which case decrease dosage). Cause Liver function can be impaired by a toxic bowel. Most pharmaceutical drugs, if taken on a consistent basis, can also cause liver disease. If you are on such medications, be sure to have your liver function monitored regularly (every 3-6 months) by your physician, and consider other healing alternatives that might reduce or eliminate your need for medications. Caution: Serious cases of cirrhosis require immediate medical attention. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Natural Cures Aromatherapy: Juniper, rosemary, and rose essential oils can all help stimulate liver function. Detoxification: Liver function can also be impaired by a toxic bowel. For this reason, bowel cleansing and rejuvenation techniques may be very important. In severe cases, repeat the bowel cleanse once a month, or as needed, and stay on bowel nutrients for up to one year depending on the severity of your condition and your response to treatment. Diet: Diet is extremely important in preventing and reversing all forms of liver disease, including cirrhosis. Eat a low-protein, whole foods diet of organic foods, including seeds, nuts, whole grains, beans, nuts, and goat or rice milk, and also eat plenty of leafy green vegetables. Avoid all alcohol and processed fats such as margarine, hydrogenated oils, and foods with these oils added, rancid oils, and hardened vegetable fats. Instead, use cold-processed oils such as olive. Also increase your consumption of foods high in amino acids and potassium, such as nuts, seeds, bananas, raisins, rice, wheat bran, kelp, dulse, brewer`s yeast, and molasses, and drink plenty of pure, filtered water. Avoid animal protein as well as raw or undercooked fish, and limit your overall intake of fish. Also avoid all stressors on the liver, such as overeating, drugs of any kind, a highly processed diet (especially one high in processed fats, additives and preservatives), and foods high in animal protein, and accumulation of toxins from chemicals that have to be processed by the liver such as alcohol, drugs, acetaminophen, insecticides, and chemicals from rancid and processed oils. Toxins from Candida yeast organisms within the body can also contribute to liver stress, as can the use of contraceptives. Herbs: Milk thistle is an excellent herb to help in the treatment of cirrhosis because it helps liver cells regenerate. It may be taken in the form of tablets or the non-alcohol extract called a glycerate. The dose is based upon the content of silymarin (the active ingredient of milk thistle) and so standardized extracts are preferable. The typical dosage range is 70-200 mg of silymarin daily. The herb Picrorhiza kurroa is not as well-known as milk thistle, but may have similar effects. Licorice can also be helpful. The Chinese herb bupleurum (chai-hu) may also be helpful, as can the herbal mixture of kutki (200 mg), shanka pushpi (500 mg), and guduchi (300 mg), with is used by practitioners of Ayurvedic medicine to boost liver function. Take 1/4 teaspoon of this mixture taken twice a day, after lunch and dinner, with aloe vera juice. Hydrotherapy: Hydrotherapy is the application of water, ice, steam and hot and cold temperatures to maintain and restore health. Treatments include full body immersion, steam baths, saunas, sitz baths, colonic irrigation and the application of hot and/or cold compresses. Hydrotherapy is effective for treating a wide range of conditions and can easily be used in the home as part of a self-care program. Many Naturopathic Physicians, Physical Therapists and Day Spas use Hydrotherapy as part of treatment. *Purified water is essential for any hydrotherapy treatment. The section Remedies for Treating Chlorinated Bath Water offers clear instructions and recommendations. Juice Therapy: The following juices can help the liver eliminate toxins that cause stress on it: beet and carrot juice and wheat grass juice. To either juice, you can add raw flaxseed oil and garlic as tolerated. Nutritional Supplementation: Lipotrophic factor nutrients are essential for aiding liver function. These include vitamin C, vitamin E, silymarin, lipoic acid, and raw liver tablets. Other useful nutrients in this regard include vitamin B complex, vitamin B12, folic acid, niacin (in small doses such as 10-30 mg. three times), liver glandulars, digestive enzymes with hydrochloric acid (HCL) and ox bile extract, and the amino acids L-methionine, L-carnitine, L-cysteine, L-glutathione, and L-arginine. Caution: For all cases of liver disease, do not use more than 10,000 IU of vitamin A daily and avoid cod liver oil entirely. Alternative Professional Care If your symptoms persist despite the above measures, seek the help of a qualified health professional. The following professional care therapies have all been shown to be useful for treating and relieving the symptoms of cirrhosis: Acupuncture, Cell Therapy, Detoxification Therapy, Magnetic Field Therapy, Natural Hormone Replacement Therapy, Naturopathic Medicine, Reflexology, Qigong, and Traditional Chinese Medicine. Best of health to both of you

Question: How many drinks a day does it take to cause cirrhosis of the liver? My boyfriend is 25. He drinks not necessarily excessively, for he has a high tolerance, but I am worried for him for the future. In a typical male, how many drinks a day (or percentage of alcohol) does it take to cause cirrhosis of the liver? By what age would he start having problems? Links to official website will be helpful. Thank you!

Answer: Everyone is different, but the experts say that 10 years of steady excessive drinking could be enough to cause liver damage. Cirrhosis is scarring of the liver and one never wants to get to that point because it is permanent, and the only thing that will cure it is a liver transplant. I see drinkers asking this question all the time. I think they want to kind of play with fire and say to themselves, "If I quit at 8 or 9 years, I'll be OK." Problem is that someone that drinks like that will not usually quit after 8 or 9 years because they are probably an alcoholic. If they are drinking enough to even ask this question, there is probably a problem with excessive drinking. Cirrhosis is a cruel disease and not something to be played around with and take chances. I know because I had it. Not from drinking but because of an autoimmune disease. Cirrhosis is cirrhosis no matter what the cause might be. It acts the same. I had a transplant, but many alcoholics do not get them. Hospitals require at least 6 months of proven sobriety before they will even consider one for a transplant for a drinker. A lot of alcoholics cannot or choose not to do it. Normal cost for this surgery is about $500,000 without any complications. If you just do a search on alcoholism, I'm sure you will find lots of information about this disease that will answer any other questions you might have. Your boyfriend is still young so I hope he can get away from the drinking before it becomes a problem. Wish you the best.

Question: How long does it take for a person to die from cirrhosis? I know this is sort of a morbid question, and one there's really no answer to unless you are God, but I thought I'd give it a shot anyway. My mom was diagnosed with cirrhosis of the liver in June of 2005. The doctors gave her little time to live, yet she's been here for two years longer than what they gave her. At the time they said she had 2% liver function left. How do you think it's possible for someone to live that long with supposedly 2% of their liver? I'm not a doctor so I don't understand it. She was very close to dying...she already has muscle waste and they drained 6 liters of fluid from her abdomen because her liver couldn't handle it.

Answer: There is so much involved when diagnosing a patient...they have to take into account their other medical conditions also, their family history, and many other factors. A doctor can only predict when a person's time is up... they do not know for sure. None of the tests they do are 100% accurate, as they may be looking at films to show them what may be happening and also, even if they take a specimen right from the liver, it may only show what that particular area has wrong and not the whole liver. It is well known that people can live a long time if even part of their liver has normal cells in it. Your mom may be one of them. Cirrhosis can be only in one area of the liver, or it can be throughout the whole liver. It sounds like your mothers was only in a certain area. If she is following everything the doctors tell her to do, it is a plus in the fact she may survive till they can get her an organ for transplantation. I hope she was evaluated to be placed on the transplant list. The signs of complete liver failure are when they develop ascites (fluid in the abdominal area) and varies (veins near the esophagus) and also portal hypertension (the blood that flows to the liver, because it cannot go into the liver, goes to other areas like the esophagus and builds up pressure in them). This link might help you to understand better about cirrhosis http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/cirrhosis/ This is a very heartbreaking disease...your mom having her loved ones near her to support her through all this, is the best thing for her... it may just be what is keeping her holding on.

Question: How long does it take for a person to develop alcoholic Cirrhosis? A friend of mine drinks heavier and heavier, a minimum of a 5th of Vodka each night, along with a poor diet with alot of sweets/fats. He is 48, and his father died of alcohol cirrhosis at age 50.

Answer: It's been a year since my mother passed away from Cirrhosis of the liver. I am 16 years old. She was drinking those tall beers. ALOT of them everynight for about 9 years enough to where she was drunk then she was told if she did not stop she could possibly get sicker then die by the doctor. 1 year later (still did not stop drinking) got sick and a year and a half later died. She was sober for a year and a half. She fought so hard and I was so proud of her. She couldn't take it and I don't one bit blame her. I miss her so much. She was in so much pain she got on hospice. She was 42 when she passed away. So your friend could go at any time, I'm sorry, especially with his dad passing away from it, he has a greater chance.

Question: Is there a proven mediation to improve cirrhosis of the liver? Doctors have told me cirrhosis of the liver is irreversible so deal with the fact this condition will certainly shorten my life. I understand that but I have read that the liver CAN rejuvenate itself to some degree under certain circumstances if you obstain from the harmful elements which are under your control, alcohol, etc. Is there anything I can "take" or "do " to maintain or improve the condition of my liver besides eat right and take care of my body, or am I too late? I' 60.

Answer: Try a product called liv 52, its the top product for maintaning a healthy liver also carbohydratess help also..

Question: Can you get cirrhosis of the liver by drinking Pepsi or Coke? I heard something about getting cirrhosis of the liver if you drink pepsi or Coke. Do you think that is true and if you do or don't, do you have some facts to back it up? Thanks.

Answer: According to the NIH, cirrhosis is caused by the following: Cirrhosis has many causes. In the United States, chronic alcoholism and hepatitis C are the most common ones. Alcoholic liver disease. To many people, cirrhosis of the liver is synonymous with chronic alcoholism, but in fact, alcoholism is only one of the causes. Alcoholic cirrhosis usually develops after more than a decade of heavy drinking. The amount of alcohol that can injure the liver varies greatly from person to person. In women, as few as two to three drinks per day have been linked with cirrhosis and in men, as few as three to four drinks per day. Alcohol seems to injure the liver by blocking the normal metabolism of protein, fats, and carbohydrates. Chronic hepatitis C. The hepatitis C virus ranks with alcohol as a major cause of chronic liver disease and cirrhosis in the United States. Infection with this virus causes inflammation of and low grade damage to the liver that over several decades can lead to cirrhosis. Chronic hepatitis B and D. The hepatitis B virus is probably the most common cause of cirrhosis worldwide, but it is less common in the United States and the Western world. Hepatitis B, like hepatitis C, causes liver inflammation and injury that over several decades can lead to cirrhosis. Hepatitis D is another virus that infects the liver, but only in people who already have hepatitis B. Autoimmune hepatitis. This disease appears to be caused by the immune system attacking the liver and causing inflammation, damage, and eventually scarring and cirrhosis. Inherited diseases. Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency, hemochromatosis, Wilson's disease, galactosemia, and glycogen storage diseases are among the inherited diseases that interfere with the way the liver produces, processes, and stores enzymes, proteins, metals, and other substances the body needs to function properly. Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). In NASH, fat builds up in the liver and eventually causes scar tissue. This type of hepatitis appears to be associated with diabetes, protein malnutrition, obesity, coronary artery disease, and treatment with corticosteroid medications. Blocked bile ducts. When the ducts that carry bile out of the liver are blocked, bile backs up and damages liver tissue. In babies, blocked bile ducts are most commonly caused by biliary atresia, a disease in which the bile ducts are absent or injured. In adults, the most common cause is primary biliary cirrhosis, a disease in which the ducts become inflamed, blocked, and scarred. Secondary biliary cirrhosis can happen after gallbladder surgery if the ducts are inadvertently tied off or injured. Drugs, toxins, and infections. Severe reactions to prescription drugs, prolonged exposure to environmental toxins, the parasitic infection schistosomiasis, and repeated bouts of heart failure with liver congestion can all lead to cirrhosis. http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/cirrhosis/#causes

Question: How long can someone live after being diagnosed with cirrhosis of the liver? My mom, an alcoholic for over 15 years, was recently diagnosed with cirrhosis of the liver. She became diabetic two years ago and has lost massive amounts of weight, brusies extremely easy, has hair loss, and has difficulty walking as she says she often has no feeling in her feet. She decided that she does not care and is continuing to drink as much as she ever did. How long does she have left to live? I'm getting married next August and am wondering if she'll still be alive by then.

Answer: Please refer to previous qestions on cirrhosis in this website. You will get a lot of information. Only a gastro-enterologist can answer your question after verifying her present liver condition, and medical records.

Question: How can a person have cirrhosis of the liver when they are not a drinker or drug user? My mom has portal hypertension and they keep on saying she has cirrhosis but they done a biopsy not that long ago and it was fine, no liver damage or disease. How could this be? She has never drank. She is not a drug abuser. She only takes her blood pressure and water pills. Why? She won't even hardly take a tylenol or motrin when she is hurting. She will suffer it out before she would take anything. She does not have hepatitis

Answer: Cirrhosis is scarring of the liver tissue. This can be caused by hepatitis as well as a bunch of other reasons...check out this wikipedia link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cirrhosis

Question: cirrhosis? what are the final stages of cirrhosis and how do i get prepared (my mother has it)

Answer: I want to say, that everyone is different in what may occur during the time they have this cirrhosis...some patients show no symptoms right up till the liver is in complete failure. Even then, they may have all the symptoms or just some of them. In the last stages of liver disease, the patient: Becomes very tired Has different sleep patterns than normal May not feel much like eatting May have fluid swelling in the abdominal area (known as Ascites) and swelling in the legs, feet and other areas (known as Edema) They may have difficulty breathing brought on by the fluid build up pressing against the organs of the body and that may seep into the chest area. Their palms of their hands and soles of their feet may be red. They may show signs of spider like veins appearing on the chest, neck, and shoulder area. They may have yellowing of the whites of the eyes and the skin (known as jaundice) Their memory and mental statis will decline because of toxins going to the brain (known as encephalopathy) They may develop enlarge veins inside the esophagus cause of the back up of blood, that normally goes through the liver, but it now rerouted to other areas (known as varies) I would like you to look at these sites that explain cirrhosis more: http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases… What can you do and how to prepare: It would be good for your mother to arrange now so that someone else can speak for her if she isn't able to do so herself...There are free living wills and advanced directives on line...or a lawyer can set up a power of attorney. This will be of great benefit to her...since as the disease advances, it won't just be something to think about, it will be a necessity. You could look into seeing she gets evaluated by a Hepatologist to see if she can be placed on the transplant list. They do a series of tests and she will see different doctors and then they will make a decision to place her there. This needs to be done as soon as possible. http://www.surgery.usc.edu/divisions/hep… Try to make a her as comfortable as possible, let her know you care...it is proven that if a patient has someone who stands by them and does everything they can to help them and that they don't feel like a burden to them...they live longer and recover faster. If the fluid in the abdominal area build up, it can cause pressing on the diaphragm and make her very uncomfortable. The doctors can do a procedure that will take the fluid from her abdomen, known as a paracentesis. It just needs a tiny incision in her belly where they place tubing that leads to a vacuum bottle. The vacuum in the bottle will gently pull the fluid out and can be tested. They will watch her blood pressure closely and if alot of fluid is taken, they may give her a protein through an IV, known as Albumin. It is very important to try and keep her receiving nourishment into her body. Most cirrhosis patients are mal nutritioned. If she cannot eat, ask the doctor if she can have supplemental things like "Ensure", etc. Be sure to check with him...since, depending on her lab work and other things, they may not be recommended or harmful. She should only be taking the medication the doctor prescribes for her. Other medication, since the liver is no longer to handle it and almost every medication goes through the liver, may become toxic in her body. It has to be adjusted. So many medication effect the liver and can cause damage if taken too much or the doctor doesn't know the side effects of them. He needs to know what medication she is on, whether it be over the counter, herbs, those prescribed by other doctors, etc. The best test to know how the liver is doing, go pass the blood tests and CT and MRI...it is the liver biopsy. The other tests just indicate something by observing films and the chemistry. Where the liver biopsy, they can see directly what is taking place. I don't know how old your mom is, but the Area of theAging provides services for those who are disabled and up in years. Hospice can be provided if the doctor agrees to it and signs the forms...it is usually for those who are thought to be only able to live 6 months. Angel Flight is an volunteer organization, that will fly patients who are very sick and need to reach a special hospital. You may want to look these up on the web. I don't know what state you are in, or I would look them up for you. She should sleep whenever she is able to do so. Since this disease will change the sleep patterns, any rest she can get will be of benefit. Some patients sleep 5 to 10 minutes at a time all day long. If she ever coughs up blood or coffee ground type material...get her to the nearest hospital. It is an emergency. The blood going to the other vessels, instead of the liver, is under pressure and these vessels expand and can burst. Usually, they occur in the esophagus, but can also appear in the belly area near the belly button and the rectum also. If they burst, she will be bleeding internally and this bleeding has to be stopped. Gather up all information for her medical record. Find out your family medical history. Try to place all this information into a format form. It would be good to have the names, address, phone numbers of all hospitals and doctors she sees and what she sees them for and what medication she is on and how and when she takes it. Also her insurance information and where the claims are sent to. All her past and present medical information is important for each and every doctor she sees to have it. That way they know what other doctors are prescribing for her, how to contact them, how to be sure she gets the proper treatment. Medical error occur alot cause one doctor did not know the full history of the patient he is seeing. Try to stay with one pharmacy for her prescriptions also. They are able to catch interactions between her medications, that can be harmful, alot faster. Doctors don't always have time to tell a patient about their drugs, so it is good if someone asks the pharmacist questions and read the inserts that come with each drug...just in case something does take place, they will realize whether it is an emergency or not. It is good to keep your vehicles in good working order and filled with gas. Just in case she needs to be transported by you. It is also good to keep a bag packed with things she might need when in the hospital...ICU don't except personal things, but once she is out of there and on another floor...it will be there waiting. Notify the ambulance, not through the emergency number, but by a visit or the regular number...that you have a patient that may need to be transported later by them...they will tell you if they know where you are located. It is good to keep all important numbers beside the telephone where you can reach them fast, like doctors, hospitals, insurance, etc. I put a home telephone book and a list of all numbers in all my vehicles, also. Being in the final stages of this disease, does not let you know exactly when things may happen. It depends alot on whether the patient has cirrhosis all through the liver or just part of it. It depends upon her other medical conditions with this disease. It depends on how old she is and what medication she is taking. There is so many questions to determine how long a person may have once they have this disease to be able to pinpoint how much time they have left. If you are wondering about the transplant list. The list is very fair, once they are placed on it. It doesn't go by age, sex, or anything like that...they are placed on there according to how long the patient can live without having a transplant. The well ones are usually at the bottom and may be able to become better and go off the list. The sicker they are, the closer they get to the top. If they are at the top...they may only have a few hours or days left to live unless an organ becomes available. I hope this is of some help to you. I know this is very trying. The main thing I was told when I went through this, is to be sure that I took care of myself, otherwise, I may not be there to take care of my loved one when they needed me the most. Listening to the doctors and following what they say is best for her right now. Being able to be with her when she has an appointment will help you understand better how to help her when she is home. This can only be done if she approves of it. I'm a member of a group known as Liver Cirrhosis Support group. We are listed under the group section of Yahoo. It is for caregivers, those who have lost someone to this disease and for people who have cirrhosis. We post links alot and the group is free to join by just answering a few questions. You are welcome to come and join us. You will learn alot about cirrhosis and even more on how to help your mom. If wish you both the best and hope this information has been of some help to you.

Question: How long can a person survive after being diagnosed with cirrhosis of the liver? I found out a couple of days ago that my mom has cirrhosis of the liver. While I was looking for the symptoms of it I realized that my mom has had many of this symptoms for over 5 years. In 1997 my mom was diagnosed with diabetes and she always drank alcohol with her medication but the past 5 or 6 yrs the drinking has gotten worse. My mom has had trouble walking for many years because of her swollen ankles and yr after yr it has gotten worse and now she can't walk at all. My mom lives in germany and I need to know how long she has so I can go see her.

Answer: Blood tests will tell her physician what condition her liver is in. cirrhosis caused by excessive alcohol can be gradual, or sudden onset. My husband had a patient he saw 10 years ago. He told the guy then that if is alcoholic consumption continued at the present rate, he's be dead in 10 years. About 10 years later, the guy showed up in my husband's office, a little yellow in the eyes. Tests showed he had no liver function at all. My husband put him in the hospital, and told him he needed to begin thinking about his wills, his trusts etc., that he had probably a week to live. The parents, wife, and kids of this man were madder than hell at my husband, but two days later, the guy was becomming really ill. By the end of the week, reallllllly. He died within a week.... So, to answer your question, blood tests will reveal how bad your mother's liver functions are....

Question: What is a liver lesion and how does it effect people with cirrhosis? I have cirrhosis and recently had a CT scan that discovered the liver lesions.

Answer: Cirrhosis is a liver lesion. The term "lesion" can refer to any abnormal physical finding in the body. Any severe injury (from alcohol, viruses, parasitic infections, chemical damage, etc. )to the liver can ultimately cause live cirrhosis which in essence is liver scarring. The unfortunate thing about liver cirrhosis/scarring is that scar tissue doesn't function as liver tissue anymore and thus if the WHOLE liver is scarred an non-functional, it's like not having a liver at all, which is not compatible with life. This is where liver transplants come in.

Question: What is the least amount of alcohol consumed daily that has ever been reported to cause cirrhosis in someone? I was just wondering because I like having my 3 drinks per day on average. I want to know if my risk for cirrhosis is high if I continue to do it for a long time. I always get different answers when I ask people. Some people say stuff like "my dad drank a bottle of vodka everyday and lived to age 97" so I don't know who to believe. I'm a 220 pound guy by the way.

Answer: "Long-term, heavy use of alcohol. This is the most common cause of cirrhosis in the United States. Alcoholic cirrhosis can develop after 10 or more years of heavy drinking (5 or more drinks a day for a man or 3 or more drinks a day for a woman)."

Question: What to expect during the last stages of cirrhosis? My father has cirrhosis of the liver. He has been tapped for fluid about 2 months ago. He is now bigger than ever retaining more fluid in adominal region.Feet and legs also.Doctor did not think they should tap him unless he becomes in to much pain to handle.Because of the danger. He also was given 2 units of blood about 6 weeks ago. But when he went to the doctor he told him to stop taking his blood count .And even though his blood count is low. He isn't going to give his any more blood either. Told both my Mom and Dad that he gives him 6 months and he should recieve hospice care. I don't feel that he will make the 6 months. He sleeps alot. Has good days and bad. Please if you can help me and my family what to expect,I would really appreciate it. Thank You Maryjane

Answer: I am so sorry to hear about your Dad. The best thing now is to just be there for him and accept that he is dying hun. Cirrhosis is the endstage of diseases of the liver; In cirrhosis, progressive liver failure occurs after approximately 80 to 90% of hepatic functional capacity is lost. Final decompensation is often due to some superimposed stress such as an infection or a GI tract bleed. I would definitely get hospice involved so you all can love dad the best you can before he leaves. I did that with my dad-- I feel better for handing things over... he was 47 ( 3 yrs older then I am now- 20yrs now) An answer to your question- is very hard-- I would expect the end stages of any disease to follow.

Question: How long does it take before I get Cirrhosis? Anyone know the average age a person has complete cirrhosis of the liver?

Answer: usually old (over 45), but it depends on the cause of the cirrhosis. If the cause is a genetic disorder, then it may occur in the very young