Bobby254

Hi all first time poster but long time lurker here. I was recently diagnosed with cirrhosis with a 40kPa for median liver stiffness. Does anyone have any experience with these numbers and how to maintain being healthy? Obvioul
sly stopping drinking is necessary but I’m only on day 2 and this news makes me want to break already. I hope this is not asking for medical advice as I do see a doctor but I can’t find any threads on liver stiffness and what stage of cirrhosis my numbers are

Dee74

Hi Bobby
we can share our experience but yes we can't give out medical advice here.
Did your doctor not explain the readings?

I have no experience myself but I think its clear the best thing to do is stop drinking - that's probably the single most effective thing you can do yourself.

D

Anna

I'm sorry to hear of your diagnosis and it must be scary. As you said, stopping drinking is crucial at this point. My suggestion would be to contact the doctor who gave you the numbers and ask for further information and for specifics as to what you can do to help maintain your health.

Bobby254

Hi dee you seem like the most common person to post on this site. I figured it would be you posting somewhat first lol. And unfortunately I confirmed my diagnosis through messages I haven’t seen her since I did the FibroScan. She is also leaving on the 7th of next month so I didn’t want to pester her to much although she wouldn’t mind since she’s been seeing me going on 3 years. I don’t have another actual doctors visit for a while now (they got me on 6 months per visit) but I do have other test coming up. I figure if I don’t drink until then I can wait to ask more advanced questions in persons and not have to worry about it until than that way it’s more personable

Bobby254

Yes ma”am Anna all I can do I suppose I just had this doctor for 3 years and I’m sure she is rolling her eyes at my latest attempts as she seen me go to fatty liver to cirrhosis in that short time….very frustrating and I hold no resentment as my dad is a heavy drinker at the age of 66 and is just find….I think it’s cause the hemochromatosis I inherited from my moms Side since people claim it’s genetics but hard to explain what I just posted if that’s the case

Dee74

I wouldn't look on it as pestering Bobby - you have a right to know, and understand, what those numbers mean

There are folks here who've had cirrhosis and have seen improvement when they stopped drinking, so if there's a voice in your head saying 'screw it I'm doomed anyway', that voice is wrong

D

Bobby254

DEE i honestly think my Dr wouldn’t either but that voice you’re talking about haunts me all the time. You know my only out I can give for my reasoning is I can start a new report with my new doctor and actually be honest from the start. I’m the type to hold my head down like a dog who is done wrong in the face of authority or just people in general when I know I’m wrong. Believing myself I can halt any further damage to get this thing started with the new doc she gave me a diagnosis I just think thier could be more advanced information (could be wrong) I can receive

Dee74

As long as you stick to no drinking, I can understand the wanting to start fresh idea.
You know what it will take for you to open up - I don't

D

Steely

Stopping drinking is imperative. Your liver will love you for it.

BullDog777

I've got cirrhosis. I'm 7 years sober and while it was extremely scary to learn of my diagnosis, there are plenty of people who lead and live very normal lives.
I've had a fibroscan and my results were inconclusive. I tested in normal tissue density, but there is visual scarring so they said that it could be an inaccurate finding. My liver doctor thought I was in early stage 1. Truth be told, I don't want to be in early stage anything. All I can do from here is to take care of myself.

My doctor said my life expectancy was largely up to me. That if I took very good care of myself, there is a possibility that I could live a normal life span. If I live on fast food and junk...not so much.

As was already stated, not drinking is the biggest thing. The next thing is maintaining a healthy weight and not overindulge in fatty foods. Fast food is bad. Sugar based sweets are not good. Eat a lot of greens and my doctor said to stay away from tylenol and ibuprophen unless it was absolutely necessary.

Since losing about 80 pounds, I don't have to take any medication anymore. So that helps too. I try to treat my liver as gently as i can.

This isn't a death sentence if you live smart. The idea is to not give up on yourself. Early sobriety is hard because your mind is still toxic.

Always ask yourself "Is this good for my sobriety or bad for my sobriety? If the answer is bad, go the other way. We have to keep things as simple as humanly possible early on. Just live day by day. If I can do this any one can.

Bobby254

Thanks for that Bulldog gives me hope.