Cirrhosis of the liver treatment process

[Beautifuldreamer]

A 40-something male friend has recently been discharged to the care of a local gastroenterologist after being hospitalized with esophageal varices and ascites and a diagnosis of cirrhosis of the liver (no biopsy was done). The hospital doctor said he should be able to resume normal activities as long as he stops drinking (moderate alcohol consumer) and checks in monthly for regular bloodwork. The hospital doctor made it sound like everything would now be fine with those caveats. The gastroenterologist has ordered blood work but can't see my friend for full evaluation and diagnosis of cause until July. But everything I've read, including information on the Child-Pugh scale, suggests that my friend's life expectancy is seriously compromised (because of the experience with esophageal varices and ascites) even if his blood levels go back to normal, and that he might need a liver transplant at some point. Am I missing something and worrying too much?

[Beautifuldreamer]

Hi Mike and Nicole,

Thanks for your input. That's the problem--he hasn't received a final diagnosis yet. When he was released from the hospital (a university hospital in a rural state--not a big medical center) a few of the tests hadn't yet come back. He has stopped alcohol completely (and my hat is off to anyone who enjoyed beer as much as he did and can do this). I was impressed by the medical team who treated him in the hospital, but am on tenterhooks til he is seen by the gastroenterologist who ordered a new battery of tests after leaving the hospital. The waiting is hard.

Nicole--many thanks for your encouraging response. As I say, his alcohol consumption was considered moderate, but I know everyone's body is different, and what might affect one person might not bother someone else. Maybe that was indeed the cause. My very best wishes to you!

Beautiful Dreamer

[KjFlicka]

Yes, It is important to know the cause of the cirrhosis as Mike said. If it is alcohol, the treatment is fairly straightforward and the prognosis (as long as he stopped drinking totally) can be good too. I would think he would have been given a variety of prescriptions for the ascites and the varices. I was also diagnosed with cirrhosis from alcohol and also had ascites and a massive bleed. This was in early 2008. My bloodwork has returned to an 'acceptable' level (better each time still) and barring any cancer I won't ever need a transplant. I don't think I'm the exception. I just stepped up and got my soldier face on and I'm doing fabulous. So, yes, there are very serious side effects to cirrhosis that need to be treated, but hopefully he'll do just fine. If a transplant is needed, that's where the reason for the cirrhosis comes into play again.

I would think they should do a biopsy and a follow up endoscopy to check up on the banding pretty soon though.

Any chance you have a major university hospital close by? As most people here say, they tend to have the best liver transplant clinics. And that's where you want to go no matter what.

Take care,
Nicole

[mikesimon]

What do they attribute his cirrhosis to - alcohol, viral hepatitis (A, B or C) or some other liver disease?
Mike