stages of cirrhosis

[keyker]

I have been doing alot of reading etc., because my husband has cirrhosis and will not stop drinking, I am wondering what are the 4 stages of Cirrhosis? Anyone ??? Thanks!!!!

[yellowgirl1961]

A related discussion, alpha1 was started.

[grannydi]

A related discussion, Coughing and esophogeal varices was started.

[LollyPOP2000]

I have a friend that has a tight swollen tummy and he mentioned he has colon cancer 3 years ago,
but will not tell us what stage.
    I tend to think it is Liver disease....he has been drinking like a fish for 20 some years.    His tummy is tight and swollen in an OVAL shape.  In other words, his tummy is tight and shaped like an egg standing on its end......just an oval shape.
    It is not the typical beer belly, although he uses beer
for water.   He drinks hard liquor by the bottles and has stiff drinks each evening.....could it be liver or his colon causing
his stomach to look tight and oval shaped?   He will not say for sure....so we don't discuss it.    Does Liver failure give the
oval, tight look to the abdomen?     It is not a beer gut like
we see men with beer bellies....his is tight and oval shaped, it
covers his entire tummy area....   I am just concerned about him....he still drinks like a fish each evening...at home or the bars are his "watering hole"  he is 51 years old.
    Lollypop

[ritabobcasaja]

I'm Kindly:  I am really impressed with all the information that you provided on the Forum.  I have Primary Biliary Cirrhosis, was diagnosed with it in 1993.  I just had a colonoscopy and an endoscopy, where they say I have varices, stage 2.  Can you tell me just what that means.  I know stage 1, of course, is the beginning and at stage 3 you are at risk for rupture.  I have portal hypertension, an enlarged spleen (found this in 1993), a small liver, platelet count in the 50's, etc.  I am now seeing a new doctor here in town and read all I can about this disease so I have some clue as to what they are talking about when I see them.  Anyway, just now trying to clue in on the stages - and maybe where I am.  Keep up the good work.

[coog]

Well, I am so glad to have found this site while searching for info about cirrosis. My sister has this due to a long addiction to alcohol. My question is.. what are her seizures about?? I know the is due to the cirrosis but what is happening in her body is what I am looking for. Any help with this would be appreciated.
Thanks
Coog

[imkindly]

Hi Ruthie

I just got done writing a post to Kush at

http://www.medhelp.org/perl6/Gastro/messages/C34287-5.html

check that out.
It explains what we are watching out for (and what to do), while we wait for my husband's liver transplant.

Ruthie, when your husband sees the gastroenterologist, they are going to do some blood tests to determine your husband's CTP Score. ("Child Turcotte Pugh" Score)
If your husband's CTP score is 7 or above.....they will refer him for an evaluation for the liver transplant waiting list.

The evaluation is a series of medical tests (at the liver transplant center), to see if your husband would be able to undergo a transplant or not.

If he passes the evaluation, he'll be put on the liver transplant waiting list.

Once he is on the list....another scoring system is used. It's called a "MELD Score". (Model for End Stage Liver Disease Score).
Everyone on the waiting list is given a MELD Score.
When a donor liver becomes available....the person (on the waiting list) with the highest MELD Score gets the call to come in for their transplant.
(The sicker a person is...the higher their MELD score is.)

My husband got evaluated and accepted onto the liver transplant waiting list in Feb. 2001. (We are still waiting.)
If I can be of any help to you, feel free to email me.

***@****