Liver Failure and cirrhosis death, anyone go through this?

[Mary Z]

If you have lost a friend or close relative to liver failure and cirhosis, please share with me the amount of time they had in "end stage". We are trying to get some idea of what to expect....I have posted on the liver forum...but decided to ask here as well. Thank you all for your time!
Mary Z

[justamom2781]

My daughter has liver disease from alcohol. She found out two years ago. Did she stop drinking yes and no. Found out she was drinking something called Kombuche and didn't know it had alcohol. I went with her to er yesterday. Yellow bloated with no insurance they wouldn't help her but I know it won't be long. She works everyday as a art teacher for handicapped kids . She is a beautiful happy person who drank socially when she was in her late 20's like 20 year olds do. they don't know why she got chirrosis ,She also has sesizures Her Dads family has a history of liver disease. I'm so sad I wish I could do something to change everything. I fear losing her will take my life. I am hoping to  find someway to cope and be strong for her. No insurance no transplant.

[justamom2781]

My daughter has liver disease from alcohol. She found out two years ago. Did she stop drinking yes and no. Found out she was drinking something called Kombuche and didn't know it had alcohol. I went with her to er yesterday. Yellow bloated with no insurance they wouldn't help her but I know it won't be long. She works everyday as a art teacher for handicapped kids . She is a beautiful happy person who drank socially when she was in her late 20's like 20 year olds do. they don't know why she got chirrosis ,She also has sesizures Her Dads family has a history of liver disease. I'm so sad I wish I could do something to change everything. I fear losing her will take my life. I am hoping to  find someway to cope and be strong for her. No insurance no transplant.

[harryc40]

Hi,

After years of drinking and several unsuccessful spells in rehab, my brother died aged 42. I spoke with him on the Tuesday and my wife spoke with him on the Wednesday. Nobody heard from him after that. On the sunday I went to his because I hadn't heard from him. I got the police to break down the door and I found him in bed. Post mortem says he died from liver failure. There was no alcohol in his system. My question is this: would he have felt it, would the final days have been spent in agonising pain? Anyone know? I know it doesn't matter now, but i'd like to know.

Thank you

[Andi2013091813]

Wow, your story hit close to home.  In March / April of this year, my mom started complaining about Thrush and not being able to keep anything down.  My mom is my world and she is NOT an alcoholic nor is she a drinker.  However, after her doctor gave her antibotics for about 6 weeks, I demanded that he take a look at her stomach.  The ultrasound was performed on a Wednesday.  The lab requested she return on Friday for an MRI.  Friday afternoon the lab requested that she see her doctor on Monday.  On Monday the doctor requested that she be admitted to the hospital for a biopsy -- high suspicion of Cancer.  She was admitted on Tuesday, Wednesday morning (7:30 a.m. with no other relatives present) oncologist told my mom she had cancer with 4-7 months to live without chemo, and possibly a year with chemoembolization.  My mother opted for the chemoembolization.  On 5/22 the procedure was done with a concentration on the left side of the liver and a promise to my mom to perform the procedure again on 8/22 for tumors found on the right side.  My mom had been diagnosed with Lupus in 1992 (and was seeing doctors every month to ensure that the disease wasn't impacting her vital organs! -- Liver was missed).  Needless to say, she did not react well to the 5/22 Chemoembolization and the doctors refused to do another treatment on 8/22 because she was too weak.  In addition to that it was also noted in August that she had PVT or Portal vein thrombosis.  The Radiologist had observed this during the 5/22 Chemoembolization, but didn't administer any anticoagulants.  He didn't divulge this until August when it was too late to administer.  I admitted her to a cancer hospital in late August out of pure anger and frustration.  At that time her liver was functioning...barely, but enough to have hope that she would regain enough strength for a 2nd Chemoembolization treatment.  Unfortunately 3 weeks later, her liver functioning had deteriorated and the doctor recommended that we no longer attempt additional treatment, Nexavar should not be considered and that Hospice should be our next course of action.  MY MOTHER IS MY WORLD and watching this disease slowly and insidiously take her away from me is killing me.  Because alcohol was not an issue, they believe that either Lupus or Hep C caused the cancer, however we cannot determine where she would have contracted Hep C.  She did have a blood transfusion when she had hysterectomy, but like one other post indicated, once doctors see Hep C in the blood they go think "drugs" or " sexual contact".  Since then its been a battle to find food for her to eat, can eat, will eat and to have doctors address her issues.  The poor woman coughed her head off violently for 6 weeks and after 2 emergency visits (with chest xrays) performed at one hospital...it took the Cancer hospital to note that her lung was compressed due to fluid that required draining.  This has been a pure NIGHTMARE.  I had to tell one oncologist to stop telling her how much time she had left (as that is GOD's job NOT his) and to focus on making her life more comfortable.  KNOW THIS...Doctors are not gods...they are people.  Pay close attention to your loved one's reactions to drugs, body changes, breathing and lifestyle.  In 6 months my life has gone to Hell in a hand basket.  I write this to find some relief for myself and to tell others that God still sits on the thrown!!  My mother is somewhat comfortable but she knows what is going on.  He refuses to speak to Hospice and I have told her that we will let that be her decision.  She has to get through this at her own pace.  I can be shopping for hot dogs at the supermarket and just begin crying like a baby.  The poor folks in the supermarket look so puzzled, but I try to be strong fer her.  I pray to God for a miracle every day, but I also pray for his mercy.  Thank you for your patience and prayers.  I pray for a cure to this disease as it is horrible!

[Adventuress]

Hello all.
My sister passed away May 11, 2013 of the same condition.  It was an agonizing 3 weeks in the hospital for her.  The doctors said she might get a new liver and so they ran every body test they could and came up with that she had breast cancer and so couldn't give her one.  I offered a lobe of my liver and to be a live donor and they never took me seriously.  In fact she was hospitalized at a reknowned institution where they do  not do this type of procedure.  I only learned that a few days before she passed and was devastated.
So to anyone who has this condition or that of a loved one, PLEASE seek help early on in the process to get on a liver transplant list and pursue that avenue before end stage liver failure.  The body shuts down very quickly w/o a liver functioning and it is a sad sad situation for all concerned to go through.
Best to everyone and as a poster, I belive Nighthawk61 wrote in one of the forums (which I find so inspirational):  
"We tend to forget that happiness doesn't come as a result of getting something we don't have, but rather of recognizing and appreciating what we do have.”

[jules316]

Thank you to everyone that has posted. I understood every single one of them .My Brother was diagnosed with Cirrhosis last year ( 2012 ) his first fluid tap was November 2012 each time it was 1 then next month it went to 3 next mo after that it was 4 to 5. He'd feel much better getting the fluid removed he could breath better. He' then take his dog to the lake for a swim,  then soon any activity would exhaust him. By this time it is May he tried to work and was so weak he couldnt my nephew had to help him and told him he cant work any longer which he was in denial. He then kept going into the hospital to get fluids removed. By June he started going down hill and fast. He went from getting the fluid drained to then having high ammonia levels and blacking out, falling, and being disoriented. They treated him with Laculous 3 X's a day so his body wouldnt become toxic since his liver couldnt filter and clean the blood any longer the laculous makes the person constantly go to the bathroon, diarrhea is not fun but works to get the toxins out and ammonia.If the ammonia gets in the blood it can cause ( Ceph ) which is a high level of ammonia in the body it will go to their brain and cause a coma. That happened to my brother in July he went into a coma. All of our family drove from other States to be there for him. Most ppl dont wake up from comas they just go into one and eventually die .My brother came out of his coma after 3 days. We thought he would recover but what we didnt know is liver cirrhosis is irreversible, I know God brought him out of his coma woke him up so all his family could spend time with him, tell him how much we love him and say our good byes.The week I spend with him in the hospital I held his hand, we took pictures as I knew one day I would keep going back to those treasured pictures of my brothers last days. He kept his sense of humor threw the whole ordeal. His arms were bruised, they had a line in his neck for medicines, gave him blood plasma, constantly doing testing, draining fluid, it goes on...Im sure most of you know what I am talking about seems as every person with cirrhosis goes threw the same agonizing hell. It hard to watch, My brother went from a good looking 57 yr old, outdoor activist, to a thin frail man with a battered body. He was so tired he slept alot was in and out hard to wake him up. He lost his voice, developed sores in his mouth, ulcers, bleeding, yellowing eyes, ( Thats when I knew he was at the end ) when I saw his eyes it scared me, I felt horrible for my brother and there was nothing I could do but watch him slowly die a horrible horrible agonizing painful death. All of August he was in the hospital each day getting worse him sleeping a lot, couldn't eat or drink. We fed him ice chips his poor mouth was so dry his tongue would stick to his mouth. At the end around August 24 on a Sat. he told my sister he didnt want to die in a hospital so hospice got things in order for him he went home that Sat, as the Dr's told him they couldnt do anything more, Sunday, at home he slept a lot and would wake up for about 5 mins at a time if that to talk to family then drift back into a sleep his kidneys were shutting down. My sister giving him morphine to ease his pain, His eyes started to open with a stare we knew he was close. He slipped into a sleep. took his last breath quietly and then all his pain was gone, he went home to be with The Lord.  Got that early monday morning call at 3:00 AM That my brother passed away. I will never be the same and the pain & sorrow hurts so bad I can't even function some days I break down and cry.
This liver disease affected every part of his body. When the liver cant function any longer, all the rest of the organs follow. His heart was last. He had a strong heart. RIP my brother, I love you so much. I will see you in heaven one day. My heart goes out to everyone of you, keep praying and ask God to help your loved one and you. We all have the same experiences and pain that will never go away. God bless you and thoughts and prayers and many hugs to all of you. I am truly sorry for all your losses,