Geoffrey Posted January 26, 2006 Share Posted January 26, 2006 Does anyone know the life expectancy of a person who has been diagnosed with end-stage liver disease (caused by chronic alcoholism)? Ascites (abdominal swelling), jaundice, loss of appetite, weight loss, fatigue, and nausea are all factors here. Someone I know is quite ill from it....they were diagnosed and hospitalized four months ago, and there has been minimal improvement in their condition. They are on medication now, plus a very restricted diet too. They've lost about 20 lbs in the last 6 weeks. Also stays in bed most of the day. Little energy. I don't have any experience with this sort of condition. Can anyone help? What can be expected from this point on? Thanks in advance for your help. Link to post Share on other sites
bluechocolate Posted January 26, 2006 Share Posted January 26, 2006 try http://www.liverfoundation.org/ Link to post Share on other sites
Lonestar Posted January 26, 2006 Share Posted January 26, 2006 blue, you're really stepping it up on the posting, eh???? 1 Link to post Share on other sites
littlekitty Posted February 2, 2006 Share Posted February 2, 2006 My father died this way. It can be slow or fast, but it's not nice. I wish you well. Link to post Share on other sites
Author Geoffrey Posted February 2, 2006 Author Share Posted February 2, 2006 Littlekitty, I'm so sorry you had to go through that...thanks for your insights. Link to post Share on other sites
littlekitty Posted February 2, 2006 Share Posted February 2, 2006 Your welcome. Watching someone die of alcoholism is a horrible thing to have to do. If it's any consolation, when it did happen, it seemed fairly quick and peaceful. He seemed to slide away, although the Cirrhosis wasn't the only factor. It took 6 months for an inquest to record the cause of death. Basically it was alcohol related in every way. Thoughts and prayers are with you and your friend. Link to post Share on other sites
cal gal Posted February 2, 2006 Share Posted February 2, 2006 Geo- My father died this way. He had quit drinking five years before he died. The doctors told him he could extend his life longer by quitting. He seemed pretty good until the end - we took him to the hospital on a wednesday and they said he would come home friday, which is the day he died. If it makes you feel any better, I don't think his suffering was too harsh and too long. His organs just started to shut down. He left behind a wife of forty years, nine children and 23 grandchildren. I think we were just happy for him that the suffering didn't make him extensively miserable. Good luck and my prayers are with you and your friend. Keep posting if you want.... or ask me any questions you want. I am totally familar with the symptoms you initially described. On several occasions we had to have the fluid removed for my dad when it was too much too breathe. XO Link to post Share on other sites
Author Geoffrey Posted February 2, 2006 Author Share Posted February 2, 2006 Thanks for sharing, I am so sorry that you went through all that. There is a long, sad story about my relationship with this person, which I'll tell you all about some other time. He was a full-blown alcoholic for about 20 years, doing anywhere between a pint and a half gallon of vodka every day. Heavy drug user too. I've seen him detox, DT's, everything....it was very rough to see. He's been clean for 4 months now...and seemed to do a little better after leaving the hospital, but lately it hasn't been so good, the jaundice, dark skin, depression, mental confusion, no appetite, substantial weight loss, sleeping most of the time too. Ascites has been managed by diuretics. Liver enzymes have stabilized and are as normal as can be expected, I guess. My understanding is that when these signs are present, the prognosis is very poor. I've never experienced this before, so I just don't know what to expect. I'm scared. Link to post Share on other sites
littlekitty Posted February 3, 2006 Share Posted February 3, 2006 Oh Geoffrey. That really moved me to see you admit you're scared. I understand. It's a scary place to be in when it's someone you clearly care dearly about. I wish I had the words of wisdom to take some of your fear away. I can only wish you well, and hope that you find the strength to get through this. Try to be strong for your friend. Link to post Share on other sites
Author Geoffrey Posted February 3, 2006 Author Share Posted February 3, 2006 I am doing the very best that I can. I turned 41 last November and I've seen the terribly high price that alcoholism exacts on those around me. I have an ex GF who is in its grip and shuns the help she needs. I lost another very good high school friend a year ago at age 44....he went missing for 7 weeks....and was found dead in the woods amidst several empty vodka bottles. Friends and family who've spent time in jail, wrecked automobiles, lost business ventures, crying children, fistfights, getting thrown out of bars, destroyed relationships that once were beautiful, financial ruin, heavy denial, unemployment, insane jealousy and rage, depression, and more misery than I EVER knew existed. I fight the battle with it too, but somehow I've kept that monster at arm's length. Somehow I've made it this far with my own sanity largely intact. I don't understand it anymore...God help all of us. Link to post Share on other sites
Poconobob Posted February 28, 2006 Share Posted February 28, 2006 Referring to it first hand, seeing the jaundace, etc... you'll know. Now, did you get HOSPICE? Did they help you determine this person's time left as they'd see daily. Second, end stages, I heard that for months and months... she had it and was on a transplant list but couldn't get 6 months without a friggen drink. Finally, she stopped but it was too late, and I couldn't find my way into a transplant list ... forgive my spelling/grammar, this makes me cry. Here is something "she"(Sandy) told me, she said it wouldn't be her liver but her other body parts giving up. In fact that was what happened, her swelling caused stress on the heart, the heart and her internal bleeding, she drowned on her own aspiration...and massive heart attack. God be with you and God Bless your friend; I'm not a deeply religious person but if there is a God above, certainly you'll need blessed. PLEASE, PLEASE if there is anything, or general I can do, please email me or pm me or post here.... Bob Link to post Share on other sites
Poconobob Posted February 28, 2006 Share Posted February 28, 2006 I am doing the very best that I can. I turned 41 last November and I've seen the terribly high price that alcoholism exacts on those around me. I have an ex GF who is in its grip and shuns the help she needs. I lost another very good high school friend a year ago at age 44....he went missing for 7 weeks....and was found dead in the woods amidst several empty vodka bottles. Friends and family who've spent time in jail, wrecked automobiles, lost business ventures, crying children, fistfights, getting thrown out of bars, destroyed relationships that once were beautiful, financial ruin, heavy denial, unemployment, insane jealousy and rage, depression, and more misery than I EVER knew existed. I fight the battle with it too, but somehow I've kept that monster at arm's length. Somehow I've made it this far with my own sanity largely intact. I don't understand it anymore...God help all of us. Same age as me and the close person is the girlfriend who has it, same here! I forgot to mention, lots of alcoholic people come from wrecked families which failed them and couldn't get them to stop drinking and abusing... Especially if they abuse drugs and alcolhol... it wrecks the liver FAST.. Lastly, what I meant to add was that you'll have to endure "possibly" the family blaming you for not alerting them in her end stage or final moments soon enough. Since mine had it for so long and battled in and out of the hospital, the family didn't come see her...BUT yet after she passed even though she said she was dying to the family, they still looked to blame ME for not taking her to the hospital when she was deathly... She didn't wanna die in the hospital, she passed in her sleep next to me but I didn't know she was gonna die right then and there... GOD, my pulse, my sweat, my tears they are a flowing.... bob Link to post Share on other sites
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