Cirrhosis and Chronic Liver Failure:
What You Should Know
By Alan S. Peterson, M.D.
What is cirrhosis?
Cirrhosis is a disease of the liver. Normally, your liver does many things. It helps your body digest fat and break down cholesterol, gets rid of poisons like alcohol and drugs, and stores energy. It also helps your body form blood clots and scabs if you are hurt. If you have cirrhosis, your liver sometimes cannot do these things well.
What causes the disease?
Many things can cause cirrhosis. The most common causes are drinking too much alcohol and having hepatitis B or C infection. Being obese can also cause it. Some people get it from being around poisonous chemicals for a long time or from too much iron or copper in their liver.
How do I know if I have cirrhosis?
You may feel less hungry than usual. You may feel sick and dizzy, have stomach pain, vomit, or lose weight. You may have swelling in your abdomen or belly. Your eyes or skin may turn yellow. This is called jaundice. Your skin may itch. Cirrhosis can also affect your brain. This can cause you to become confused or see things that aren’t there. You could even go into a coma, but many people don’t have any symptoms. Your doctor may do tests to find out for sure if you have cirrhosis.
How is cirrhosis treated?
It depends on what caused the disease. Your doctor will treat any serious problems like fluid in your abdomen, infection, confusion, coma, or bleeding. You should not drink alcohol. If the disease was caused by hepatitis, you may need medicine to help fight the infection. If you have had the disease for a long time and “fit” the protocols, you may need a liver transplant.
Where can I get more information?
Your primary care physician is a good source of information. The American Liver Foundation can also be contacted. Its telephone number is 1-800-465-4837. Its website is www.liverfoundation.org.
Another source of excellent medical information concerning liver disease is The American Gastroenterological Association. Its telephone number is (301) 654-2055 and its website is www.gastro.org. Then all you need to is click on “Patient Center”.
Dr. Peterson is a doctor of Family and Community Medicine at the Walter L. Aument Family Health Center, 317 S. Chestnut St., Quarryville.