Have you been diagnosed with liver cirrhosis? This is a late-stage liver disease that follows previous stages like fatty liver disease (FLD). Due to factors like unhealthy diet and lack of exercise the global rates of liver disease have been sky-rocketing in recent years. Health Fact: Statistics show that up to 10% worldwide deaths include patients with liver disease. The first stage involves people with higher-than-average fat in their livers. However, this condition can progress to more serious stages involving conditions like hepatitis. It can then lead to cirrhosis (liver scarring) so it’s critical to know about cirrhosis of the liver the last stage before death.
As always, it’s important to know what to expect during the different stages of liver disease. The symptoms that exist during the first stages are different from ones during the latter stages. Cirrhosis is the final stage but there are different symptoms you could experience during this stage based on how much scar tissue has developed on the liver. The main goal is to slow down the disease’s progression as much as possible to prevent liver failure in particular. Liver transplant is the only “cure” for liver failure and can cost over $500,000 in some cases. So it’s true that prevention is better than cure.
What Is Liver Cirrhosis All About?
This condition involves major liver scarring and low liver function. Liver cirrhosis happens during the last stages of severe liver disease. In many cases, the condition is triggered by long-term toxins like viral infections or alcoholic beverages.
The liver is a vital organ and is needed by the body for various functions including:
- Storing vitamins/sugar for future use
- Making proteins for blood clotting
- Removing toxins like bacteria and alcohol from the body
- Making bile to absorb vitamins, fats, and cholesterol
Various statistics show that liver disease is a serious problem in the world. It tends to affect more men than women. It’s also one of the top 20 causes of death in several countries like the USA.
Liver cirrhosis can usually regrow cells after tissue damage. This condition happens when various factors that damage the liver like infections and alcohol exist long-term. When the liver can’t function properly due to scarring it could progress into cirrhosis.
When the liver experiences this results in the organ shrinking/hardening. The result is that it’s tough for healthy blood to move into the vital organ. When that happens, blood pressure rises in an important vein when blood is unable to get into the liver.
This results in a major health condition that results in the vein having high blood pressure. This results in a stoppage. This can cause other symptoms that can be difficult to deal with.
There are various causes of cirrhosis. They include long-term alcohol drinking and Hepatitis C. Other causes are obesity although this cause is less common than others like Hepatitis and alcoholism.
Studies show that heavy drinking for 10+ years can often result in cirrhosis. This usually involves men drinking 3+ alcoholic drinks per day and women drinking 2+ beverages.
There are other causes of cirrhosis including:
- Immune system disease
- Medications
- Hepatitis B
- Blocked bile ducts
Cirrhosis of the Liver: Last Stage before Death
Liver disease includes four stages. The final stage includes various health issues that didn’t exist during the previous stages. The reason is the body is unable to recover due to lost liver function.
If a patient is in this stage it’s possible to live a couple of years. However, the good news is a liver transplant can help to extend their life past this timeframe.
Stage 3 of liver cirrhosis affects areas the liver that start contacting each other. This can have a negative effect on liver function. There are various symptoms that can happen including:
- Fatigue
- Jaundice (yellowish skin/eyes)
- Swelling
- Vitamin deficiencies (A/D/E/K)
If the patient’s condition progresses it can progress to Stage 4. In this stage, the body isn’t able to make up for the liver function not functioning properly. By this point, the liver has broken down and a liver transplant is required to extend the patient’s life.
There are various severe stages in Stage 4 liver disease. These are in addition to symptoms from the previous stages. Some include:
- Loss of appetite
- Fever
- Pain
- Cramping
- Easy bruising/bleeding
Other organs near the liver can also be affected by Stage 4. That includes the kidneys and spleen.
It’s critical for your doctor to monitor your condition carefully if you’ve been diagnosed with Stage 4 liver disease. He/She can determine the best treatments and how to manage the cirrhosis as well as possible.
The medical treatments you receive will be based on the cause of liver cirrhosis. That includes ones like hepatitis, alcohol, etc. The doctor can prescribe medications for different symptoms. They include fatigue, itching, and pain.
The two main types of medicines include over-the-counter (OTC) and prescription. It’s important to talk to your doctor about which medicines are the best options. Always consult him/her before starting any new dietary supplements to prevent unwanted “interactions.”
Top Home Remedies for Liver Cirrhosis
1. Fiber
Consider a high-fiber diet, which can help to improve liver function. It can also rid the body of fatty toxins. Fiber links to bile in the patient’s large intestine to slow down digestion. Some of the best options include nuts, beans, and fruits.
Another good option is “cruciferous” veggies. That includes:
- Cabbage
- Kale
- Cauliflower
- Broccoli
- Brussels sprouts
There are also high-fiber fruits including apples, pears, oranges, berries, and bananas. Make sure not to remove the skins.
2. Radishes
This root crop including chemicals that can help boost the body’s bile flow. This can help to improve overall digestion and liver function. There’s an enzyme in radishes that helps to digest starches. If you want the best results then mix up a juice blend with these fruits/veggies: cucumbers, radishes, and carrots.
Drink about 4 ounces 2x daily and half an hour before meals.
3. Garlic/Onions
These are some of the healthiest herbs on the planet. They can also help to detoxify your liver. If you’ve been diagnosed with cirrhosis the liver already isn’t fully functional. The key is to keep your liver as toxin-free as possible.
If you want to use natural remedies then consider garlic and onions. These herbs are loaded with antioxidants and can fight off bacteria, fungi, and viruses.
4. Ditching alcohol
It’s highly recommended that you quit drinking alcohol cold turkey if you have late-stage cirrhosis. Consider that the body can only process a small amount of alcohol in one day. When there’s already major damage to the vital organ it makes the situation worse.
This might be tough if you enjoy a glass of wine with dinner, for example. However, it’s critical to note that during last-stage cirrhosis it’s important to avoid any and all triggers that could worsen your health condition. Make sure to avoid all alcohol after learning cirrhosis of the liver last stage before death.
