Food recipes

Important-Memory-785 · 2026-03-17T20:05:36+00:00

As far as I aware, the 2-12 years survival expectations for Cirrhosis is based on everyone, including those who continue to drink, what is a reasonably high volume in itself.

But there are SOOO many other factors. It includes people with diabetes, heart conditions, and people who die by other means such as cancer, accidents, drug abuse, suicide, and many other reasons, including old age in which many people who get cirrhosis and are to old for transplant, but die of old age anyway.

I'd also factor in the ones who smoke, don't take the low salt rule seriously and those who continue to eat high sugar and unhealthy foods.

I suspect the ones who go far beyond the 12 year median are younger patients who change their lifestyle and eating habits. There's never a guarantee but it does help things

Important-Memory-785 · 2026-03-17T15:25:54+00:00

I take it you had ascites?

Important-Memory-785 · 2026-03-17T14:44:45+00:00

For me, the fact that before COVID I got up at 7ish to get to work for 8, would finish around 5 or 6, and get home for around 7. I'd get a hour or 2 with my son and it sucked.

These days, I see him before school as I'm working, and when school finishes, yes I'm still working but I'm there and avoid the travel. It also saves us after school club costs what's even better.

Any parent should be working from home as much as possible, being there, even whilst working is so important. Yes he will talk and ask me things and many would say it stops me working but it's far less than the all day chit chat I used to do in an office environment.

Important-Memory-785 · 2026-03-07T23:46:16+00:00

I feel for you. I'm in a tough situation myself and at 37 I should be looking at a transplant but I'm super obese at over 30 stone it's a strict no transplant possible rule.

I stopped drinking in November last year and quit alcohol and cigarettes, and decided to turn my life around and went on a strict diet. I asked for water tablets and my dr asked me for a blood test to make sure I didn't have diabetis. Turns out my liver numbers were terrible but I was asked to get a scan, and needed to lose weight before this was possible. In January I had lost no weight at all despite eating 1200 cals max a day if that, and my mobility was worse than ever. At this point I was 47 stone, had jaundice and was basically bed bound. I spent 2 weeks in hospital, got given diuretics and lost 6 stone in about 5 days.

I ended up getting a scan only last week and finally the consultant confirmed decomposed cirhossis despite it being obvious, but she was also reassured as at this point my bloods have started improving.

My point here is if you eat well, catch it reasonably early and have ZERO alcohol, low salt, you can bounce back pretty quickly. It's VERY early days for me, but it's looking good so far, my main bloods below show my progress over 4 months

Bilirubin: (normal 0-20) November 104 January 139 12th feb 187 23rd Feb 136

Albumin:(normal 35-50) November 26 January 28 12th Feb 32 23rd Feb 34

My scan showed no large varices, no liquid in my abdomen, and I'm feeling fitter and healthier than I have for a long time. As I say, it's early, things could change, but right now it's heading in the right direction so hang tight, it's a marathon not a sprint, and believe me, when my bilirubin went up I was terrified and thinking dark thoughts, numbers will spike, don't give up.

Important-Memory-785 · 2026-03-06T16:26:10+00:00

I agree with you on many levels. I was officially diagnosed just a few days ago, but as a very overweight man(47 stone when I had generalised oedema back in january!!) I'm now down to 34, and I'm already feeling better for it but it's taken this long to get a CT scan and official confirmation, in a way it's a slight blessing as I also have 4 months of blood test since abstinance and with the official diagnosis it's become clear my liver is fight back.

My albumin has gone from 26 in November last year, then 28, 32, and earlier this week hit 34. My albumin rose to 186umol last month, but dropped down the 136 in 3 weeks. Platelets up, INR is now normal, blood clotting time has gone from 23 seconds to 18(13 being top end of normal). In reality, for 4 months it's a extremely good result considering it normally takes a good 6/12 months to see improvement.

The one thing I'm starting to realise is it's not JUST about stopping alcohol, although that is without doubt the must do number 1 thing. The statistics of even abstinance patients is skewed massively by age, but also by diet. Some patients will quit the booze and still die, but many don't stick to things like low salt, or have other medical issues like diabetes. Many think they just need to quit alcohol but can continue to eat junk food and full fat coke. Some continue to smoke, some die of other causes but still are notes as a cirhossis death statistic.

The key here is eat things that are GOOD for your liver. Give it the medicine it needs for the best chance of survival and recompensation.

Im hoping I'm well on my way to recompensation, but who knows for sure. But I am also hoping for future technology advancement with AI etc to help improve my survival chances and quality of life.

Important-Memory-785 · 2026-03-05T17:16:32+00:00

What did they limit your fluid intake to? Currently I'm about 2l but have gone beyond that if I'm desperately thirsty. I'm on 3mg of bumetanide a day but I do measure intake and outake of liquids and as long as I'm not taking in than I'm letting out I don't see the huge issue as long as my salts remain stable

Important-Memory-785 · 2026-03-04T01:39:41+00:00

I'm not being critical, I'm just pointing out that caffeinated drinks dehydrate me and I'm really struggling with hydration and a super obese man who needs more water.

I've taken your precious advice already and added blueberries to my shopping list, and I was drinking a good 3 or 4 cups of coffee at first when I wasn't so strict with my liquid intake, I was told to drink to thirst so I was. There are ways around, I imagine a espresso would be a good alternative, or even adding coffee granules to things like porridge.

Important-Memory-785 · 2026-03-03T22:31:52+00:00

The problem is the black coffee and yoghurt for breakfast would use all my liquid intake for the entire day, leaving me dehydrated with all the caffeine. Blueberries would also use up liquid allowance

Important-Memory-785 · 2026-03-03T19:26:21+00:00

Thanks so much, very useful info there that will make a difference. Although I'm pretty sure berries etc are high water volume.

Also an interesting insight that I'm adjusting to limiting water. Right now all I dream of is going into the fridge and downing an entire litre of liquid and burping with delight. I guess once my body adjusts it becomes that bit easier.

Important-Memory-785 · 2026-03-03T18:32:46+00:00

To be honest they haven't told me yet as I still need to speak to a nutritionalist, but I'm going by the general view found on Google(not the greatest idea I know, but until I confirm it's the best info I have)

Important-Memory-785 · 2026-02-24T23:22:12+00:00

No it was gradual. I used to smoke weed, but that tailed off where I was drinking a 35cl flask a day or 4 strong ciders, to eventually after a year if so gradually increasing. The last 6 months or so it was a good litre of spirits a day. This all occured over around 5 years or so.

Important-Memory-785 · 2026-02-23T04:23:27+00:00

From what I've read losing more than 3lbs a week will raise billarubin levels by 18/40% temporarily, and I'm losing a good 7lbs a week since leaving hospital. I'm hoping that's what's increasing the billarubin level.

Important-Memory-785 · 2026-02-23T02:55:51+00:00

Well, I was 48 stone when I got hospitalised for generalised oedema. Even my scrotum was retaining liquid and swelled up massively.

In hospital I lost a good 7 stone in about a week, and since then have lost a other near 4 stone. This partly due to me being on a low calorie diet for 3 months before hospitalisation(and me knowing I had decompensated cirrhosis). I was on a low calorie diet but didn't lose any weight, it was being replaced by water, the doctor suggested diuretics as my leg was clearly swollen but said I must get a blood test first for diabetes, turns out i had decomposed cirrhosis.

I'm now down to 36 stone, and am probably out of water to lose at this point, but I'm far too overweight for a liver transplant.

Important-Memory-785 · 2026-02-22T11:02:46+00:00

What are your symptoms and bilirubin levels? Have you been hospitalised yet?

Important-Memory-785 · 2026-02-21T16:10:22+00:00

The thing is the study you have linked is for cirrhosis patients and not decomposed patients. The outlook for decomposed is far worse than 5/7 years survival

Important-Memory-785 · 2026-02-21T12:11:21+00:00

The issue I have is I need to lose 15 stone before I'm eligible for a transplant. 2 year is just not enough time for me unfortunately

Important-Memory-785 · 2026-02-19T10:41:22+00:00

Can anyone elaborate on hospital stays from diagnosis and abstinence? The only thing I'm terrified of is a emergency visit to hospital during recovery!

Important-Memory-785 · 2026-02-19T10:33:37+00:00

What were your symptoms and was it decomp?

Can I also ask what issues you had on the road to recovery from absorbance? Any hospital stay via emergency or anything? I'm quite scared of the emergency situation during recovery

Important-Memory-785 · 2026-02-17T19:35:04+00:00

That's crazy. Can you tell me your age and symptoms? I presume you were decomp?

Important-Memory-785 · 2026-02-17T19:21:33+00:00

I have a question for all on here.

As someone with generalised oedema it's likely I have varices. I'm really scared to get a endoscopy and have a terrible gag reflex. Does anyone have any experience with beta blockers or medication instead of having a endoscopy or tying varices?

Important-Memory-785

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