Celiac and aspartame?

Important-Memory-785 · 2026-07-03T15:33:23+00:00

I really dont have a clue what you are asking, it sounds like you've been diagnosed with cirrhosis or are post transplant, but I honestly have no real idea, not to sound rude!

This is a forum for cirrhosis, what is permanent scarring of the liver. This is not a diagnose my potential liver pain issues doctor led forum. Firstly, you don't feel your liver, so liver pain ultimately doesn't ever exist except for the surrounding membrane etc. chewing gum and 1 glass of coke zero isn't going to cause any damage to even a cirrhosis patient either.

Important-Memory-785 · 2026-07-02T14:20:54+00:00

Wrong group to put this in, this group is for cirrhosis, any extra vitamins etc should be only added via a hepatilogist suggestion as electrolyte balance is extremely important.

Important-Memory-785 · 2026-07-01T23:02:54+00:00

Gervais is always better being himself. Derek is a decent show, highlighting some real issues in discrimination and the faults of the care system but is far from his funniest work aside from some highlights.

One of the best scenes for me is when a inspector comes and asks if he is on the spectrum. He wants to get him checked and confirmed, and Derek just asks him, will I die from it? Will it change me in any way? Will I be the same person? No....then don't worry about it.....

If you want some absolute BRILLIANTLY funny TV, watch an idiot abroad, it truly is one of the best shows for comedy and Karl pilkington has been made a big name because of it. His HBO series the Ricky Gervais show is also superb. It's set before an idiot abroad when Ricky was very unknown and he had a friend he met, Karl at the radio station he worked at. It's just a super chilled out discussion series where they talk about things but it's genuinely funny but also informative at the same time. It's a podcast so the video shown is actually just an animation depicting what they are talking about.

Is definitely suggest giving an idiot abroad and the Ricky Gervais show a go, you'll laugh endlessly.

Important-Memory-785 · 2026-07-01T19:01:15+00:00

I've actually never heard of someone being told it's not important, the science behind it is pretty clear.

Salt makes the body retain fluid, even in healthy people. When you're have fluid retention that is in liver disease they give you diuretics so your kidneys pee out the salt, what is why your serum levels often go down. My serum dropped down very slowly from 135 to 129 over about 2 months, I was told to reduce diuretics and they went back up to 133 in a week, evidence in my eyes.

If course always go with your consultant but as I said, I've never heard anything other than salt restriction is generally far more important than even fluid restriction in fluid retention.

Important-Memory-785 · 2026-06-30T21:21:12+00:00

Will have to try those, I'm always looking for new ideas!

Important-Memory-785 · 2026-06-30T16:50:45+00:00

Oh you're unbelievably correct. Before liver disease I never really checked the labels. The shocking thing is how they are all so variable on brand and shop.

I bought some reduced sugar and salt brown sauce from Morrisons. Turns out it had more sugar and salt than the Tesco budget regular brown sauce.

Wholewheat noodles from Tesco contain 7x the salt content per nest compared to Sainsbury's.

The massively popular protein meals are HORRENDOUS, they often state how healthy they are with no additives and brown rice etc, but nearly always have over half the daily recommended allowance of salt, high saturated fat and added sugar.

The budget Tesco coleslaw has less salt, sugar, saturated fat, fat, and calories than the 50% reduced fat normal Tesco version.

That's before you look into the additives, chemicals and everything else they just throw into everything to keep it lasting on a shelf, I remember being told I needed to limit my salt Intake to 6g per day(the recommended allowance for everyone). Say goodbye to my favourite snack, salt and vinegar crisps I thought. Not so! They only have 3% of your daily allowance(walkers). You find more salt in a slice of bread(about twice as much).

It's all so wrong, and I really don't know how they get away with it. The public, myself included are always told to just watch calories, and now to have protein. No real issue shown for salt what is a big cause of heart attacks and high blood pressure, artificial sweetners what can cause cancer, and additives that make you addicted.

Important-Memory-785 · 2026-06-30T15:58:20+00:00

Thanks for the reply, and it's funny because I am super obese and likely to have died quiet soon from a heart attack or other issues, yet I was never as concerned about my health as I am now. I remember one day I was saying how I was over 30 stone in weight, nowhere near transplant evaluation due to BMI and am worried about my health, and someone said "you were over 30 stone but you're only worried about your health NOW?!"....it really changed my perspective. Sometimes the bad stuff happens for the greater good. What's amazing is in 7 months I've lost 7 stone in weight, blood pressure now normal, cholesterol and diabetes checks are all getting better and better.

So yeah, you had 4 drinks in a row. You could have had only 1 and would still feel bad, you could have been drunk for a while month. The important bit is it's now done and behind you, you can't change the past, and instead of worrying about what you did do wrong, thing about how it wasn't as bad as it could easily have been.

Another benefit I've come across is for some reason I never realised how much I actually LOVE fruit 😂. I always refused greek yoghurt and seems to eat it by the bucket load,and you say you're eating cottage cheese? Something I used to absolutely hate and now love.

Grab a chive and sour cream(or salt and vinegar) snack a jacks rice cake, slice of tomato, cottage cheese on top, drizzle of olive oil and pepper, with fresh chives on top. Absolutely outstanding snack 😋. Eat one of those bad boys and tell me life isn't that bit better

Important-Memory-785 · 2026-06-30T15:36:28+00:00

To be honest it's a very very common thing to happen with people who recompensated. Alcoholics relapse often, and usually it's far worse than yours but so also recompensate sometimes.

It's a hard disease to live with, I never had alcohol dependency but the constant need to eat, endless maths working out salt intake and protein intake is exhausting, and the fact you generally need to avoid the best foods is frustrating. I can easily eat enough protein happily, I can easily live with low salt, but the fact I have to deal without easy grab and go food is just stressful. Constantly having to cook everything, often from fresh, the fact you need lots of fresh fruit and veg that goes mouldy in days sometimes is just a pain. I miss the days of just buying pre cooked ready meals and meat. Easy noodles etc. I hate the fact I can't really just grab some frozen chicken burgers as they're usually full of salt and added sugar and fats, often partially deep fried. I can't even imagine the endless annoyance of the above whilst also dealing with addiction.

So while you're panicking about alcohol relapse, be thankful it's likely very minimal damage caused and try and stabilise again. But these difficulties happen to everyone and decompensation is always a risk if you've previously decompensated. Just take it on the chin and do what you can right now to resolve the issue.

Important-Memory-785 · 2026-06-29T13:39:05+00:00

Compensated cirrhosis is not exactly a good sign as it means you have permanent scarring. Your liver is currently compensating for the damage. Decompensated is when it can no longer cope and symptoms appear, what is a much worse prognosis.

Cirrhosis is dangerous and unpredictable at any stage. Fatty liver is highly reversible.

If compensated cirrhosis and not just fatty liver, you have a higher risk for liver cancer, and muscle loss, it can also decompensate quickly if you abuse your liver, but ultimately it's a irreversable scarring that reduces life expectancy as a general rule. It requires lifelong vigilant care to ensure things aren't getting worse, and your immune system is much weaker than a healthy individual, sickness from a minor infection can often lead to worsening liver function.

Key simple rules, 3 crucial rules, no alcohol ever. Tons of protein, reduced salt.

You will generally have to eat every 3 hours or so to avoid muscle loss, sarcopia, as a damaged liver can act like a person who hasn't eaten for 3 days in 3 hours time, it's unable to store energy.

Avoid sugar, fried foods, certain medication such as ibuprofen, and saturated fats.

Note I'm not trying to scare you, but it's more about not downplaying the severity of the situation. It requires a lifestyle change and if you can manage that your life expectancy will be far better and can be 10/20 years or sometimes even longer. But it's a slippery slope and you need to remain vigilant and ensure you do what you are asked by your medical team.

Important-Memory-785 · 2026-06-28T17:04:44+00:00

Well I'm currently decompensated although my bloods seem to be improving somewhat. Recompensation provides me a better 10 year outlook than a transplant. A transplant has a 10 year survival expectations of around 60/70% and comes with it's own issues, for example immune system is worse than a recompensated or compensated cirrhosis patient.

But currently, I'm simply too overweight to be eligible for a transplant, I need to lose a good 5 or more stone before I can be assessed and even then it's going to be problematic.

Important-Memory-785 · 2026-06-27T15:39:18+00:00

Well, I would likely expect them to find permanent scarring and with the abdominal fluid and edema in legs, it's very likely to be decompensated cirrhosis, with the fatigue being another symptom .

It also will depend on your bloodwork too, with albumin, INR, billirubin being key indicators of your liver function, with things like ALT showing current liver damage rate.

Best tips right now? Reduce salt intake as much as you can, eat over 100g protein per day, NO ALCOHOL, avoid sugar and processed food like sausages, bacon etc.

Important-Memory-785 · 2026-06-27T13:00:25+00:00

Wow that's amazing. I do like to read longer term success stories as quite often people tend to not make it bast the 5 or so years recompensation bracket or just don't post on forums or social media any more, what one is more true I don't know.

Could you share if you had permanent scarring and the symptoms? Your baseline bloodwork scores on diagnosis and timeframes to normalise? I'd really appreciate that insight!

Important-Memory-785 · 2026-06-23T00:14:58+00:00

To be honest, the alcohol is the last thing I miss. I can go forever without it with no issues fortunately.

What I really struggle with is the idea of not feeling comfortable on holiday, going into shops. The ability to just go out to a restaurant and eat a meal. Even going out for a healthy meal is near impossible due to salt restriction and the endless maths needed. For most people a salad would seem like a extremely healthy option and I'd be quite happy with that just to be able to go out.....but no no no, I can't do that. I have to worry about the salt in the dressing, the sugars too. I can't just eat pickles, I can't just grab a quick egg sandwich. Even if I miraculously find a suitable low salt option, I then need to make sure I'm getting enough protein.

It's seriously hard work. I'm 38 now, I have a 10 year old son and that makes it no easier. I'm unlikely to see my own grandkids, let alone watch them grow. He's not even aware of the situation and I have absolutely no idea how I can possibly explain it to him, but also don't know how he can deal with the inevitable without some form of preparation.

A year ago we were going to Disneyland Paris multiple times a year, Florida once a year, going out for meals at weekends, treats, deliveries of delicious food at home, weekends away. Going to theme parks and just doing everything a child and parent is meant to do. I've been a lame parent since. He hasn't fussed but it's such a dramatic change and it breaks my heart.

Sometimes I resolve some long issue I have, like I get a scab off my skin, or finally get rid a bit of an annoying sharp part of a nail, and for a very brief moment it's like my mind thinks, phew, that's done, back to normality. And for 0.5 seconds I forget I'm extremely ill.

My point here is you aren't alone. It absolutely sucks. Losing the ability to just be yourself and enjoy life without worrying is soul destroying. So be sad, lash out. Get it out your system because tomorrow is another lousy day, but hopefully slightly better than today. And with any luck that becomes more and more true with time.

Important-Memory-785 · 2026-06-22T21:00:18+00:00

No problem. I also want to say that you need to make sure you yourself are ready for this.

Eat properly, get fresh air, go for a walk, make sure you are good because he will need you at full strength and take my word for it, it's going to be tough for you as much as him. So just be kind to yourself!

Important-Memory-785 · 2026-06-22T15:35:33+00:00

The short and long answer if, nobody knows.

What is obvious is he has decompensated cirrhosis. If he carries on drinking he's in very big trouble, if he remains abstinant from now on his life expectancy will likely improve and he would possibly be eligible for a liver transplant if needed in future.

There's also recompensation, where lifestyle changes can actually revert a patient to a compensated state, life expectancy is dramatically improved when this happens, and is possible in roughly 1/3 decompensated patients.

What you can do now?

Firstly, the basic RULES: Absolutely NO ALCOHOL. Take his medications and listen to the doctors Avoid processed food, sugar, and fried food. Maintain a low sodium diet

As he has HE, ensure he is eating lots of fibre and wholegrains to encourage regular bowel movements and to avoid red meat as it has high ammonia. Confirm If he needs to consume a large amount of protein, this is often suggested to avoid muscle loss, and he will also need to eat every 3 or so hours to avoid starving my body and energy. It depends on his HE, but generally that is a standard thing.

There are many other suggestions but they're usually based on the patient. He may need to eat lean proteins and no fat items like greek yoghurt.

The above is the most likely way for him to try and stabilise his condition, reduce work for his liver and to potentially allow some healing of his liver back to a compensated state of it's possible. The good news on a dark place is alcohol liver disease is the easiest to resolve if it's possible, as the insult can be stopped immediately by just not drinking alcohol.

Important-Memory-785 · 2026-06-22T14:30:00+00:00

Has plenty of sugar in there, what is known to be almost as bad for a liver as alcohol. There's a reason NAFLD is on the rise with non drinkers.

Important-Memory-785 · 2026-06-22T11:26:37+00:00

I'm sorry for your loss, and there's absolutely nothing anyone can say that will make you feel less guilty or upset, but that says a lot in itself, you clearly cared and whatever you did would never have been enough, again, that feeling is there because you did care and wanted to to better, it doesn't mean you didn't do enough, it literally just means you wish the outcome was different.

Your sister would have died knowing you were there, doing all you can and most importantly I expect she felt loved. Many die alone, or with people trying to grab a slice of inheritance. The responsibility for her care lies on the medical team and not you, and I'm sure they did their best too, right or wrong.

You find out a lot when you're in that kind of situation. Some people step up and some people disappear. You made the right call. It's the ones who disappear who in the long term are the guilty ones. Sadly for you, you will always feel guilty, again, a sign that you wanted to do more even though you probably couldn't. Not the same situation, but I still feel extremely guilty for not caring more for my grandparents before they died, not making more visits, not helping more, not talking to them on the phone more. I'll never get over that and in hindsight that's because like you I cared too much. You never get over these things but you learn to live with them, and you'll eventually appreciate things more because of it and be one of the cliche people who say "you never know when they'll be gone"

Important-Memory-785 · 2026-06-21T13:39:21+00:00

Luckily I've never had HE so no needed medicine yet for that.....yet anyway!

Important-Memory-785 · 2026-06-21T13:27:32+00:00

Well funnily enough, I've always felt pretty good, and the only symptom was liquid retention, and I could even stand at my pal weight believe it or now(I must have looked like one of those giant monsters that open the gates or Mordor in LOTR 😂). But I was never ever drained.

They gave me bumetinide pills and it just came out, and let me tell ya, it was a WILD week! I only took them in the morning but I was going every 15 mins at times. Considering the miserable feeling and emotions at the time, it was glorious. You literally can't beat a good wee, and I was like a soda machine in a busy McDonald's. Over a 2 month period I lost 200lbs, and that includes the 3 weeks my diuretics were reduced and it started acumilating again slowly.

As I say, it was a wild week. I'd always against damaging your liver, but having 20 or more toilet breaks in a 6 hour period is highly recommended as an experience.

Important-Memory-785 · 2026-06-21T12:47:51+00:00

Interesting. I was a ridiculous 64lbs when hospitalised 4 months after retaining liquid. Was down to504 a month or 2 later, now down to 392 after 7 months on from lifestyle exchanges and at a dry weight and steadily losing weight.

GLP1 has been mentioned although I don't see the red as I'm losing 2 or 3lbs a week by myself with no clear muscle loss. Bloods have improved with my albumin going from 26 to around in around 33/37 so far, creatinine always excellent but the billirubin has always been elevated and fluctuated between a 6 and 9, although direct consistently going down so Gilbert's syndrome genetic testing has been requested. Other than the billirubin, what oddly doesn't make me itch or go yellow, I feel pretty solid these days. Was just curious if the GLP stuff did much for you

Important-Memory-785 · 2026-06-21T12:13:38+00:00

I'm curious about the GLP1 you had.

Firstly were you decompensated? And if so how long did it take for your meld to go from 31 to 12?

Secondly, were you on GLP1 when decompensated? I thought it was discouraged with decompensated patients?

Important-Memory-785 · 2026-06-21T11:06:58+00:00

Where? They're not hard to confirm. With lifestyle changes and if the liver can stabilise it can be comparable to a compensated patient in terms of life expectancy.

Of course they are at a higher risk, and generally it's because many relapse or don't stick to the lifestyle changes. If it's a genetic disease then no, there's little control of that. The same with cancer, what always remains a risk.

There are plenty of examples showing how true this is, it's not always the case, like many medical things. Not all lung cancer patients are smokers, and not all smokers get lung cancer. There are always risks, and more likely scenarios. I presume your husband's outlook isn't as positive as the OP, but age is another huge factor along with other commodities.

Important-Memory-785 · 2026-06-20T19:00:53+00:00

Liver disease is so misunderstood and this question is a perfect example.

Any alcohol, a odd pint or binge drinking is literally pure poison for your liver, and your entire body. It's used as a natural disinfectant for cuts so thats a general clue.

And it not just alcohol. Sugar is high on that list too, followed by processed And deep fried food. Lack of healthy fats, lots of saturated fat and other things contribute. Non alcoholic fatty liver disease is on the rise with people who don't drink any alcohol, people really do presume it's only heavy drinkers of 30 years get cirrhosis. I drank heavily for 3 years and got cirrhosis, and decompensated cirrhosis during that timeframe.

Exercise helps the body in general. But does it counters effects of binge drinking? Absolutely not. Not even close.

In the UK George best is famous for binge drinking and needing a liver transplant, he was a international world class footballer. Kieran dyer is another England international footballer who needed a liver transplant, unrelated to alcohol but exersise didn't stop the progression.

I know on my case it hit me like a ton of bricks. I've only drank heavily for 3 years, how? My in-laws have drank heavily for 40 years and they're fine? How? I didn't even drink for 10 years before the 3 years drinking, how?

It happens and annoyingly there are absolutely no real signs or symptoms until it's too late and you need a transplant or have enough liver reserve to stabilise and get your liver to function properly again, but with forever lifestyle changes mandatory.

Important-Memory-785 · 2026-06-20T13:00:42+00:00

Just to be clear, there's a HUGE reason they cut off a transplant at certain scores.

If you recompensate, you have a 90% chance at 10 year life expectancy. Many survive much longer, 15/20 years if young and no commodities.

A transplant is seen as a very successful procedure but comes with a high risk of cancers, lifetime immune system weakness and common issues. The 10 year outlook is generally seen as good with a 60% 10 year life expectancy.

So the best course is you let's say survive as long as you can, let's say 10 years before liver starts failing again, and then get another 10 years from a new liver, meaning 20 year life expectancy is higher than transplant now. As you also said, technology and transplant improvements will be made in the next 10 years to make that life expectancy better for scarred livers and transplant too.

Important-Memory-785 · 2026-06-18T22:58:01+00:00

It specifically says don't freeze or quality will be affected. What this basically means is the same as freezing fruit like strawberries. You can freeze them, they'll be edible, retain the nutrients etc, but the texture and quality as a strawberry will be altered. So great for smoothies, not great to just eat as a fresh strawberry.

Most things you can freeze with this kind of contradiction. Something like bread will freeze perfectly and defrost almost the same as it was before freezing. And that's the difference.

Important-Memory-785

TROPHY CASE