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Posted 4/4/2008 2:51 PM (GMT 0)
Ever since i was diagnosed with liver disease they have never been able to tell me how or why iv got it, my dad was a terrible alcoholic before i was born, me and my mum have been talking about it, but could this be the reason for it? or has this got nothing to do with it?
Posted 4/4/2008 3:48 PM (GMT 0)
We have asked and they always said that they dont no, and that i could of been born with it and only recently found out. I was actually diagnosed with it at the age of 14 which was strange for me. It never used to effect me then its only now thats its starting to effect what i do.
Posted 4/4/2008 3:57 PM (GMT 0)
no in from the uk
Posted 4/4/2008 6:31 PM (GMT 0)
Catherine_08, It is the most likely scenerio that you got liver disease from a childhood incident. Did you ever have a transfusion? Some people get it thru this method. Blood was not always tested thoroughly back then as it is now. No matter how you were initially infected is kind of a moot point right now although figuring out how you got it is something you can investigate. In the meantime it is important for you to recieve treatment and continue to have the disease monitored closely. Are you being followed by a doctor now? If so then that is good-if not then it would benefit you to get copies of all your medical records and get in to see a Gastroenterologist and start a program with him/her. Early treatment is VERY important. Try not to become too frightened by all the information you receive but rather become smart about everything you learn. It will help you to not only understand what's happening but equally as important it will help you make smart and informed decisions concerning treatment.
Posted 4/6/2008 5:13 AM (GMT 0)

Catherine, do you have a specific diagnosis of what type of liver disease you have?  There are many different liver diseases.  Your father's alcoholism would not contribute to your liver disease.  There is a type of hepatitis that is caused by prescription medication.  There is also an immune system disorder that causes liver disease.  You need to find out specifically what your diagnosis is, in order to know the best way to treat it.  Without knowing, though, I can say with certainty that you should avoid alcohol completely, as well as certain drugs/medications.

As Shelly said, it is important that you be followed by a physician, preferably a GI doc, for possible treatment.

Hugs,

Connie

Posted 4/6/2008 3:11 PM (GMT 0)
Connie asked an important question which was what type of liver disease do you have? If you don't know then you certainly need to get a diagnosis. Under NO circumstances should you drink alcohol of any kind. None, zip, nada!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! At 18 it's really easy to be influenced by your friends but make a decision that you will never drink alcohol. That doesn't mean you can't go out with your friend to the pub or to parties. You can drink other things. I don't drink alcohol but I have ordered virgin drinks before so that may be an option for you. However; usually I'll have water with a lemon wedge in it and I am completely comfortable with that. My friends know I don't drink so they don't hassle me at all or tease me. I don't have liver disease but many family members have had it and I made a choice when I was young like you not to drink. Once you know what type of liver disease you have you can and should start treatment for it. Let us know what you find out.
Posted 4/6/2008 9:09 PM (GMT 0)
Hi everyone, thanks for all your advice, just had to dig an old letter out with my diagnosis on, they are:

Auto-immune hepatitis
systemic lupus erythematosus
haemolytic anaemia
crohns disease
varices

i think i need to look up info about these, as i def need to learn more about my illnesses, but any info u can give me will be appreciated.
Posted 4/6/2008 11:56 PM (GMT 0)

Catherine, you have quite a few diseases to control.  There have been some people on here with autoimmune hepatitis.  Do a search for that.  I had a feeling that might be the type of liver disease you have.  ;)

Get to a GI doc SOON!

Connie

Posted 4/7/2008 12:06 AM (GMT 0)
catherine_08, well now you know what to look up and research so that's good.Some autoimmune disorders are hereditary and are first diagnosed when young like between 14-40. Interestingly, the majority of affected people are women. As a result of the autoimmune disorder the person developes other diseases or problems. The good thing is you found out early so please see a GI Dr ASAP and start treatment. Don't allow these illnesses to overwhelm you because fear will dominate your life if you let it. Learn as much as you can, take notes, print info from the computer, and make a folder. As you read use a highlighter when you aren't sure what something means. When you see the Dr have a list of questions ready and write down the answers. It will help you to understand and is a great way to go back over the info later. Connie is right, there are people who have posted that have experienced the autoimmune hepatitis and you should be able to look up those posts.
Posted 4/7/2008 10:42 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Catherine-08 and Welcome to the forum.

I too have autoimmune hepatitis and crohns disease. You reallly should research this topic to educate yourself about this disorder. As with most of the autoimmune disorders at this point the cause of it is unknown so your fathers drinking had nothing to do with your development of this disease. Although in some of the research it does indicate that there may be some genetic link in families that seem to make autoimmune conditions more likely. Are you currently taking any medications for this disorder? If not there are some out there that can help control the symptoms of this disease although not cure it. Although they have there own list of problems they have helped me with the extreme fatigue I had felt. Shelly is right that there are many posts here on this disorder also and it may help you gain some insight and prepare questions for your doctor by reading through them. Good luck on your journey.

Lucy
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