Hope for cirrhosis

Hi, Hope, and welcome to the forum. That's quite amazing that your mom made such a dramatic recovery. However, I do know that oxygen is used for wounds that refuse to heal. Patients are placed in hyperbaric oxygen chambers for several hours daily, with resultant new tissue growth. So it would stand to reason that oxygen therapy could conceivably heal organs. In cases such as mine, though, where the liver damage is a result of chronic active hep C, I doubt it would do much good. There could also have been some spontaneous healing in your mom's case, or at least regeneration.

It's wonderful that years have been added to your mom's life and that she is doing so well for her age. Thank you for sharing your experience with us.

Connie

I did find some medical articles regarding oxygen therapy for cirrhosis, but findings have not been sufficiently positive for it to be an approved treatment at this time.

Indeed, I wonder why these studies are so scarce, while people still suffer and die from this horrible illness.
I want to quote results from a very interesting Australian study: "The data are consistent with the hypothesis that hepatocytes in cirrhotic livers have normal metabolic capacity but are constrained by a deficit in oxygen supply. Interventions aimed at increasing oxygen supply to the liver may have both short- and long-term therapeutic value in the management of cirrhosis". They also concluded that " A variety of metabolic markers affected by cirrhosis showed variable trends toward normal in response to oxygen supplementation" In other words, oxygen supplementation allowed the cirrhotic livers of rats to restore the liver functions.
"Acute Oxygen Supplementation Restores Markers of Hepatocyte Energy Status and Hypoxia in Cirrhotic Rats1
Peta J. Harvey1,2, Jill E. Gready, Zhanli Yin, David G. Le Couteur and Allan J. McLean"

Fortunately, FDA does not have to approve whether we open wide our windows, take deeper breaths, or take walks in the forest or park.
I truly believe that our livers suffocate.

Connie, you have to start SOMEWHERE! You cannot give up, only because it is complicated.
I can tell you what we did (with my sister). Once we have seen a glimpse of improvement with the rented oxygen concentrator, we decided to get our own. We bought one on ebay and I believe that this was the best investment ever. It is a used but operational machine of the size of a big bag. It produces increased concentration of oxygen. I was not willing to go too intensely, so we would just let it run for an hour or two, with the outlet somewhere on the pillow. Not the "oxygen mask" regime, but simply to enrich the atmosphere with oxygen. We do it every day, and of course ventilate the room thoroughly. Do you believe that this can do more harm than there is already? Is there a reason not to give it a try? Do you want to hear about the bonus? My mother suffered for years for circulation problems in her legs. They were always stiff, painful and had purple veins. All this was suddenly gone! The legs became warm, softer and she started to feel them! This is why she is able to walk again.

Hope thanks so much for the well documented research article... well quoted and cited... thanks Sandi

SD, you weighed 76???

Connie

No, I don't believe in false hope either. But I think there is nothing wrong in trying things "just in case", when there is really nothing more to do.
For the record - my mother has Primary Biliary Cirrhosis - PBC, the autoimmune disease of the liver. Well documented, but no one knows the reason.
I agree that there is not much evidence about the effects of oxygen on the cirrhotic liver - maybe this is indeed just too simple and too easy to be convincing. But there is actually plenty of evidence showing that deficiency in oxygen intake can cause very serious liver problems. There are numerous studies showing that even moderate oxygen deficiency (snoring, apnoea) can be disastrous for the liver.

For example, "researchers kept mice for a week in low-oxygen atmospheres and found that it led to increased levels of fat and inflammation in their livers. n addition, the mice exposed to low levels of oxygen became less sensitive to insulin. This is the mechanism by which the body regulates blood sugar and is a cause of diabetes. Metabolic disorders such as diabetes and obesity can cause complications in patients with NASH.

Commenting on the finding, Dr Piguet said, "Hypoxia (lack of oxygen) may be the link leading to accumulation of fat in the liver and to the progression of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis. Our findings show that it is important both to screen obese patients for obstructive sleep apnoea to prevent it contributing to fatty liver disease and to treat those patients who already have NASH for hypoxia which may be making their condition worse".

You can find many papers similar to this one.

I believe that with the alcohol-related cirrhosis at least you know the culprit. But the damage is there - as in any other case. I believe that the healing process can be improved with the help of oxygen, independently of the original cause of the cirrhosis. Liver can cure itself, but it needs help.
I want to make myself clear: I do not wish to exaggerate our situation, I don't want to claim a miracle. I want to say how thankful I am for another day without the debilitating itching and for another night with some quiet sleep for my mother. I know that it cannot last...
Please, at least let's consider the possibility...

hmmmmmm i know this thread is old, but.....i find this exciting. oxygen does so much everywhere in our bodies. it stands to reason that, by strengthening and improving overall would put less pressure on our liver.
maybe it could be easier for it to do what it Can do for itself. even if its at say a ten% function.
hope2010-thankyou (5yrs later) for your post- im going to look into this for possibly helping my body too!
fishy