i have end stage of cirrhosis with type 2 diabetic

Hello;

I am 30 years old. about three years ago my obgyn doctor told me I need to go see a gastro doctor because my liver enzymes were elevated. I was told by my gastro doctor that I had a fatty liver. Last year I had my gallbladder took out due to consist pain,the surgeon also took a biopsy of my liver. I thought that nothing was wrong and that I was going to be in god's hand and everything would work out fine. A few weeks later I got a call from the surgeon he informed me that I had Cirrhosis of the Liver. He told me that if my enzymes got any higher that I wouldn't make it. He was going to to refer me to a Liver Doctor. That day I broke down in tears. Here I was 29 years old and have a 7 year old daughter and a husband,that I didn't want to leave behind. Then the day came to see the liver doctor. He was very blunt about the situation. He told me that I have a disease called N.A.S.H and that I was at the last stage. He told me that I either try to lose weight and maybe that would help or i simply die. He stated he wasn't going to put me on no transplant list because my body was not strong enough for the transplant. I also found out I had a enlarged spleen and low blood plat Heats all due to the liver.He explain I would have really bad days where I was tired a lot and then I would have some good days.

Today its about a year since I was diagnosed. I have been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. I have a loss some of my vision.I do stay tired a lot. I lost my job this March from being end and out of the hospital so much. I have been told I have inflammation of the pancreas. I get confused very easy and its very hard to remember things. I have been in the hospital this year for high ammonia levels and low potassium. I have had a colonscopy done. I know that in my heart that I don't have long to live. I try to tell my husband that but he doesn't want to listen. Everyone in my family thinks I am going to be ok that I just need to lose weight. My question is 'Am I really going crazy or can a person know when their time on earth is up?" Please if anyone can help me or talk with me about this please do so I would really like an input from someone that has been in my shoes.

Thanks and God bless
Samantha

Hi Samantha,

Connie's post is 100% correct...while you are very ill, many have been able to slow the progression of their NASH and returned to their lives...maybe not the perfect life, but a good life, for sure.

The rules for transplant vary from place to place a bit.  And we have noticed that some doctors are not very helpful to those with chronic conditons who do not make changes in their lives.  While you have fatty liver, my partner had alcoholic cirrhosis and Hep C destroying his liver.  His symptoms were the same as yours, plus bleeding from time to time in the bowel.  His local GI doctor had a large Hep C practice and he was treating Mike with lactulose, and blood pressure medicine, etc.  But Mike kept getting sicker.  And the doctor, like yours, prepared us for his death.  Everyone knew Mike was drinking alcohol WITH advanced liver disease, but they just let it go, assuming Mike would die, so why make a fuss....

One day we went to blood doctor, hematologist, for some special tests before a day surgery to fix Mike's shoulder. The ortho doctor wanted to be sure Mike would be okay for the rotator cuff repair.  WELL, the hematologist/oncologist got VERY upset when she saw Mike's lab results and started shouting from our little room...call this one, call that one, etc.  It was like she was running around.

She called the liver transplant center in Miami, FL and said they must see Mike immediately or sooner.

We went.

The doctor in Miami saw Mike was very ill, near death in October 2010.  He wanted to put Mike IN the HOSPITAL that very day and stay until a liver became available with his blood type. BUT, it came out that Mike was still drinking until some weeks before this appointment and so the doctor stopped talking.

He touched Mike's knee and looked into his eyes and said, "you will die before Christmas (2010) if you drink again.  THIS must stop. And if you can live alcohol free for 6 months we will try to get you on the UNOS list."

So this is what happened.  Mike was tired, confused, had edema in his legs, had bleeding from his rectum, could barely walk, could barely eat without vomiting, had crazy blood sugar, high blood pressure, low platelets, enlarged spleen, and sometimes kidney failure and had to be in the hospital, etc etc...

It was a terrible 6 months to get alcohol free, but when the doctors saw Mike wanted to live and stopped drinking, they worked with him to get him approved for transplant.  He went to AA, he had an ethanol blood draw every week to be sure he was alcohol free.  He had many tests...one time 23 vials of blood for testing everything under the sun, MRI, psychiatraist meetings, etc etc.

But he did all they asked, and made it.  It was very close, maybe days from his death.

He had a transplant May 2011 and is alive today.

He lost a lot of wt becaue he could not eat.

Instead of changing the alcohol habit, you must lost weight. 

I hope that you have time and committment to make the changes you need to make to see your child grow up.  I hope it is not too late for you.

Good luck,

Mama Lama

"YOU will have to take control of things yourself."

So true! I was just wondering if your hubby and daughter are overweight? If they don't want to join you in changing food habits, you will have to stand firm in what you need to do. Along with no alcohol, fast food is just as bad. Most items are loaded with fat and calories. You need to focus on protein (but no red meat) and green vegetables. No frying! This might be possible without your family even noticing.

Hugs,
Connie