If you have been diagnosed with cirrhosis, you may feel overwhelmed, scared, or angry. You may wonder how this happened to you, and what you can do to improve your health. You may also feel tempted to drink alcohol, either to cope with your emotions or to deny the reality of your condition. However, drinking alcohol when you have cirrhosis is one of the worst things you can do for your liver and your overall wellbeing. In this blog post, we will explain why alcohol is so harmful for people with cirrhosis, and how you can break the cycle of addiction and start your recovery journey.
What is cirrhosis and how does alcohol cause it?
Cirrhosis is a condition in which the liver becomes scarred and damaged due to chronic inflammation. The liver is a vital organ that performs many functions, such as filtering toxins from the blood, producing bile to digest fats, storing vitamins and minerals, and regulating hormones and blood sugar. When the liver is injured by alcohol or other causes, such as viral infections, autoimmune diseases, or genetic disorders, it tries to heal itself by creating scar tissue. However, this scar tissue blocks the normal flow of blood and bile in the liver, and reduces its ability to function properly. Over time, the liver becomes hard and shrunken, and may fail completely.
Alcohol is one of the most common causes of cirrhosis in the world. Alcohol is toxic to the liver cells, and causes oxidative stress and inflammation. Alcohol also interferes with the metabolism of fats, carbohydrates, and proteins in the liver, leading to fatty liver disease, which can progress to cirrhosis if left untreated.
What are the symptoms and complications of cirrhosis?
Cirrhosis often does not cause any symptoms until the liver damage is advanced. Some of the early signs of cirrhosis may include:
- Fatigue
- Loss of appetite
- Weight loss
- Nausea
- Itchy skin
- Spider veins on the skin
- Swelling in the legs or abdomen
- Bruising or bleeding easily
As cirrhosis progresses, it can lead to serious complications that affect other organs and systems in the body. Some of these complications may include:
- Portal hypertension: This is a condition in which the pressure in the portal vein (the vein that carries blood from the digestive organs to the liver) becomes abnormally high due to scar tissue in the liver. This can cause blood to back up in other veins, such as those in the esophagus, stomach, or intestines, leading to varices (enlarged veins that can rupture and bleed). Portal hypertension can also cause fluid accumulation in the abdomen (ascites) or in the chest (pleural effusion), which can impair breathing and increase the risk of infection.
- Hepatic encephalopathy: This is a condition in which toxins that are normally filtered by the liver build up in the brain, causing mental confusion, mood changes, memory loss, sleep disturbances, or coma.
- Coagulopathy: This is a condition in which the liver fails to produce enough clotting factors, leading to increased bleeding tendency and risk of hemorrhage.
- Liver cancer: Cirrhosis increases the risk of developing hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), a type of liver cancer that can grow rapidly and spread to other organs.
- Liver failure: This is a life threatening condition in which the liver stops functioning completely, leading to multiple organ failure and death.
What are the benefits of quitting alcohol when you have cirrhosis?
Quitting alcohol when you have cirrhosis can have many benefits for your health and quality of life. Some of these benefits may include:
- Improving your liver function: Stopping alcohol can reduce the inflammation and scarring in your liver, and allow it to heal and regenerate to some extent. This can improve your liver function and slow down the progression of cirrhosis. Some studies have shown that abstaining from alcohol can increase the survival rate of people with cirrhosis by up to 50%.
- Reducing your risk of complications: Stopping alcohol can lower your blood pressure in the portal vein, reduce the fluid buildup in your abdomen or chest, prevent the accumulation of toxins in your brain, improve your blood clotting ability, and decrease your chance of developing liver cancer or liver failure.
- Enhancing your physical wellbeing: Stopping alcohol can improve your energy levels, appetite, digestion, sleep quality, skin condition, immune system, and overall health. You may also lose weight, as alcohol contains a lot of calories and contributes to fatty liver disease.
- Boosting your mental wellbeing: Stopping alcohol can improve your mood, memory, concentration, selfesteem, and confidence. You may also feel more optimistic, hopeful, and motivated about your future. You may experience less anxiety, depression, guilt, shame, or regret about your drinking problem.
- Improving your relationships: Stopping alcohol can help you rebuild trust, respect, and intimacy with your loved ones. You may also make new friends who support your sobriety and share your interests. You may become a better partner, parent, friend, or colleague.
Conclusion
Cirrhosis is a serious condition that can be caused by chronic alcohol consumption. It can damage your liver and cause many complications that can affect your whole body. If you have cirrhosis and you continue to drink alcohol, you are putting yourself in grave danger. The only way to protect your liver and improve your health is to stop drinking alcohol completely.
However, quitting alcohol is not easy. It requires courage, commitment, and support. You don’t have to do it alone. There are many resources available for people who want to overcome their alcohol addiction. You can seek help from your doctor, a counselor or therapist,a support group,or a rehabilitation program.