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No, I’m Not Pregnant!

by 8 Comments
May
06
2012
Controlling Ascites

Yes, I know that "When are you due?" can be extremely painful for anyone who is not pregnant... But to a 30 year old woman who can't have any more children, and has Ascites from a failing liver, it is heartbreaking. Of all of the symptoms I had, from constant bleeds, horrible itching, memory loss, daily vomiting... All of them, the ascites was the one that played with my emotions the most. One time, I sat in front of my mirror for almost an hour staring at my pregnant looking belly imagining "if only..." But really it was something more serious, a symptom of cirrhosis... fluid collecting outside of my organs (in the Peritoneal cavity). At first you really don't notice, but after a little while the pressure builds, the fluid begins to press on your organs, it becomes hard to breathe (and walk) and you can just feel all that fluid sloshing around in there. Ascites is a symptom of an underlying problem, so the only way to truly get rid of it is to fix the cause. In a majority of the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Liver Disease Tagged With: , ,

April is Donate Life Awareness Month!!

by 11 Comments
Apr
02
2012
20M-Web-Banner-300-x-250

This month is very special to me, after all organ donation has saved my life two times now! I am one of the lucky ones. There were just over 28,500 transplants in 2011 and I was one of them, but there are still over 113,000 still waiting. Those are men, women, and children in the United States alone. People have so many reasons why they do not sign up to be organ donors. Some think they are to old or have an illness that will disqualify them, some think it is against their religion, some think they won't be able to have a proper funeral, and others think that doctors will not try to  save them if they see a donor sticker. I want to first address the last one, as it is one I recently heard (from someone in my own family no less) First and foremost,  doctors really do follow the oath they take to do no harm, they can be sued and lose their license otherwise. Second, the doctors that work on you in an emergency situation are not the same doctors that perform transplants (most of the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Liver Disease Tagged With: ,

Making it mean something

by 7 Comments
Jan
22
2012
I wear green for the Organ Donor that saved my Mommy's life.

Hello my fellow fighters! Lately I have been thinking a lot about the journey my sickness has taken me and my family on, and how I can make something good out of it... Lemonade out of lemons (with a whole lot of added sugar, hehe), as one would say. For me, sharing my story and my knowledge on liver disease and transplants first hand, validates it some. If I can help to comfort at least one person, and show them that if a 5'1", 115 pound, mousy sounding girl can do it then they can too, then it will be worth it to me (I was going to go through it whether I liked it or not anyway). But besides sharing my story, I feel it is just as important for me to spread awareness  on the need for organ donation. I, for one, wouldn't be here today if it wasn't for this life saving procedure and the kindness of others. In November 2009, my husband's cousin Nancy, decided to give me part of her liver (54% to be exact). In July of 2010 we both went into surgery, and I came out feeling better then I … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Liver Disease Tagged With: , , ,

Is it time for a liver transplant?

by 11 Comments
Aug
18
2011
Surgery Liver Transplant

Hello my friends! I am writing this next article (finally, I know) on needing a transplant because it is a question I get often, usually after I have scared someone with liver disease by telling my story. (whoa Nelly, hold your horses, I was sick for many years before being transferred to USC to discuss  a transplant, and everyone is different). Once diagnosed with liver disease, a lot of people jump straight to the thought of needing a transplant, but remember that a transplant should be your "last resort". No matter where you are in your disease, there is something that you can do (see my previous article on Do's and Don'ts for your liver here on the FLAGC site, and even more details on The Antics of Larry the Liver - Yes, I'm plugging one of my own blogs. teheheee) Like I have said before... The liver is so resilient!! However, there is nothing that can replace its function, even temporarily. In other words, no dialysis like there is for kidney failure... etc. Once your liver … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Liver Disease Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

The Other Hepatitis’

by 1 Comment
Apr
27
2011
Hepatitis

The last of two Hepatitis in my trilogy may surprise you. The first one, Alcoholic Steatohepatitis is a syndrome of progressive inflammatory liver injury caused by long-term or heavy alcohol abuse and is one of the leading causes of cirrhosis in America. This form of hepatitis is not contagious. (Remember, Hepatitis broken down only means inflammation of the liver) In the beginning there are not usually many symptoms, but once damage to the liver begins due to the constant inflammation, the same symptoms of Cirrhosis become present. Ascites (fluid retention in the stomach area) and/or Edema is usually one of the first symptoms, along with spider nevi. Hepatic encephalopathy, variceal hemorrhages, and Jaundice are also commonly present. Damage from Alcoholic Steatohepatitis can be stopped, and if caught early enough, even reversed. This is only possible if all alcohol consumption is stopped. If alcohol abuse continues, Cirrhosis will usually cause liver failure and a liver transplant … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Liver Disease Tagged With: , , , ,

The Liver Girl’s Story

by 5 Comments
Oct
28
2010
My family

Hey Guys n Dolls! I realized that in these few months of writing I never properly introduced myself. (This realization came to me because of one of FLAGC newest features "Power Stories" where you can tell everyone your story... Awesome feature BTW) So I figured you guys might want to know a little more about the person behind the liver articles... who holds such wisdom... hehehe (kidding) Well, it all started on a dark and stormy night on February 17th, 1981 (just kidding... it could have been a nice sunny day for all I know... just being dramatic) Either way it doesn't really start then anyways, though I will say, my poor mom really had a rough time with my childhood (besides the Hepatitis C... We didn't even know about that one yet). I wasn't wild, but boy, name a weird sickness and I had it. How many children do you know that have spinal taps, EEG's,  and other strange studies done before the age of 7. Doctors thought my mom was crazy with all the things I was tested for. Most … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Liver Disease Tagged With: , , ,

The Heppers (Not to be confused with Lepers)

by 6 Comments
Oct
17
2010
Hepatitis Types 1

Anyone who has a form of Hepatitis knows what I mean. As soon as you say you have Hepatitis, some people take a few steps away.  Though it is very common, and most people actually probably know someone with one form of it or another - whether they know it or not. Lets break it down to the basics. Hepatitis (Hepa - liver, titis - inflammation) Just like Laryngitis means inflammation of the Larynx... and so on. To me, once you simplify it like that, I don't see how people can be so judgmental still, but you'd be surprised. You then have you "types" of Hepatitis. First, lets talk about Autoimmune Hepatitis. It is unique because unlike most the other forms, it is NOT a virus, which means, it is NOT contagious. It is found more often in women then in men, and is usually diagnosed in childhood or young adults. Autoimmune Hepatitis is a chronic and progressive disease where the body attacks its own liver causing inflammation and liver cell death, and if left untreated will almost … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Liver Disease Tagged With: , , , , ,

Lindsay’s Fight Like A Girl Story (Liver Disease)

by 2 Comments
Oct
10
2010
Lindsay's Story 1 (Liver Disease)

My name is Lindsay and I am 29. My whole life I was a normal kid and teenager. I graduated high school and decided I wanted to go to cosmetology school in Santa Monica, CA to become a famous hair stylist/makeup artist, but things don't always go the way you plan. When I was 19 I started getting sick on a weekly basis. I would get a really bad cold, it would go away, and a week later, it would come back. I went to a doctor and she ran some blood tests and said I had hepatitis B from eating sushi. I called my parents back in Colorado and they put me on a plane and I came home. When I got home I went to a Gastroenterologist, had more blood work taken, a liver biopsy, and got the news, I had liver disease. They didn't know what kind so they immediately sent me over to the University of Colorado Hospital. I was immediately admitted and the doctors began to run a massive amount of tests to figure out what was going on. After a ERCP that gave me pancreatitis and a surgery to … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Liver Disease Stories Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Do’s, Don’ts, and Vitamins For Your Liver!

by 8 Comments
Sep
26
2010
Pills for you

In my search for finding an alternative to the transplant and removal of Larry (Yes, I had grown quite attached to my lil liver, and more importantly, yes, I had named him) I had "googled" I had "binged". I have searched high and low, yet I have not seen anything that can CURE end-stage-liver-disease.... What I have found is TONS of information on how to stop or slow its progression, and though they are life altering changes (such as strict diet and some exercise) your life is worth it, right? RIGHT!! Unfortunately, once your liver becomes as bad as Larry had become, and symptoms such as jaundice, encephalopathy, and ascites are present, there do not seem to be any other options (especially when Hep C is present... poor Larry) There is no magic cure for liver problems but first thing is first. Find out what is causing the damage. It could be something genetic (like Wilson's disease, PBC, or Hemochromatosis) or it could be something environmental, toxins. It could be drugs, alcohol, … [Read more...]

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The “Invisible” Lupie?

by 28 Comments
Sep
18
2010
The "Invisible" Lupie?

Hello again Lovies! A lot of us kicked off this week honoring National Invisible Illness Awareness Week (September 13th-19th) by sharing our own personal "30 Things You May Not Know About My Invisible Illness", which was a great way to share what some of our own lives are like living with a illness that is not always visible just by appearances! There are SO many ways to spread awareness about your invisible illness available, please take a peek at all the free ways you can help spread awareness HERE. I'd like to take today to SHINE a light on all the men who are living with lupus. Yes! Men have lupus too! It is often a common misconception that lupus is a "women's disease", however men can develop lupus at ANY age! For every 10 people that get diagnosed with lupus: 9 are female, and 1 is male. So often we find the various women living with lupus speaking out, being active, and demonstrating remarkable strength while the men also living with this illness are barely mentioned, … [Read more...]

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