Hey Guys!
Hope your all okay?
I decided today after a conversation I had with someone a few weeks back to do a post about 'Things people DON'T know about liver failure'
When thinking of liver failure people usually come up with two usual stereotypical things - You Are Yellow, Correct. You are an Alcoholic, Incorrect.
Here are some things that come with liver failure that people don't always know..
(also I must mention symptoms are different for us all..)
Liver Failure Causes Confusion..
(Pstt I did not know what an IPod Was!)
Your liver is the organ that filters toxins so when it is failing it starts doing this not so well, so as liver failure progresses you get further toxin build up.
Now I know some people don't get to this stage and are lucky enough to be transplanted before they start asking why a patient in the bed next to them keeps going and buying eggs (yep this is what I thought..).
Myself and many others on the other hand though get very poorly and the toxin build up leads to really bad confusion and it also affects your personality. I become VERY sarcastic and said things as they were - which is not like me usually, I'm very sensitive of others feelings.
Although to people witnessing it, it can be rather amusing when it is happening to you it can be very frightening and worrying.
I remember every day getting more and more confused until the point that I couldn't Gage what was real and what wasn't once I started having hallucinations of floating feet every night (Bizarre eh?!)
Have to say this was the one symptom I really Hated.
Constant Itching... GRR!
This is probably the one symptom that most liver patients get and the one symptom everyone equally hates!
On the liver ward I am pretty sure Piriton is probably the most used medication.
When you become jaundice (yellow) it is cause by something in your blood called bilirubin and when your liver is failing you create more bile which causes this Yellow colouring - which in hand causes constant itching.
I remember having to be tucked tightly into bed so I couldn't move in my bed because I was just waking up to sheets covered in blood from itching myself to pieces in the night - I tried everything to stop the itching. Pressing cold ice on it, hot water bottles, blowing cold air on the itch but every temperature change made you itch...
Oooo I don't miss the Jaundice Itch!
Its not A Beer Belly... Its Ascites!
This is the BIG one many people don't know and I know I'm not the only one that wished more people knew about it.
People see Liver patients with big belly's and presume "Oooh there an alcoholic look at the beer belly!" yet that's not always the truth!
When your liver fails some people get something could ascites which is basically fluid build up in your stomach.
This fluid often needs to be drained from the stomach as you can carry lots of litres in your stomach which is absolutely horrible especially if you have also lost a lot of weight because of liver failure your also carrying around this uncomfortable weight too.
It causes breathlessness too as it pushes up on your lungs..
To the point I ended up in ICU with fluid round the lungs and heart!
Not nice, So next time you see someone a think "look at that beer belly.." maybe just take a second think.
There are many other symptoms people are unaware off.
Did you know these were symptoms?
Stay Safe & Speak Soon
Kate
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