Cirrhosis Support Group

I have been having pain for over 1 1/2 weeks. It started with intense pain by my enlarged spleen. Then the pain moved to both sides under my ribs where it has settled. I feel like my insides are just read to burst through my ribs, so much internal pressure. I have had pain before but nothing like this or this long. At first I thought it might be a gas bubble but it is not that.

I don't have insurance now. I called the doctor's office and I don't have enough cash until next week to pay upfront. I am praying with all my heart that it goes away, it has gotten much less. I know I shouldn't ignore the pain and I really am not. The stress of getting into so much debt because this isn't helping.

Has anyone here gone through this type of symptom?

I am sorry you are hurting. I have had that but i went to the ER. and it was kidney stone stuck in my urinary track blocking and backing up into my kidney area. They always say to come in when you call the hospital because it could be anything. Forget the bills if it gets to bad go to the ER. Only you know.

Be well.

D

I had it too, about a month ago. I dealt with it over a weekend and contacted my Hepa on Monday morning and she sent me straight to the ER. They found nothing. Looking for gallstones or kidney stones but nada was there. So was sent home after 9 hours and $200 later with 8 Oxy pills and big ???

When at home I googled pain in the liver area and it was suggested to use cold compress for 15 minutes and then heat for 15 minutes and do it about 4 times every few hours so that's what I did and it did relieve it some but it was still over the top. I slept with a heating pad over the area and that helped too. I hated the way the Oxy made me feel so I only took 1/2 a pill at night to help me sleep. It lasted about a week until Friday night when I tried my 'wish paper'. It is something that you light to put out to the universe what you want. I was so tired of being in pain so I lite the paper and looked up into the night sky with the planets all in align and cried 'take this burden of pain from me'....and I went to bed. Awoke in the morning to no, nada, pain. My faith in the universe and positive thinking was restored once more!

Post edited by: 1polarbear, at: 03/26/2012 12:17 PM

Sorry to hear you are having difficulties again. I can understand not wanting to go into debt to see the doc, but if it is really bad please go to emergency and get looked at!

I have had that intense pain but only on the liver side, and my Hep said it is the sac around my liver. I finally was put on a morphine patch to manage the pain.

Thinking of you

I am finally feeling better, the pain has really lessened. Still have the crazy itchiness and fatigue but the pain is minimal. YEAH! Prayers worked, thank you all. It seems to be cyclical for me, months of feeling pretty good, then setbacks for a few weeks. As long as the good days out number the bad days, I can deal with this. Life is too short not to live it.

Horray, glad you're feeling better today.

Paul

TzuWhu2 - ditto - glad you are better...I have been meaning to tell you how much I love the part of your signature line... "Good Morning, this is God. I will be handling all of your problems today and I do not need your help. So have a good day" Hadn't heard that in soo lonnnng! Glad you used it!!! Ru

glad you are feeling better

This is one of the new symptoms I've experienced lately-- swelling of the liver. The only way I know to describe it is it feels like when I was pregnant and the baby was pushing with his/her feet against my ribs in the upper quadrant. I don't know what this signifies-- an overworked liver? I am trying to severely limit protein and fat to be easier on it. But sometimes this means I am not eating much at all, hoping the pressure will go down enough for me to breathe and function a little better.

Can someone with a longer history of LD than I have enlighten me as to what stage I might be for this symptom?

Hey Hepa!

Remember that no one here is a doctor. You really need to talk seriously with your hepatologist to determine stages and treatment options. I never experienced the symptom that you are describing so I can't help you there (sorry) but you need to watch your diet and include proteins and some fats in order for the rest of your body to function properly.

Proteins are necessary to "power" all the functions in your body. If there are not enough proteins supplied externally, your body will look in other places and take what it needs. One of the first places the body looks is to the muscular system where there are abundant stored proteins. Remember that your heart is actually a muscle!

The attack on the muscle is often associated with the weight loss due to the loss of muscle mass. I went from a whopping 300 pounds at the height of my substance abuse to about 155 around the time of transplant. The last time I was 155 was when I was 15 years old and the dinosaurs roamed the earth!

We've talked about the need for proteins before in this group--try searching the site for other relevant discussions.

Dennis