What are the Symptoms of End-Stage Liver Failure?

End-stage liver failure means that the liver received excessive damage due to hepatitis C virus. The virus slowly destroys the cells that are capable of reviving the health of the liver. There is no immediate damage to the organ. In fact, the destruction of the cells begins with inflammation and remains permanent, which leads to cirrhosis. Cirrhosis is an irreversible condition, making it difficult for the body as well as the medicines to work. Recognizing the residence of the virus in the early stages is difficult. It is because the virus shows no signs or symptoms.

The liver and the functionality

The largest organ in the body is the liver. The inspirational part is the self-healing capability of the organ. It has a crucial role to play – it filters toxins and unwanted particles from blood, produces bile necessary to break the food that you eat, cut down the fat and supply to different parts of the body, and convert the broken food particles into energy. The functionality also includes clotting of the blood. When the liver experiences damage, the self-healing process helps in replacing the dead cells with new cells. During this procedure, it can leave a scar. It occurs only when the organ is experiencing heavy changes and trying to flush waste material from the body.

What Causes Liver Diseases?

Although there are several reasons for the damage to the organ, consuming excessive alcohol is the primary reason. Additional factors include obesity, virus attacks, genetics, drugs, cancer, and autoimmune disorders.

What are the Symptoms of End-Stage Liver Failure?

What are the Symptoms of End-Stage Liver Failure?

The following are the symptoms that you will see with end-stage liver disease:

Increase In The Risk Of Bleeding: as the liver fails to produce the proteins necessary for the blood to clot, the chances of bleeding increases. Additional changes include enlarged veins in the esophagus. The risk of rupturing of the veins is high and causes increases bleeding. Due to this, doctors often consider this factor before they begin to prepare the health care plan of the patient.

Jaundice: the buildup of bile in the body leads to jaundice. You can notice its presence easily, as the skin and the eyes turn yellow. The reason for the yellowish appearance is due to the bilirubin pigment present in the bile. Jaundice indicates that the liver is unable to move the fluid to the intestine. In rare instances, doctors choose to place a stent to keep the duct of the bile open. You can also feel itchiness due to the buildup of the fluid. It is difficult to treat the itchiness. However, medicines are available to manage the sensation.

Reduction in The Brain Functionality: due to the build of the toxins in the body, especially ammonia, you will experience confusion and decline in the functionality of the brain. The situation becomes so distressing that you will be unable to tell the difference between the day and the night. You will also notice changes in the personality and memory loss. As the state continues, the confusion increases and you tend to sleep more than usual. Medicines are available to treat the confusion. However, they become ineffective during final stages.

The Buildup of Fluid In Lungs And Abdomen: fluid accumulation in the stomach and lungs leads to shortness of breath and exerts excess pressure on the diaphragm. It also causes nausea, back pain and loss of appetite. The medical team drains the fluid, which offers temporary relief. But, you can expect the fluid buildup again.

The other changes that you can see include muscle cramps, fatigue, weakness, depression, and decreased intake of food.

There is no treatment and use of medicines in this stage is harmful, as certain drugs tend to deteriorate the condition at a faster rate.

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Team PainAssist
Team PainAssist
Written, Edited or Reviewed By: Team PainAssist, Pain Assist Inc. This article does not provide medical advice. See disclaimer
Last Modified On:June 13, 2018

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