@chrissey My cirrhosis was caused by NASH -- nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, which happens if fatty liver is not treated. With the diet in our country, this is getting more and more common and has not generally been tested for. I know that it is advised now that if a person has any risk factors -- overweight, diabetes -- they do testing. As it was, by the time I was diagnosed my hepatologist said I probably had cirrhosis for 10 years. Its symptoms start out vague.

I did take xifaxan and did hit the donut hole. When the hepatologist first put me on it I thought I would just take it on months when I really had to be OK, for instance when we might be vacationing or something, but my husband wanted me on it all the time. It was worth the sacrifice, it kept the HE episodes away for about 10 months. When I finally had an episode again I had to add lactulose back into the mix.
I had a liver transplant in September 2016. Hallelujah! When I was hurting in the hospital my husband would joyously remind me
"no more lactulose!" I hated that stuff.
So does your husband have cirrhosis, and is he a transplant candidate?

@stella25 As I mentioned above, it does work, but not nearly as well as xifaxan. I am not familiar with the newer drug that chrissey mentioned. Lactulose makes most people a bit nauseated for a while after taking it, but it helps if you take it in some juice, like cranberry, or soda water which was what I used.
Please feel free to ask me anything else about it... been there.
JK