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What are the best meals for seniors?
Aging Well | Last Active: Oct 27, 2021 | Replies (42)Comment receiving replies
I haven’t been told anything which is why I’m reaching out and reading online articles! I’m very upset! Three years ago was told fatty liver I assumed because I was 60lb overweight but my whole family brothers and sister 20 years older and much heavier none of them have this. Then I was told autoimmune disease attacked my liver, no one ever mentioned diet or wt loss. My husband had cancer and while taking care of him I lost 45lbs. I just started my own diet no red meat, greasy food, salt, sugars all cut back. So I lost another 10 lb from this in past month. My GI put me on Ursodiol 5 months ago but she just quit working and referred me to hepatologist Dr who I see on 10/14. I have never smoked, drank, drugs, no out of marriage affairs. I take meds for BP, thyroid, baby aspirin, stool softener, VitD, and calcium when I remember it, IB for backache occasionaly.
Replies to "I haven’t been told anything which is why I’m reaching out and reading online articles! I’m..."
Hello @gema98, I’m very sorry about your recent diagnosis, PBC is indeed worrisome. Although people can live for a number of years before becoming too ill with liver cirrhosis. Particularly if ursodial works for them. There is no clear reason or correlation as to why people, mostly women, older than 50, come down with PBC. There are often triggers. I was reasonably healthy, fit, ate well, not on any medications, etc. I’ve read bacterial infections can be a trigger. I had giardiasis four times, so this may had triggered it in me.
Unfortunately, just after I turned 60 I was diagnosed with stage 3 liver cirrhosis. I was sent to a liver specialist who found it was caused by PBC. I had complained to my primary for years about minor feet numbness and severe itching, but it was ignored. I had a liver transplant last year.
Do you know the extent of your liver disease? Are you seeing a liver specialist? There are a number of dietary precautions you should be informed about. Also, your specialist will send you to get an endoscopy done, again depending on the extent of your liver damage, to check for esophageal varices (blood clots).
Please let me know what you find out from your liver doctor. I’m happy to answer any questions about my experience. My best wishes and stay positive!
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@gema98, I am happy that you will be seeing a hepatologist in a couple of weeks. I think you will be introduced to a wealth of information that pertains to you and your diagnosis. I can already see that you are one who is ready to advocate for yourself by seeking valid information and by asking questions.
Since you mentioned fatty liver disease, here are a couple of articles from the Mayo Connect Newsfeed. I personally like the suggestions because they are easy for me to use when I cook for me and my husband.
-Blogs>Transplant>Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Consumption Increases NAFLD Risk
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/blog/transplant/newsfeed-post/sugar-sweetened-beverage-consumption-increases-nafld-risk/
-Blogs>Transplant>NASH Patients: Add These Foods to Your Diet
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/blog/transplant/newsfeed-post/nash-patients-add-these-foods-to-your-diet/
Gema, I am going to be sending you an invite to a discussion about PBC in a Transplant discussion group. Please do not be alarmed that it is in the Transplant section. I think that it is a good place to ask your PBC questions where the patients who have experience with PBC will see your questions more readily.
Hope to meet you there