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Are Outdoor Activities Advised With End-stage Liver Failure?
Question: Hi, I am a 37 year old female diagnosed with end-stage liver failure in 2013, and recently 3 yrs later had grade 3-4 varices which ruptured causing severe internal hemorrhaging. They were banded to stop the bleeding, and I required a blood transfusion and 4 days in the hospital. I have since stopped drinking any alcohol and smoking cigarettes, and I also follow a healthy diet and take all my medications as prescribed. I do have encephalopathy. I'm quite active and I feel great, but my family and doctors aren't very optimistic and don't support me. My question is, can I live a fairly normal life and what are the chances of having a regular life expectancy with continued treatment? Am I OK lifting heavy objects, and doing outdoor activities such as hiking, swimming, horseback riding, and skydiving? I would much appreciate any honest advice and advice on safety of daily activities and healing.
Brief Answer:
Please follow.....
Detailed Answer:
Dear patient,
I read carefully all your concern and I am sorry for the situation you are in.
You are reporting to have end stage liver disease with variceal bleeding. It means the that the function of your liver is severe damaged and you have a sever portal hypertension.
Since the liver is the laboratory of the organism, it will affect the other metabolic process of the body like:
- anemia
- decrease the ability of blood clotting and as result hemorrhage
- Low plates count
- low albumin blood level etc.
It means that unfortunately you can not have a normal life and regular life expectancy.
Otherwise your status has e solution that is Liver transplant. Please discuss with your gastroenterologist and give yourself the opportunity of resolving this problem.
To give you e more accurate opinion of your status I need to know your MELD score or your recent exams like bilirubin, INR, Creatinine. These exams will help me to calculate MELD score at your status.
With regards to sports:
Usually I recommend and encourage my patients of doing sports with professional training support.
The best sports at you r case are walking and swimming.
It will prevent you from slipping into a vicious cycle of inactivity and muscle wasting.
The other sports that you are mentioning like skydiving, hiking or horseback riding are heavy sports and unfortunately has risk and for other healthy people.
The risk that I am referring to are:
- falling and bleeding( you can bleed more easy than other people)
- to brake the limbs ( you should avoid surgery)
In cases like you I recommend to avoid lifting heavy objects.
Hope I have answered your questions.
If you have other queries i would be glad to assist you further.
Dr.Klerida
Please follow.....
Detailed Answer:
Dear patient,
I read carefully all your concern and I am sorry for the situation you are in.
You are reporting to have end stage liver disease with variceal bleeding. It means the that the function of your liver is severe damaged and you have a sever portal hypertension.
Since the liver is the laboratory of the organism, it will affect the other metabolic process of the body like:
- anemia
- decrease the ability of blood clotting and as result hemorrhage
- Low plates count
- low albumin blood level etc.
It means that unfortunately you can not have a normal life and regular life expectancy.
Otherwise your status has e solution that is Liver transplant. Please discuss with your gastroenterologist and give yourself the opportunity of resolving this problem.
To give you e more accurate opinion of your status I need to know your MELD score or your recent exams like bilirubin, INR, Creatinine. These exams will help me to calculate MELD score at your status.
With regards to sports:
Usually I recommend and encourage my patients of doing sports with professional training support.
The best sports at you r case are walking and swimming.
It will prevent you from slipping into a vicious cycle of inactivity and muscle wasting.
The other sports that you are mentioning like skydiving, hiking or horseback riding are heavy sports and unfortunately has risk and for other healthy people.
The risk that I am referring to are:
- falling and bleeding( you can bleed more easy than other people)
- to brake the limbs ( you should avoid surgery)
In cases like you I recommend to avoid lifting heavy objects.
Hope I have answered your questions.
If you have other queries i would be glad to assist you further.
Dr.Klerida
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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