You have cirrhosis of the liver. Your liver is damaged and has become shrunken, firm, and scarred. This happened little by little over many years. Most times, this damage cannot be undone.
While you were in the hospital, you may have had:
Your doctor will talk with you about what to expect at home. This will depend on your symptoms and what caused your cirrhosis.
Medicines your doctor may prescribe are
Do not drink any alcohol. Your doctor can help you stop.
Limit salt in your diet.
Ask your doctor before taking any other medicines, vitamins, herbs, or supplements that you buy at the store. This includes acetaminophen (Tylenol), cold medicines, aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), and others.
Ask your doctor if you need shots (immunizations) for hepatitis A, hepatitis B, pneumococcus, and the flu.
You will need to see your doctor for regular follow-up visits. Keep these appointments so your doctor can check your condition.
Other tips for caring for your liver are:
Call your doctor or nurse if you have:
Liver failure - discharge; Liver cirrhosis - discharge
Garcia-Tsao, G. Cirrhosis and its sequellae. In: Goldman L, Ausiello D. Cecil Textbook of Medicine. 23rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2007:chap 157.
Updated by: George F Longstreth, MD, Department of Gastroenterology, Kaiser Permanente Medical Care Program San Diego, California. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.
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