Alcoholism/cirrhosis question

When someone gets esophogeal varices, is it pretty much all over at that point?

I hope this person is currently hospitalized and.or receiving treatment. Esophageal varices are not good; if they burst, it's a life threatening emergency. It's really the liver that determines the outcome; if the liver is shot and begins to fail, that's when it's over.

Not a pretty way to go.

That's when it's Leaving Las Vegas time.

That's what Elizabeth Pena died from, I think.

so sorry to hear OP, is this your situation? Quit drinking...it's not too late hopefully.

No necessarily, OP. Portosystemic shunting may stem portal hypertension.

Take endless selfies getting hammered to show the AA bitches that you did it your way!

Not my situation, but my father's. He's in the hospital. So far, he seems to be doing okay in that his vital signs are good. He doesn't drink as much as he once did, but he just can't let it go despite knowing all the damage he's already done to his body.

Alcoholism is awful. I've seen the damage on so many levels in my own family and close friends family's. I don't think the alcholic necessarily sees the damage that their doing and causing physically to themselves, and physically and emotionally to family. But it catches up, from what I've seen cancer usually creeps in at some point and speeds it all up. It's awful, good luck OP and anyone else dealing with a similar situation.

It all depends, OP. If his liver is shot, it's not a guaranteed death sentence immediately, however, it eventually catches up to the patient. One of my uncles died of this AFTER diagnosis, and surgery. Bled to death internally while sleeping, so at least he went peacefully.

Good luck with your dad, OP. Sorry this is going on.

Opium, coca, marijuana, and psilocybin can be used for a lifetime with no major organ damage.

But alcohol is legal.

Tell your dad to get spit roasted by two young slim hotties. If he has to die let his holes get some pleasure before going tits up.

Ammonia build up from a shot liver will leave him loopy as hell, then very much a risk to himself. Esophageal varices are a ticking time bomb IF they burst.

r10 opium and coca cause major heart and arterial disease. Idiot.

R14

Opium protects from Ischemic Stroke, and has no effect on Heart Disease.

Good luck to your dad, OP. I don't know how old he is, but he needs to stop drinking TOTALLY. Not one SWALLOW. Ever AGAIN. Hopefully they can impress this on him while he is hospitalized.

The liver does not regenerate, so whatever damage is already there is done. However, if he stops drinking completely, the damage can be arrested to a degree.

And I hate to be gross, but like any other longtime RN, I have seen my share of horrors. I worked in a public city hospital at one time and saw someone with advanced cirrhosis bleed out EVERYWHERE. Including EYE SOCKETS.

R14

For Coronary Artery Disease, it was similar to cigarettes.

The link between coca and heart disease is unclear, since it offers both benefits and risks.

OP, my cousin was hospitalized for that and was told to stop, but continued drinking for another few months, when they started bleeding. She was hospitalized and told to never take another drink or she would die. Amazingly she had no trouble stopping but within two months was convinced she was better and had one drink and collapsed. She was found passed out several hours later then was comatose in a hospital for several more days before she finally died. The drs. said that she had extensive bleeding (including her brain).

I hope your Dad can stop.

My understanding is that it can be mitigated/managed for a while - but literally not another drink and intensive care. But they are 2 different things technically - liver failure from cirrhosis is probably slower. But the varicose could burst quickly if they drink or it’s not managed.

What are the symptoms of esophageal varices?

I had a coworker that had esophogeal varices. He was a heavy drinker and wouldn't stop. He died a short time after I heard about it.

While esophageal varies can lead to dramatic and life threatening bleeding- they can be treated. But usually they occur when the liver is almost totally cirrhotic which means death from liver failure is not far off. Liver transplants are the only long term solution.

My mother had an uncle (raging alcoholic) who died from this when he was only about 50 years old. He was warned about drinking and told he had to stop, but he just couldn't do it.

Your father is going to die OP. This is the price for abusing oneself. Don't become an alcoholic like him.

I don’t think people mean to become alcoholics r25.

R26: Yes they do! We all could become alcoholics! Just like anyone can become fat! This is about lack of willpower, and the ones who become alcoholics or fat are to blame for their choices! Don't enable them!

It is dangerous to stop drinking completely when you are accustomed to being saturated in alcohol. You can have seizures. You need knowledgeable supervision and vitamins and maybe tranquilizers.

The vitamins are because when you quit drinking, your body does something weird where it starts eating into the brain for stored vitamins. I was told this is what leads to the brain damage some alcoholics get.

I watched a friend die with esophageal varices, hemorrhaging over and over and choking on his blood. The edema was horrible, with his body swelling like a wet sponge. He'd lay his hand on his thigh and the hand print would still be there hours later, deep in the flesh. Horrible. He thought he could drink himself to death painlessly. Nope.

But it was worse with another alcoholic I knew who burned his house down and burned himself in the process. He had the DTs while dying of the burns, hallucinating and screaming and tearing the burned skin and bandages off his body.

Booze. I'm grateful I don't have the gene or taste for much alcohol. I now have three siblings with cirrhosis and two three of their spouses are there with them, swelling like water balloons. And still drinking.

However, I am fun at parties. Just still creeped by the OP of another thread who expressed shock that alcoholism harmed people.

My friend’s mother died of cirrhosis. I saw her in the hospital, and she was all bloated and out of it. She smiled when she saw me, but who knows. She couldn’t talk.

My father was a severe alcoholic. Alcohol destroyed his pancreas, but his liver was fine. I rarely drink,,

The guy across the street had pancreatitis but continued to smoke and drink. He lasted 3 - 4 years after his diagnosis, but the last six months he was dyeing. He would go to work then come home and start drinking. He could barely say hello. He collapsed in his garage right before Christmas and died there. He was a really nice guy, I guess he just didn't want to live. He was 56.