How Liver Transplant Can Change Your Life

As liver transplant is a complicated surgery, therefore, one should know about life after liver transplant that includes certain lifestyle changes along with recovery time and expected complications. Read to know more.

One needs a healthy liver as it filters the blood of the body and removes toxins. When a person experiences liver issues,in severe cases leads to liver transplantation. The treatment involves the replacement of the damaged liver with a new healthy liver or a part of it. Going through the treatment, life after liver transplant is the key concern for most of the patients suffering from liver issues. With the advancement in the surgical process, the treatment has led to quick recovery with adequate home care, timely medication, and necessary changes in lifestyle. Below are the details about the expected lifepost-transplant.

1. Recovery time:

With a successful liver transplant surgery followed by home care, one can recover gradually to lead a comfortable lifestyle(E.g.: traveling, driving, desk job, etc.)within 2-3 months. However, the recovery varies fromperson to person and depends on the kind of activity performed during the recovery period. Thus, one should restrict going back to sports and extensive exercise for at least 3 months, should also avoid contact sports activities like rock climbing, karate, boxing, etc for at least 6 months.

• Complications after surgery:

Since it is a complicated surgery, one can experience complications and discomforts during life after liver transplant. Some of these can be:

• Occasional bleedingcan get controlled with medications.
• One can treat the infections,if arises, with antibiotics and anti-fungal drugs.
• One can cure mild rejections, if noticed, with anti-rejection medicines.

• Lifestyle changes:

To ensure a smooth recovery, with a long-lasting life, some lifestyle changesresult in achieving the desired results. These are:

• Avoid the intake of alcohol and other sedatives
• Increase consumption of boiled water and healthy fluids
• Timely intake of preventive medications prescribed
• Maintaining a healthy diet
• Making activities like walking, deep breathing, and meditation,a part of a lifestyle

The expected outcomeof liver transplant is to lead an improved quality of life and increase life expectancy. Thus, a successful transplant surgery,followed by lifestyle changes and a decent home care, results in a good quality of life after liver transplant.

Information You Must Know About Alcoholic Liver Disease

Alcohol is a killer that damages the liver over time. This is why one must consume alcohol very less. Too much alcoholic drinks lead to liver disease and permanent liver damage. 

Livers become inflated, fatty and swollen in those who are excessively alcoholic. Cirrhosis is a common disease that alcoholics tend to get, which is the final stage of liver damage.

Symptoms Of Alcohol-related Liver Disorder

There are three different stages of liver diseases, and these are:

• The first stage is the alcoholic fatty liver. This condition can be treated with proper medications, lifestyle change and diet. One has to stop consuming alcohol as soon as they develop fatty liver.
• Alcoholic hepatitis is the more serious stage of liver disease caused by alcohol. This leads to inflammation of the liver. The severity of the disease will determine the type of alcoholic liver disease treatment a patient requires. One must not leave this condition treated as it can lead to liver failure. 
• Cirrhosis can be caused as the last stage of the alcoholic liver. This occurs when the liver becomes too scarred and is prone to failure. A liver transplant is the only way to treat this condition.

Risk Factors Causing Alcohol Related Diseases

• Family history of liver diseases.
• Poor diet habits.
• Skipping meals.
• Poor lifestyle.

Best Treatments For Alcoholic Liver

Your doctor will recommend the treatment based on your diagnosis report and the stage of liver disease. The two best alcoholic liver disease treatment are:

Liver transplant– This is recommended to those patients who are in the last stage, and the cirrhosis cannot be treated in any other way.

Alcoholic rehabilitation– In this method, the patient receives counselling to help them quit alcohol. In most cases, alcoholics are relocated to a different place where they cannot get alcohol and ultimately give up the habit. 

The liver is a very important organ. One must always be careful to eat healthily and limit the alcohol consumptions to keep the liver in good condition.

Stages of Alcoholic Liver Disease

Alcoholic liver disease (ALD) is a medical condition that is caused by alcohol overconsumption. Alcohol abuse over the years leads to the replacement of healthy liver tissue with scar tissue. Considered as one of the biggest reasons for acute liver damage, alcohol is not only life-threatening but can also cause liver failure.

Between 10 and 20 percent of heavy drinkers develop liver cirrhosis normally after ten or more years of drinking. Anything that damages the liver over many years can lead the liver to form scar tissue. The recovery from ALD depends on the type of cirrhosis the patient has and if he stops drinking. Only 50% of people with severe alcoholic cirrhosis survive for two years, and only 35% survive five years. 

Alcoholic liver disease occurs in three stages namely fatty liver, alcoholic hepatitis, and chronic hepatitis with liver fibrosis or cirrhosis. More than 90% of all heavy drinkers develop fatty liver whilst about 25% develop the more severe alcoholic hepatitis, and 15% cirrhosis. 

Fatty Liver: It is the first stage of ALD and is a highly prevalent liver disease characterized by an excessive accumulation of fat inside the liver cells. It makes it hard for the liver to function properly. Heavy drinkers usually get to the fatty liver stage in their early years of alcohol abuse. 

Alcoholic Hepatitis: The second stage of ALD, Alcoholic Hepatitis is characterized by the inflammation of the liver leading to the degeneration of liver cells quickly. This stage might last for some years but will eventually progress to absolute liver damage if the patient continues to drink.

Liver Cirrhosis: It is the last and final stage of ALD where permanent scarring of healthy liver tissue occurs. It is a severe condition and an irreversible one. A patient with liver cirrhosis will witness liver failure symptoms, along with the symptoms of alcoholic hepatitis.

Alcoholic liver disease treatment requires immense cooperation from the patient as he needs to have strong will power to avoid consumption of alcohol. 

How Liver Transplant Helps to Live Happily?

The liver can grow back. This regeneration potential of this vital organ in the human body combined with progress in the transplant surgery has made liver transplant a viable solution. Like any surgery, there are risks associated with liver transplants. For instance, what if your body rejects the new liver? What if you end up having severe complications? Wish to know about life after liver transplant?

Well, a liver transplant is necessary for patients suffering from chronic liver disease and liver failure. The surgery involves the removal of the liver that fails to function correctly. This liver is then replaced by a part of the liver from a healthy person. It is also recommended for people suffering a severe liver ailment such as liver cancer. A deceased person’s liver can also be used for donation.

Liver Transplant Survival Rates

The chances of your long-term survival after the transplant surgery depends on the lifestyle you follow and how your body reacts to the new liver. Generally, 75% of people getting a liver transplant to survive for five years and more. A liver transplant can be the ultimate option for chronic liver diseases, which damage your liver over time. On the other hand, acute liver failure is a rare condition and probably the side-effect of certain medicines. The doctors may put you on heavy medication to get your liver to function correctly.

A liver transplant surgery can improve your chances of survival for an extended period. After the treatment, patients need to stick to a healthy and balanced diet to speed up recovery. Generally, the menu after liver transplant consists of low-sodium and low-fat foods. Alcohol should be avoided after a liver transplant. Regular consumption of alcohol can damage your liver and weaken your immune system.

You will have to take immunosuppressant medication for years to keep your immune system from attacking the new liver.

Tips To Keep Your Liver Healthy

Maintaining a lifestyle after a Liver transplant in India is not a daunting task when you follow the specific regulations set by the experts of Max Healthcare.

Here are things you can do to maintain your health and avoid any complication.

1. Maintain a proper regime and never miss a dose of medications prescribed by the hepatologist.
2. Consult your hepatologist before taking any new medication to check drug-drug interaction and adverse drug reactions.
3. Stay away from people suffering from any communicable disease at any cost. Your immune-suppressants will be one of the prime medications on your list that will stop your immunity from rejecting the transplanted liver.
4. Always consult a doctor when you are sick and do not ignore any illness.

Here are the tips you should follow for healthier lifestyle choices after a Liver transplant in India.

• Eat food recommended by the experts and shun all the bad habits such as alcohol, smoking, etc.
• Walk with your shoes or socks on. Always choose full sleeves shirts and full pants when you are going outside. Cover your mouth and nose when you are outside.
• It is recommended to avoid going closer to any pet.
• Make sure that your home is free from disease-carrying pests.
• If you are planning to travel, consult your transplant team beforehand. it takes almost 6 months to fully recover from a liver transplant.

Top liver transplant hospital

The success of a Liver transplant in India will depend on the choice of a hospital. You should go for a medical institution which has a dedicated section for liver disease and transplant. The medical experts and infrastructure in such medical institutions will increase the probability of success of such critical procedures. In fact, post-operative care is also very important for a patient to rehabilitate and recover properly before getting discharged.