# Fatty liver



## wistful (Oct 19, 2008)

I don't believe I've ever seen a post on this topic and as someone who was recently diagnosed with a fatty/enlarged liver I would like to start one.I understand that this is supposed to be a fairly common ailment amongst the "obese"(hate this term!) but I actually know very little about it.

They found out my liver is fatty and a bit enlarged by accident.During the late summer I was hospitalized for close to two days because of a heart scare.I was having palpitations and a racing heart and they decided to keep me over night because both my weight and the fact that my father dropped dead of a heart attack at 55 made them think that something could potentially be wrong.I went through a whole battery of tests and it turned out (thank God!) that my heart is in very good shape and that a combination of wellbutrin and caffeine was causing my issues.During the testing they discovered that my liver enzymes were raised and they told me I needed to investigate this.

About a month ago I had an abdominal sonogram and yesterday I was told that while my enzymes were only slightly raised and nothing to worry about,my liver is fatty and enlarged and that I must lose weight.Now, this doctor was not mean or nasty in any way,shape or form but she kept trying to impress upon me the importance of slowish but steady weight loss for the treatment of this illness.What she didn't really want to hear was that in the past 17 weeks I've already lost 38 pounds due to a change in my eating habits.I'm not really capable of losing at a faster rate,if I had a better metabolism I wouldn't have weighed 400ish pounds in the first place.She's insisting I go to a dietician and I've agreed though frankly I don't know how useful this will be.I've also gotten a referral to an endocrinologist.

I've also read on-line that liver issues could be related to "syndrome x" or a whole host of other issues that thankfully I currently don't have such as high blood pressure,cholesterol issues,high blood sugar etc.Does anyone else have fatty liver? How do you deal with it and does weight loss really help it? Is there a special diet you're supposed to eat? Any tips suggestions or stories would be appreciated! I guess I'm having a hard time with this because this is the first time that my size has had any sort of truly negative impact on my health.


----------



## No-No-Badkitty (Oct 19, 2008)

My experience with fatty liver is only in dogs not people...
But, here it goes.

Fatty liver can also be caused by malnutrition/starvation. That's right, it's a survival response.
Even when the body is in "good weight" if something is not working right and the body is not properly absorbing the food that is being put into it, the body will begin producing lipids and in response the liver will clog with fat. The result of this can be sudden and rapid weight loss but usually it is limited to severe trots and sometimes vomiting or listlessness.
While there are a myrid of genetic and dietary issues, the one that has posed the biggest reason (in dogs) is an over load of harmful bacterial in the digestive tract that is actually prohibiting the absorbtion of protiens so that the body can function correctly. A round of neomyacin has shown to correct this issue.
Now in people, I'm not 100% sure all the reasons why there can be a fatty liver issue but don't put it past more than just a "over weight" problem. 
If it were me, I would state by examining my diet as a whole. I would probably start with pro-biotics to help the good bacteria in my gut flora do their job and then raise the level of fruits and veggies I was eating. 
Dieting might actually be the worse thing you could do. Because if the body thinks it is starving it can and will create a fatty lipid overload in response. So maybe instead of "cutting back" you might need to INCREASE the good foods. LOTS of veggies and fruits and when it comes to meats, fresh meats nothing fried or covered in grease.

Again...not a doctor...just sharing what I have learned in dealing with the canine species.


----------



## KendraLee (Oct 20, 2008)

Try Milk Thistle, Its an herbal supplement reported to reverse liver damage.I've had many experiences with it helping both humans and animals and have taken it in the past (It can keep you from getting a hangover by protecting your liver from alcohol when you are drinking). There have been some clinical studies done but not done very well. Western medicine doctors don't like to admit that eastern medicine can work. Our liver is one of the few or only(not sure) organs we can reverse damage on

Potent Liver Protector
Milk Thistle is a potent liver protector. It has been used for centuries to combat cirrhosis, chronic hepatitis, and alcoholic cirrhosis. It can inhibit the production of the virus that causes hepatitis, stimulate the immune system, and actually restore damaged liver cells. In Germany it is part of the standard treatment for many liver diseases. 

Milk Thistle Actually Restores Damaged Liver Cells
Tests conducted over 4 to 8 weeks on patients with alcoholic liver damage showed that supplementation with Milk Thistle not only halted the damage being done to the liver, but the livers in these patients actually showed significant improvement. Milk Thistle aided regeneration and healed previously damaged livers - all while the patients continued to drink as they normally did. Tissue examinations from clinical and laboratory studies have found Milk Thistle to have beneficial effects in helping all of the following conditions:

Remarkable Liver Healer 
Over 100 scientific research papers highlight Milk Thistle, also known as Silybum Marianum, as one of the most potent liver healers, protectors and regenerators known to man. It has been proven to be an outstanding hepatic and provides the simplest way of decongesting the liver, inhibiting the production of the virus that causes hepatitis, stimulating the immune system and regulating the production of lecithin and cholesterol.

Toxic Breakdown
The liver is the largest and most complex solid organ in the body, with an incomparable chemical structure capable of breaking down a variety of toxic substances and rendering them harmless. Its purpose is to maintain, regulate and protect the life of the cells. This vital organ is also the main storehouse which holds fats, sugars and proteins coming from the digestive tract. It is responsible for the secretion of bile needed to aid the digestion of fats, the formation of blood, metabolic processes, detoxification and the production of heat.

Toxic Degeneration
Since 1969, Milk Thistle research has proven that this unique plant can actually help the liver cells to repair and regenerate themselves. Milk Thistle contains a significant flavone which protects some of the intra-cellular components of liver cells from lipid peroxidation and its benefits are shown to be considerably more powerful than those of Vitamin E.

Combating Hepatitis 
Hepatitis C accounts for about 150,000 new cases of viral hepatitis in the United States annually and 10,000 people die from it each year. Right now the U.S. Public Health Service considers hepatitis C an epidemic. Patients with hepatitis are treated with either interferon or steroids. Neither of these two treatments has an effective cure rate, and both of these drugs have horrific side effects. When all else fails, the liver is removed. Hepatitis is the leading reason for liver transplants in the United States. Hepatitis is a relatively new disease in Western countries. It has, however, been a major disease in Asia for centuries. The Chinese have been combating hepatitis B and C for years with a combination of herbs that studies have shown to be effective 50 % of the time. Usually patients show improvement after three to six months of application, with no appreciable side effects. If you're at risk from hepatitis, one of the herbal supplements recommended to be taken daily to strengthen your liver, is Milk Thistle.

Crucial Biologically
Diseases of the liver affect the well-being of the whole body. However, the liver may suffer damage for a long time before its deterioration is noted. Nowadays, most livers have to cope with huge quantities of chemicals, noxious wastes including coffee, alcohol, cigarettes, medicinal drugs, radiation, air pollution and artificial foods. Stress also upsets the liver's function. Anyone who drinks, and especially those who are heavy users of alcohol, as well as those using pharmaceutical drugs or undergoing chemotherapy would be well advised to take Milk Thistle. Milk Thistle is safe and non-toxic. It has no recorded side effects and may be taken indefinitely.

These are links for the studies that were done
http://www.healthline.com/natstandardcontent/milk-thistle-1
http://www.mskcc.org/mskcc/html/69303.cfm


----------



## thatgirl08 (Oct 21, 2008)

I have a bit of fat on my liver, although it hasn't caused any problems for me yet. It's only a small amount and my liver isn't enlarged. It was also accidental how I found out about this problem. I was having an ultrasound because I had been having some stomach issues and they happened to see it. My doctor told me it isn't a problem at all yet, it's nothing to worry about but that I need to at least maintain my current weight, and I should try to lose some. Unfortunately, I have actually gained weight since that, but I'm going to try to lose some again soon just to make sure my health is okay.


----------



## LalaCity (Oct 22, 2008)

The diagnosis of a fatty liver is something to take seriously. An excess of liver fat sometimes causes inflammation which over time can lead to cirrhosis. The American Liver Foundation recommends these steps to treat a fatty liver:

* Lose weight &#8211; safely! That usually means losing no more than one or two pounds a week.
* Lower your triglycerides through diet, medication or both
* Avoid alcohol
* Control your diabetes, if you have it
* Eat a balanced, healthy diet
* Increase your physical activity
* Get regular checkups from a doctor who specializes in liver care


----------

