Liver Pain
Liver pain should never be ignored. The pain is usually felt in the upper right quadrant of the abdomen just under the ribs. And it could be different types of pain. From dull, achy and throbbing pain to the sharp stabs of pain that take your breath away.
As my liver grows larger I get more and more uncomfortable. Sitting up straight and not hunching over helps with the discomfort. It’s important to remember that with liver disease, certain pain medications are a no go, so check with a doctor before you take anything.
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Swollen Liver
Budd Chiari Syndrome means the veins that carry blood out of the liver and into the heart are blocked. This causes the liver to become congested and enlarged. And eventually the blood flow is back up into the spleen as well. My liver has almost doubled in size. A woman’s spleen usually averages around 12-cm. My last scans show mine was 17.3-cm.
My spleen has also been displaced from its normal spot behind my left ribs to my pelvis. It was once mistaken as a third kidney which makes my doctors think that I could have been living with Budd Chiari Syndrome for much longer than we originally thought.
I have been lucky to not have had any major swelling issues. Ascites is the collection of fluid in the abdomen and edema is when the swelling is in the lower extremities, such as legs and feet. Keeping up with a low sodium diet played a big part in keeping the fluid off. I have had mild swelling in my feet. A few years ago I discovered compression stockings and they have helped so much. When diet and diuretics do not work some patients will need to have the fluid removed with a needle tap.