I know cirrhosis very well. I was diagnosed with late stage cirrhosis in 2017 by a trans jugular biopsy. The reason for the biopsy was not the usual jaundiced skin and elevated liver enzyme levels: my labs were normal. A Fibroscan was done to eliminate the possibility of amyloid build up and discovered a liver density level of 47. A subsequent MRI identified a 1.3cm mass in the upper right quadrant of my liver. A Fibroscan in late 2018 showed density levels that were even higher: 58.
I experienced two significant stomach bleeds, one in late 2017 and a near fatal bleed in February of 2018. Endoscopy revealed esophageal and gastric varices. I looked like I was 3 months pregnant (the nurse corrected me and said I looked more like l was into the the end of the sixth month), I was weak as a baby and on oxygen 24/7 for the shortness of breath. My spleen was enlarged and my platelet count was under 40. Portal hypertension from the density of my liver had caused recanalization of my umbilicus and a good amount of blood was bypassing my liver unfiltered. I was placed on Lactulose to eliminate ammonia from my blood that was bypassing my liver. I had a minor amount of ascites. I was informed by a very well intentioned and well respected VA doctor that standard of care treatment was palliative: treat the symptoms as best we could and wait for a transplant. I was also informed that diet would make no difference in the outcome and there were no trials or other research in the U.S. that could possibly help my condition.
So I went home and did some research and decided to try somethings that were beyond the standard of care.
Three years later, by January of 2020, I managed to lower my Fibroscan score to 8, my MRI showed no masses, my risk of stomach bleeds had dropped to zero. I take no meds for portal hypertension though my umbilical was recanalized so I need to keep taking Lactulose (basically undigestible sugar syrup that bonds with ammonia). I have no detectable varices, my platelet count is in the normal range and all of my organs are currently testing better than they did a decade ago.
So how did I reverse my liver cirrhosis?
It was a long journey of trial and error. There are a bunch of things you can do that make a difference, but depending on you budget and other limitations, some are more reasonable than others.
If You Can, Try Stem Cell Therapy
Stem cells really worked miracles for me. I had stem cells delivered directly into the hepatic vein via my femoral artery in an operating room at a private hospital in Guadalajara, Mexico. The procedure was short, about 30 minutes total, but it requires a full team of doctors, techs and nurses to ensure the procedure is safe and any complications can be handled safely. It cost me about 18k to do this. Of all the things I did, this procedure created the most profound difference.
Recommending this is a little tricky because stem cells are not all created equal. I’ll be posting some interviews here and on YouTube with Dr. Cesar Fonseca, a doctor out of Guadalajara, Mexico, whom I trust completely to help a patient break down how to make an informed choice. He’s been my doctor throughout this process and I trust him completely. He’s quick to advise against something is the risks outweigh the benefits or the research isn’t convincing.
If you are considering stem cells, be aware that nothing being offered in the U.S. at this point features expanded stem cells. Expanded refers to growing the cells in a medium and allowing them to proliferate and then harvested for medical use in a desirable dosage. What we’re offering in the U.S., unless you’re part of a clinical trial, is cryo-frozen stem cells from cord blood from a healthy birth. That basically means the advertisements you’re seeing at home are for stem cells that are 1/100th the strength of what you can get in Mexico and Costa Rica, just to name a couple of places that offer these stronger cells. Cryo-frozen cells may or may not be viable cells, and there is no cell count to guarantee you get anything other than what was donated at birth and were once living cells before they were frozen. Autologous transplants, where they take your own stem cells out of your bone marrow, and repopulate your system after extensive chemo, is an option, but it’s a hefty price to pay in terms of side effects and long term health benefits.
Stem cells from donors are generally a serious investment, though they might be the only alternative you have. I could never qualify for a transplant, so 18k was a bargain to stay alive. Price tags run from $6k right up into the lower $80ks.
How do you know if you should try stem cells?
This is a good study I based my decision on. They did autologous stem cells (from the patients bone marrow) that were injected directly into the hepatic vein from the femoral artery. I had previously tried IV stem cells after consulting with a hepatologist. He felt I was far too stable to benefit from such a risky procedure (injecting the stem cells directly into the liver via the femoral artery). It was deemed preferable to just increase the stem cell count instead. There are plenty of studies that show this is just as effective as using your own cells minus the chemo, but it all depends on what other health concerns you’re facing. Unfortunately, the stem cells are attracted to inflammation, so they aren’t necessarily going to fix your scarred (and therefore stable) liver. IV stem cells didn’t do much for me. Delivering them directly to my liver was a game changer though as they had no ability to migrate elsewhere.
There are many many issues to be discussed when making the decision to try stem cells and I hope to address as many as I can soon. Please contact me if you need to make a decision urgently.
SAM-e: You’ve probably seen this amino acid available for sale in Costco and health food stores throughout the U.S. in tablet form. Here’s a good summary of one study from the NIH:
S-Adenosylmethionine has rapidly moved from being a methyl donor to a key metabolite that regulates hepatocyte growth, death and differentiation. There is increasing evidence that many of its actions are independent of its role as a methyl donor. SAMe inhibits the growth of both normal and cancerous hepatocytes, but the mechanisms appear to be quite different. In contrast, SAMe is anti-apoptotic in normal hepatocytes but pro-apoptotic in cancerous hepatocytes. While the molecular mechanisms are still being elucidated, there is increasing evidence and support for the use of this agent in the chemoprevention and possibly treatment of HCC.
There are plenty of other studies to look into that show the same results, but they originally only focused on IV or inter muscular SAM-e. Though the NIH has proven IV SAM-e can reverse liver damage in cirrhosis, no one has paid for a safety study so there’s no way you can get it in the U.S. I buy in Mexico under the name brand SAMYR. It comes in 5 vials per box at 400mg per vial for about $42 a carton. I used SAM-e IM for about 6 months and then switched to oral. It’s only about 5% bioavailable orally, so you need quite a bit to reach the injectable doses. If you want to know more about injectible SAM-e, contact me.
A good alternative is oral if you can’t get the injectables. Remember that SAMe oral is only 5% bioavailable, so you need quite a bit more to reach the qualities used in studies done on injectables. Another important note is that its very important to cycle on and off. Comment below if you have questions and I can address them for everyone’s benefit there.
Doctor’s Best
Try Milk Thistle
There are many formulas available on the market that will help your liver detoxify. I did my research and looked for what I determined to be the best. I buy Life Extensions European Milk Thistle from Amazon and take 4 a day because it’s a blend of milk thistle extracts: 480 mg silymarin, 180 mg silybin, 48 mg isosilybin A and isosilybin B, phospholipids 760mg, SILIPHOS phytosome milk thistle extract (fruit) [providing 47.52 mg silybin] 160mg.
Be careful taking this if you’re using Tylenol as it will bond with it and render it inactive. The same is true of many other meds that clear through the liver. I won’t bother to link you to research on milk thistle and the liver as there’s a ton if you bother to look.
Life Extension European Milk Thistle-Advanced Phospholipid Delivery, 120 Softgels
Life Extension
Read The Liver Cleansing Diet and take Livatone Plus
Dr. Sandra Cabot has a great book you should read as there’s not much hope of reversing you liver health without it. Her book is very helpful in understanding how we continue to injure our livers on a daily basis with our dietary choices. One great example is rancid and indigestible oils: they’re everywhere and they put a huge load on your liver as you try to heal it. She also makes a nice product called Livatone Plus that does a great job of combining all the latest research on nutraceuticals into a single pill you can take daily. I usually take four a day. You could assemble all the ingredients yourself, but I found that exhausting.
Dr Sandra Cabot MD
The Liver Cleansing Diet: Love Your Liver and Live Longer
By Cabot M.D., Sandra Dr.
