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Suggest Treatment For Symptoms Of Chronic Liver Disease
Question: I am a 68 yr old male. I was diagnosed with hep c 16 years ago, a few months later I started developing a slight puffiness underneath my right rib,now it has enlarged under my left rib also. It looks now like broad small puffy breasts. I have asked my gastroenterologist, my primary doctor, and a few other doctors, all who reassured me that it was fat. When I am hungry I get a slight pain in that area. I have a slight case of hereditary hemachromotosis, and a quarter sized gallstone that I've had for about 25 years. My spleen is slightly enlarged, but otherwise I feel normal and just about my lab tests are normal with just a few slightly deviated (like bilirubin). My main question is "what is that puffiness," I don't buy that it's fat. Thank you
Brief Answer:
Mostly It's one of feature of chronic liver disease .
Detailed Answer:
Dear XXXX
I can understand your concern.
What I understood from your query is: You have noticed puffiness under right rib and left rib looks like breast tissue, your doctor says it is normal fat tissue, you feel pain when you feel hungry. You have history of hereditary hemachromatosis, gall stones and enlarged spleen and all your lab tests were normal.
I would like to know where exactly you have puffiness, have you noticed this swelling over chest or near by normal breast tissue if so,
I would like to inform you that enlarged breast tissue in male is called as gynaecomastia ,in this there is increased deposition of fatty tissue in breast along with glandular components . It's estrogen hormone that is responsible for this.
As you have mentioned dear you are diagnosed with hepatitis C that is a very important cause of chronic liver disease .
Liver has so many function and one important function is metabolism of estrogen .So in chronic liver disease there is increased level of this hormone causing this fat deposition .
There is no need to worry about that.
There is no risk of any cancer etc.
It's just a harmless fat deposition . Hope this will help you .
If you have any other concerns please feel free to message me .
Thanks for contacting HCM .
Mostly It's one of feature of chronic liver disease .
Detailed Answer:
Dear XXXX
I can understand your concern.
What I understood from your query is: You have noticed puffiness under right rib and left rib looks like breast tissue, your doctor says it is normal fat tissue, you feel pain when you feel hungry. You have history of hereditary hemachromatosis, gall stones and enlarged spleen and all your lab tests were normal.
I would like to know where exactly you have puffiness, have you noticed this swelling over chest or near by normal breast tissue if so,
I would like to inform you that enlarged breast tissue in male is called as gynaecomastia ,in this there is increased deposition of fatty tissue in breast along with glandular components . It's estrogen hormone that is responsible for this.
As you have mentioned dear you are diagnosed with hepatitis C that is a very important cause of chronic liver disease .
Liver has so many function and one important function is metabolism of estrogen .So in chronic liver disease there is increased level of this hormone causing this fat deposition .
There is no need to worry about that.
There is no risk of any cancer etc.
It's just a harmless fat deposition . Hope this will help you .
If you have any other concerns please feel free to message me .
Thanks for contacting HCM .
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Bhagyalaxmi Nalaparaju
The puffiness is coming from underneath the ribs, so, I'm guessing it is not estrogen. I have no history of gallstones, only that one. Could the puffiness be fatty liver? I forgot to mention that I am 5' 10" and weigh 170 lbs. Once again, my lab tests are normal, except for slight elevation in bilirubin and iron, and a slight drop in platelets. My blood pressure, heart tests etc are all normal.
Brief Answer:
seems to be fat deposition . examination is needed
Detailed Answer:
Dear XXXX
As you have mentioned it is present on both side and has puffiness with background of chronic liver disease ,it is more suggestive of fat deposition .
Apart from this as your doctors who had examined you, they have also diagnosed this as fat deposition . So in my opinion this seems to be gynaecomastia that is fatty tissue accumulation in breast region .But to reach the correct diagnosis complete examination is required .
For your satisfaction you can discus this issue with another doctor as well.
If you have any other concerns please feel free to message me .
Thanks for contacting HCM .
seems to be fat deposition . examination is needed
Detailed Answer:
Dear XXXX
As you have mentioned it is present on both side and has puffiness with background of chronic liver disease ,it is more suggestive of fat deposition .
Apart from this as your doctors who had examined you, they have also diagnosed this as fat deposition . So in my opinion this seems to be gynaecomastia that is fatty tissue accumulation in breast region .But to reach the correct diagnosis complete examination is required .
For your satisfaction you can discus this issue with another doctor as well.
If you have any other concerns please feel free to message me .
Thanks for contacting HCM .
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Vaishalee Punj
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