Question: Almost 3 years ago I was rushed to hospital with what turned out to be a ruptured hepatic adenoma. I bled internally and had two blood transfusions. The doctors performed an embolisation to stop the bleeding. The bleed was inside the Hepatic Adenoma therefore it swelled up like a balloon filled with blood to the extent that the tumour increased to over 16cm in circumference. For a year after, the tumour shrunk significantly due to the old blood being processed, but today the tumour is still about 8cm in circumference and taking longer to shrink further. Doctor does not recommend removing the tumour as it is situated in a very tricky spot (right in the middle of the left and right lobes in between major chest veins/arteries). My question relates to increasing symptoms / discomfort I have been experiencing lately which I didn't experience in the first year or so after the rupture. I would like to know what it involved in the healing process of such a big bleed and how long does it take? I do know that I now have a grape-sized gallstone (my guess is it is a bellirubin stone/s) which I am sure was as a result of all those dead blood cells being processed by my body so now I have gallbladder and digestive issues as a result. I also had severe chest pain a few months ago (on two occassions) which went undiagnosed. I also get these XXXXXXX aches in my limbs & torso and pain under my right armpit (the aches coincide with bouts of digestive problems about twice a month which includes nausea, sometimes dizziness, indigestion, diarreaoh, etc. The pain in the right arm pit seems to coincide with my menses and ovulation, but not sure. Please can someone tell me what I can expect as 'normal' in such a healing process? I can't find any doctors who know and I don't know if my latest symptoms are related. Please help.

Dear Dr Narasi, Thank you for your reply. To be more specific, my question relates to the healing process of the large XXXXXXX bleed I had (as a result of the rupture). What can I expect as normal symptoms of all those old dead blood cells being processed in my body? Can you point me to some literature on this as I can find nothing on the internet and my symptoms are concerning me. It is very strange that for the first year after the rupture/embolisation (when the tumour was the largest), I did not have all the complaints I have now and I assume this is because that old blood is only now working its way through me/out of me, but I need to understand the process to assist me in not fearing the symptoms I am experiencing. For example, do I need to be worried about the old clotted blood cells getting into my bloodstream? My latest unusual complaint is that I sometimes wake up at night with my left (and sometimes right) hand having fallen asleep (i.e. numb, no feeling in it then I move it and there is pins and needles and feeling is restored). The on and off aches & pains in my body (and other symptoms, i.e. nausea, weakness, indigestion) are also noticeable enough to affect my quality of life. Is all of this normal in the process of the body dealing with getting rid of the dead blood cells? Thanking you in advance.

Dear Dr Narasi, I would just like to take this opportunity to say thank you for your assistance. Also, you mentioned a website in your reply but I could not see any the links to the website in your post. Perhaps can you give me the name of the website and I will then look it up. Thank you, once again.