Pale stools. If the stools are pale, it may indicate a problem with the liver or other part of the biliary drainage system. Black tarry stools can happen in advanced liver disease and are caused by blood passing through the gastrointestinal tract – this needs urgent medical attention.
Considerations. The liver releases bile salts into the stool, giving it a normal brown color. You may have clay-colored stools if you have a liver infection that reduces bile production, or if the flow of bile out of the liver is blocked. Yellow skin (jaundice) often occurs with clay-colored stools.
Cirrhosis symptoms related to declining liver function include: Jaundice (yellow tint to your skin and eyes). Pruritus (itchy skin, but with no visible rash). Dark-colored pee and light-colored poop.
Signs and symptoms of acute liver failure may include: Yellowing of your skin and eyeballs (jaundice) Pain in your upper right abdomen. A swollen belly (ascites)
For other conditions, the most common symptom is jaundice — a yellowing of your skin and the whites of your eyes. Jaundice develops when your liver can't clear a substance called bilirubin. Other signs of liver disease may include: Abdominal (belly) pain (especially on the right side).
Acute liver failure causes fatigue, nausea, loss of appetite, discomfort on your right side, just below your ribs, and diarrhea. Acute liver failure is a serious condition. It requires medical care right away.
Liver disease can have many negative effects on bodily functions, including bowel movements. The best way to assist your bowel movements is to focus on lifestyle changes that improve liver function. These include exercise, weight loss, and minimizing alcohol consumption, among others.
Dark Urine Color
If you are drinking an adequate amount of water but you are still experiencing dark colored urine, it may be an early indicator of liver disease. The urine color may range from brown, amber, or even orange due to the buildup of bilirubin.
Some people with liver disease experience skin itching all over their body or in specific areas, like the feet or arms. Itchiness is not a symptom of liver disease on its own, though. Liver disease is a condition affecting your liver's ability to function.
The increased pressure in the veins can make them swell so they might be seen under the surface of your abdomen. Ascites can also develop when the liver isn't making enough blood protein (albumin). A swollen abdomen might cause discomfort or pain, and a loss of appetite or feeling full quickly.
Stage 1: Inflammation
This is especially important because the liver is able to repair itself in the early stages of disease.
A large, bloated belly can be a sign of either ascites or a beer belly. The definition of ascites is an abnormal accumulation of fluid in the space between the organs in the belly and the wall of the belly. In the U.S., the most common cause of ascites is cirrhosis of the liver.
Bilirubin concentration can vary the color of the stool from light yellow to almost black. Changes in the chemical structure of the bilirubin can cause stool to turn green or yellow. Yellow stool also may occur if the stool is dilute or a reduction in the amount of bilirubin produced by the liver.
If your midsection looks like a pot and your arms and legs are rather thin, you're likely to have a LIVER body type or liver belly.
There are at-home liver panel tests that can determine liver function by screening for proteins and enzymes like albumin, globulin, ALP, ALT, and GGT. These tests use a finger-prick sample and include materials to collect and send your specimen to the lab. You can order a liver panel from home and get tested in a lab.
If NASH cirrhosis is diagnosed early, the life expectancy is about 10 to 15 years. However, if you develop complications such as swelling or fluid in the abdomen, confusion, or bleeding from the gastrointestinal tract, life expectancy decreases dramatically to three to five years without a liver transplant.
A stressed liver impacts the overall body functions – it may cause ringing in the ears, insomnia, dizziness, blurry vision, allergies, no sex drive, internal or intestinal bleeding, sensitivities to chemicals, PMS, drastic weight loss and spider veins.
If you develop acute, or sudden, liver disease, you may also experience weakness, nausea, vomiting, fever, and pain below your ribs on the right side of your body. Roughly half of people with acute liver disease show no symptoms at all, however.