Tell us your story
If you or someone you know has liver disease, talking about it publicly might be a little scary. And yet, sharing your story invites others to share their stories and together you help create a more realistic picture of the life-altering impact of liver disease. It is the real stories behind liver disease that ignite passion and demonstrate to individuals, governments, corporations and media that this is a health issue that deserves more attention and investment.

In this special section, we invite you to share your personal experiences with liver disease. Your story may give hope or inspire others to seek help, volunteer or give.

Click on Share Your Story below to get started.

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Auto-Immune Hepatitis/Cirrhosis/Liver failure end stage

Hi, I am a 54 year old woman who discovered 3.5 years ago that I had AIH/Cirrhosis/liver failure. I am a Registered Nurse, and had just recovered from removal of my right kidney due to cancer in 2006. At that time I had terrible heartburn and the GP had ordered blood tests. The tests came back with elevated liver enzymes so I was immediately booked for an ultrasound 3 days later. That is when they found the tumor. Had my surgery and it took about 6 months before I could even return to work. So life went on and I went back to work feeling very good. About a year and a bit...  Read more

Walking with my head up high

I am not a writer. I never spoke about Hep C until I realized that I didn't have to be alone anymore. When I found out I had Hep C it was after giving blood to the Red Cross. I was at work and my wife called me and told me that she just opened a letter mentioning I had it. Not just because of that but not long after we whre getting a divorce.  She left me for another man, my world had just crumbled and for some reason I ended up forgetting about it until I met a girl who liked to live on the edge -- drugs, alcohol, sex.  Out of that relationship came a boy -- that...  Read more

25 years and now cured

In 1986 following a bad motorcycle accident I had surgery. Little did I know the blood transfusion meant to save my life carried Hep-C. I found out in 2002 after the postman knocked on my door with a registered letter from HEMA Quebec (Red Cross). The donor had died and they contacted those that had received his blood. Through some research HEMA Quebec knew of the tainted blood when they gave it to me. I took this news very seriously and immediately ensured a healthy lifestyle. My Hepatologist monitored the disease through blood tests every 3 months. When my enzymes...  Read more

Hep C from Rhogam

My name is Mary Ann and I must get this story out to more women. I received shots of Rhogam with all 3 of my children in the 80's. Three years ago a doctor tested my blood because I was complaining of a stomach infection. He sent me for a simple blood test that showed I was infected with Hep C. I have no tattoos nor have I ever been a drug user. I was on the interferon medication and my doctor took me off of it because it stopped working. I then asked for a liver biopsy so I could see how my liver was. I just found out that I am in Stage 4 of the disease with cirrhosis....  Read more

My Story

I learned in 2002 that I had somehow acquired Hep C. Sadly or not, I had been sober over 15 yrs and certainly did not know anything about my liver being silently damaged. In 2004, biopsy showed that I was already at stage3/4. Started treatment in Sept. Didn't have too much trouble with the sides. However, in August 2005, at the completion of treatment - there was the dragon, laughing at us. For the next 3-1/2 yrs, I researched, joined online groups and just about anything that I could find. However, just with the knowledge that I had been so close to full stage 4...  Read more

A Monster in the Basement of my House

Someone once described living with Hepatitis C like living with a monster in your basement. Sometimes it sleeps soundly without a word; sometimes it roars and complains and brings about fever, itching, brain fog, headaches, muscle cramps,insomnia, chronic diarrhea,ascites, fatigue and depression. I've experienced all of this, and many of you have as well. To make things worse for us, the support for Hep C patients lacks the solidarity of the AIDS network, or the warmth we give to those suffering from Breast Cancer. Hep C is a nasty little disease that one is less likely to...  Read more

Living with HEP C

I contracted HEP C Through a blood transfusion in 1976. I had symptons of HEP C starting in early 1980's but was not diagnosed until 2009 when I complained to my doctor about leg cramps and itching. I did know my platelets were low but not why. I also did not know that my liver enzymes had been elevated since 2004. I was concerned about allergies that were getting worse and did research on the internet. I talked to an owner of a health food store about allergies and he informed me that allergies can be due to a liver that is compromised. I went home and looked that up...  Read more

How Advil almost wrecked my life.

Six months ago, an ultrasound found my fatty liver. A blood test confirmed it. I went for another blood test last week and although I'd gained fourteen pounds in six months, my fatty liver was gone. What caused the dramatic improvement from 66 to 38 in blood enzymes was quitting Advil. I had been taking it to six a day for years. I should only have been doing that for six days. I had abused it. My gastroenterologist when he saw I had gained so much weight, told me I was going the wrong way. But the weight was not on my liver. It was not even fat. The medical establishment...  Read more

FATTY liver, FATTY me.....

I recently went in to the doctors for a routine physical and during this they found that I had 4 tumors growing on my liver. I was admitted to the hospital and a ton of tests were preformed, the tumors ended up being begnin as well as inopreable. But what shocked me was the diagnoses of "fatty liver" and the fact that I have 50% liver function. I am 32 and have been a size 16 for almost 20 years.I have 2 little boys who I stay home with during the day and then I work night shift. So i am active, and thats why I was shocked to learn that my liver diease "cure" is to lose 4...  Read more

AIH (auto-immune hepatitis)

Shortly after Easter this year (2011) I had stomach flu, so I stayed home from work. The next day, feeling better, I returned to work. Upon arrival a co-worker of mine stated that I didn't look too well, and my response was that I was unwell yesterday, so it might be something related to that. Later on in the day my co-worker said again that I looked unwell, so I went to the bathroom and looked in the mirror, and I was yellow... like LEMON YELLOW... my skin, my eyes, everything was yellow. I phoned my doctor and they booked me an emergency appointment, and they sent me for...  Read more

14 years of LIVER

Just over 14 years ago, I woke up BRIGHT yellow (did I mention i was 10) After almost 4 months and traveling to TORONTO We found out that I had AUTO IMMUNE HEP. Different then all my friends I returned to school. Much bigger then they all last seen me, I was now a subject to BULLYING. (unfair.) The only child in my area with such a disease I was the outcast. (once the incast) Years go on, high school was no different. Still subject to massive bullying and very low self esteem. (No matter what tho, My mom and Dad always made sure I felt loved, safe and special. and NEVER...  Read more

Hep C And Liver Disease

Hello I would like to begin with the fact that I was diagnosed with Hep C in 1996.  I am really unsure how I contracted the Hep C. The actual liver diagnosis came I believe around 2003-04. I have had prolonged bouts of severe leg cramping that at times were so bad that I could not stand up or straighten my legs out for a few moments and sometimes have had to lay on the floor & cry.  This sounds kind of crazy for a man to admit this but it is true very sad to say. I have also had severe back pain & when I went to the emergency ward and sat there in agony...  Read more

My journey with HEP C

It all began witht ehbirth of my son 34.5 years ago, when I had a blood transfusion due to placenta previa. I never understand why I unexplained nosebleeds, an increase in allergy sysptons and nothing helped. Sensivities to certain drugs didn't make sense, vision changes, insomnia and the list goes on. In the fall of 2009 I compalined of leg cramps to my doctor and she sent me for blood tests. She just being new told me about my low platelets. That's when I started, doing research on my computer about allergies and low platelets. I had been told by a manager of a health...  Read more

My liver

Hello my name is Nicole, and a newspaper clip inspired me to look in further to things. I'm 26 years old and have a liver disease called primary sclerosing cholangitis. I' ve been waiting for about 2 years now for a transplant but have been put on it and taken off the list quite often. I' ve had pain for about 5 years now and everytime I went to the hospital they would tell me I pulled a muscle or have ulcers, then one day I turned completely yellow and went back to the hospital and asked if a pulled muscle causes jaundice and that's when they finally decided I wasn't just...  Read more