The scar tissue that occurs with liver cirrhosis also prevents normal blood flow through the organ. As cirrhosis progresses, your liver begins to fail, which can lead to serious health complications, such as ascites, spontaneous bacterial peritonitis, hepatic encephalopathy, portal hypertension, variceal bleeding, and hepatorenal syndrome. The damage caused by cirrhosis to the liver is permanent and irreversible. Numerous people are not aware that they suffer from liver cirrhosis, as the condition can go unnoticed for many years until the organ is severely damaged. The most common symptoms of liver cirrhosis include the following:
- easy bleeding or bruising
- persistent yellowing of the skin and eyes
- severe itching
- abdominal pain
- loss of appetite
- nausea
- swelling due to fluid buildup in your abdomen and legs
- difficulty with concentration and memory
- unexplained weight loss
On military bases, the source of PFAS is the use of aqueous film-forming foam, commonly known as AFFF, used by military firefighters and trainees to put out jet fuel and petroleum fires. This fire suppressant, while very effective, is highly dangerous, as once PFAS are released into the environment, they persist, since they are forever chemicals. Similarly, once they reach the inside of the body, they cannot be eliminated from your system, being able to lead to serious health conditions such as liver cirrhosis over the years. In the unfortunate event that you were stationed at a military base contaminated with PFAS, either as a member of the military or as a family member of one, and developed liver cirrhosis, you might be eligible for compensation from the companies that manufactured the AFFF you were exposed to.
