Re: hemangioma of the liver (very large)

I was recently diagnosed with three Haemangioma's of the liver. Two are approx 5cm in diameter & one has grown abnormally large and is 13cm diamater. They have been growing for approximately 2 years, which would explain my ill health over that period of time. I spent 2 years visiting doctors to no avail, I even had a laperoscopy in 2001, but unfortunately my GP thought my problem was a gynae one, and didn't investigate the liver. Everything came to a head about 3 months ago when I was having severe chest pains & nausea. I gave up on the National Health Service and paid for an ultra sound privately, which showed this large mass on my liver. I was then treated as an urgent case and sent to see a consultant in Leicester, who after an MRI scan, diagnosed a giant haemangioma. In the next 4-6 weeks I am having a resection of the liver, which I can honestly say Im not looking forward to, although I am certainly looking forward to being better again. The operation is very risky, but Im a woman in my early 30's, who wants to start a family in the next year, I am very lucky to have found out about this, as Haemangioma's of the liver are very difficult to detect.

My consultant said that the nausea is likened to morning sickness (not that I have ever had any children), the haemangioma is pressing your stomach in the same way a baby presses on your stomach, causing the sick feeling. I take anti sickness tablets, which kind of sort it out. I also get chest pains & back pains, they are very sharp. I also get abdominal cramps, which can sometimes last all day, they are very worrying, the only way they ease up slightly for me is if I lie down.

I was also told by my consultant that there is no cause for Haemangioma's, they are just one of those things. You can still drink alcohol, as you don't have liver disease, but take it easy while youre in this condition. Tweet