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Polycystic Liver Disease 1. WHAT CAUSES IT? Polycystic liver disease is inherited either with liver cysts alone or with both liver and kidney cysts. The liver tissue becomes infused with 20 or more cysts resulting in a hardening of the liver texture. As liver cysts continue to expand over-filling the liver this creates a constant compression of adjacent internal organs. 2. WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS? There are many symptoms of PLD. Some are, your stomach may look like an extended beer belly, your liver hardens, full sooner, nausea, dyspepsia, heartburn, distention, bloating, fatigue, muscle wasting, leg swelling, feet swelling, edema, skin color change, painful bile ducts, and inflamed bile ducts. 3.HOW DO YOU TREAT IT? Most of the treatments are for decreasing liver cyst expansion and slowing down cyst growth: proton pump inhibiters, eliminating dairy, eliminating caffeine, eliminating hormones, eliminating estrogen disrupters. 4. IS THERE A CURE? WHAT IS IT? It is to my dismay to say at the moment there is no cure, but I know scientists are working hard to find a cure. 5. INTERESTING FACTS!!!! There are many INTERESTING FACTS and some are, eight times as many girls are affected as men! For 92% of them this liver expansion causes minimal problems though 8% develop more severe symptoms. The End!