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Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan on Saturday revealed he suffers from liver cirrhosis even though he doesn't drink alcohol. The actor 
said he contracted the disease after his near fatal accident while shooting "Coolie" in 1982. 

"Friends, relatives, well wishers and the workers and staff of our pharmaceutical factory, all lined up (to give blood). I lived. That was 1982, almost 28 years ago. But in and around the year 2000-2002, a routine investigation threw up a scenario which had hitherto gone undetected," the actor posted on his blog..

The transfusion probably saved his life, but resulted in Hepatitis virus that escaped screening to enter his body.

The virus "went into my system and festered and attacked my liver," he writes on his blog.

"Eight years ago during the course of an MRI, they discovered that 25% of my liver had been destroyed by it, and that after having done that, was now lying inactive. For the time being that is. "

"I was therefore technically, or shall we say in medical terminology, a patient by default. A patient that had developed cirrhosis of the liver - a condition that is normally associated with that of an alcoholic. So here I was, a non alcoholic, a teetotaler, with an ailment that I imbibed through a blood transfusion from a donor !! Now since the liver and any ailment associated with it is extremely sensitive, I have to be under constant vigil and monitoring, to keep checking if there is any further damage taking place to the liver or not. A few days back my blood report showed a sudden rise in my liver counts and the doctor felt it necessary to investigate further through an MRI. For me this is an every 3 month procedure which is a constant in my routine and my life." 

Eight years ago, during the course of an MRI, they discovered that 25 per cent of my liver had been destroyed by it. I was, therefore, technically or shall we say in medical terminology, a patient by default. A patient that had developed cirrhosis of the liver - a condition that is normally associated with that of an alcoholic. So here I was, a non- alcoholic, a teetotaller, with an ailment that I imbibed through a blood transfusion from a donor," he added. 

Because of this problem, the 67-year-old actor has to get himself monitored on a regular basis. 

"Now since the liver and any ailment associated with it is extremely sensitive, I have to be under constant vigil and monitoring, to keep checking if there is any further damage taking place. A few days back my blood report showed a sudden rise in my liver counts and the doctor felt it necessary to investigate further through an MRI. For me, this is an every three month procedure," Amitabh said.
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