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What are the symptoms of cirrhosis?

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In the early stages of the condition, often there are no symptoms. You can 'get by' with a reduced number of working liver cells. However, as more and more liver cells die, and more and more scar tissue builds up, the liver:

Fails to make enough proteins such as albumin that help to regulate the fluid composition in the bloodstream and body.
Fails to make enough chemicals needed for blood clotting.
Is less able to process waste chemicals in the body such as bilirubin. So, these may build up in the body.
Is less able to process drugs, toxins, and other chemicals which may then build up in the body.

Therefore, the symptoms that may develop include:

Tiredness.
Weakness.
Fluid which leaks from the bloodstream and builds up in the legs (oedema) and abdomen (ascites).
Loss of appetite, feeling sick, and vomiting.
Weight loss (although you may put on weight if you retain a lot of fluid).
A tendency to bleed and bruise more easily.
Jaundice ('going yellow') due to a build up of bilirubin.
Itch due to a build up of toxins.
Mental health changes can develop in severe cases as toxins build up in the bloodstream and affect the brain. This can cause changes to your personality and behaviour, confusion, forgetfulness and difficulty concentrating. Eventually it can lead to loss of consciousness and 'hepatic coma'. These changes are known as hepatic encephalopathy.

Also, the scar tissue restricts the flow of blood through the liver. As the cirrhosis becomes worse this causes 'back pressure' in the portal vein (known as portal hypertension). The portal vein is the vein that takes blood from the gut to the liver - it contains digested foods. Increased pressure in this vein can cause swellings (varices) to develop in the branches of the vein in the lining of the oesophagus (gullet) and stomach. These varices have a tendency to bleed easily into the gut. If a bleed occurs you may vomit blood, or pass blood with your stools (faeces).