Hello all, Not been on here for a while, not that anything has changed really, got worse in some aspects I suppose. Still get liver pain and pain in my left side now under ribs also having stomach problems i.e diarrhea and real pains in my stomach and also feeling sick but not actullly physically sick. Went to docs last week, she said she could "feel" my liver and it felt like it was enlarged so another lots of bloods, just rang, ALL NORMAL!!! I have a telephone appointment with the doc tomorrow, any one have any ideas on what to do next.
For those who have not read my previous posts, I drink wine, around 3 bottles a week Sometimes more sometimes less. I have had LOADS of bloods done, 2 Ultrasounds (last year and year before) normal. 2 Fibroscans, last year 6.3 year before 6.7.
I have never felt as bad as I did a few weeks ago when as I said had a bad tummy and feeling sick. Any advice please. I know you can have normal bloods but your liver not being well, should I ask for another scan? Many thanks
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sunflower1
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Thanks guys.. I also get all of liver pain and last week doc said she thought liver might be enlarged hence mire bloods. I have a phone appt with her later.
I agree with Mike, if you are genuinely worried about your liver, and your digestive system, then the kindest thing you can do for your liver, gut, and general physical and mental well being is to try to reduce alcohol consumption. Also, as doublewhammy says, it could be something else, but alcohol could be masking. Personally, I used to get terrible stomach pains from wine, especially if I had too much - I stopped drinking completely (never had that much) when told I was at risk of a liver condition. Do you manage to get a good amount of exercise? I'm lazy about exercising, but when I do it -every other day when I feeling good - I love it, and I feel physically and mentally so much better.
Above all look after yourself in all other ways, treat yourself: a film you like, dancing, theatre, walk, day out, mad picnic, whatever. Focus on making all other things better.
Hi Sunflower, just to put in another comment; the liver doesn't have pain sensors so any pain from that region isn't necessarily from the liver even though a swollen liver can put pressure on other nearby organs. If you have abdo pain then you need to see a gastro but the primary advice you will get is to reduce (ideally to zero) your alcohol intake as alcohol is a gastric irritant. Don't assume it's liver is what I'm saying. Good luck, Phil
Hi again Sunflower. As others have said, try dropping your consumption of alcohol to nil and staying away from the doctor surgery for a good while, lol!
Could be gallbladder or other stuff...I'd ask for a contrast scan (CT/MRI) or maybe an ultrasound. Perhaps there's some blockage.
Also, I'd personally eliminate all alcohol until you sort this mess out, it's just gonna further irritate...well, every organ in your body realistically. Lol.
Hello everyone, thanks for your comments. I know they say liver doesnt feel pain but something is deffo going on under my right ribs just where the doc said she could feel my liver last week! I do have time of the wine as I have posted previously and dont and never have drank every day.
Spoke to doc today she asked if I was feeling better which I am but said (without me asking) that she would send me for an ultrasound as she was aware bloods can be normal but somthing going on.
Hi Bolly, Yep quite right I would like a break from the docs, I am about toget a loyalty card there but was feeling very poorly a couple of weeks ago with pain in my liver area and also left had side under ribs and feeling sick and then she tells me she can actully feel my liver, thats a first!
Gritty, I do exercise a bit but not overly. I have put on about half a stone in the past year (changed jobs, used to go up and down stairs, dont have any stairs now!) Do go out for wallks at the weekend when the weather permits and am not overweight.
hi Sunflower-I wouldnt say welcome back but ...as I'm acquainted with your case (as you are with mine) I'll give you my thoughts for what they're worth. I'm not a doctor as you know but we've had similar symptoms.
I still think you have borderline fatty liver-yes ultrasound and bloods are fine which is good but I had had un diagnosed fatty liver for years with no symptoms until things took a turn for the worse. Even when I had a lot of symptoms I had a clear ultrasound and all liver panel fine other than elevated GGT. As Bolly and others have suggested you will need to look at the alcohol aspect. 3 bottles of wine a week is too much for you...for a female of your age 14 units is the top level if you have symptoms it should be less-sorry I'm in no position to lecture-I know very well if I stop drinking wine any symptoms disappear-yours will too. If you can't give up wine completely then look at lower alcohol wines or alternatives-they exist and are decent but try and keep the units down to below 12 and make sure you have 3 days or more alcohol free days a week-definitely makes a difference. If you do have borderline fatty liver then bingeing does you in. Half bottle of wine is a "binge" sadly as I've found out. Take care-keep us posted
Sunflower I have just come back from a meeting in Birmingham where one of their top liver consultants gave a presentation about diagnosis and treatments of liver disease. He mentioned that in some cases liver/bile duct conditions have similar symptoms to IBS which itself has some similarities to other autoimmune conditions. Ages ago your doctors thought you had IBS but I think you were not convinced. Maybe think again, as when this connection with the liver was brought up I immediately thought it sounded like you and that you have IBS, particularly as your liver results are normal but your digestion is not.
Hi Briccolone.. Nice to "hear" from you again, Hope you are well. I know the 3 bottles is too much as we have all discussed before. I dont have 3 bottles every week and do have a few months off every now and then. Generally only drink at the weekends. Remind me what your symptoms were when at their worst if you dont mind and how are things with you now? Are you drinking at all?
.. Bolly thanks for your post Yep my docs have mentioned IBS previously and I did take some IBS tabs a few weeks ago when my tummy was playing up and they did ease it a bit. As I said in my previous post, doc said she could "Feel" my liver and therefore referred me for an Ultraound.. Surely if she could feel it, if there is something wrong it would show up on the scan?
hi Sunflower, definiteley ibs is linked with "liver" stress-the first symptoms I had were upset stomach and feeling full...all these symptoms have gone. I do still drink but nothing like I used to-I aim for about 15 units a week but sometime goes over but often have 3-4 days with nothing which is what you're doing. the 3-4 days alcohol free makes a big difference in my opinion. I do though have "fatty" liver diagnosed from ultrasound but currently no real symptoms unless I really over do it. No itching-I am going to watch the cholesterol though as that's high. and ny GGT are still high-they never really went below 165 whatever I did-they should be 45-50. I am doing acupuncture though plus chinese herbs and in my opinion they help-yes is sounds like quackery but definitely feel better.
Hi Briccolone, thanks for your response again.. Yep I am still getting the liver pain.. even though the liver feels no pain!and a few tummy issues, get diarrhea sometimes after wine.. next day. My date came through today for Scan which is Monday 6th Oct, I will wait with baited breath.. I am sure something must show up this time. I still get the itch but when I described it to the Liver specialist back in Jan he said it didnt sound liver related to him. I am trying drinking lemon Juice and water as I read somewhere that this is good for the liver? Chinese herbs, tell me more..
Your pain could well not be related to your liver. I have just been diagnosed with cirrhosis caused in no small part by years of heavy drinking but also because of the drugs prescribed to treat a long term arthritic condition that has worn joints in my spine. I have for years suffered from pain under the right ribs and towards the centre of my abdomen that I have now found can be totally relieved by some basic stretches of my spine. Maybe your pain is spinal related and you need to mobilise it? I know that long periods of sitting at my desk/ in the car, do for me. Just a thought, may be a red-herring, but you never know?
However, the advice from others on this page re: cut out the wine is sound. I have literally just been been told, stop drinking or die! If you have got any concerns about what is happening in your abdomen, don't bury your head in the sand, listen to your body, that way you may be able to have a sip of champagne at a future family wedding--I don't think I will, because I haven't listened to my body or the health pros, or at least up until now.
I hope you get to the bottom of your pains soon and on the road to recovery.
Hello
I think the obvious thing is to NOT DRINK at all. Your liver being swollen is not good but atleast your LFTS aren't showing damage occurring, did you get GGT with our tests?
It could be your issues are Gastritis, I used to drink 4ish bottles of wine a week, mainly in a couple of binges. Slowly over time, drinking I would feel a pretty bad hang over, i used to put it down to old age etc(i am now 39) I would feel sick and bloated for 2/3 days, acidy stomach. Over a few years the hang over feeling started to gradually become a week, again I put it down to getting older, I asked friends my age and they would suffer pretty badly too, so i thought it was just the way it is when your 40ish.
It all came to head when I had a couple of heavy nights watching the world cup. I felt like i was dying a crunching pain right in the middle of stomach for 4 days, i was bloated, i was pale, i felt sick,i couldnt move much. A slight ache in the liver area. All my stomach was sore after the crunching pain was gone, yellow stools. i could hardly walk to the bathroom. I started googling and was convinced I was infact dying of cirrhosis, i went to the doctors and declared I had a drink issue and likely cirrhosis. The doctor felt the liver and did LFTs and full bloods, all came back normal apart from white bloods that were due to my stomach swelling. It took around 3 months to feel better and 6 weeks off work sick was needed, further investigation suggests I had Chronic Gastritis and its another reason for me to NEVER drink again. On reflection its obvious I was getting Gastritis attacks for years, I just didnt know what is was. When I was 35 i switched from lager to wine and thats when the Gastritis started. I could be im totally wrong, but your issue sounds like mild Gastritis, remember alcohol can irritate most of your stomach organs. The plus out of the Gastritis was I wouldnt drink until I felt better, so that ended up once a week or less. Gastritis gets made worse by caffine, so try stay off alcohol for 6 months and drink plenty of water.
I know you don't want to hear it yet again but if your worried about your liver you should consider giving up the wine..
The liver does not have pain receptors but it sits inside of the Glisson capsule and if your liver is enlarged/swollen it can stretch that and cause you pain.
I don't know if I would ask for any more scans as it seems you already had the important ones more then once and your labs are good. Perhaps you have fatty liver? Stopping drinking, eating right and getting in some kind of excersise is the only cure for that.
Maybe get an appointment with a gastro and start looking for things outside of the liver. Perhaps the gallbladder?
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