Fatty Liver

[se31]

Any idea how long it takes to reverse fatty liver due to alcohol?  NHS site says 2 weeks but that seems pretty quick

[chynablue]

When alcohol is eliminated, you can see improvements in blood work in as little as two weeks, but actual reversal of Fatty Liver Disease can take several months or even years depending on how many fatty deposits are in the liver.

[se31 in reply to chynablue]

ah ok.... I had an ultrasound and was told  i had a bit of fat on my liver.  I haven't really drunk for a couple of months and when I saw on the NHS site that in 2 weeks your liver goes back to normal I wondered if it was down to diet and not alcohol.

[chynablue in reply to se31]

Hmmm... I don't see where it says that on the NHS site, so I'm not sure.

[se31 in reply to chynablue]

nhs.uk/conditions/Liver_dis...

[chynablue in reply to se31]

Wow!  I am really surprised to hear that alcohol induced fatty liver disease is resolved after 2 weeks of abstinence.  At first I thought this was an error, but there are several other sites that say the same thing.

I most definitely have the non-alcoholic version in that case.  When I was diagnosed with fatty liver disease, I stopped drinking.  More blood tests and imaging showed that the fatty liver deposits were still there, but my liver enzymes had improved on my blood work.  I've been working on cleaning up my diet and getting healthy for several months, and I finally got my liver enzymes back into the normal ranges.  I go for another MRI next week.  I hope the fatty liver is gone!  Or at least improved.

Thanks for sharing this, se31.  I learn something new everyday!

[se31 in reply to chynablue]

yeah I was really surprised.... 2 weeks does not seem like a long time for a fatty liver to repair itself.  Wonder if anyone else has any view on this?  

[briccolone]

You can certainly reverse the symptoms of fatty liver in as little as 2 weeks but it depends on how long and how much you've been drinking. I would say 2 months is more like it. It took me 3 months abstinence and diet to sort myself out a while back but I had been drinking for years. I think 2 weeks refers to mild alcoholic hepatitis. Most obvious symptoms reverse after about 14 days

[Hidden]

Morning.  I will tell you my personal experience, but I think the NHS information is plain wrong.  I suspect that the 2 weeks to resolve fatty liver is for a recent drinking binge, not sustained drinking over a decade or what ever.

I had blood tests, ALT 23, GGT 23, ALP46.  I had 2 more sets of bloods which were slightly lower at ALT 20, GGT 19, ALP 50.  A completely clear ultrasound.  6 months later I had a Fibroscan and it showed 233CAP, a slight amount of fat in my Liver that NONE of the other tests showed AND after 6 months of not drinking.

For fat to show on an ultrasound it has to be pretty well established, if you have raised enzymes too then that means the Liver is starting to swell too, this will lead to Liver scarring if not stopped.  Stopping drinking for 2 weeks is NOT going to be enough to get your Liver back to health and avoid nasty complications later on.  This is a wake up call to change the course of your life, thats the only way to get your health back, not a short break.

[se31 in reply to Hidden]

thanks Ralph.... I had slightly elevated ALT and haven't actually drunk for a couple of months now.  I was a regular social drinker I guess (with  poor diet) I am not really overweight but could provably lose a stone.  I also smoked which I have also now quit.  Agreed - its a wake up call.

[Bolly]

Is that the diagnosis now se31, not autoimmune?

[se31 in reply to Bolly]

Haven't really been diagnosed yet.  Still waiting for an appt with a consultant.  However I asked my doc to book be in for an ultrasound scan just to put my mind at rest that I didn;t have any liver damage.  His words were, "nothing sinister at all, just a bit of fat on the liver"  My worry was that if I had undiagnosed AIH and had been a regular drinker then I may have caused some serious damage to myself.

However until I see the consultant I guess noting can be rules out but the fatty liver would explain my ALT of 80 though. It can also produce ANA.

[Bolly]

Lots of things can cause fat in the liver, not just eating fat or drinking alcohol.  I'm very skinny and dont drink, but i have 'mild steatosis' in my liver possibly caused by eating a high carb diet for too long!

[se31 in reply to Bolly]

yeah I used to smoke as well - and lived on bread, pasta and cheese!!

[Bolly]

Its just as likely to be the smoking which has caused some fatty deposits.  Good on you for cleaning up your lifestyle!  No alcohol, no smoking, and ideally a low sugar, low salt, low convenience food nutrition plan from now on.

[Patxxxxx]

A few years ago I went to the hospital with pneumonia.  I had to stay for 3 days and while there they did ct scans.  On the day I was leaving, the doctor finally came to see me and said, "You have significant liver damage.  That is what is causing your health problems.  He was very abrubt and a little rude.  Gave no advice on anything.  Only asked what I had been drinking.   But,  feeling better since then.  Doctors can be not the greatest sources of info. 

[allofatremor]

So sad to read this, my GP told me only 12 months ago that I can't reverse my fatty liver? Not mine in particular but in general, his exact words were you can't do anything about having a fatty liver, it can't be reversed??? So I was really shaken and upset by this.

Mine was discovered when I was dx with gallstones 12 months ago.

What is raised malaise? What is deranged Lft's ?

 I was told that there is nothing I can do to reverse fatty liver, and was also told to immediately stop taking statins ???? Which I was not taking anyway dye to not agreeing with them. So why all of a sudden was my GP concerned about me taking the statins he prescribed?? 

 Also I was to,d you can't leave this gallstone problem, you will need to have your gallbladder removed???? 

I said the stones are said to be very small so maybe I could reduce them and pass them through my body? I was told by my GP the small ones are worse then large ones, and they will get very big and cause me all sorts of probkems?

So who's telling the truth here? I have been out of my mine with all this worry for 12 months, then I read this article? 

It's hard and it hurts when you feel no one knows what their talking about, and no o e really gives a s........, sorry folks but I'm on a downer, thanks for listening xxxx

[briccolone in reply to allofatremor]

hi allofatremor.....cant comment on the gallstones issue-am not  adoctor but there are plenty on this forum who have experience of this and can advise further. re fatty liver-it simply is not the case that it cant be eradicated or reversed. What your doctor may be saying is that its difficult to reverse which is true but depending on cause can be done normally with diet/exercise and abstinence if alcohol is involved. Not the end of the world if it cant be reversed though-you just need to be more careful with lifestyle.

[allofatremor]

Thank you I really appreciate your advice, and will follow it, thank you for taking time to advise, xxxx

[rrich600]

I found out I have a grossly enlarged diffusely fatty liver. HUGE !! causes a swollen feeling I my abdomen. I quit drinking last year on the 1st of June, 2017. My liver is still fatty and huge. I drank heavy, heavy for about 35 years or better. Not bragging but I could outdrink anyone and I proved it every where I went my whole life. I'm paying for it now. Guess its going to take a long while to get the fat out of my liver and it to go down. I eat right, exercise, take supplements for it ave have been all this past sixth months. I've been told it could take few years to clear up and go down in size. Didn't get that way in a day, not going to heal in a day. My liver enzymes and fibers are all good. My liver almost touches the top of my pelvic bone it comes down so far as goes way over the other way pushing against the stomach and bowels and everything in my abdomen. Happened pretty much all of a sudden too. Weirdest thing I ever had happen to me.

[Hornets_Nest in reply to rrich600]

Hi - I went to my GP some 18 months back as I was feeling generally unwell - she did blood tests and everything aside from a little Vit C deficiency came back OK. At the beginning of this year I decided to give up alcohol (I have previously done 3 and 6 month HSMs) with no end date. I get the sensation that my blood circulation is not great (pins and needs etc) and whilst my stomach isn't huge I do get a little abdominal discomfort. I take regular exercise and have a decent diet but as you say, years of drinking are not going to be sorted overnight and I'm not sure how long it will be until I feel as if this issue is behind me. What I do know is the worst thing I could do is go back to drinking and whilst my problem drinking days are many years behind me I'll even steer clear of a social tipple - shame as I love a glass of red wine. I'd be interested to know what supplements people take .... I take a little garlic just to help my circulation.

[jojo23pink]

Dont drink anything alcoholic for atleast 2 weeks and then after that if u do drink only drink 2-3 units if woman or 3-4 units if man daily but miss 2 alcohol free days then ur liver will shed the excess fat as long as u dont drink more than u should