What about alcool if I reverse an alcoolic fatty liver?

[Dedof]

First of all I do apologise for my " poor " English but I am not a UK citizen.I was diagnosed with alcoolic fatty liver ( apparently stage 1 ) 6 weeks ago and since then I am questioning myself.

I cut down alcool, eat healthier as much as I can, and keep on exercising myself as I always do.

I manage to get my fatty as better as it was to reverse the process.

I have never been an heavy drinker but on a regularly basis I drunk 2 or 3 glasses of wine ( daily ) and a bit more the week end.

My question are:

should I stop drinking wine for ever even if I reverse the process or can I stick on the OMS recommandations ( no more than 2 units on a daily basis as far as I remember ).

- Does my liver will have an irreversable weakness due to this sickness?

Thanks for your answers

I forgot to tell you I am a wine seller😶

[AyrshireK]

Once you have a diagnosis of alcohol related fatty liver disease it would be advisable to remove alcohol altogether since any alcohol taken is like pouring petrol onto a bonfire. Your liver is already struggling and adding ever more toxins for it to deal with will contribute to it's condition worsening.

Eat healthily, exercise, watch your intake of sugars, fats and salt and remove alcohol and you should give your liver the best chance of recovery. Too many folk fall into the trap of resuming their drinking once the liver appears healthier only for it to get poorly very rapidly thereafter.

The British Liver Trust has a page and simple to understand literature about alcohol and the liver at:- britishlivertrust.org.uk/li...

All the best, Katie

[Dedof in reply to AyrshireK]

Hi Katie

Thanks a lot for your kind answer but don't get me wrong.I definitively stopped drinking alcohol since I have been diagnosed with AFL and I do not plan to drink again as long as my recovery won't be effective.

What I was saying is much more to drink " reasonably" even much less than it suppose to be in the guideline once my liver will be back to what it was before.But apparently and If i perfectly got your point of view I should definitively give up alcool even if my liver healed.

Now can you tell me what is the difference between NAFL and AFL, my meaning is if alcool is responsible about my state why should I care so much for food too (even if I already do)?does it mean NAFL and AFL cure the same way?

[AyrshireK in reply to Dedof]

They do reckon that the liver can heal even from significant fibrosis and even early cirrhosis providing the causal factor is removed.

So minus alcohol your liver should recover. What you do from then on is up to you but having already discovered fatty liver it would be sensible to live healthily from hereonin - it's up to you as regards alcohol but having had a warning shot I would heed it and give up altogether. As regards food and healthy living. Once you've removed alcohol it would also be wise to follow a diet and exercise regime which looks after your liver going forward - Fatty Liver Disease in the Western World is becoming a growing problem (diets full of salt, sugar, fats and chemicals in processed foods) and a vast percentage of the population with have some degree of fatty liver and it is sensible to look at your whole lifestyle when looking after your liver.

The British Liver Trust provides guidance on Looking After Your Liver for 'normal' folks who don't already know they have any sort of problem together with detailed information for people like yourself who already know their liver has sustained some damage.

This guidance is at:- britishlivertrust.org.uk/li...

Hope that clarifies things and that going forward you manage to improve your liver and look after it for a long and happy life.

Katie

[Dedof]

You are right katie I wasn't expecting any other answers to be honest.It's up to me to follow what should be right or not😎.

In any case thanks very much for your good advises and for sure I will read through all the guidelines you sent over.

Life is too precious🤗

[Dorset123]

Hi

Please take Katie's advice & stop drinking for ever. I was diagnosed as having fatty liver some 6 years ago & although I only drank occasionally always under the guidelines, I asked the gastroenterologist if I should stop completely. I was told no need & it would all clear up with diet & exercise. I did stop completely 4 years ago when I realised I was still getting worse. I have since been diagnosed with NASH cirrhosis & had a transplant 3 months ago.

Believe me... although a great gift, this is best avoided if possible!!

I don't think alcohol caused my problem but it certainly wouldn't have helped.

Sorry for going on a bit.

All the very best.

[Dedof]

Hi Dorset 123

Thank you very much for your wise advises.No one is equal when it comes to sickness but your "sad" example give me one more reason to give up alcohol for ever.Really hope I could stand on my words, what the point to worsen the symptoms and as I said previously: life is too precious!

I wish you all the best for the future and really hope your health will go better and better.

[Dedof]

Hi everybody

As far as I know I have been diagnosed with alcoholic fatty liver.If it's obvious to give up alcohol to heal my liver I don't really understand why should i really care the same for the food by following a diet?does AFL and NAFL need the same diet or treatment?

[AyrshireK in reply to Dedof]

Even people with no diagnosis of anything wrong with their liver should follow guidelines for a diet which looks after the liver. In your own case it is no good removing alcohol only to assail a fatty liver with other factors (salt, sugar, fats, processed foods) which also lead to a fatty liver.

The British Liver Trust provides guidance on how everyone (even people with a so called healthy liver) should look after their liver. Fatty liver disease is the fastest growing cause of liver ill health in the western world due to our increasing obesity levels, type 2 diabetes etc. A great percentage of the population will already have fatty liver disease without knowing they do so and it will only come to a head when their liver becomes so damaged that it begins to show symptoms.

This keeping you liver healthy guidance is at :- britishlivertrust.org.uk/li...

So in short - fatty liver is fatty liver, remove the alcohol and that will remove the alcohol related fatty liver but also look after your liver to prevent non-alcohol related fatty liver too. It's sensible guidance that even those of us who are supposedly healthy should also follow.

Hope that clears that up.

Katie

[Dedof]

Hi Katie,

Thank you for your reply, it makes sens.

Does it mean I can't even allow myself ( let's say twice in a month ) to eat a Mac Donald or any kind of junk food?don't you think we are going to far in matter of prevention?is life suppose to be leaded by a strict guideline.

Please don't misunderstand me i do agree with most of your recommandations but the more I read about liver disease the more it looks like a death sentence if you just don't follow the rules at any level of the disease.

I feel very very sorry for those with very serious liver disease, it's true! they don't have too much option left and I shouldn't be complaining regarding my own situation.I just try to give a more human side to this unfortunate condition.

Otherwise my GP suggest me to have another fibroscan done in 6 month time.Why should I wait so long? the fat should disappear naturally after 6 or 7 month of alcohol abstinence or it doesn't work like that?

Once again sorry for my " broken" English but as I stated previously English is not my mother tongue.

[AyrshireK in reply to Dedof]

A little bit of what you fancy would be fine, you've got to live and enjoy your life. It's just about looking after yourself the best you can.

Sounds sensible to have your follow up scan in 6 months and hopefully you will see significant improvement.

[Lolo2017 in reply to AyrshireK]

Hi Ayrshirek

I did a fibro-test few days ago and the result came back quiet good.The doctor stated that there is a strong regression of the steatosis, i didn't get all his medical terms but it looks i don't have it anymore or in a very weak proportion.My fibro-test went from 1,63 m/s prof 4,5 cm to 1,86 m/s prof 5,2 cm ( what does it mean?).I still don't understand what is the difference beetwwen a fibro-test and a fibroscan but the doctor was pleased with the result.I followed a quiet strict diet the first threee month i was diagnosed with alcoholic steatosis then steps by steps i started to eat normally but always carefully regarding oil, salt and all "junk" food.After 3 month of strict diet i allowed myself to drink back some alcool ( 1 or 2 glasse or wine every 7 days, i know i shouldn't but... ).I plan to do another test in 6 month time to see if everything keep on going well.

Kind regards

[AyrshireK in reply to Lolo2017]

I am not a medic and have absolutely no experience of fibroscan or fibro-test as my hubby hasn't ever had such a scan so I am in no position to comment on the scores you've been given. The "strong regression of steatosis" sounds positive, basically less fat in the liver - well done on that.

I would be cautious about resuming drinking at the levels you mention - sounds like a pretty high intake for someone with a 'tendency' towards fatty liver - you've had a warning shot, thankfully your liver has responded to the 'time off' you've given it but assailing it again might bring back your troubles and you could be storing up issues for the future (just my thoughts). At the end of the day it is your choice and your life.

Some folks don't get the option of reversing their liver damage and living a long and healthy life whereas you do have that option.

All the best to you, Katie

[Lolo2017 in reply to AyrshireK]

Thank you very much for your answer.I know the dangers, i had a warming i just try to manage as much as i can and i think i do it well.

[Dedof]

Hi

Will keep you posted then.Will try to have a well balanced diet with moment of full but controlled enjoyment.Hope it will work.

[Guyb]

It's not worth it if you've caught it early be gratefull enjoy life good healthy food ,Ive been 6 yrs dry now I used to think there was no life without alcohol, please don't spoil it those doctors and nurses did a lot for you.

[Lolo2017 in reply to Guyb]

The question with alcohol is to know his own limit.I went to far so i got alcoholic fatty liver, this is not questionable.

I struggled a lot to reverse the process and i am almost there.Do i need to eliminate alcohol for ever? may be yes may be not. i just refused to live in a kind of psychosis where the precautionary principle will become a dogma as it can be for some without disrespect of everybody's beliefs.

Kind regards

[Guyb]

My own feelings towards alcohol is that after 6 yrs without it I really don't want to start as I don't see the point.But saying that I really did abuse the stuff you wouldn't believe the amounts I should be dead

[Lolo2017]

You know where you are coming from so big respect for what you have already achieved.