Waiting for tsts

[adele686]

hi I am 38yr female and have been a heavy drinker since my early 20's. Mostly a bottle of wine each night more at weekends. My health is now sufering because of this addiction. Over the last six months I have had a dull ache in my right back like a ball of pressure. I have cut down the alcohol and after a few weeks it seams to go,stupid me has a drink and boom its back but worse like my back and shoulder are going to explode. I had blood taken in Feb and my lft was normal but been back again today for more as the alt ggt were not done. I am so scared my liver is failing due to my drinking and feel like I am going to drop down dead, I am abstining from it now untill I get a diagnosis.

[GeorgeDav]

Sorry to hear this but please abstain full stop! I know it isn't easy but please give yourself a chance. At 38 years young you have so much life ahead of you let it be a good one.

[lottie1964 in reply to GeorgeDav]

AGREE, AGREE, AGREE X

[briccolone]

I doubt if your liver is failing it it was you'd know all about it believe me. You probably have a lot of fat in the liver- the ggt will indicate that and ultrasound will confirm. Quite reversible if you abstain or cut down substantially . Keep us posted and good luck

[Geffy22]

Shoulder pain is common with liver probs hun. Sadly, based on the exp of people on this forum, it seems that even normal results dont mean everything is OK. I would strongly recommend you abstain for good - switch to zero alcohol if you need the taste.

Good luck hun, at 38 you are still young enough to lead a full and marvelous life even with some liver damage - btw I was told that most people have some liver impact - alcohol, antibiotics etc - so we all need to take care of our liver not just thouse who sadly contract hep or other liver diseases or indeed who drink alcohol.

Stay positive, youve got this sorted xoxo

[adele686]

thanks for the comments, I am abstaining from alcohol as I am scared it seems to be the only thing that is stopping me tho. I will keep you posted when the results get it in a weeks time. I do feel unwell and am trying not to Dr google x

[mrsmerlin in reply to adele686]

Hi, my hubby is a drinker (yet I get the cirrhosis without the night before lol).

He had a scan and it showed signs of alcoholic liver disease but by leaving the drink alone for 6 months he reversed it almost completely,

We all understand how scared you are and you will get lots of support here, many members of this forum have been alcoholics but none are judged because we know addiction is an illness, if you need support with stopping in sure you will get all you need here,

Take care of yourself and your liver now, this could just be the sign telling you it's time rather than serious disease

Rita

Xx

[lottie1964 in reply to mrsmerlin]

My gp told me I could drink in moderation, I was symptom free for months and then bam ! The only way to be sure is to abstain x

[lottie1964 in reply to adele686]

Stay away from Dr. Google, he is the fountain of anxiety !!

Good luck x

[adele686]

does anyone have any experience with their liver affecting other organs as I am now starting to feel pains in my left side, sorry I sound like a complete hypercondriact and hope it is anxiety related. Sorry if I am offending anyone with confirmed liver disease but I know my habits and waiting for a diagnosis so I can try to make myself well again x

[Lilacfi161 in reply to adele686]

I had Sepsis last year and was in hospital for 6 weeks, it made my liver and spleen sweel horribly, came out the other side, finally getting energy back, really can't wait until i feel capable of going out for a run xxx

[mrsmerlin in reply to adele686]

If you have advanced liver disease and start getting pains in the left I would phone your specialists secretary and ask them to pass on a note,

It can be nothing but it can also be your spleen,

It's better to check every symptom than miss one that needs treating,

Hope it's totally innocent

Rita

Xx

[lottie1964 in reply to adele686]

I had an enlarged spleen and it was awful ! never felt pain like it but with the proper meds (in hospital ) and a fluid drain which removed 10 litres I felt much better just in a few days

it is natural to feel anxious and associate every pain with your liver, we are only human after all

try not to worry too much, I know from experience that seems impossible at times, I used to be overwhelmed with anxiety but it is very self destructive and you CAN and WILL get a grip on things, if I can you can

Very important to stay away from Dr. Google, he was often a welcome guest in my life but is now BANNED

All the best xx

[AyrshireK]

Hi Adele, I know you are scared and are suffering anxiety and every niggle is going to make you think the worst but you do need to try and keep calm as you await results. Have you had an ultrasound scan? If bloods come back in the normal range again and yet you are feeling these symptoms I would request a scan just to ensure your liver and other organs are ok. Left sided pain when you have liver problems can indicate enlargement of the spleen, you are also in the withdrawal stage from alcohol so that can have knock on effects in your stomach (which is centre / left of your body) plus other abdominal organs can become inflamed with high alcohol intake. None of us are doctors and don't have you or your medical notes in front of us so all we can do is make random suggestions. We have to leave the diagnosis bit to our medical teams.

I wish you well and hope you get your results and some answers very soon.

Katie

[adele686 in reply to AyrshireK]

thanks for the reply, I think some suport is what I needed x

[briccolone in reply to adele686]

You've probably got liver inflammation which can effect the left side could be mild alcoholic hepatitis which gets worse before it gets better often. You'll probably find these symptoms lessen after a few weeks.

[toma123]

If you have a pain in your right shoulder it could also be gall bladder problems you are in the right age group for that.

[Roy1955]

I kept saying I was ok because the blood tests were not too bad or dropped down if I gave up for a couple of weeks.

I also had the pain you describe and it was my liver swelling with fat, with average luck that's reversable, but I ignored it.

Now I have cirrhosis, probably so will you if you continue drinking.

[lottie1964 in reply to Roy1955]

Alcohol bad, living good, we all know a fire will burn us right ? I also don't miss the mornings after, rows with friends and family I didn't remember and the general feeling of crappiness x

[adele686 in reply to lottie1964]

hi there, reading your posts do sound very similar your right I don't miss the mornings and its only now I realise actually how crap they were!! Although still have the habit of 3 stomg coffees before I can do anything. I also have a really bad diet, its shamefull to admit it takes illness to give you a wake up call x

[lottie1964]

described me exactly - STOP DRINKING ! IF I CAN DO IT YOU CAN !!

[adele686]

firstly I want to thank you all for your kind comments and support,even tho I feel like a fraud as I know most of you have serious problems and mine is self inflicted x After reading posts on here I do feel calmer and feel better now I have opened up about it, I am tired of turning down friends because they are going to the pub ect..I know all I can do is wait for test results and stay off the wine which is proving difficult,it is constantly on my mind that the pain seems to be easing if it goes I could drink again!! I KNOW THIS IS STUPID I know I have some damage without the results. I am thinking now maybe I should find a AA group to help. Never thought I would say it but l need to live for my 4yr old daughte didn't think I was an alcoholic but the reality is I am x take care everyone x

[briccolone in reply to adele686]

adele well done you for admitting you've got a problem-one day at a time girl.

If you make the right steps now you should be fine

[lottie1964]

Adele don't be so hard on yourself, we've all been there in some shape or form that is why this site is so good. (and I'm a newbie too)

You're doing great, keep at it , positive mental attitude and all that jazz ...........

Take care x

[adele686]

so I went to the Drs today and it was a locum!! Should be happy as my blods have all come back normal, but I am not happy I am upset. The Dr passed it off as anxiety yes I suffer with it but this pain and symptoms are real, which is feeding my anxiety. I asked for a scan and she said she couldn't do that as my bloods were ok it was up to the other Drs. I have filled in my private form got told it would take 6 to 8 weeks for them to fill it out!!! Wtf.. All I want is to know what is causing this pain, pain I feel even now sat down feeling like someone has a fist pushing from the inside out towards my ribs at the back. I still have not had any alcohol as I know this makes it 10 times worse x

[7265sunlower]

Hi Adele I was a heavy drinker one bottle of wine then. Two then it was cheaper. To buy the box I hit I really bad when my mum died in 2005 from. Lung cancer. I got very ill and turned yellow back pain dull aches in my stomach. You can't turn the clock back. But I have made changes tried a few times to. Give up but the time wasn't. Ready for me but iam off it now though it is a struggle but Adele you can make small changes that will be better. For. You hope. You get sorted out. You have all the support. From these lovely people on this site. Stay strong. X