very worried

Hi can anyone give me some advice, I posted about 2 wks ago, my husband is a very heavy drinker. He collapsed in work 6 mths ago and ever since has suffered dizziness. He has been sleeping 90% of the day. He refuses to see dr, I have spoken to dr myself, who says he needs to want to stop drinking, he doesn't. He is now sleeping most of the day, not eaten solid food for 7 days, not drinking anything but lager, today he is very breathless. Any advice would be great, thanks

[Litimag]

Hi Tegan8, your situation sounds really miserable. You know he needs to stop drinking, he knows it too I'm sure..fear of being told to stop is probably one of the reasons he doesn't want to see a Dr.

As for advice, it's very hard to give without sounding preachy. If he is stuck at home sleeping/drinking all day, where is he getting his lager? I'm not suggesting you cut off his supply, that is extremely dangerous, but try to reduce the amount he gets. He needs to see a Dr, however you achieve this is up to you, home visit for his breathing maybe?

Wish you all the best, lots of people here have experience of alcohol issues and will empathise with you.

[AyrshireK]

This is very worrying, the not eating is obviously one serious issue but the breathlessness is a potential sign that things are beginning to go downhill.

Do you know if hubby has ascites (fluid build up in his tummy) as this can restrict the movement of the diaphragm and squish the lungs causing difficulty with breathing - there can also be issues in late stage liver disease with hepato pulmonary syndrome which is potentially life threatening.

Sleeping for such long periods could be as a result of his lack of food but also he is likely to be suffering from extreme toxin build up and could potentially slip into a coma.

His condition is very serious although you are stuck between a rock and a hard place - will he go to hospital via A&E (ambulance)? It's sounding like he is reaching this necessity. If he is reluctant to go to hospital or to his GP's he is only going to get more and more seriously poorly.

I don't know what else to say really, if he shows sign of unconciousness I wouldn't hesitate to call 999 - he really does need to tackle this problem or very sadly you will be saying goodbye to him.

Thoughts with you, Katie x

[kurtymac]

Nobody can say for sure what is going on with him without proper tests. With that being said, he is exhibiting signs of advanced liver disease i.e cirrhosis. Again, this may not be the case, but he needs to stop drinking now. He needs to get to a doctor ASAP to be evaluated, don't wait for a major bleed out to be the determining factor of what is going on.

[matt137]

It's not an easy situation to overcome when you've been drinking for so long. It's almost used as a crutch to help you through, even when you know yourself that something serious is going on. He needs to be told that it's not too late to give up. And giving up will improve his health and make him improve for sure. When an alcoholic feels it's too late, he will drink more. I know I've been there. Give him hope and please ask him to stop for your own sake. All the best wishes.

[Geffy22]

Im so sorry to read your post, its so horrible for the partner watching their loved one go downhill, not listening to anyone.

Ive suggested it before, but if you buy the alcohol, can you buy lower alcohol substitutes?

Your hubby has time to recover if he stops consuming alcohol. If you can talk to him about the future, what it could be what he wanted to do when you both retire etc.

As everyones said, he needs medical attention. I find that docs treat alcoholics very different to other people dependent on substances, but ask the gp to visit - if theyre reluctant feel free to say if he was a junky he'd get help, that normally wakes them up because they realise theyre being unfair.

Dying due to liver disease is horrid - you lose your life blood through your digestive system. Its also painful so morphine and other similar drugs are used.

I hope he comes round and starts to accept help. There is far too much negative stigma on alcohol abuse, it really needs to stop. People who become dependent on alcohol are trapped, just like those dependent on heroine or cocaine.

Good luck x

[cazer]

i completely agree with ayrshriek... its sounding very serious.

before my transplant 3months ago I was sleeping large amounts of the day... as the liver is not working well enough to give you enough energy to keep awake.

please try and get him to see how serious it is... especially the breathing... sounds like it could be fluid.... he desperately needs to see doc.

if in doubt call ambulance. good luck cazer.

[Hidden]

thanks for the replies, he was taken to hospital this morning, he has liver failure

[RHGB in reply to Hidden]

Please keep us updated and you might have seen my thread on 'what does liver failure mean?', and I'm still here three years later.

It is somewhat perverse, that the NHS will not do anything to help someone that has an alcohol addiction, but when someone gets to the stage that they are physically really unwell, they are duty bound to swing into action and treat his physical condition and try to make him better.

Then they will then just discharge him, knowing that all they have done is put a plaster on the problem.

[Steven57uk in reply to Hidden]

Oh shit.dunnonwhat to say but hope he,s ok

I was diagnosed with cirrhosis last year.

Liver functions went back to normal.

I am drinking because I'm scared.

Had test 2 weeks ago.yjey said no action needed.your husband will be ok.just keep an eye on him.

[GeorgeDav]

Thinking of you and yours stay strong❤

[Hidden]

Hi Tegan8,

We are very sorry to hear that your husband is so ill.

Sending you warm wishes,

Team BLT