Possibly ascites but no other signs of liver problems. Drank quite a bit for years. Blood tests and ultrasound fine. What’s going on????

Hi. Yes a Yankee from New Jersey. To answer the first questions 1. Exit 2. 2 No. I’m not in the Mafia.

After regular drinking from 19-48 years old (last 2 years was a large bottle of wine almost every night).

So suddenly one day, my belly gets very bloated including a herniated belly button. I quit drinking instantly about 7 months ago. Lucky me: no withdrawals or side effects. In fact, I only miss drinking at social gatherings.

Anyway, blood test for everything: liver, enzymes, kidneys, .... even an ultrasound which said I have some fatty tissue. Did I mention that I’ve always had a horrible diet?

So all tests rated good (enzymes a little high.)

Not satisfied with the stomach bloating absence of answer including years of drinking, , going for a cat scan

Here’s where I’m looking for an opinion: what could this be? I have no other obvious signs of liver problems (jaundice, itching, spider veins, pain, urine/feces issues,...) But I’m scared as hell!!! My belly is very bloated plus the umbilical hernia. Do I have cirrhosis? Am I gonna die before I’m 50? The good news is that apparently I’m not addicted to alcohol and am fine without it

Sorry so long. Please some opinions

Thanks

[Hidden]

Chronic alcoholic liver disease (ALD) normally doesn't pop enzymes to the sky, but some clues can be found in the ratio of ALT to AST. A "De Ritis" inversion, where AST floats substantially over ALT is a common finding with ALD. When this occurs with drinking and resolves swiftly during recovery, this is a good sign. A persistent inversion would be worrying.

GGT isn't included in normal labs, but this (GGT) is also a good red flag for ALD. It typically spikes high with advanced alcoholic disease and is the last to normalize during recovery. When GGT is still double or more normal several months into recovery, this can flag problems. It's a dirt cheap test, & your doc shouldn't mind adding this to your next lab order, but you have to ask for it.

Most X-Drinkers do remarkably well, even with advanced disease provided they can keep clean. Not longing for a return to alcohol is a great indicator of future health!

Godspeed, & hope you get good grades with the CT.

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

I presume when you say GGT test, you’re referring to that ratio. I get this blood test yearly as required by my insurance company. The last one I saved was 10 years ago showed ALT 65 and AST 47. I know for the last 2 years been drinking a bottle of wine almost nightly and then stopped cold turkey 7 months ago. If those #’s were bad on my last test, I’m sure doc would’ve told me.

Thanks.

[briccolone in reply to Hidden]

Hi -good advice from metanoia - I had been drinking similar to you but for far longer. Ggt is not the ratio - it’s a separate enzyme and typically high with drinkers. Get that checked. Mines been in the high hundreds due to fatty liver.

[Hidden]

Hi, for me, the worst part is i had no pains or symptoms- but when I found I had cirrosis, I was throwing blood and almost loosing consciousness.

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

That sounds horrible! I’m just wondering if my “ascites?” Is a result of cirrhosis.

[AyrshireK]

Did your ultrasound identify that this bloating was free fluid i.e. ascites? If the ultrasound didn't identify this as a fluid build up then it isn't ascites and you do perhaps need further investigation. Cirrhosis patients usually get 6 monthly scans one of the purposes of which is to look for ascites.

Ultrasound will normally identify cirrhosis as it alters the shape and echo texture of your liver and can usually be seen on u/s.

Hopefully your CAT scan will shed more light on the issue.

Katie

[Hidden in reply to AyrshireK]

For the ultrasound, the doc just said “ check the liver.” I don’t know if the girl was checking for fluids (sounds like not) but said liver looks good but a little fatty.

[L444 in reply to Hidden]

She was checking for abnormal growths the size and shape of the liver and spleen have you had glucose checked ie poor diet

[Hidden]

Thanks for all the advice. I’ve had this “bloating” where I’ve had to change my shirts fro XL to XXL. But it’s been months and the bloating hasn’t seemed to increase. And yes, I thank God that I’ve never become addicted to alcohol. I’ve old drunk out of habit. You know, come home from work, turn up the heat, turn on the TV, and drink a bottle or more of wine. I must have a high tolerance as well because I wouldn’t get drunk nor have a hangover. Wish me luck with this CAT scan!!!

[Dldtx]

Yep, hell you sure worry a lot for dang Yankee , look stop hunting for what’s not there. If your test are all ok then so are you. You know dam well you need to stop the drinking & smoking already and stay Away from the table. Get you a new track suit some tennis shoes go for walk and try it a few blocks without stopping for any fried dough food or those pan rabbits ,zeppole things . Sounds like you need a good cleaning out of your gut and intestines and take a break on the sweets (eats & drinks) and spaghetti an sauce & balls . You must have seen a gastroenterologist, you better worry about your heart. I guess you have checked to see which medication you may be taking that adds weight ? Your fine just don’t eat anything that you like or tastes good for several weeks , find a dietitian they can lead you on better trail as to what to eat how much and when. Get over it al ready huh !! Seriously a distended stomach is a term usually used to refer to distension or swelling of the abdomen and not of the stomach itself. Where Symptoms of a Bloated Stomach. Having a bloated stomach is different from gaining actual fat mass around your stomach, since bloating is temporary and mostly caused by air becoming stuck around your abdomen, making it distend outward. ... Luckily, in some cases, stomach bloating isn't anything to be alarmed about, you need to swallow if it is bloated that’s easy get you some lactulose . If it’s distended there is all kinds of could be.

medicinenet.com/abdominal_p...

Good luck

🤠DLD TX 🦂

[Hidden in reply to Dldtx]

Hope you’re right!

[L444]

Hey Mattblue I’m originally from long island and have family in NJ LOL .

Have you been checked for hep c ? See if you can get a fibro scan it is a good indicator of liver damage. Look at your palms are they red? It sounds like you have done the right thing by cutting alcohol. The gastro or hepatologist should be able to sort things out good luck let us know how it goes

[L444]

Oh and sounds like you need a surgical referral for that hernia ASAP

[Hidden in reply to L444]

Thanks. I worked in LI for years but now live in South Jersey. Doc said blood test said no Hep. I do now have a small set of bruises that appeared on my arm. Symptom of liver damage ( could be something else). Palms aren’t red. No “spider veins.”

[Souppie]

Hello,

Nice to find another person from jersey!

I would listen to what the doctors are telling you, your ultrasound is okay, your blood seems okay. You are going to have cat scan, see what that says. Stop stressing, you are not going to die from your liver by the time your 50!! lol, lol.

My belly is very big, i have enlarged spleen and liver. My blood work showed my LFT's were not good, my WBC's are 1.8, my platelets steadily dropping 8 to 10 points every 2 to 3 months since June. I have ASMA ( antibodies) in my blood so 4 doctors all think it's auto-immune hepatitis. I just had my biopsy last Thursday, after tormenting myself with all the things that would go wrong with the biopsy. Nothing went wrong, it was nothing.

Sooo, don't worry and drive yourself crazy. Go to the doctor if you are not well, pursue the bloating but the ultrasound would show fluid, and the BW work show problems with the liver.

Karen

[Hidden in reply to Souppie]

Ha! What exit? I’m glad to hear you’re ok. First off, since I stopped drinking 7 months ago, the blood work could look perfect and the ultrasound came back fine about the liver. At the time, ascites (fluid from cirrhosis) and bloating weren’t even brought up. This morning, tiny bruises appeared on my arm for no reason (one cause can be damaged liver) Now really nervous!