8 years of daily alcohol use

[Heath316]

Hi all 29 years old started drinking at 21 been drinking 8 to 10 beers a day some more some less some days none I have spider nevus on my face and chest and arms very tender on both sides of ribcage I had pain too but has subsided since I have quit drinking and eating healthy had ct mri and ultrasound all good and 4 blood good tests in a year since all this started my question is could I have serious damage to my liver (cirrhosis)

[AyrshireK]

If you have had the all clear by MRI, CT and Ultrasound scans I think you can be fairly sure you don't have cirrhosis (a cirrhotic liver would definitely have shown up on the more advanced scans MRI/CT - my hubbies was/is seen on ultrasound). Four sets of normal bloods too sounds like good news. It's highly likely that as your symptoms have subsided since you stopped drinking you may have had some symptoms of alcohol related hepatitis which probably accounted for the pain you were suffering.

It would be wise to continue with your sobriety as your liver was obviously unhappy with the levels of toxin you were asking it to cope with. Have a look at the British Liver Trust page on Alcohol and the liver for further information - britishlivertrust.org.uk/li...

You are young and have a chance to turn any potential damage round so don't take the all clear as a signal to resume - you're liver and probably your other abdominal organs weren't happy with the drinking and were letting you know. Take it as a warning of what could happen and look after yourself & your liver a lot better.

Katie

[Heath316 in reply to AyrshireK]

Thank you sure boosts my confidence and I plan on being sober for the rest of my life this has truly scared the crap out of me I am living a healthier lifestyle and will continue to do so if you don't mind me asking how did your husband get it and how is he doing

[AyrshireK in reply to Heath316]

My hubby has auto-immune cirrhosis (t-total for life, formerly very, very fit and active). Diagnosed completely out of the blue (April 2012) after throwing up blood one night - looking back he had some earlier symptoms but doctors wrote them off as stress and anxiety related as he was caring for his dad with dementia at the time. He is exhausted a lot of the time, has sleep disturbance, has had 42 varices in his oesophagus banded, also had aneurysms in his splenic artery due to portal hypertension as well as damage to his stomach lining. He has symptoms of hepatic encephalopathy (memory, concentration and other issues), no libido, generally slow at processing stuff/doing stuff. No longer drives, works and can no longer do the long walks that were so much part of his life. He was listed for transplant in 2014 but delisted after 10 months because his bloods stablised thereby taking him out of the criteria for transplant but his life as he wished to live it has been completely devastated by this condition.

Trust me if it is within your power to prevent yourself getting this hellish condition, grab the opportunity. Take the warning and live life to the full but without the booze. Look after you liver with regards to food, exercise and more. More general looking after your liver information available at the BLT site too. britishlivertrust.org.uk/li...

Wishing you the very best for the future.

Katie

[Heath316 in reply to AyrshireK]

I'm sorry to hear that glad to hear he is off the transplant list wish him the best and I will be taken great care of myself to turn my life around thank you for the information and support very appreciative

[toma123 in reply to AyrshireK]

I am am sorry to hear about your husband it must be very frightening for both of you and I am glad that he has stabilized. This is an awful illness if people knew how bad it was they wouldn't drink like they do.