So, I finally had enough of getting blotto in February 2017 and kicked the habit.(So successfully that I’ve actually develop a pathological hatred of alcohol).I was pretty much a heavy daily drinker for 15 years.I finally bit the bullet this July and went to my doctor for a blood test. I laid my drinking history on the table so that I’d get everything done correctly.To my surprise my tests came back, in my doctors words..”absolutely perfect”. Blood pressure is also slap bang in the middle of normal and I’ve no visible symptoms of ARLD as far as either of us can tell...However due to the shear amount of drinking I did during “my career” propping up bars we decided that an ultrasound would be a good idea just to make sure there was nothing hiding in there waiting to spring a nasty surprise. I’m 40 years of age, very active since I quit (jog 10k a day five days a week religiously) and I eat clean...Still though I’m worried/scared. I know nobody can give medical advice but in there experience has anyone come across someone having cirrhosis/late stake liver disease with clear bloods and no symptoms?
Normal blood tests...Waiting on result... - British Liver Trust
Normal blood tests...Waiting on results of ultrasound...Scared...
If I were you I would not be worrying. Enjoy your new found zest for life and all the good you are now doing for your mind and body. Keep it up and give yourself a bloody good pat on the back .. you deserve it xx
Thanks for your reply. I’ve read a lot of posts from a lot of people here who are in a way worse position than I am and I feel terrible for being such a coward while they’re facing their issues like champs...especially when any damage I’ve done is probably self inflicted. My main concern is that I left so long between quitting and getting tested that the liver may be scarred to heck but still functioning enough to fool a blood test.
Hi Phannig
Quite a number of us here are here (!) because of self inflicted liver problems through too much Vimto. Including me! 😁 Try not to beat yourself up because of that, we won’t judge you on your youthful exploits😁. I was drinker for 50 years before it said “Gotcha”!
Miles
🇧🇧
I don’t think you have anything to be worried about m8; I’m same age and prob same drinking history and my doc ordered full liver function and pancreas blood tests and all perfect
It is possible to have excellent blood test results and still have liver disease. There is a fairly new blood test you can have and this is called an ELF Test with markers. This will show up possible fatty liver or even fibrosis. This test is now considered far more reliable than the Liver Function test and even a fibroscan. Like I've said, this test is fairly new and is slowly being roled outaround the country and is already available by a lot of different Healthcare Trusts. Not all trust have this in their arsenal as yet.
The fact that your here asking these questions is a really good thing, as it shows just how concerned you are. The liver is a very tolerant and forgiving organ. It puts up with a lot of abuse and even forgives you by repairing the damage you may have caused. However, it will only put up with so much before it begins to becomes too damaged and nolonger able to do these repairs. Even then it can't tell when harm is being done, as it doesn't have any pain receptors.
People drink alcohol for various reasons, some have even forgotten why they drink in the first place, and it just becomes a daily habbit. In your case Phannig, it seems like you are just a social drinker, who has developed a drinking routine. On my website I have included a video where different people have developed liver disease through various lifestyle habbits. You may find Mary's story on the video "Scarred Liver" of particualr interest. I would recommend watching this video in full screen mode.
I hope some of this helps: taep.co.uk/stages%20of%20li...
Good Luck with the ultrasound, please let us know how you get on please.
Best Wishes
Richard
Oh unfortunately I was way more than a social drinker...I was always a heavy drinker but at the end I was drinking 10 pints a day plus and maybe getting a half bottle of vodka for afters at home...I’d lost most of my friends and nearly my family too...Granted I was only doing that for about 2 and a half years but it’s still an insane amount of booze...While I finally quit last year I had cut back to once a week since 2013 but I was fooling myself and still finishing about a bottle of vodka on that one day to make up for it...Then one day I’d bought 8 cans of cider, drink about 3 and going to the bathroom literally caught sight of myself in the mirror and just felt ashamed at what I’d become and what I was doing..I poured the rest down the sink and haven’t looked back once.. Then last July after lurking here and on other sites I decided to open Pandora’s box and get checked out properly...
That’s what I mean. Some people saying having normal blood test means you still might have bad liver damage. Well what about I had a abdominal/pelvis ct scan with contrast. It came back saying liver appears normal. What does that mean.
Thanks for the replies guys..I’ll just have to wait it out I guess but at least the bloods were good and I’m not doing any further damage I suppose
Hi Phannig. Brilliant that you've developed a hatred of alcohol and well done for changing your lifestyle. I also was a heavy drinker for about 25 years and always had raised blood readings so I was eventually sent for an ultrasound. Results came back as slightly fatter liver but subsequent LFT results have come back as 'significant improvement to other blood liver markers'. I stopped drinking in July 2018 as well and I worried myself sick waiting for the results as my Consultant had gone on holiday so I had to wait even longer!!
Anyway, it sounds to me, as the others have said, that you have very little to worry about - (easier said than done I know) so carry on alcohol free and congratulate yourself every waking moment for what you have achieved.
All the best
Humpty xxx
Thanks for the kind words... It’s the not knowing that’s the killer here. I’ll tell you something though..if it comes back as OK they’ll hear the shout of relief in Belgium....😂
I'll be listening for your roar in the UK!! Good luck and let us all know how you get on.
All the best
Humpty xxx
Hear me roar baby..hear me roar...Ultrasounds back clear..well a little fatty liver so I’ve to lose weight and bloods back clear...I swear to all the gods I’ve never believed in I’m never going through that again...I’m done putting poison into me...Thanks to everyone who replied and take care of yourselves...get better and live life to the fullest...and don’t take this the wrong way or anything but I sincerely hope never to have to use this site ever again...PS...I’m an organ doner now so when my time eventually does come I hope I can do some future visitors here a bit of a favour...Adios for now boys and girls...
I had abdominal/ct scan with contrast it said liver appears normal. Does that mean no cirrhosis. Can’t get any answers on here people are saying normal blood work but you could still have bad liver damage. So normal ct means bad liver damage also. Doesn’t make sense to me.
Only your doctor could really tell you but my guy seems fairly confident that in my case as bloods and ultrasound came back as normal it’s very probably OK. Nothing’s an absolute certainty bar cutting into you and having an actual look around. If your worried that your doc missed something ask for another opinion to be sure. Just tell your current guy that it’s nothing personal just that you’re worried and it would put your mind at rest. Yes I could still have cirrhosis at a very early undetectable stage despite good bloods and ultrasound I suppose, I’m not going to dwell on some remote possibility...what I am going to do is make sure I don’t do anything to make anything I might have any worse and hopefully I’ll die of old age before it becomes a problem...
I can hear your roar!! Fantastic news Phannig - isn't the relief of not having to wait anymore for the results just such a brilliant feeling? I must of read and re-read my consultant's letter at least 60 times I was so happy. You are right the waiting alone is such an anxious time and I too wouldn't want to go through that again. So now my friend, keep up the good work of no alcohol and rejoice in the fact that your life will now go steadily onwards and upwards.
Wonderful too that you have become an organ donor.
Well done and wishing you all the best for the future.
Humpty xxx
Fine blood tests and ultrasound elastography after heavy alcohol abuse - am I safe then?
HIGH GGT A D NORMAL ULTRASOUND 
Improved Blood Tests?
Just waiting for results
Blood Tests
