Please ignore as letting off steam...!

[Owlie]

AAAAARGH!!!!!! I was doing so well and now feel a complete failure one rather big row with other half the day before Christmas Eve, a buffet at a relatives who has ignored us for 20 years and pressured to eat so as to not offend and am now 3lbs heavier than I was at Christmas Eve.

New blood test in a weeks time and consultant appointment the week after. Very worried as my ultrasound 1 week ago showed my liver had returned to a normal size, and wondering if it has swollen up again.

I didn’t eat badly, small portions and no carbs but a treat was a small portion of Christmas pud with cream on Christmas Day and a homemade mince pie. Buffet at relatives I had grilled salmon but had to eat trifle, host got offended when I said no, and since then I have had 4 mince pies and done little exercise as I pulled my back and knee somehow.

I feel like A complete failure and am terrified my liver will now suddenly be as bad as it was when I had my first blood test. I was doing so well and now I just want to eat everything, crisps, fat, processed food, everything bad - I haven’t...yet it has stressed me out so much. I cannot believe I was so stupid when I was doing so well.

Terrified my blood results won’t show the improvement they did last time, you stupid stupid person!!!!

I am so sorry if you have read this, I just needed to vent and no one to vent to 😭😭😢

Owlie

feel a complete failure

[julieju]

Hiya. Try not 2feel bad. I gave up alcohol in October & have substituted the booze with ice cream, biscuits & now mince pies & Christmas cake & After Eights. I have liver Cirrhosis partly due to a blood disease and alcohol. Am seeing the Gastro/Hepatology today at 10am! I know I've put some flab on! You will calm down with your eating habits hopefully.

[Hidden in reply to julieju]

Hey julieju if you dont mind me asking what is/was the blood disease and how did they find it? I ask as my docs are still in the works of trying to figure out if there was/is a coincinding disease to my liver problems.

[julieju in reply to Hidden]

Hi. I have GH (Genetic Haemochromatosis) which is an hereditary condition where too much iron is produced. If the iron isn't removed then the body stores excess iron in aĺl the major organs. I found out by having a lot of blood tests after a routine blood test showed that my red cells were enlarged. There isn't a medication for treatment & so it means regular removal of blood to deplete the iron stores. There are quite varied symptoms.

[Hidden in reply to julieju]

I have been checked for heamochromatosis but found negative. Been trying to sort out why my spleen is 24cm long. They still are at a loss for that as cirrhosis doesnt cause massive splenomegaly pretty much almost ever.

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

The hematologist was thinking auto immune or myleoproliferative or lymphoma but I have to talk with them in January.

[julieju in reply to Hidden]

Gosh..... never had my spleen measured!

[Owlie in reply to julieju]

Hi, thank you for the reply...well done on giving up alcohol!!

[AndrewT]

Dear Owlie,

I don't know you, have never 'Spoken' to you before but....Please just read, your own Post back, bearing in mind that you ARE Human. I'm sure that your Blood Results, will be 'Fine'- nowhere near as bad as you fear- and you ARE doing Well! If you can't/ don't 'Overindulge', at Christmas, then you ARE a Robot....for Heaven's sake. Yes, you may well, have 'Put On' a couple of pounds....However I sincerely doubt, your Doctors/ Consultants, will Shoot/ Kill you for it!

I can't 'Talk' specifically about YOU but, generally speaking, the Liver can Self Heal. it is indeed the Only 'Internal' organ to possess this quality. (Please forgive me, if I have unwittingly said 'something' offensive here. I assure you that I intended no offence)

I, really do, understand your fears Owlie but, I doubt, you have done Lasting harm.

Have a Happy New year 2019 (maybe a new 'Start'?) Warmest Wishes

AndrewT

[Owlie in reply to AndrewT]

Dear Andrew,

Thank you so much for taking the time to reply, I really appreciate it! Rest assured you have not caused any offence...sometimes I just need to vent and last night was one of those times. I haven’t really overeaten... just a small treat and a couple or 4 of mince pies. It was just a shock to thes system as I have consistently lost 1-2 lb a week and still expected to do over Christmas. Unfortunately not being able to exercise didn’t help and mince pies are clearly the food from hell for calorific content!! Back to working out again today...subject to back holding up and healthy diet. I’m still at the stage where I don’t know anything about my liver yet apart from it has fat in it which doesn’t help!

Thanking you again for taking the time to write such kind words,

Happy New Year to you!

Owlie

[Hidden in reply to Owlie]

Hi

I think the majority of people will have eaten a little more over the Christmas period so please don't beat yourself up about it!! Hope 2019 is a good year for everyone

Love and hugs Lynne xxxx

[Radnor in reply to AndrewT]

Robot lol. In my case its being one determined cow, I took it as a challenge when told to eat low carb! Its still possible to reduce liver fat even when diagnosed stage 1 cirrhosis. If I had been given this advise instead of just lose weight my fatty liver may have been sorted and in 3 years not jumped to cirrhosis. Like alcohol addiction I see it as one day at a time. plus not buying naughty stuff, I can't eat what is not there lol Hazel

[Julie8]

Hi Owlie, if you don’t want to eat at someone’s house, telling them you’re diabetic is a good one, cause they understand that and not always what liver disease means. I am diabetic and as soon as I say, they leave me alone. Works with alcohol as well. There’s no loyalty here, other than to yourself.

[Owlie in reply to Julie8]

Thanks Julie, I will do that! Happy New Year!

[Radnor]

Ease up on yourself Owlie. I thought before I read you post maybe you necked a bottle of vodka !!! With friends like that who needs enemies! I went to 2 family gatherings but only my closest family. Not one of them tried to torment me re food. I felt the Consultant threw down a gauntlet about me losing weight, I had already lost 2 stone but didnt watch carbs. My son in law ensured I had a ton of green veg and roast beef on Christmas day. I look a picture of health so people who dont know me can't grasp all is not well inside. My bloods also come back normal, so cirrhosis is another hidden disease on the list for many. Food is also addictive for some of us, my solution is to ban the bad stuff from my home. I suppose I'm fortunate that I live on my own, not so simple when you are with someone or have family at home. next time you find your in this position be blunt, ask do they really not like you? Do they wish to kill you off with kindness. Or just refuse to go. We cant please everyone, if it annoys someone tough! Get back in the saddle and get back to no carbs. Cream in your coffee real butter and some belly pork. I am struggling to eat enough, cheese omelettes are quick and well low carb . I had already reduced my appetite on my way of eating, so finding eating more difficult. We are in a New Year so put this behind you and get to banning carbs again. If the hostess who put pressure on you is overweight, share your knowledge of low carbs, How kind that would be for her lol.

[AndrewT in reply to Radnor]

Dear Hazel,

What a 'Lovely', and well balanced, reply. I'm sure, that you, have Reassured Owlie, with your thoughtful words. Please, do read, my 'Post' above as I too have offered 'Words', of reassurance.

Happy New Year Hazel

AndrewT

[Radnor in reply to AndrewT]

Hi Andrew

i had read it and it made me laugh when you said about being a Robot,I have now liked in case I had missed off when i read it. I'm a Northener, so we tend to have a caustic humour at times. I said I wasnt getting weighed until I go back to Liver Centre on 23/1. I realised I didnt know if the diet was working . Oh boy is it. A stone gone in 3 weeks! I know first week is a lot of fluid, but not 14lb's worth. If anything I'm struggling to eat enough!

Wishing you a happy and healthy 2019

Hazelx

[Owlie in reply to Radnor]

Thank you for taking the time to reply...Idon’t drink alcohol because I don’t like it. I have lost nearly 2.5 stone now since September so hopefully back on track. Happy New Year!

[Radnor]

I dont drink either, in fact after a virus I couldnt even tolerate the smell, a glass of red wine a metre away made me feel yuk lol. Other addictions are also difficult to beat, I love food and had to work hard at not comfort eating. Now I have got a hold on my sugar addiction, At the moment Im on avoidance, , hopefully will be able to dine out soon and resist those carbs totally. I feel like the hostess with the leastest, my granddaughter is staying over tomorrow. She is just 15, 5'9'' tall and a slender 8 to 10. She is super fit, loves sports and plays full contact rugby!!! I have tons of veg and meats in, but her Mum will send the naughty stuff lol. We are both back on solid ground now, so come summer we will both need new clothes.? I'd love to fit in the dress I wore for my 21st, its a stunning full length dress and a timeless style. Our health is no 1 but I suppose being slim is an added bonus x