Significant echogenic liver

[Dazza85]

Hi I've just had my ultrasound again as I'm daily drinking 5 years now trying to reduce my ultrasound says everything fine accept significant echogenic liver which I'm guessing is very fatty as why I get liver pains. I drink 5 lagers a day desperate to stop but so hard need inpatient detox but hard to get one

[Hidden]

Fatty liver is a fairly universal finding in daily heavy drinkers, and not particularly ominous on its own. Many live with this for many years without developing advanced disease, but a fatty alcoholic liver can turn on you without much rhyme or reason.

Liver enzymes (ALT/AST) are a good indicator of acute/current inflammation. Drinking may elevate these enzymes slightly, but if you start to see them double or more normal, this is a sign of a very angry liver.

If the AST enzyme starts floating substantially over (higher than) the ALT enzyme, this can indicate progression from alcoholic fatty liver to more advanced alcoholic disease.

Hope you get into treatment soon.

[Hidden]

Hi Dazza85,

Wishing you the best. I know quitting is very hard, but keep trying.

I think this site has some very good information on things so maybe you can find some suggestions on this site.

Mary

[Dazza85 in reply to Hidden]

Thank you Mary

[Kev12564]

Hi Dazza85, for a few years I drank 4 x 440ml cans of Kronenbourg 1664 a day, fairly strong stuff (5%) so that’s 8.8 units a day, 61.6 a week which is like playing Russian Roulette with 5 bullets loaded. I knew I’d end up with a serious illness drinking that amount. But I’m human. It tasted great, made me feel good and I didn’t really have hangovers. Not hard to see why anyone gets addicted. Yes, it’s hard to stop. I found it impossible to cut down. I’d always go back to my 4 cans a day. However, once I did stop and not try and be a moderate drinker (was never going to happen), quitting was amazingly easy. I only had a mild fatty liver, but I was very worried about the future effects of drinking and leaving my wife behind, what a terrible thing to do to a loved one. So don’t beat yourself up for drinking. You’re human, alcohol tastes great and you’re addicted. But it’s time to quit for good. See your GP. They will help and be happy to do so. Good luck and let us know how you get on.🙂

[Dazza85 in reply to Kev12564]

Thank you coconutwater i have cut down now to just 4 cans daily can't wait to be alcohol free 5 years drinking really messed my mental health as well as physical health

[Kev12564]

Hi Dazza, cutting down to 4 cans is a start. You’re now drinking the same as I was. Whilst it’s far too much - apart from the massive health risk, that’s about 1000 calories so you must be putting on weight - it’s not such a huge amount that you couldn’t quit reasonably easily. I think you know that quitting is the only option and that cutting down isn’t. You’re not afraid to go for ultrasound tests, so why not make an appointment with your GP to say you want to quit. He/she will help and won’t judge. Believe me, you will feel way better soon if you see your GP.