Hello,
I am a 57yr old female, who has worried about my liver health for years, and sporadically sought the attention of my GP. I am an ex Nurse, and as the old saying goes, a little knowledge can be a dangerous thing - especially true for us because we tend to think every slightest ache or pain will see us gone within a matter of days. So a "health anxiety" I think would be fair to call it, is (and has been for years) a contributing factor.
Always enjoyed alcohol. Have never had a drink during the day other than holidays and high days, but have drank at evenings for years. Always wine. Occasionally a spirit and tonic. But (knowingly and disregarding at the same time) more than I should. Not every day - have worked shifts for a significant period of my life, and have never been somebody (unlike some ex colleagues) who has needed to come in and have a drink after a bad night before I go to bed at 9am!
My beloved mother died 2 years ago, I spent years of my life looking after her as best I could, running back and forth between towns, and being with her until her death. I drank heavily after she died. Not for long, because there was lots to do, but for a couple of months there were maybe 3 days a week I would drink very heavily.
Since finishing work, worked for 15 months in pub 4 nights, then 3, then 2....but those days were alcohol free. I have also had several episodes of abstinence.....couple of months, 7 weeks, 4 weeks several times, currently on 3 weeks.
First raised discomfort right side upper quadrant ;to my GP in 2008, terrified. LFTs were raised - he said not significantly so, but enough to indicate I had been drinking. USS showed fatty liver. Had gastroscope NAD. GP wasn't concerned. I stayed off wine for some time, but then....Christmas, or a bad day or a milestone in something else so needed a reward.....and it all began again. I had a further USS 3 years ago showed some echogenicity. GP wasn't concerned. I also had a CT thorax and abdomen with contrast because I developed some other issues on the left side including vile diarrhoea immediately after eating. The message from the surgery was everything was fine. So my GP has put issues of discomfort that I raise with him as IBS / Diverticular disease / Fibromyalgia.
I developed a bit of a twinge about 5 weeks ago, ignored it although wasn't drinking every day. 30th September decided to stop drinking for October, but over this period of time my discomfort has worsened. My issues currently at the moment:
Deep discomfort at the bra line to my back, literally against the spinal column where the bra would fasten feels sometimes like a dull ache, or an itch, I sometimes have to stick a pencil down or find a door corner to scratch it - occasionally it feels like a hot rod is being stuck through it, I can't get any comfort, but this tends to be more in the evening. Sometimes it just feels like a stiffness.
Discomfort at ride side in line with armpit, and around to sternum, just a dull twinging ache. That same area sometimes feels warm to touch. If I push into that side I sometimes hear / feel a popping sensation like a big bubble gurgling and moving around, but just get a generalised discomfort through the cavity only when I press.
Nausea and some dizziness (both new) and a funny taste to mouth. The nausea and dizziness make me feel totally off kilter. The dizziness sometimes (this sounds bizarre) makes my face feel strange and up my nose feels tingly.
Burping and trumping (sorry). The former quite frequently the latter far more than normal but not like hourly lol!
Hot flushes - about 4 a day. I went through menopause 10yrs ago, flew through it with no side effects, no flushes, no medication. But past couple of days I have just suddenly felt hot, face burning, only lasts for a minute or 2, then disappears. No night sweats - no sweating at all. Last one was around 4am, woke me, threw the duvet off and hey presto, within a minute or 2, I was back to normal.
General aches down my back right sided, I wondered if this was kidney?? I could literally draw a line right down my middle and everything that I feel would be in the right side.
I don't look jaundiced, but who can tell, as i have read it can be so many different appearances, and I tend to have a slight tan as I just love to sit out in the sun. My urine is a pale lemon colour, stools are normal colour(but as before I have always had some issues).
I am overweight. Am beginning on a low carb journey. But last night for example I got the most awful feeling of bloating around my belly under my bra line, had to take it off to relieve it, but I have lost some weight - only 7lbs in 3 weeks, but I assume this is mainly due to not drinking and beginning my low carb journey whereby last week I cut all added sugars out, this week am cutting wheat.
No swelling to ankles, I have short fat stumpy legs (inherited from my Dad) but definitely have ankles, wrists etc.
I have some broken veins to my face, edge of my nose but again I put this down to menopausal changes......rightly or wrongly.....had lots of hormonal problems when younger, endometriosis, and hirsuitism.
I have tried to make an appointment for my GP but the next is 6th November. My husband just rolls his eyes, here we go again.....and if I state I don't feel well, just asks have you made an appointment yet! Grrrr! I can't tell anybody else - there is only my brother and I, and we are "estranged" more or less, and I don't want any of my friends to judge me.
Sorry this is so long winded. I have spent days reading some of the posts on here, and have had tears in my eyes at your bravery - all of you, whether you have a health problem or are / have been supporting a nearest and dearest through poor health. I am working on being patient and trying to get my self back on track to just doing my normal daily stuff. I try to distract myself as much as possible, but 6th November is a long way away, and I just hoped that by posting my worries, my fears, some of you lovely people may also help to keep me distracted as well as give me any advice as to what I can to improve things.
I haven't taken any analgesia because I am concerned that they would only further punish my liver, but about 7 weeks ago I had a pinched nerve in my neck and the GP gave me Naproxen which I did take for probably the first 10 days until the acute pain subsided. I do take a Nexium sometimes which does help a little.
Thank you for taking the time to read this, that in itself is much appreciated and doesn't make me feel quite so alone. Bless you all xx
Ascites
Worried about liver disease
Could I already be beyond help with my liver problems?
So here I am, sleepless at 2am.
Quitting drinking, am I too late?
