Just introducing myself, a little worried

[Szeth]

Hey ladies and gents, been lurking around these forums relentlessly for around a month now so ive decided it's time to come out of the woodwork. Guess I'll start with the easy stuff. Im a 30 year old male from Ireland, recovering alchoholic as of the 3rd of September and im deeply terrified of the consequences of my drinking. Ill not go into details about amounts or anything, let's just say it was enough to have me worried alongside my symptoms. I should also mention that I have extreme anxiety, have done for many years, and I guess I now have health anxiety yay! This is 24/7, it's consuming me.

So when I stopped drinking my LFTs were obviously pretty poor, now they're normal or 'within satisfactory range'. I actually felt pretty great for about two weeks after I quit drinking then odd stuff began to happen. On and off RUQ pain (actually my whole abdomen is a little painful every now and again), I had pale-ish brown stools for a while which have now just turned to either yellowish/light brown/green (the green is when im eating veggies, I've completely overhauled my diet since the new year), I had one solitary bout of lower limb itching at night about three weeks or a month after I quit drinking, some little spider veins on my rib cage which my GP said a decent amount of ex drinkers have these it's more common than you think, my palms were red sometimes but now they're pretty much normal and change mostly due to temperature (they're not red now for instance), a little gassy sometimes. These last three symptoms im not 100% sure about because they could be attributed to my extreme anxiety (my gp seems to think so) but ill list them anyway: Slight loss of appetite, bouts of nausea, little paleness but I struggle to leave the house these days because of my hypochondria and panic attacks so that could be why. I do in general feel a little off but again it's hard to determine the line between stress and other problems.

Just to give you an insight of how anxious a person I am I've been to A&E about 7 times in the past four months absolutely convinced I had some symptoms of decompensated cirrhosis or having a heart attack. I feel like an utter idiot after, every single time. I just feel trapped, alone, terrified constantly. It's funny because every A&E nurse, doctor etc. I've dealt with about this ongoing struggle have always asked 'are you an anxious person?' or straight out said you're anxious as hell mate so I must damn look how I feel inside haha.

Anyway im not asking for a diagnosis or anything but maybe there's someone who's been through a kind of similar ordeal out there with this liver anxiety or even similar symptoms? I may well be blowing this out of proportion but I just don't feel right. I have an ultrasound for the 13th of this month, absolutely bricking it but it has to be done! Thanks for reading everyone, I know I know it's long my bad!

[CocoChannel]

Sounds like you’ve sorted out the alcohol problem, so first off give yourself a huge pat on the back. You’ve quit for good, right?

You asked about other’s experiences. I’m a fair bit older than you so probably drank for longer. My first weeks after quitting weren’t much fun either. I had various aches and pains too, and I believe the alcohol had previously numbed these. The minor aches came and went for six months after I quit. My bloods were always normal, but I’d cut down a lot when first tested. I had a private fibroscan eight months after quitting, and all was perfect.

If your blood tests have since normalised, I’d be comforted by that. The ultrasound next week should give you your answer.

I never had anxiety, but I was obviously concerned enough to get a fibroscan. Have you discussed the anxiety with your GP?

Well done again. Wish I’d have quit at 30 👍

[Szeth in reply to CocoChannel]

Liver ailment or not the alchohol is gone for good. Im so incredibly frustrated with myself for letting it get this far and I should have listened to what my tee-total mother always told me, the stuff is poison.

Ah im glad to hear there's a happy ending to your story, good on ya! My first poor bloods were actually taken after a few day bender which landed me in A&E with severe anxiety about a heart attack. Well long story short my heart was fine but my liver numbers were not, but so early after drinking I was told they can be, was told to knock the drinking in the head and given a yellow drip of some sort and sent away with medication to help my withdrawals for four days and thiamine which I still have on prescription.

My anxiety has been discussed at length and I've tried tonnes of SSRI's but none have stuck unfortunately and I can't even excercise that much as I feel rotten some days, im probably adding to this by becoming reclusive and letting this eat me up. But aye as you say ill know more come the US. And thank you very much and congrats on getting off the stuff yourself

[CocoChannel in reply to Szeth]

Don’t beat yourself up over your past drinking when you’ve got so many years ahead.

I remember now I once went to A&E with chest pains after drinking a bottle of wine the night before. Looking back, it was obviously acid reflux, but I was right to go to A&E on that occasion as you were.

I do sympathise with the anxiety as I’ve seen it with a family member recently. It’s a very real condition. It must be aggravated by you quitting alcohol, which will get easier, and the worry about your upcoming scan.

Thanks for your kind words too. Well done again.

[Szeth in reply to CocoChannel]

Funnily enough that's what I had when they examined me, damn acid reflux. Also after wine haha. I hope I have many years ahead. The alchohol is out of the picture anyway, just have to see what lies in store for me come US day. You're absolutely right it has sent my anxiety into overdrive since the main reason I drank was surprise surprise, anxiety. Again, thank you

[Hidden]

A banana bag (or rally pack) is a bag of IV fluids containing vitamins and minerals. The bags typically contain thiamine, folic acid, and magnesium sulfate, and are usually used to correct nutritional deficiencies or chemical imbalances in the human body. The solution has a yellow color, hence the term "banana bag".

Hi - You got a sort of emergency detox as I call it. I got that treatment on 5th & 6th Dec18 it was not an overnight stay just come back in the morning. I was sent to Hospital by GP when my bloods hit an all time high. I also got a lecture by the addictions nurse. I had to stop drinking & got a referal for the Liver clinic, Ultrasound was Feb19, nothing noted. Fibroscan April19 was high. Seen by Liver Consultant April19 bloods taken but the word Cirrhosis wasn't mentioned until June19 when the Consultant did my OGD camera down, that was clear.

Sorry trying to be brief you may have to go down this similar route but it's simply ticking all the boxes. Then again you may not, your young and you've already sorted some issues. I've been lucky in that although I've cirrhosis it's mild as are my symptoms. Tired, muscle waste aches & pains, sleep?. One year on not so bad.

Good luck with your tests as you've wised up in time. 🤔👍

[Szeth in reply to Hidden]

Ah yes banana bag cheers. For what it's worth I prefer rally pack, much cooler.

Anyway first and foremost im very sorry to hear about your diagnosis, but glad it's mild and you seem to be getting along quite well. We seem to have quite similar stories. If you don't mind me asking did your bloods normalise after abstinence or did they fluctuate/elevate or are they still slightly elevated? I only ask because our stories are along the same sort of line, and you absolutely don't have to answer if you don't wish to. Im kind of going through this alone at the moment (ill worry my family when there's something concrete to worry about) which is why I finally reached out here because im driving myself mad, and it's helped quite a bit already.

Thanks for the reply and keep on doing whatever it is you're doing because you seem to be in decent nick.

[Hidden in reply to Szeth]

Yes similarity struck a chord so my story wasn't all about me it was merely to highlight the road ahead depending on your own results of course. But I'm older though maybe not wiser as I carried on thinking I was immune. Bloods don't lie. I was ducking them to be honest but was offered the flu jab so asked the nurse to take my overdue LFT. Very next day the 5th Dec18 Dr rang with results so get my arse down & up to Level 6 @ Hospital. We aren't meant to post results but how do I answer you otherwise. GGT 1,5.. yes one thousand five hundred odd. Two months abstaining 267. (GP results). GGT is meant to be 9-52 ISH for males. I'd many bloods taken at Liver clinic Apr19 and some AFP Aug but I've not seen or heard from Consultant since. Had another US at 6 month as norm but my 6 monthly Consultation is long overdue. 🤔

[mattymoo33]

Morning Szeth. Most of us with alcohol related issues suffer/ suffered with similar symptoms.

I will say try to get help for your anxiety. I struggled when I first started my sobriety November 2017. It took a while, but I started to exercise. Walking is a great one and easy to fit into your day. Your GP or NHS website has info on walking groups, or start with your favourite music/podcast.

Your symptoms took a while to develop, so please use every resource available to help you. Diet and exercise are a priority.

Well done for kicking booze in the a**e and good luck with US! Keep us updated. 🤞🤗

[briccolone]

Hi and welcome...well done on the abstinence . Don't worry about the ultrasound..easy to say but you'll feel better afterwards. You almost certainly had alcoholic fatty liver and it can take 3- 6 months to resolve . Post again when you get your u/s results.stay off the hooch