Had a pain for 6/7 years where the liver is and its only now the docs are doing tests,been told it’s enlarged and abnormal

[Mondy122]

I like a drink and am worried that the prolonged drinking while my liver has been enlarged may of caused serious damage,6/7 years ago the doctor said change yer diet but this year after blood tests its abnormal and ultrasound scan shows its large(I know that i can feel it like a brick inside me)im now waiting for scans for scarring but its s slow process at my doctors,il be honest im scared ive really buggered up down to drinking too much but have really cut down over the last 2 months but is it too late

[CocoChannel]

Can’t promise all is OK, but I was in the same situation by drinking for years and planning to cut down one day and never doing so. I often felt unwell with aches and twinges from the liver area. But one day I did stop and stay stopped. The problems all went within months. My liver had been fatty but that too cleared up in months. It’s never too late to quit.

[Mondy122 in reply to CocoChannel]

Good on yer,I just want the tests and an answer to how bad it is or isnt and at the mo I probably drink in a month what i used to drink in a week

[CocoChannel in reply to Mondy122]

Good news you’ve cut down, but if you’ve got aches and pains, your body’s really trying to tell you something. You probably don’t want to hear this next part, but a heavy drinker’s brain chemistry gets altered over time which makes it very hard (I’d say impossible) to then become a moderate drinker. The drinking nearly always increases back to heavy levels. The only way, as I found out, is to quit 100%. It’s also the easiest way surprisingly.

[Hillclimber72]

Is it too late ? Well I will give you my story got admitted to hospital after blood test at Gp. From there I had an ultrasound and CT,inconclusive .

After that I had a Fibroscan where i was diagnosed with Cirrhosis at that point I stopped drinking and then the feelings of guilt and all the feelings that all hope is lost. In reality it’s not the case and what you need is to increase your options .

This is simple Stop 🛑 Drinking Now - This can give you a head start on any future diagnosis.

My thoughts are with you in a very positive way x

[Mondy122 in reply to Hillclimber72]

Thanks,its played a big part of my life has drinking and some of the best times seem to all involve mates and pissed up antics when I was younger,bit sad really im 46 now and should of grown away from the drink a long time ago especially now i have family,im expecting a call from the doctor in next 2 days and really need to push to speed up my scan I just feel in limbo

[Hillclimber72 in reply to Mondy122]

Keep in touch read my profile it will hopefully kickstart yourself to complete abstinence

[Mondy122 in reply to Hillclimber72]

Had a positive call from doctor today snd luckily it was the best doctor at my surgery,my last bloods we’re all ok which were to check for hepatitis and any other related problems and he explained the ultrasound scan didn’t flag up anything worrying and even though a fibro scan will show scars if there is some there’s nothing you can do about them apart from what im already doing and cutting down on the drink and smoking,he’s still arranging the scan for the new year and blood tests again to be sure and he’s happy the fatty side will go away if i stick to my regime so he has lifted a weight off my shoulders by just explaining things to me which none of the other doctors have,although he said blood tests can show ok but the scan can show differently i am feeling more positive

[Hillclimber72 in reply to Mondy122]

That’s brilliant news you can live a normal life if you have scarring I would cut the drink out completely 👍🏻

[Mondy122 in reply to Hillclimber72]

Ive drank everyday for probably 30 years and im no alcoholic but do love wine and whisky it’s the habit I need to break,the its been a hard day/it’s Friday and I can’t sleep without a nightcap or 5,i have adapted to becks blue I like it and nescafe dlolce gusto cafe au lait decaf on sn evening and ive always drank loads of milk so lifestyle changes and a positive outlook are all on the cards hopefully ive dodged a bullet snd although i say im no alcoholic the amount I’ve put away on a regular basis poses the question,I don’t think I could ever stop completely but I definitely don’t need to do it every day/week or even month

[Hillclimber72 in reply to Mondy122]

You could always experiment with fruit teas and cordials

[Laura009 in reply to Mondy122]

Hi Mondy. Although you say you are not alcoholic, you are definately showing signs of being dependant on alcohol. The fact you say you don't think you could give up for good is a sure sign of that. Ok yes it looks like you have dodged a bullet right now but if you continue to drink alcohol on a regular basis, you are poisoning your liver which would eventually reach the point where damage can not be reversed. You really do need to take a good hard look at your drinking, diet and lifestyle to ensure you maintain good health. Believe me ( and many others on thus forum) liver disease brings many painful and debilitating symptoms and can shorten life consderably. Please read the stories on the forum, you will realise those drinks really aren't worth gambling your health and life for.Best wishes

Laura

[Mondy122 in reply to Laura009]

Thanks for your comments ive not been on here long and haven’t mentioned yet that my brother inlaw died this year he was a functioning alcoholic ive never seen anybody drink like him,if it was a sport he would of been world champion needless to say it was something we had in common but I didn’t have liquid breakfasts and lunches and towards the end he drank more to numb the pain and hide from the inevitable(he knew what was happening)he left 2 girls behind and to see this really hit home,ive 6 children and the thought of them seeing me on my deathbed is not a good one but a sobering one to which im aware i am dependant on the drink not to the point of needing it but wanting it through habit(or am I kidding myself haha)but ive definitely cut right down and hopefully get to the point where I would only have a drink if say at gatherings and then in moderation and then That’s not very often

[Laura009 in reply to Mondy122]

Thats so sad. I went through the same with my husband 10 years ago. My kids were 11 and 17. I never told them not to drink but let them find out for themelves. Both had enough to make them sick while out with their friends and they learnt very quickly just how stupid it is and volunteer themselves as drivers on nights out. Ive never liked the taste and since it killed my husband l cannot stand being around drunk people at all. Good luck to you

[Hillclimber72 in reply to Mondy122]

I admire your honesty. The government guidelines of two days off a week doesn’t stack up especially if you enjoy wine. I would work on 4 days a week to abstain. Good luck 😉

[Mondy122]

Well after considerably cutting down over last two months ive not had a drink for 3 days now and if im honest it’s been rather easy it’s just the habit that’s hard like il just go for a cig and top my glass up and one more before bed,the annoying pain isn’t as bad by my ribs but still uncomfortable and annoying when trying to get to sleep(and reaching round to wipe my backside haha)this site is a great place even if just to lurk,ive been taking milk thistle for 2 months and read mixed reviews on that and also to cut down on salt which I love infact i salt my salt,seem to itch all over more lately and have noticed after reading on here red pin prick dots on my body? The wife not talking to me at moment saying im lazy and sick of me falling asleep all the time and as i look back over last couple of years yes if i sit down i can drift off or struggle to keep my eyes open to the point I feel sick its strange but overall im being positive just really want the test for scarring and so on

[Laura009]

Well done Mondy. Stick with it. Milk thistle is unregulated and should not be used to aid your liver. It actually causes more stress to a struggling liver as it has to work doubly hard to process the stuff, so please don't be sucked into believing it's going to do you any good, it wont. Waste of money too. All you need is a healthy diet, drink plenty of water to flush out the toxins plus fresh air and exercise which will also help to boost your energy.

Take care, look after yourself and talk to your wife. What you are going through will be hard on her too. You both need to recognise and understand each other's issues.

All the best

Laura

[Mondy122]

Bit down at the moment with not knowing anything and I know you shouldn’t but you do read up on google,since my last post i did 8 days without a drink then bought a 35cl bottle of scotch which i drank over 4 days and had a small alcopop yesterday,ive cut down on food and lost about 8lb but feel bloated and do even if ive eaten nothing (so the good ole google and have I got Ascites)i find antacids help but im noticing my stools are getting paler snd slight constipation where as i used to be very regular but that could be with hardly drinking,I used to struggle when I tried to stop smoking and found a ciggy would get me straight on the throne haha so I just wanted to vent off as I sit here annoyed with myself for what ive done over the years with excess drinking and want Christmas out of the way so I can concentrate more on my health and try get some routine back as ive been furloughed most of the year,hope everyone is ok as far as can be expected

[Ironman1125]

I understand its not easy especially when you have been at it for years. BUT, you initially were crapping yourself that you had done damage and having all the regret and guilt that goes with that...I too am in a similar place still....all my bloods are back in range (only GGT was out really but by a bit and yes I know its only a snapshot of the health of the liver) however I'm still worried about damage.

Anyway bit of a ramble there...ah yes...BUT! after getting good scan fair enough you haven't had fibro yet, you go and have some booze...you need to embrace that worry, guilt and regret and use it as the tool not to go back there and now you are worrying again about Ascites...just like me worry, worry, worry....don't put the bullets in the alcohol roulette gun....you cannot keep doing IMO. I doubt it Ascites BTW I get bloated and I'm getting fitter like I used to be and down to 11 stone..all of which seemed to start since I stopped and stopped with taking painkillers too.

I'm not preaching BTW I just trying to be encouraging...REGRET is a prison sentence in my mind and it is best not to do the things that cause regret.

Peace!

[Ironman1125]

And BTW if you are on Facebook search - Be Sober - Quit Drinking & Enjoy Life

Good group of over 12K, personally I'm not really having a problem abstaining just wish I'd have done it years ago!!!

[Mondy122]

Right that’s crimbo out the way I have been drinking but still a lot less than normal so now it’s time to concentrate on my health and cut out the booze and change my diet a bit,chase my doctor to get my scan and hope its not as bad as im assuming,hope everyone had a nice festive break and if like me are looking forward to some normality

[Laura009 in reply to Mondy122]

Make sure you stay off it this time. Pour any booze you have left over from Christmas straight down the loo.... miss out the middle man ... your liver, this way removing all temptation.Happy healthy new year to you.

Laura

[Mondy122]

I never see the same doctor or speak to same one twice and every call I learn something new,today i was told my fibroscan was requested in October so its a waiting game now and he explained my tests ie platelets autoimmune hepatitis and so on snd told me all seems normal but my alt is 50 and should be 40 now ive read people’s figures on here but never understood them so is that high and to worry about,my liver is fatty and enlarged and my spleen is fatty also told me my gall and ducts and so on are all ok and he thinks ive mimimal chance of scarring but cant explain the uncomfortable sensation by my ribs? Its a bugger when you cant go sit down with them to proper chat but overall I feel a positive phone call and need to stick to trying to diet and keep to my (yes ive been drinking a little but considerably less)no alcohol ahem ahem