Bit of an update and maybe some more advice

[Wile]

Hi again,

I posted a month ago and said I would update. I decided to wait until I had a clearer picture (although it feels I haven't quite) and would like to perhaps get your thoughts!?

So following the endoscopy and colonoscopy after a suspected stomach bleed which showed no problems, I did decide to get a private ultrasound scan as I couldn't shake the thoughts of 25 years + 35units (or more) a week = pushing my luck! (even though I wasn't showing any obvious symptoms)!

I had the scan last week and it isn't what I was hoping for, although I am still feeling like I am very lucky.............. but quite unsure of what to do next.

I was told I may (??) have signs of very early stage cirrhosis. He said he can not be sure, and that maybe another colleague would say differently. His advice was to never drink alcohol again and to get another ultrasound in 6 months.

He said I should share the results with my doctor, so I am waiting for a call back on Monday. This is the same doctor that I have been very open with regarding my drinking, and I have have still not had a drink since this all began (will be 7 weeks)!

Does anyone have any thoughts or advice on what I should ask of the doctor? Should I be pushing for some further texts to try and get some clarification? (bloods have been ok). And if not, apart from not drinking, should I take my diet extremely serious now? Could that cause further damage even if I am not drinking.

Thanks x

[AyrshireK]

In one word 'Yes' re. diet and alcohol. If your liver is showing any sign of adverse change (suggestion of early cirrhosis) then you definitely want to give it the best chance of recovery. Fatty liver either by alcohol or non-alcohol related can progress so if you can make positive changes now it would be advantageous.

BLT has a page about NAFLD - guidance in there plus continued alcohol cessation would be wise to follow. britishlivertrust.org.uk/in...

Re. your doctor, i'd be pushing for referral to hepatology specialist at hospital. If this is indeed early cirrhosis you need to be correctly diagnosed and appropriately monitored from now on.

The BLT page with the patient charter might be of use to you if you haven't seen it already.

britishlivertrust.org.uk/li...

Best wishes,

Katie

[Wile in reply to AyrshireK]

Hi

Thanks for some great advice. I will certainly look at the links and discuss your suggestion with the doctor.

Can I ask another question as it confuses me. He said I definately don't have fatty liver! Does this mean I had it and have progressed passed it!? Does it always start with fatty liver!?

Thanks

[AyrshireK in reply to Wile]

You can't tell whether you've had fatty liver based on an ultrasound alone. This is precisely why you need to see a specialist for a firm diagnosis remember you can also get liver change without alcohol involvement at all.

Alcohol related liver disease does progress through stages. Healthy liver - alcohol related steatosis (alcohol related fatty liver) and/or alcohol related hepatitis (liver inflammation) - fibrosis - cirrhosis.

The BLT guidance on alcohol related liver disease might also be useful for you if you haven't read that before.

britishlivertrust.org.uk/in...

Katie

[Wile in reply to AyrshireK]

Thank you. I'll take some time to read through everything. x

[Richard-Allen]

Hello Wile, are you by chance taking any medication at the moment, for this or any other medical condition? I ask this as certain medications can be rather toxic for a liver, and if the liver was previously showing signs of damage, this could impede the liver’s ability to fully recover and may cause further damage.

While most medicines are safe to be taken with liver disease if a person was prescribed medications for other medical conditions (such as ibuprofen) these can cause damage over time. Also, if you are having to take several different medications then these might be safe individually, but if taken as a cocktail all at the same time, then these could prove to be toxic by the time it gets to the liver.

It’s just a thought. Good Luck.

Richard.

[Wile in reply to Richard-Allen]

Hi Richard

I was talking naproxen and co codemol for a frozen shoulder in December but stopped with everything as soon as I had the suspected stomach bleed.

I haven't taken anything at all since as im too scared.

Wile

[Richard-Allen in reply to Wile]

Many thanks for that, it just means we can rule that out as being a possible problem.

[KC108]

I would definitely see a hepatologist. You need further clarification do you have early Cirrhosis or not? Ultrasound is not the best test for this. You should have additional testing such as fibroscan or MRE. Get a copy of your ultrasound report, what exactly does it say that leads your Doctor to believe you have early Cirrhosis? Is he just basing it on your past drinking history?

[Wile in reply to KC108]

Hi there

The report says homogenous in architecture, with hypoechoic echogencity in keeping with the possibility of very early stage cirrhosis. Which as you can imagine, is like a foreign language to me.

He didnt ask to many questions about my drinking. Just how long I had been drinking, not how much it anything!

My doctor is looking over the report today as I mailed it over to her. Im just hoping she doesn't try and brush it off as I agree that I need clarification too.