I’m new to this and although everyone says I’m being ridiculous I wonder if anyone can help. Last year I had ultrasound for pelvis and an incidental finding was Fatty liver. Dr said nothing to worry about.
I had pains in my right side. I’m so confused, at this bit but I think they went away. In January however it came back. Had bloods done as under active thyroid and it gets checked yearly anyway Dr said so do full bloods now.
Nothing on bloods came back even cholesterol was ok. The pain continued and she sent me for another scan. I was very nervous. The nurse that carried out scan said she couldn’t see anything but evidence of fatty liver. I asked if liver was enlarged, she said slightly.
The assistant nurse said nothing to worry about only lifestyle changes. I do drink but not heavy, I am mid 50s and spent quiet a few years abstaining from drink to being up children and deal with mental health issues as I worry about everything and my number one worry is health.
If Dr said nothing to worry about why does it hurt so much. I did put weight on after menopause and have been doing Slimmers Word. Lost 10Ib since x mas, could it be change if diet. So I need to loose 1 more stone to get to 10:10. I’m not very tall and my BMI would be 9:7 to 10:5 but I haven’t been 10:4 since I was a teenager. So I think 10:10 is more realistic.
Can anyone tell me why it hurts, if it’s not supposed to. Is it something else wrong or is it all in my head like everyone tells me, but it’s not my head that hurts it’s my side.
Any advise please.
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The liver itself has no pain receptors so technically you can't get liver pain, HOWEVER, the liver is contained within a membrane called the Glisson's Capsule and if your liver is enlarged it will be stretching this membrane and many members here with fatty liver/enlarged livers do report pain when your liver is enlarged. So possibly not in your head at all.
With NAFLD it is important to make the lifestyle changes you are doing i.e. trying to get your weight down and perhaps exercising more. I would question whether drinking alcohol is wise when you already have a fatty liver as it will contribute to further fat build up - whilst you might be loosing fat with your weight loss regime the alcohol will potentially be counteracting that hard work plus alcohol is empty calories.
The BLT has really good guidance on NAFLD and recently they have released details of a study into good diet for this condition. Both can be found on BLT main website at:-
Hello Katie I am not drinking at all at the moment. So that will help with weight loss. If the liver is only slightly enlarged would it hurt. Goodness knows the pain from very enlarged liver must be unbearable.
Will it ever go away, the pain. I know it’s going to take a few months to loose the weight and I’ve read everywhere that liver will heal itself which is good.
I am going back to work on 8th March as work in a school but can’t imagine focusing on work when I feel like this.
Kind regards
Hi and welcome,
NAFLD can have different stages so you are quite right to want to find out more.
NICE (The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence) have devised guidelines with the British Society of Gastroenterology (BSG) that state people diagnosed with NAFLD should have further testing to assess for their risk of fibrosis- stiffening or scarring in the liver.
The specific blood tests are Fib-4 score blood test or an Enhanced Liver Fibrosis (ELF) blood test. A specific scan called a FibroScan also estimates fibrosis.
You may want to discuss this with your own GP who will be able to look up the NICE guidance.
If you do have some weight to lose, then you could also ask your GP for a referral to a hospital registered dietitian for more support and guidance.
Not really. It really does get aggravated if I drink though..but as I said, also if I do a lot of heavy lifting, and moving, so I guess it could have something muscular, but it's happened for a long while in that area and I was a very long time heavy drinker.
I’m 39 years. Had my gall out in 2013 and told I have a fatty liver need to reverse it, not too late. Have to take psychiatric meds since I was 18 years old. Always had weight issues worse in last 10 years. Breakdown, bipolar mood disorder and c-ptsd keeps me on my toes. Hadn’t done enough for my liver these 8 years. Tried as much as possible. The last two years constant RUQ pains. Always showed as pancreas until recently that was all normal and now high liver enzymes. Symptoms definitely fits with an issue with my liver, and reading here also similar to many accounts. Pain is driving me crazy. Unpredictable or always there. Been to hospital many times. Seen gastroenterologist. Had a zillion tests so far and probably about to get more coz seeing Hepatologist in a week. I’m just getting sicker no matter what my diet or herbs or anything I do. Bad RUQ pain through to my back. Sometimes sharp often sharp aching. Bad dark circles under my eyes often, try to drink more water and it’s getting harder even that makes me feel sick at times. I have HBP, High Cholesterol, high BMI, gastritis and a broken coccyx. My spine has a slope too and I am constantly trying to get to chiropractor due to bad pain in my lower back. (Different place to other pain). I try to hard to exercise more but now I’m so sick always it’s almost impossible to do what I know I should do which is constant walking every day. Seriously gotta figure this out as it’s really getting bad. I’ve lost weight and seem to be dropping weight faster now for some reason even though I’m eating somewhat normal meals and hardly any fats. All my blood work was perfect last Time except my liver. I don’t drink and haven’t for years as I would get bad gastritis and pain. Never was a heavy drinker at all. Pretty sure my fatty liver or liver issue would be my weight, cholesterol and longterm medications. I heard Panadol can also be toxic for the liver. This is a seriously hard problem and I’ve had so many difficult health issues. Feel so much for anyone with liver issues. Eh harsh. After saying that an old friend of mine got Hep C years ago and his liver was stuffed and he did all he had to in order to fix it and he did get better. So I guess there is always hope. But cirrhosis sounds bad so if you get warnings, take it serious and change your lifestyle as much as you can. Easier said of course. But eventually you will be forced to as it takes over your life dealing with the pain and nausea. Anyhu just giving an experience. There are many causes even autoimmune, alcoholism. Etc. Just gotta keep finding your cause and do what you need. I’m hoping the hepatologist can help me. Take care all.
Ive had it on and off for years and i have fatty liver (i have drank an ocean in my time and like my food)and enlarged,whenever ive told doctors about its as if im stupid and they don’t understand it but if i diet and drink less you can feel it ease,its an annoying ache and sometimes a sharp stab and if you lean to the right you can tell there’s something there like your squashing it,ive seriously cut dow the drink for the last 5 months or so and can tell its gone down and after a drink on New Years I knew about it for a few days,im waiting for a Fibroscan but getting nowhere with it cos im worried that the years of abuse and it being stretched has scarred it,as said all the time stopping the drink and change of diet all go towards better health but its hard to cut out what you like and especially when the benefits aren’t immediate but I know in myself that my liver has gone down abit and feels better for it
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