Spider naevi ? Living in fear.

[Leo1845]

Hi, Long story here but I really need some advice I’m a 38 female with a history of heavy drinking and smoking.

When I was 22 I noticed a few what I thought were spider naevi on my inner forearms, I went for liver tests at the doc and all came back normal I tried my best to cut back on drinking and with some pregnancies thrown in the mix I managed a few dry years.

Fast forward to 32 and drinking started to increase again, I’ve had a few liver tests over the years and a few more of the red spiders appear but been reassured but doctors that they are nothing to worry about, in the past I’ve had about 8-10 red spider marks at a time.

In 2019 I had another blood test still normal but it helped me to try and cut back on my drinking.

During last years lockdown my drinking really increased together with my anxiety and I now appear to have about 10 spider naevi on my face neck, arms and hands.

I recently took a home Thriva liver test and all results came back very normal, I’ve made a massive breakthrough in my drinking and do my best to keep it to 40 units a week but I’m left so scared that these red marks have been such a shadow over my whole life as I’m so scared I’m going to die and although I have some stomach bloating I feel fine! I just need to get to the bottom of what they are and not keep getting dismissed by doctors as nothing.

It’s such a vicious cycle of depression thinking I’m dying/ drinking to relieve the depression and so on ....

Does anyone think they are spider naevi ? And how do I convince my doctor to take me seriously given that I’ve had them for 16 years!! But also drank heavily for 20 years!

Thanks any advice gratefully received , and to be clear I am doing my best with the drinking and do think sober life will eventually be my life before I hit 40 if I’m lucky enough to live that long!!

Thank you

[jazzjam]

I have probably at the least 100, sometimes I get more, some seem to be permanent, some I have had lasered away (on my eyelid). You say you are drinking because you get depressed. It is a jump to stop drinking altogether but once you have done it I think your anxiety over this will ease. Have you asked the doctor why you are getting these as apposed to asking about your liver?

[Alibaba80 in reply to jazzjam]

Are yours actually spider naevi and linked to the liver?

[AyrshireK]

I hope you mean 14 units per week and not the 40 you've written because 40 is almost triple the guideline level for supposed 'safe' drinking.

[Hidden]

Hi Leo1845 and welcome to the forum. I'm sorry that you are struggling right now, have you got friends or family who could support you in terms of your mental health right now?Spider naevi can occur in patients who do not have liver disease and are not a sole diagnostic tool. Just to let you know that I've removed the photo as it is against community guidelines as no one is medically trained on the forum.

In terms of your alcohol use - are you getting support in cutting down? I'll attach a few links which you may find useful.

One suggestion is if you are worried about your liver health, you could ask for an abdominal ultrasound - no one test is conclusive but rather bloods, scans, and clinical assessment are used to make a diagnosis of liver disease.

drinkaware.co.uk/

britishlivertrust.org.uk/in...

nhs.uk/conditions/alcohol-m...

Take care,

Trust10

[Leo1845]

Thank you I’m literally petrified I vow to try and never drink again I really want to live. I feel such a mess of worry and constant fear of getting sick I can’t keep living like this. I swear more spider naevi have appeared today too I hate the sight of them they are a constant reminder that I must be unwell.

At least this constant state of fear I’m in will hopefully help me on my road to a sober healthy life