Drinking history : Hello I was wondering... - British Liver Trust

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Drinking history

Linzenilss38 profile image
70 Replies

Hello I was wondering all with alcoholic cirrhosis how much were you drinking and for how long?

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Linzenilss38 profile image
Linzenilss38
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70 Replies
bintcliffe profile image
bintcliffe

Hi Linzenilss

I was drinking about 35 years not heavy at first but it gradually got worst at the hight of it I was drinking 5 to 6 litres a day

🥺 Hayley X

Lilliebell profile image
Lilliebell

For 10 years I was drinking above the recommended amount but no worse than a lot of people but it slowly got worse when I started having terrible anxiety which I stupidly treated with wine and then I needed more and more just to feel normal , in the end I could drinking 3 bottles of wine a day that lasted about 9 months until I was so poorly and was admitted to hospital with de compensated cirrhosis. Now sober for over 5 years and feel better than I ever did even though I still have cirrhosis it’s luckily compensated now .

deanw41 profile image
deanw41 in reply to Lilliebell

Do you get fatigue at all?

Lilliebell profile image
Lilliebell in reply to deanw41

I’m lucky at the moment and don’t suffer with fatigue , once I quit the drinking I slowly got better and better but now 5 years on I have just had my first varices and now have portal hypertension. At the moment still feeling ok though . Have you recently been told you have a liver problem?

deanw41 profile image
deanw41 in reply to Lilliebell

Oh right,thanks. I was diagnosed about 18 months ago,decompensated cirrhosis. 15 months sober and now compensated,but been getting fatigue. My bloods have normalised. I have energy and no weakness. Just seem to get these days where I just want to sleep. I’m not moaning,worse to have. Just wondered.

Linzenilss38 profile image
Linzenilss38 in reply to deanw41

did you have a long drinking history? U are close to my age

Lilliebell profile image
Lilliebell in reply to deanw41

Well done for you managing your get sober 15 months is great 👍 it’s hard sometimes to know if you just feel tired like everyone does sometimes or whether it’s because of liver cirrhosis. My bloods last time had risen and now I have portal hypertension I did get a bit worked up and thought every time I felt a bit odd it was my liver . If yours carry’s on you should speak to your doctor or consultant.

deanw41 profile image
deanw41 in reply to Lilliebell

Well 20 years drinking, the last ten heavy!! Mines not physically tired,it’s like a brain neurotransmitter is faulty and switches me into sleep mode!!? It’s really hard to know what’s the liver and what isn’t. My anxiety plays a big part in all this too!! I’m 42. What’s your story(if you don’t mind me asking)...

in reply to deanw41

How do you sleep at night and do you wake up early?It’s natural to need to sleep after lunch.

deanw41 profile image
deanw41 in reply to

I’m in bed by ten, sleep like a baby!! Up bright and bushy tailed at 5.30 no alarm. Take my dog out, do the housework ,off to Boot Camp for an hour. Another dog walk. I run my partners business,I have my business,I also help my disabled friend three days a week cleaning etc. I’m doing a college diploma in psychotherapeutic counselling and addiction therapy. I’m quite busy

in reply to deanw41

There’s nowt much wrong with you then!

deanw41 profile image
deanw41 in reply to

Really? Maybe I’m just too hard on myself?? I’m still trying to work out who I am with out a drink. I was a maintenance drinker,so I number myself for years

in reply to deanw41

You are doing tremendous!

in reply to

I’m am sure Dean41 said he had decompensated cirrhosis that’s now compensated, so it’s not that there’s ‘nothing much wrong’! He is just incredibly proactive and positive and has used his experiences to help others which is amazing.

in reply to

He’s on the best side and doing brilliant. I’m being encouraging not insensitive to his condition I hope.

deanw41 profile image
deanw41 in reply to

I got what you we’re saying!! I know some have a really bad time,and I appreciate the fact that I can get out of bed. Please don’t think I’m moaning.

in reply to deanw41

Not at all. You’re an inspiration!

deanw41 profile image
deanw41 in reply to

Thank you

Lilliebell profile image
Lilliebell in reply to deanw41

Gosh no wonder your tired . That’s a busy life you have .

Lilliebell profile image
Lilliebell in reply to deanw41

My drinking was at first socially but we owned a pub at the time so drinking was far to easy to do . My drinking became a real problem a few years after we sold the pub , I am a barber so was working but found if I had a glass of wine I felt less stressed . In the end I still worked but basically hid wine in water bottles incase I was feeling anxious . Obviously this lead to needing more and more until I was shaking if I didn’t drink . The strange thing is I only drank wine no spirits and how nobody realised what I was doing .I never ended up rolling around drunk or passing out I just kept topping up . Long story short is I hated drunk once I was hooked on the stuff and once I admitted my problem and showed my husband my stash of wine he stopped drinking that very day we went to AA and I safely came off the wine . The story is longer than this but I don’t want to bore you. I hate what I did to myself and have terrible guilt even though my family never make me feel guilty ever . I have another endoscopy soon and an appointment with my consultant in a month so will see what happens then . What’s your story ? If you don’t mind either 😊

Linzenilss38 profile image
Linzenilss38 in reply to Lilliebell

How many years did you drink everyday. I have drank half a bottle of whiskey for a year and a half. If I go. Day or 2 I don’t have any shakes

deanw41 profile image
deanw41 in reply to Linzenilss38

Everyday for 13 years!!!!!

Lilliebell profile image
Lilliebell in reply to Linzenilss38

I used to drink everyday for about 15 years but a couple of wines at the beginning slowly more and more then got to the point that I was on 3 bottles

ciroze_05 profile image
ciroze_05 in reply to deanw41

is it possible if you are diagnosed with decompensated, it will turn to compensated?

deanw41 profile image
deanw41 in reply to ciroze_05

It’s very possible!!

ciroze_05 profile image
ciroze_05 in reply to deanw41

thank you for replying back. i was diagnose with decompensated liver disease last august, i have ascites and HE.. but my HE is gone now and my ascites also.. but i loss so much weight,and still feeling weak. ive read about decompensated liver on google and saw that life expentancy is so low that i was so upset because im still young to die, im only 34.but hearing your stories makes me happy and hopefull. thanku

Lilliebell profile image
Lilliebell in reply to ciroze_05

Yes my liver was decompensated and within 6 months not drinking it was then compensated and still is now over 5 years later . I realise it could change again but stopping the thing that caused cirrhosis is the way to get it better again .

ciroze_05 profile image
ciroze_05 in reply to Lilliebell

thank u for replying. what year are you diagnose? im too has decompensated liver with few symptoms. my ascites hopefully gone. but im so worried about the life expentancy

in reply to deanw41

Definitely. Energy levels very low all the time

Linzenilss38 profile image
Linzenilss38 in reply to Lilliebell

I need to stop drinking I had normal scans and bloods 6 months ago all normal and I’m afraid the daily draining has done me in

Lilliebell profile image
Lilliebell in reply to Linzenilss38

Are you finding it hard to stop ? If so there is help out there , your doctor should tell you about any . If your scans were fine 6 months ago hopefully unless you have been really binging you will be ok still , it’s really important you stop if your liver is struggling and it is a great life without alcohol I promise .

Linzenilss38 profile image
Linzenilss38 in reply to Lilliebell

It’s hard to stop over my stress. I had some pretty big binges and have drank everyday since the scan so I’m worried. I have done this for a year and a half

Lilliebell profile image
Lilliebell in reply to Linzenilss38

It’s a vicious circle . If you are stressed you think alcohol helps but in fact it causes more stress including anxiety and depression , I really hope you will seek some help , I would do anything to be able to go back in time and not picked up a glass of wine in the morning because I was stressed as it caused so many more problems mentally and physically.

Linzenilss38 profile image
Linzenilss38 in reply to Lilliebell

Thank you for your story I’m stopping tomorrow. I hope I’m just in time

in reply to Linzenilss38

I hope you do. My husband used to say " l'll give up tomorrow ." But his tomorrow never came until it was too late.Best of luck 🤞

mtk0925 profile image
mtk0925 in reply to Linzenilss38

So you don’t have cirrhosis? Your ultrasound should be reassuring

Linzenilss38 profile image
Linzenilss38 in reply to mtk0925

I have not been diagnosed with it. I had an ultrasound 6 months ago said normal but I continued to binge drink everyday since than. I have symptoms.

deanw41 profile image
deanw41

Sounds the same. Progressive!! Never really drunk,just topping to keep the anxiety at bay. Hairdresser drinking in the toilets at work between clients. Only ever Strongbow cider,hardly ever spirits. Ended up drinking in the mornings to function,liver had enough one day. Hospital with ten litres of ascites. Consultant said I caught it in time. Fatigue and red palms are my obvious symptoms. Portal hypertension and in carvedilol.

Lilliebell profile image
Lilliebell in reply to deanw41

Very similar, first time I went into hospital I lied about my drinking as I was so ashamed , I was in for 3 weeks getting me well , I cam out felt good and thought I won’t drink ever again but that didn’t last long sadly , I needed to admit it to my family for me to stop . Hope all stays well with you and you get some answers to your fatigue, some people on here I’m sure will have some answers to what it might be .

in reply to deanw41

Hi Dean, I wondered whether you you have found the carvidelol makes you more tired?

deanw41 profile image
deanw41 in reply to

Hey!! Yes,I’ve been thinking that. I wasn’t tired before I was on it and I know it a symptom. I’ve just started to take it at night. It seems to be after food. But only daytime?

in reply to deanw41

Yes I’m very similar, almost zoning out after lunch as though my body can only cope with digestion and nothing else for a while. Hepatologist has just decreased mine from 12.5 to 6.25 because I felt so fatigued and now feeling much better during the day but sleeping 10-12 hours at night which she thinks is great!

deanw41 profile image
deanw41 in reply to

That’s interesting. I’ll speak to mine about it then. It’s strange because I didn’t feel fatigued when I was decompensated!?

in reply to deanw41

Yes as I’ve become more compensated and more well on paper, I’ve become more fatigued too. It’s all so complicated!!!

deanw41 profile image
deanw41 in reply to

I’m not the only one then!! Yeah the ‘weller ’ I get the more fatigue I get!? Who knows!?

in reply to deanw41

Have you noticed that the leaflet with carvidelol says don’t take if you have liver disease?!!! No wonder we are tired!!! Joking aside, I know it’s probably the better option for varices compared with banding. Keep doing what you’re doing Dean and life will be good I’m sure because of your positive outlook.

deanw41 profile image
deanw41 in reply to

Haha,I saw that!!! Thank you and you as well!! 😊👍

Charlie-legs profile image
Charlie-legs in reply to deanw41

Definitely the same here. Compensated and drowsy also

Ewife profile image
Ewife in reply to

My husband didn't suit carvidelol at all, he switched to propranolol after his bleed. Been much better ever since. I think carvidelol is the preferred one for portal hypertension because it targets a more specific area, but if your not getting on well, you could ask to try a different one.

in reply to Ewife

Thanks that’s good to know. I was worried that it said on one manufacturers leaflet that Liver disease is an absolute contraindication to using it! I’ll have another chat with my hepatologist.

Charlie-legs profile image
Charlie-legs in reply to deanw41

That was me, needing to top up to stop the shakes. Then off as if I didn't drink. I wouldn't go back to that life for all the tea in Yorkshire 🙃 My cancer tumours have healed smoothly and are functional, obviously I still have Cirrhosis.

Reading these posts I've realized that I have no idea how cirrhosis should feel.

I'm Epileptic, the meds make me gormless and the carvedilol

🤣 makes me dizzy and shattered. Having Chronic lazyitis doesn't help 🤣🤣🤣😜

Tommy62 profile image
Tommy62

40 years and most of that was 7 days a week

in reply to Tommy62

You've done well to give that up Tommy. Well done

Tommy62 profile image
Tommy62 in reply to

To be honest Laura I've fell a few times I've kept my job and all them years working I'm lucky I'm what I would call a social drinker after work meeting friends for a yarn but my younger days was mad lol you just dont realise the damage your doing cider was my downfall I haven't touch that in 12 years I new that was killing me I would have just drank beer for the last 12 years but the damage must have been done I just take it one day at a time thanks Laura 👍

in reply to Tommy62

Well done Tommy. ❤

Dogbot profile image
Dogbot

I was about two bottles of vodka plus two to four cans of special brew then six to ten pints of strong larger a day. I done that for quite a few years then surprise surprise my liver gave up 🤷🏻‍♂️. Now 18 years sober 👍and I’m really enjoying life now so much better, good luck to all those trying to give up as I have said before it’s difficult but if I can do it then so can you 👍.Stay Safe All

Dogbot 🐶🌈

Ps. A lot of people didn’t believe me but I can promise you it’s true, not proud of it but it is what it is.

Tommy62 profile image
Tommy62 in reply to Dogbot

Well done you must be an inspiration to people my dad and uncle went to AA for near 40 years before they died and they where an inspiration to many a person struggling

velvet007 profile image
velvet007

Hello, i am new to this site, I am 64 female, been drinking every night for 40 years, now had blood results saying my ferritin is very high, i am awaiting a liver scan, i am so scared, its all my own fault, all my family are drinkers, i now feel i must change, i get so fatigued every afternoon, dont want to bore everyone with my problem, but has anyone else drank every night for 40 years, and what did it do to your health. Thankyou for reading...

Lilliebell profile image
Lilliebell in reply to velvet007

This is a great forum so never feel you are boring anyone as it’s not the case .I always say everyone is different as some people drink way too much and don’t end up with cirrhosis but others the majority do . Giving up alcohol is the best way to keep your liver well especially if it’s the thing causing the damage and it doesn’t hurt to stop drinking anyway as it’s a cause of far to many illnesses and mental health conditions.try not to worry (easier said than done ) until you get results from your scan and then you can face what’s best for you to do going forward . Wishing you all the best and good luck with your scan .

Wellbefore profile image
Wellbefore

I drank moderately at first which crept up to two bottles of wine for two and a half years I then slowed down again to one bottle per night then down to just drinking at the weekend one to two bottles over Friday and Saturday night stopped drinking when in March this year year my blood test was abnormal liver functions then dr sent me for ultrasound scan and came back as having echo texture of known liver cirrhosis not drank anything since still waiting to see liver specialist tele cons in October so don’t know what’s wrong yet but not looking good can’t say if I’ve had symptoms yet other than tiredness and some fatigue

Linzenilss38 profile image
Linzenilss38 in reply to Wellbefore

Hello do they think it was from drinking it doesn’t seem like that much or that long u were doing it for and your fairly young.

Lilliebell profile image
Lilliebell in reply to Linzenilss38

Sadly people underestimate how much damage can be done by drinking regularly. ☹️

Linzenilss38 profile image
Linzenilss38 in reply to Lilliebell

Wondering if I can go from a normal ultrasound 6 months ago straight to cirrhosis. How would I not even have fatty liver?

Lilliebell profile image
Lilliebell in reply to Linzenilss38

You would need to check with a doctor to know if that’s possible but I would have thought you would have a fatty liver first .

Roy1955 profile image
Roy1955

Linzenilss38Your worrying about what might happen, not what your current health situation is!

It does not matter what others drink or for how long they were drinking, they are not you.

6 months ago you had a scare but because the tests were OK you carried on drinking.

You can't expect to carry on doing the same damaging thing and hope for a different eventual result.

One day you will be on here saying you yellow and coughing up blood.

Change now, get help with your health anxiety and live life.

Foxdud profile image
Foxdud in reply to Roy1955

I’m not proud of this I had repeated warnings and continued to drink even to point I was told I would be dead within the year …. I carried on drinking , 3 months later admitted to hospital turned yellow etc etc etc I so wish I’d listened and so wish I’d had this forum to turn to . You have a chance so stop now because the other option is not pretty .I’m now 177 days sober .

velvet007 profile image
velvet007

Very nice of you to reply Laura, first night last night without a drink, I will continue reading this forum, keep safe x

in reply to velvet007

Well done, stay positive and you will get there. X

Linze,

We are very sorry that your thread has been hijacked. It is very sad to see the same arguments and members taking over the conversation.

We are closing the post.

Again, apologies Linzenilss38 forthe hijacking and bickering on your post.

I have now deleted all posts that were inflammatory , and others as they lost context in the thread.

Trust9

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