Long wait for consultant appointment

[ladybird55]

After being told i have ARLD i was referred to local hospital in November last year, after not hearing anything i called the relevant department to be told its a 44 week wait, wow!! Ive been having stomach pains, nausea, exhaustion and am off work at present due to extreme fatigue, has anyone else had these symptoms knowing theyve a long wait to see a consultant? Im ashamed to say im still drinking, i suppose im waiting for someone to tell me to stop which i know is ridiculous

[Positive001]

Yes stop drinking it's only going to make your symptoms worse while waiting for an appointment. So do something positive to help yourself and give up the booze. Wouldn't it be more productive and impressive to be able to say to the consultant when you do get to see one, that you gave up drinking 40 plus weeks ago rather than you've been waiting 40 weeks and you are still drinking? You may not be happy to have to wait so long but they will be even more unhappy that you are still drinking after all that time.Seek help if you need it but put the effort in find other things to do at the times you would be drinking. Get out in the fresh air and walk, any exercise you can manage and quit now.

Good luck.

Laura

[Richard-Allen]

Sadly the long waiting times to see a hepatologist is now the new normal. I have a friend who is a hepatologist down at the Royal Free and he is snowed under with work and cases.

I hate to say this, but if you have been referred to a consultant then your liver might already be struggling. Continued drinking is going to possibly do irreversible damage.

In your heart or hearts you just know the consultant is going to tell you to stop drinking, so why wait? Do this because YOU want to, not because you've been told to. It has to be YOUR choice. Ladybird. Look for that inner peace and make tomorrow a new beginning.

Here is a wise poem that might be of help:

"When the darkness descends upon you, we seek a sanctuary from within.

Locking yourself away for protection, you find a silence within your solitude.

No one can hurt me anymore.

Despair and emptiness are my friends. This silence and I.

This is a time of healing.

There are no magic pills, or alcohol anymore. They were never really any good in the first place.

Serenity, peace, and wonderment are all around, and are there for all to enjoy.

Listening to the waves lap against the shore as the sun kisses the sea of life. Allow that sun to take away all those troubles and pain, leaving you at peace with yourself, and the world.

The end of the day is only the beginning of a new dawn".

Good Luck

Richard.

[borzoiharvey in reply to Richard-Allen]

your words were perfect, I shall keep them by me. thank you so much x

[Aotea2012]

I don’t think I can put it as well as Laura and Richard...but the question for you is why do you need someone to tell you? You can carry on drinking for 44 more weeks or stop now. By the time you get to see the consultant, if you carry on with the booze, they may also order a scan, do a load of bloods, order an endoscopy (not nice), drain your ascites and prescribe you lactulose to help with your encephalopathy. Why let it get to that point? You’ve done some damage to your liver...by stopping drinking you may reverse all damage or at least stop the progression of damage depending on how much damage there is. Stop now...and you’ll be amazed how much better you feel.

[Wordesley]

Not an uncommon situation at the moment. I had a fibroscan and results came back as NASH and an ultrasound through my GP showed NAFLD and gallstones. After pushing my GP for a referral, which felt like an uphill struggle, I received a letter from the hepatology dept at the hospital which said they are not making any outpatients appointments at the moment and I have been added to the waiting list. No indication of a timescale at all, but looking at the guide to NHS waiting time for my area it is about 52 weeks!

[BritishLiverTrust5 Moderator British Liver Trust]

Dear ladybird55

You may benefit from giving our liver nurse helpline a call. The number is: 0800 652 7330 and is open from 10am-3pm Monday to Friday (except bank holidays).

Reliable information regarding various aspects of your condition is available on the British Liver Trust website here: britishlivertrust.org.uk/in...

You can also find a booklet with the latest information about ARLD here: britishlivertrust.org.uk/in...

You may also find this factsheet useful for help with cutting down on alcohol: britishlivertrust.org.uk/wp...

[Purplelamp]

I drank every night for 30 years. Hated myself for it. Liver enzymes went high but turns out its my gallbladder affecting liver as I dont drink now. I gave up drinking by having real orange ice lollies at the time I would usually start drinking. Sounds daft but the drink was my treat after a hard day so I found something else to treat myself with/look forward to. It worked for me. Good luck xx

[pushthrough]

If you started having those symptoms quit drinking. Extreme fatigue and nausea were two of my first symptoms of my cirrhosis. If you don’t quit drinking it’s going to get really bad and make it even harder for you to live a semi normal life.

[Aotea2012 in reply to pushthrough]

Ah, you are back! I wondered if the internet was still working across the pond. Good to see you replying again. The forum doesn’t need any more missing in action!

[pushthrough in reply to Aotea2012]

Hello Aotea, I still get on just not as often as I did. I agree, no more missing in action. Lol.