Muscle wasting and other symptoms but normal test results

[arf1025]

Hello everyone,

I was an alcoholic for over ten years until April 2021 when quit because I was getting abdominal pain and leg jerks at night. After quitting for a few months they went away but then I relapsed five months ago. Since then I have had muscle wasting in my legs, testicular atrophy, weight loss, loss of appetite and cherry angiomas (the tiny red dots, NOT spider naevi) and tiny brown spots pop up on my body. I gained back a lot of the weight but still notice muscle loss. I've been to the hepotologist and gotten numerous blood tests that were normal and ultrasounds that just showed fatty liver. I got two ct scans of the abdomen that showed nothing unusual. I also have had THREE fibroscans. Showed not only no cirrhosis but no fibrosis at all. They said I don't have cirrhosis. The doctor said that all we can do is monitor me because all my tests are fine. Has anyone dealt with this before? I'm going crazy because of these symptoms but all the tests are saying I'm fine. Is my liver not yet to the point of no return? Can I heal from whatever is going on? Please tell me there are some success stories here...

[arf1025]

Let me also add that I have had hormone tests for estrogen and testosterone that were also normal and the doctor said that the testicular atrophy could be from alcohol damaging my reproductive system and not from the liver. My platelets were also tested and we're also normal range.

[Fibro2021 in reply to arf1025]

May I ask you one more question, if possible. Have you had your Sex Hormone Binding Globulin (SHBG) levels checked in addition to testosterone and estrogen? Liver disease can contribute to elevated SHBG levels. Then, even with a normal testosterone level, there will be a functional testosterone deficiency.

[arf1025 in reply to Fibro2021]

That is interesting to know, thank you. I will look into that because I'm not sure

[Alibaba80]

Ideally you need a liver biopsy. Unfortunately all my biochemistry and scans for the liver were relatively normal until i had a liver biopsy which showed Nodular Regenerative Hyperplasia. How long have you been unwell?

[arf1025 in reply to Alibaba80]

Going on six months. I learned that a liver biopsy also has a chance of being wrong, as it is only measuring 1/5000th of the liver and could take a healthy sample by mistake. Fibroscan i was told measures 1/500th. Did you have a fibroscan?

[Fibro2021]

Hello, It's like everything is written about me... I wonder do you have a sweet or sweet musty taste in your mouth?

[arf1025 in reply to Fibro2021]

Not that I know of. May I ask what's going on with you?

[Fibro2021 in reply to arf1025]

I was diagnosed with nodular regenerative hyperplasia and non-cirrhotic portal hypertension on a liver biopsy alone. My LFT, fibroscan, CT, MRI, ultrasound show no abnormalities and only the level of ammonia in the blood is high. May I ask if you had your blood ammonia levels checked?

[arf1025 in reply to Fibro2021]

I have had lots of different blood tests but I'm not sure about ammonia, I'll have to check. You said we have the same symptoms... Can you tell me about yours? And if any of them have gotten better over time, like the muscle wasting and tes lots of appetite. Is there any way to help with this? I'm just trying to gain some perspective because I'm really freaked out but hoping I'm not too far gone...

[Fibro2021 in reply to arf1025]

I described my symptoms in detail in my profile.healthunlocked.com/user/Fib...

Now I regularly take lactulose. I felt worse at the end of 2017.

[BritishLiverTrust4]

Dear arf1025

If you are in the UK and would find it useful to talk things over, our nurse-led helpline is open Monday to Friday from 10am to 3pm on 0800 652 7330 (excluding bank holidays)

Best wishes

British Liver Trust

[Motik]

Hello arf1025,

last year I had similar health issues as yours.. Many doctors rejected my condition to be disease.. with no explanation.. All blood tests, all seemed fine.. But indeed i was in very bad health condition (You can check my posts). And since november last year, things went in a different direction for me... I did nothing, no treatment, no pills, no therapies.. nothing. My body started gaining muscles again, my skin restore to normal, my power get back, my brain fog was gone... So guys, im turning to you, dont loose hope. Just stop with your bad habits, try to exercise a bit and try keep calm no metter if the world is burning...

2021- May, 2022 - May

[arf1025 in reply to Motik]

Thank you for this.

[Motik in reply to arf1025]

no problem, im here for you if you need to talk...

[Marquis12]

I’m currently going through the samething arf1025 qnd I’m only 27

[Marquis12]

idk what to do