Slight Liver Tenderness

[Tomdarlson]

Been a drinker for about 6 years and was drinking massively for about 1 year of that, I could easily drink half a bottle of whiskey a night for about 4 days of the week in a row, I’ve now stopped drinking for 45 days due to liver tenderness, it’s got slightly better but definitely still there, I feel like I’m going to die and scared of approaching the doctors, what should I do ?

[Aztec632]

What you should do is take your fears for a visit to the GP. Pick up the phone and make an appointment. You are only prolonging and feeding your anxiety which will make you feel unwell. The doc will run some blood tests. You have made one right move by not drinking which in itself will be giving your liver a rest so well done for that.

[Tomdarlson in reply to Aztec632]

thank you ! I’m just worried that the doctor will confirm my fears and tell me I’m dying, nether the less I will get booked in thanks

[Aztec632 in reply to Tomdarlson]

I suffer with health anxiety so I completely understand how you must be feeling. Your mind runs away with itself and we think the worst. I have my finger's crossed for you that all is well. I hope you continue to avoid the akcohol because it is a poison to the liver and will only do you harm not good. You only have one body. Treat it kindly. Please ket us know how you get on. Best wishes.

[Milk12 in reply to Aztec632]

i had liver tenderness and raised liver function test s ,sometimes ut would feel hot at others it was like a toothache ,liver scan showed normal liver but inflamed gall bkadder with gallstones ,get it checked out I was worrying too

[BritishLiverTrust3 Administrator British Liver Trust]

Dear Tomdarlson,

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 9am to 3pm on 0800 652 7330 (excluding bank holidays)

Best wishes

British Liver Trust

[55spenc]

HI go and ask the doctor immediately and ask him to refer you! Stop drinking now to give yourself a chance!

[France222222]

hi! I’m in the exact same boat as you — almost identical, although I was drinking for about 10 years with one massive year. But I just got bloods done and am booked in for an ultrasound today. Crossing my fingers for both of us that all is ok! I have huge health anxiety too and can’t stop thinking about it but wanted to write because I’m here with you!! We got this (whatever may come)!

[Tomdarlson in reply to France222222]

Hey thanks so much !! I’m sure we will get through this and hopefully come out the other end, may I ask how old you are ? Does your doctor seem overly concerned or do you think it’s more precaution ? Please keep me updated and I wish you the best of luck

[France222222 in reply to Tomdarlson]

I'm 29! How about you? I stopped drinking about 60 days ago when I noticed the liver tenderness, but it still comes and goes, not really a pain but I know it's there.

My doctor has been super helpful and nice, but very diplomatic, so I don't know whether she's worried! Not SUPER worried I wouldn't say but concerned enough -- and acknowledging *my* worries -- to refer me to a liver specialist and book me in for an ultrasound. So, I'd say she's a bit concerned!

[Deanneeral in reply to France222222]

how did all your tests go ?

[France222222 in reply to Deanneeral]

Good I think! I had slightly elevated A/G levels and slightly elevated bilirubin so I’m being super careful still/continuing to not drink and my ultrasound came back normal. The sonographer said off the record that maybe my liver looked a little fatty but the doctor didn’t say anything more about it. Tenderness still comes and goes but I was drinking for a long time so I can’t expect it to heal fully immediately. Feeling even more steady in my sobriety after the results

[2022orNever in reply to France222222]

Hi France, I hope you don't mind me jumping in here but I've been trawling the forum for someone who closely matches what I'm going through. I'm not a health worrier (have had a breast cancer scare and a cervical cancer scare in the past and utterly took them both in my stride) but I'm so worried about my liver.

I started the ball rolling in May because of the persistent dragging/throbbing sensation in the liver area and finally got bloods done, then an ultrasound (which I was told by a member of admin staff from the surgery, by phone was a "slightly fatty liver, nothing to worry about"). In frustration I got back to the GP to remind them about my drinking history and asked if I could be referred for a liver scan. They then sent me for bloods again which I had on Monday and I got a call at 5pm last night saying my ferratin levels are slightly high and I need to have bloods AGAIN on 30th Nov.

I'm so frustrated and worried. Can I ask you - do you still have the liver sensation and have they told you that your high levels and fatty liver are nothing to worry about?

[France222222 in reply to 2022orNever]

Wow, thank you for posting --our situations are so similar! I do feel slightly worried too because I read stories all the time about doctors missing things even when ultrasounds are normal. I still have the liver sensation occasionally, especially after I eat sugar, which concerns me. But yes, my doctor told me not to worry and she expects to see the numbers return to normal with continued abstinence.

I'm going to see a liver specialist in January but I think probably the reason my doc is not worried is because given this stage (mildly elevated numbers and possibly off-the-record fatty liver), the only thing she could do would be to tell me to abstain, eat a liver-friendly diet, exercise, and book an appointment with a liver specialist, all of which I'm trying to do (for ref: the diet thing is hardest -I'm in good shape, but have a sweet tooth).

Maybe there are other forms of liver care that I don't know about, but it seems to me that this is all I can do either way, whether the doctor takes the concern seriously or not?? Maybe I'm wrong though!

[2022orNever in reply to France222222]

We really are so similar! Never used to have a sweet tooth - not since I was a kid anyway but I must have consumed so much sweetness/sugar in alcohol because when I stopped I started craving sweets like mad. I'm going to carry on pushing for a fibroscan and if I don't get anywhere I'll have to get the money together to go private because I just need the peace of mind now instead of the constant worry. I've never had a health scare that I let bother me so much before...this is lying heavy on my mind all the time because of the fact that it's self-inflicted. I'm finding that really hard to deal with.

[France222222 in reply to 2022orNever]

Yes that's a good idea! Maybe I should push to get a fibroscan too... I agree that the worry is heavier than with other health things, and I haven't had much info about what I should be doing in this case to stop things from getting worse. E.g. I can't really tell if abstinence is enough to reverse or stop the development of fatty liver or if a more extreme diet would be needed.

Did you get the full lab report for your ultrasound? Totally agree also that knowledge is power in this case and we'll be much better off if we just know what's going on!!

[2022orNever in reply to France222222]

It's been a sh1t show to be honest. I got half-hearted results as "all fine just a slightly fatty liver" read out to me over the phone by admin staff. I then had to push to get a fuller scan, just on the liver given my history and am back on the bloods merry-go-round. I started this in May! I'll see what happens when I get my blood results from my test on 30th Nov but I don't see this being resolved on the GP route before Christmas. I try and eat no salt at all, of course I don't drink, I eat loads of greens and try and cut fat out as much as I can but I'd love to know if it's making any difference.

[SoberDrunk1]

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