Trying to process

[Worried999]

Hi All,

I'm new here and from New Zealand. I'm 44 years old and for the last 4 years have been drinking 60-70 units of alcohol (neat Vodka) in some weeks (about 14 units a night, with 6-8 weeks alcohol free in a year interspersed)

I had a drinking problem before that from age 26 but not nearly as extreme or continuous, and can't really remember how often.

In Early Feb this year, I woke up to bloating and heavy feeling in my abdominal area. I felt like I had a sledge hammer to my torso. I became extremely worried and started on my 'Google diagnosis campaign' that has lead me to being extremely stressed out and fearful / highly anxious of Cirrhosis.

My GP ordered LFT's 3 weeks and 6 weeks after symptoms started (gas, weight loss, floating stool abdominal pain) but each time so far have been all well within normal ranges and in fact my Bilirubin has level has decreased further within normal range.

He has put my weight loss and symptoms down largely due to extreme anxiety and increased my anti depressants. I have calmed a bit and put some weight back on but can't help but worry and wonder if I could do any more ie diet etc. He doesn't seemed unduly concerned to recommend me to a Hematologist but I am on a 12 week waiting list for Gastro specialist. I have no Jaundice or swelling but do have a couple of what looks like Spider angioma spots on my collar bone. I've stopped drinking completely and am eating more healthy foods but don't really feel well.

My mind is so fixated/ anxious on the cirrhosis thing but feel a bit stuck as not getting referrals for things like scans etc so how will I ever know unless I start getting sicker??

My question is how useful are LFT's in diagnosis?

Thank you all

[Aotea2012]

Well, it’s highly unlikely that your LFTs would be normal if you had acites, which is what a bloated tummy would be if it was to do with your liver. Your albumin levels would be low at least. I have cirrhosis and have normal LFTs - but when I was first diagnosed and ill (with symptoms), my LFTs were very abnormal. A combination of no alcohol, a good diet and exercise has meant I have become well compensated, have no symptoms and my bloods are all normal. I would listen to your doctor. He would have felt ascites when he examined you if it was there, he’s also done a lot of bloods which are normal. You are doing all the right things by knocking alcohol on the head and eating well. Hopefully you’ll feel better soon.

[Alibaba80]

Did you say you have had a scan at all? I have Nodular Regenerative Hyperplasia and the only way this was diagnosed was through having biopsy.I also have a lot of symptoms and feel unwell in general...stool issues, fatigue, breathing issues, heart issues, weightloss, difficulty eating......

[Alibaba80]

I also have a few spider veins

[PadoJoe]

LFT's can show everything or nothing. Worry will kill you long before the liver can. Stop the worry and live the best you can. Immediately remove all salt and artificial sweeteners from your diet (read labels) eat eggs every day for the albumin which the liver will stop making if it's bad but albumin is critical for your body to have. Live as healthy as you can. Any sign of mental confusion get to the emergency room immediately and don't be afraid to ask your doctor questions. My story on why worry serves no purpose. No two liver issues are the same. or play out the same. I have psoriasis and treatment for psoriasis required me to have blood drawn twice a year. After 3 years of blood work I was told my liver enzymes were slightly elevated. So they sent me for a liver biopsy and that said the liver was fine the doctor saw no reason for the slightly increased enzyme number. 10 more years of LFTs and I still have slightly elevated liver enzymes and they send me for another liver biopsy and to a hematologist who still see no reason for the slightly increased liver enzymes. I then get sent to a Gastroenterologist who finds nothing wrong and this slightly elevated number might just be my norm, in his opinion. I was scheduled to see the Gastroenterologist once a year to monitor the liver. 5 more years of LFTs and Gastroenterologist appointments and everything is the same. Now I am feeling tired all the time, no appetite and gaining weight fast, enzymes are still slightly elevated and the Doctor said I was gaining weight because I was not exercising and tired because I worked so much. 2 more years of this and I have a gallbladder attack, end up in the emergency room for the gallbladder diagnosis. They schedule surgery to remove the gallbladder. I wake up with the Surgeon standing by my bed and the surgeon tells me" We did not remove your gallbladder. We always go in with a camera first and with what we saw we could not continue because you are in Stage Four liver failure. You have between 6 weeks and 6 months to live". He then hands me 8 X 10 color glossy photos of my liver and recommends I see a Gastroenterologist. I explained I see one who works out of the same medical facility the surgeon does. Surgeon says well take him the pictures. I take the pictures to my Gastroenterologist who then gets me scheduled with the Gastroenterologist at the transplant hospital. Liver failure Gastroenterologist and I another year of nothing because enzymes are only slightly elevated. Even thought the photos show Stage IV. Then they start running test to see if I qualify for transplant. First thing I am told is I have to lose 30 pounds to show I am serious about wanting to live. (I know I can't lose 1 pound because I'm barely eating). I start getting short of breath so they do ultrasound and for the first time I hear the word Ascites and I'm full of water. I had several pockets of this fluid but I was lucky in that one of the pockets on the left side of my belly was huge pocket that they could drain. They drained over 30 pounds of water from that pocket. I went down the hall to the Gastroenterologist appt and he said good job losing the weight and set things in motion to put me on the transplant list. I never said a word about how much fluid they removed, it didn't matter I was being placed on the list because I lost the weight. The fluid was all back within a week and I got that same pocket drained every month. I did all the required testing and was placed on the list. 1 year later my health deteriorated fast. My enzymes were still only slightly elevated and I was Never jaundice. It wasn't until my kidneys started failing and I had my first episode with encephalopathy that my health was finally taken seriously because those are signs of full liver failure. In 2010 I received a liver transplant. Take care of you!

[Readlots]

First stop Googling, it will only make you worry and a lot of the information will be out of date or just plain wrong. Secondly for every story like PadoJoes you’ll hear 10 positive stories on here. You’re worried because of your drinking history. Lots of people on here report how they stopped drinking and their livers improved. So stop drinking, eat healthily, excercise gently and I’m sure you’ll be fine. Talk to the doctor about your worries and I’m sure they will tell you how to get the tests you want to reassure you that your liver is coping, or get a diagnosis if it isn’t. My understanding is that LFTs are a good indication of how well your liver is functioning. It’s what my UK hepatologist uses to monitor my liver, with occasional fibroscans and ultrasounds.

[Worried999 in reply to Readlots]

Just want to thank you all for taking the time to reply, it means a lot.😀.I have a other LFT tomorrow so will see what it says.

Take care you all!

[Worried999]

Hi all

Third normal LFT and blood counts/renal in a row. GP says marks are not spider angioma...sees no point in doing scan.

Just waiting on Gastro in 11 weeks

Why am I still worried? 🤔

[pushthrough in reply to Worried999]

Possibly because you know you were drinking too much and at some point cirrhosis entered your mind from some form of media. Your anxious brain connected the two and began it began stressing your body which began causing physical symptoms. Or something similiar. 1. You have anxiety according to you and your doctor which is terrible I know. 2. You feel you drank way too much and you prob did but got lucky and dodged cirrhosis. Don’t drink again. Having anxiety tends to cause many to self medicate. Use the rx from your physician. I assure you that you do not want cirrhosis. I’m 40 and was diagnosed at 38. And stop googling. Fear sells.

G.

[KillerT]

I don't have much to say, but to only say well done for stopping drinking alcohol. I would take the symptoms that led you to seek medical help as a wake-up call as your drinking was spiraling out of control. I think you may have dodged the bullet this time and please don't take the current normal bloods as a ticket to start drinking again as things may change drastically for the worse. If you continue to live a healthy lifestyle as advised by others on this thread your worrying will soon stop, its just a matter of time.