Update

[MissS_Zebra9]

Hi, my partner is still in hospital with what we were told was liver failure /decomp Cirrhosis. They seem to think its now Alcoholic Hepatitis as his last US scan doesn't really suggest Cirrhosis and he has no ascites. He is still yellow and is having a colonoscopy today. The consultant has also said that if his biliburin levels come down dramatically over the next few days he can come home and will be on steroids for approx a month. The hospital have suggested a few things to try and assist him with abstaining from alcohol which he has dismissed stating that he can do it himself as the consequences are so high this time (he said this last time!). I thought that if you have had Alcoholic Hepatitis before (he was hospitalised for a week 2 years ago and was on steroids) it would progress to Cirrhosis, didn't think you could get AH time and time again, is this correct? I am going again tomorrow to speak with consultant.

[pushthrough]

I’m very sorry to hear this MissS. I’m not sure if you can get it more than once but it’s likely he has continued to have it, especially if he didn’t quit drinking. I had alcoholic hepatitis in a compensated state. I quit drinking immediately after finding out my liver was damaged. He will likely need help to quit drinking as you know. Whether or not he accepts that help is another story. Others on here may have had success getting their spouse to quit drinking. I wish you the best and I hope his liver recoups.

G.

[Rshc]

has he had anything in hospital to support with detox? My partner stopped drinking on 23.12.21 on his first admission to hospital and underwent medical detox for 5 days which really did help get him onto the right path. He has found the hardest thing not giving up drink but the whole change in his social life which is almost non existent, he sees very few people from before.

[MissS_Zebra9]

Spoke to consultant today who has said you can get Alcoholic hepatitis time and time again. The only treatment that will improve his liver is giving up alcohol. They have offered help to quit alcohol which he is reluctant to accept because he thinks he can quit himself but I'm extremely worried that he will slip into his old habits, only time will tell I suppose 😔.

[DD75]

Hi MissS_Zebra,

Firstly good to hear you managed to get your husband to hospital after the trauma of trying to get him there in the first place. Secondly, thankful he hasn't got cirrhosis or ascites from what you've said he's very very lucky in terms of limited damage done due to excess alcohol and I am actually relieved for you.

I hope for his sake he doesn't see this as a green light to continue drinking.

But I honestly think you've tried your best and you need to let him just get on with it himself, he's been told to stop offered help to stop but refused it. If he won't listen he won't listen. Alcoholics have to change behaviour and be fully behind quitting drinking or it just won't work and I really really hope for your sake as your suffering because of his disregard of medical advice, that he does quit and seek help because doing it unsupported is not easy.

My husband doesn't drink anymore but he had a horrific experience unexpected and is still getting treatment because of complications no fault of his own since his first horrendous experience and shock diagnosis.

I do hope that your husband quits I really do, even if it's just for quality of life for all of you its not fun living with an alcoholic with or without the extra health problems.

Try and take this time whilst he is in hospital and getting looked after to look after yourself and treat yourself. I get told this all the time and I know it's not easy but for the last hospital visit for hubby I actually thought about the words told to me repeatedly as I ran myself ragged with worry day after day.

"he's in the best place being cared for by professionals use this time to look after yourself so you can recharge for when he comes home"

I spent one day not visiting and all to myself and I recharged and felt better to cope with the good and bad news 😔 that came.

Thinking of you 💙

[RugbyMama]

Im glad hes committed to stopping drinking and I do understand your worry.

My husband is very newly diagnosed with cirrhosis. He had a sudden onset of acute pain at the beginning of December that kicked all of this off and stopped drinking immediately. He has since then remained abstinent, and honestly I never thought that would happen because every time he had tried to cut back or stop drinking in the last few years he wouldn't be able to sleep and inevitably would return to alcohol.

He is incredibly stubborn, which in this case has helped; once he has decided he is going to do something, nothing stops him. He decided he needed to stop drinking, so he did. We've also been quite open with friends and family that he has stopped drinking, because my personal view is that as a society we give people that don't drink "side-eye" and they are classed as boring or weird not that they are trying to save their own life by removing the thing that was killing them.

Have you considered Al-anon family groups to help support you? We only have one locally and I know 2 people who attend it so it wouldn't be particularly anonymous for me!

[Roy1955]

He is too embarrassed and too much of a "he man" to accept help.Much like I was.

BUT I bit the bullet and accepted I needed help to quit.

Yes that first couple of times going to what I called "DRUNK CLUB" was like walking the plank on a pirate ship but soon become a life saver that helped fill the alcoholic void.

AA would not suit me so I accepted NHS help, that did not work and I continued drinking.

I then found CGL (change grow live) who work alongside the NHS and have medical teams on site.

They don't force you into anything and the only rule is you don't turn up there rolling drunk or high on drugs.

Although if you do your not turned away.

Free tea/coffee/nibbles and even free cooked breakfast if you want it.

All about education and how to change his outlook so drinking becomes less important.

They can supervise at home detox or arrange residential detox.

I did at home and they supplied the medication as and when needed.

Look it up.

Theres also Addaction who do the same.

He can self refer to them.