hi there, this will be a long story so bare with me. I’m using this platform to tell my story and seek out advice and help.
I’m a 29 year old Male.
I’ve recently gone through a lot of changes in my life moving house for the first time and getting a full time career in a stressful but meaningful environment. I put my heart and soul into it. It’s been a very challenging year for me. The hardest I’ve ever had. I’ve been poorly on and off since September last year with minor things. Then in May this year I got a bacterial infection. I didn’t know I had one and kept going to work. It eventually got too much and I was in hospital a couple of times. They gave me Cloxacillin and the infection cleared up but I was very dehydrated so needed to be on iv drips during my time there. This gave me a kick up the backside and as I didn’t eat well at all and would sometimes go 10 hours without drinking water due to my job being full on.
Whilst being poorly throughout the years I had drinks with friends socially on a Friday or Saturday-and I thought it was nothing more than when I was in my early 20s but after researching it was probably over the 14 units recommended. I didn’t even realise. During my time in hospital for a couple of days I started to develop what I believe is health anxiety. I was constantly worried about my chest and heart rate. and getting infected due to some of the things the doctors told me. They said I could have sepsis twice so I was really scared and for the past 2 months mind has been like a warzone. I have since started to meditate and been aware of the panic attacks I have been getting since end of May to this day and took measures to deplete this. Although I am now stressed and anxious about my liver.
Even after having several blood tests at the hospital and being given the all clear I was still worried. I went to the doctors and they said we will do a blood test here and a ecg at the hospital. Good news my heart has been given the all clear again. Although they found my liver levels were abnormal so they wanted to do a liver function blood test. They did one and I got a call saying they are slightly above the average. They said not to worry and do another test in a month. After researching here I’m not sure what levels are above the average as they have never told me . They said come back in a month. I was determined to not let this get to me so I researched and incorporated liver function foods into my diet like spinach, prunes, dates, eat fish weekly and drinking more water. I had another test then I went on holiday. My family was like don’t worry and I drank with them I kept it at a minimum apart from one day where I must have had 6/7 drinks. I came back and was immediately back on the diet. Just to mention I’m not overweight and the month I have been playing football regularly 3 times a week. I got the results and they have said the levels have increased again even after changing my diet and not drinking for a month. This is what scares me although I have been stressed thinking about blood tests.
The doctor on the phone asked if I have any other symptoms like yellowing of the skin and eyes. I haven’t got anything like that. I do have an annoying niggle on my right side and they want to do a physical examination. I’m really scared-even though it’s the best I’ve felt in weeks and months. I’m terrified that now there is something wrong with my liver. The doctor suggested it could be a gallstone but wants to do another test and feel my tummy. It doesn’t help with my health anxiety that fills me with fear. I’m so scared and it’s all I can think about.
Before my next bloods I will not drink continue on my diet and have heard of supplements like milk thistle and curcumin (turmeric) that I will consider taking to aid my liver health.
Thank you for reading my story. Sorry if it was a a long one. It’s all my thoughts and it helps me to journal.
Written by
Greenman110
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Sorry to hear about the stress and anxiety its causing you, it can be very difficult when waiting around for appointments/tests/results etc. I have been through it all since last year with similar issues. Firstly speaking with your doctors is first step... good on you for that! If your concerned over your liver or gallbladder, an ultrasound will help with this as it will give the doctors a visual. and its a starting point since you have already had bloods done.
You are definitely doing the right thing by staying away from alcohol and eating healthy while the investigations go on as this will help if there has been any problems. it could be something simple like inflammation but you seem to already the right steps to take when your body is trying to tell you something.
Hello fella ,welcome.This blt forum has some great folk to try and help out...
Ive got liver cirrhosis, my liver nurses say most definitely not to take milk thistle or any other supplements apart from what is prescribed by my hep consultant.....they may hinder the liver if its under stress already.
To try and put your mind at ease, its good that you have no obvious symptoms.....
I was yellow with jaundice, terrible ascites....
Bleeding varices....
You DON'T have any of those,so that's good.
With repeat bloods coming up,best not to touch the alcohol.....
There could be some liver inflammation, doctors can often feel if a liver is enlarged,by physical examination.
I'm way past that🙁.
Turn things around fella,not drinking water for 10 hours is an awful long time.....
I'm not surprised you were on iv fluids!!
You have to do what is right for yourself, not family fella,as you already know its affecting your mental health....
I fully understand, I've been there.
It could certainly be gallstones........I've got plenty of them aswell,but mine are staying where they should be😀
Sounds as though you know what to do fella,no alcohol, decent diet,obviously your playing footie...thats the way to go really,your only 29,im an oldie compared to yourself at 51😄
If it helps to get things wrote down, keep on writing!!!!
There will always be some one to help,and as I've seen the blt nurses have offered for you to phone them,there great, and will help where possible...
Keep your reasonable head on and don't let your mind run away with itself.....I know that's not easy....but think rational .
Thank you for this message. You really made me smile and my worries did ease a little. I will phone the nurses too next week.
My mind is were it is all happening as I make everything the worse and then I google symptoms and I go down a rabbit hole and it fills me with even more fear.
Green man, yiu will be good! Keep up the good work you can save.your.liver with your improved diet & exercise! Keep if any drinking minimum! Due to your age you can & will turn all of this around into good long healthy life!.God Blessings from Texas!
Hi, welcome. You are doing the best that you can...keep going and well done done for getting help. Health anxiety is a real thing so maybe mention it when you next see your doctor. It can cause minor things to feel worse than they really are. Coffee is good for liver health, in any shape or form, even decaffeinated, and recommended but stay away from supplements and drink plenty of water. Best stay away from dr google too...stick to liver trust and nhs websites as they are more up to date. You are young enough to turn things around, hubbie did at 56! It takes time and patience to repair. Wish you well on your journey
Good afternoon Greenman. Please don't ever apologise for thinking you are "running on" in your post. Everyone, at certain times in their lives, needs to explain how they feel and get things off their chest which are causing them anxiety. You certainly have a very healthy life with plenty of exercise as well. You must drink plenty of water as this will flush your body out including your liver. Please try and stay positive as you sound a wonderful family guy with a brilliant job - albeit stressful at times. Think of the future in a happy and fulfilling way and don't always believe what "Google" says - particularly with reference to supplements that may help your liver, they can do more harm than good. Keep smiling as you sound like a guy whose input in all walks of life is admired and much appreciated. Take good care.
Hi, welcome to the forum. The BLT have got a section for health anxiety and you’re definitely not the only one on here with it. Any investigation is a worry, snd new diagnoses can really knock your confidence. I’ve had autoimmune liver diseases for over 10 years and doing well with treatment. Carry on with your lifestyle changes. Try and give your health a priority at work, make sure you take breaks to eat, drink and just breathe. Whatever you do DONT GOOGLE! You’ll read all sorts that’s out of date or just plain wrong. BLT nurses will give you good advice.
Hi again, additional to my other post. Just reread your post. My hubbie has AIH, Its more usual in younger people (so we were told). His was triggered by being made redundant from a very stressful city job, losing his mum, health anxiety and life just getting chaotic. This was suggested as an additional cause for his bloods to change and was only found after he had a bad fall from scaffolding and had pneumonia and his immune system went in to over drive. He then got more anxious and started to drink more which agrivated the problem. He is now healthy, exercises and has a good diet. He has now got an almost normal life expectancy from being told 18 months to live, what I'm trying to say (but not very well) is that there are many reasons for bloods to be raised and it took the drs a while to work out that he had AIH, after the right drugs and change of life style aswell as help for his anxiety and councelling he turned his life around. Your dr sounds as if hes doing the right things and so are you, keep going with the healthy life style it will help so much. So please try not to panic (hard I know) these things take time.
Just an update I went to see a doctor yesterday. I have been taking passiflora which is a tablet to help cognitive function. I don’t think this had an affect as I haven’t taken it for over a month and then only just restarted taking it due to being anxious. he has told me to stop so I have done. I heard ELT levels but not sure if heard correctly are high but they are not extremely high. He told me not to worry. Which is easier said than done at the moment. Checked my liver and it wasn’t inflamed or anything. I have another blood test end of the month. He also said I have high blood pressure so I have to monitor that for 7 days. I said it will be high as I don’t want to be here and it gets me worked up. So I now have to check that for 7 days. I will also call the nurses next week that kindly offered to speak to me.
It’s on my right side. It comes and goes. It can feel like a gentle prod at times can be dull ache. It’s hard to describe. I spoke to the doctor about it but he kind of brushed over it.
The main one I was talking about in my original post must had had a injury as the doctor checked where I was saying yesterday and he thinks that a sports injury. That was on my ribs I self:
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