From the depths of despair, there is hope

[J4ck1369]

Hi

I have written a couple of posts on here but just want to update you re my progress to demonstrate how, with determination, you can turn things around.

To summarise, last May/June I was hospitalised for over5 weeks. My drinking had slowly increased, (though I had always liked a drink) following lockdown and finishing work. On admission to hospital I was constantly nauseous, had severe ascites and when I turned yellow I contacted 111. After 27 hours in A & E, I was placed in a ward where I was extremely poorly.

I have recently requested my hospital notes. Now I knew that I was extremely ill but what I read was very sobering (pardon the pun!).

On reading the notes it appears that apart for the above symptoms, I also got pneumonia (which I knew) and sepsis (which I didn’t know) and my kidneys were failing. It was written in the notes that my prognosis was extremely poor, life expectancy less than 1 year and I very deranged bloods. My billirubin at one point was 822 (that’s not a typo)!

Anyway, since then I have not drank alcohol and , in the beginning struggled to eat ( I hid my hospital food to stop them ‘nagging’ me- stupid I know!). Following discharge I very slowly began to feel better and took up gentle exercise, increasing it gradually. Now 15 months later, my muscle mass has improved and I have put on a stone as I was very thin. I am on no medication, Fibroscan F0-F1, ultrasound normal and am hoping that the grade 1 varices was told I had last November have disappeared. My billirubin is now 12.

I have no doubt whatsoever that the most important thing I did was to stop drinking, I cannot stress that enough.

Sorry for the long post but I just wanted to give hope to those of you who feel there is none Trust me there is.

Just do everything the medics tell you. I know it isnt easy and there will be setbacks, but please don’t give up.

I am now enjoying holidays abroad and the only difficulty is know what to declare on my insurance forms. I do not have cirrhosis (a miracle) but nothing seems to fit.

Good luck everyone 😀

[FlippinOut]

So happy to hear your good news. Congrats on your hard work and thanks for giving hope to everyone. It really helps to hear the success stories.

[wp69]

Absolutely fantastic news , well done on your amazing turn around.

[AlexJ91]

Well done for turning your life around and for sharing this with others, who no doubt will take away some hope from reading your post. Enjoy your new lease of life x

[deanw41]

Amazing turn around, good for you! Put on your insurance: Fit as a Fo#kin Fiddle. 😉💪💥💥

[teletonetapper]

Wow, what an amazing update. It can be done as you have proven and this will bring much hope to those who need it. Heartfelt thoughts and wishes for you to continue a long and healthy life. If anyone deserves praise, you certainly do. Stay safe and keep up your remarkable achievement. Your post is absolutely inspiring.

[J4ck1369]

thank you everyone. I just wish i could show you me 15 months ago and now. I was 7st, yellow with puffy face & huge belly. Things arent perfect now but please dont give up 😃

[Corin1950]

Well done. What an amazing turnaround and such an inspiration to others who may be feeling it’s too much or too late to change. You can do it!

[DottyDom]

This is such a wonderful, inspirational post. I needed to read this because I have feeling very low and depressed lately. Thank you

[J4ck1369 in reply to DottyDom]

I know how your feel but please just do everything the medics say and things will improve. Consider this, your liver has been the victim of a serious assault and needs lots of tlc to recover 😀

[Startingmyjourney]

Thank you for posting this. I've gone from drinking 2 bottles of wine a day to nothing, and it's been 3 weeks and after a funeral the temptation to go back again to it is so strong. This helped me so much. Thank you.

[J4ck1369 in reply to Startingmyjourney]

I was surprised to see this on my original post which was a year ago now. Well done on what you have achieved so far and having the will power to carry on despite what, it seems, is a difficult time for you. You CAN stay strong. Since this last post, I too, have faced some challenging times with family problems, my mother being very poorly and now in a home and I’m moving house next week. Things will get better for you if you just stay off the drink. It’s now 2 and a half years for me since I had a drink and it does get easier. Previously, with the issues I’ve just mentioned, I’d have reached for that glass of wine but now I don’t. I enjoy a 0% gin and tonic each night (I know there is some debate over this but there is more alcohol in a banana or the inhaler I use for my asthma) and I enjoy it so why not?. I also still go to the pub and have a 0% beer or a mocktail with a meal. I have 6 monthly scans and bloods and feel generally well. I did start running, but have a problem with my knee, so I now walk around 4/5 miles a day with puppy. I never forget though how ill and close to death I was and that’s why I know I will never drink again. I’m not the sort or person who can just have one and cut down, I’m all or nothing! You can do this- if I can, then you certainly can!