I had a blood test that showed raised ALT and then stopped drinking for 3 months and the repeat test had gone down to normal levels.
I have heard that various things can help the liver, milk thistle, artichoke, dandelion etc. Is there any merit in any of these.
I do not drink a lot but the occasional drink would be nice etc.
Save your money and don't go down the so called herbal remedies route. Many can put more stress on your liver and have no clinically proven benefits at all. Have a read at the British Liver Trust page on the subject:- britishlivertrust.org.uk/in...
Please do all you can to look after your liver - is booze really worth it when there are so many other things you can drink? I am looking after a poorly hubby here whose liver condition is in no way alcohol related but my god if you saw what he is going through you'd ask yourself do you really need an alcoholic drink. Sadly there was nothing he could do to prevent his condition whereas you can absolutely stop your liver from suffering harm.
Katie
Hi AyrshireK, I also have a liver condition that is not alcohol related. I have been diagnosed with non cirrhotic portal hypertension. This was flagged around 4 years ago and I have subsequently had 4 liver biopsies. I am extremly concerned as to the way things are progressing with my health as my platelets are down to 37000. Thus far I have had no varices. My WBC is also low. I am on beta blockers and have been for the past two years. I am trying to reach out to see if there is anything out there that can help with the condition that I have. Thanks
Please note that the British Liver Trust does not recommend the use of any homoeopathic or herbal remedies for those with any liver problems as these may damage the liver and lead to severe illness.
For more information on this, please visit the following page on our website that Katie has already mentioned:
britishlivertrust.org.uk/in...
Best wishes
British Liver Trust
Dont EVER use over the counter herbal remedies or magic liver health products. I reversed my liver stiffness from 22.2kpa to 9 after a spell in hospital with ascites and jaundice, alcohol hepatitis, likely decompensated cirrhosis. Now it’s deemed fibrosis by my doctors and it’s all down to a healthy diet, abstinence and regular exercise.
Obviously we are all different where food is concerned so see a nutritionist for more info. I was told by my doctor even too much paracetamol was toxic for my liver given the damage I had done to it.
I ate lots of fruit and veg, especially berries, coffee, herbal tea using milk thistle, dandelion, valerian etc. leaves and buds, not in some formulated tablet form. I cut out sugar and fatty food. I put nothing toxic into my body and the results in 9 months have been transformative, even my doctors who had me down as likely cirrhosis or borderline, are amazed.
Obviously with me it was drinking that damaged my liver the most, cut out the source of the thing damaging your liver. For most people it’s a combination of heavy drinking and poor diet, for a lot of people who are not heavy drinkers it’s poor diet and excercise.
I know someone who isn’t obese, but stays in the house all day, doesn’t eat junk or drink, but has a fatty liver. Because they aren’t getting regular excercise. When I left hospital looking like a skeleton and so weak, my doctor said you have to move, even if it’s around the house at first, standing up for a minute here and there, stretching etc. I was told that because I’d be less mobile and unable to work and go out for a while, unless I moved around, my liver wouldn’t recover even with abstinence and healthy food. The two go hand in hand which I’m learning now the hard way after an almighty scare.
Best of luck!
Thanks all for the replies and noted that supplements are not a good idea and will continue to abstain.
I was always aware of my heavy drinking and spent hundreds of pounds on liver health products which thankfully my drinking got in the way of me using them as when I was in hospital and telling my doctor I will start taking them when I get home I was told in no uncertain terms to bin them and be thankful I didn’t use them as my liver would have been even more damaged.
Every time I’m prescribed something it goes through my hep doctor, it’s staggering just what is toxic to not only your liver but other organs which all work together and mainly the liver is the one doing so much of the work for the other organs. It’s responsible for over 500 different roles and jobs it does to keep you alive and well.
People with liver disease, their liver even if massively scarred will often keep ticking along while the other organs that rely on the liver shut down due to the damage we do to it. Don’t add any extra causes of damage to your body which is what these herbal remedies are. You can get everything your body needs in nutrients and vitamins through fruit and veg which of course all comes from Mother Nature itself, our amazing planet.
Thanks for the advice, unfortunately I am now on antibiotics and paracetemol for chest infection, high temp and now mainly its for the headache but I try to leave as long as possible between each dose of paracetemol and am definately within the limits they set. I believe paracetamol is better than ibuprofen for your liver though.
If you’ve been prescribed them then your doctors must deem it safe for you to use them. And yeah I was told ibuprofen was a big no no for me.
Hi, I'm interested in your comment as I was diagnosed with likely cirrhosis a year ago after multiple years of abuse through vodka, a 10 months down the line...No alcohol, il be honest, not much exercise but improved my diet massively and the biopsy/bloods are all back to normal and the consultant said only still possible cirrhosis but just to carry on treating me as a cirrhosis patient every 6 months, to be on the safe side. I've been on this site for a few months and your the 1st that I've seen that also says "likely cirrhosis" how have they left it with you then? Follow up appts etc.... I have never used herbal tablets but do make a concoction drink every morning of ginger, honey, lemon, fresh chopped oranges/kiwi/lemon, cinnamon, black pepper and cinnamon with a bowl of high protein granola, mixed berries and Greek yoghurt. I've convinced myself this morning routine is keeping it at bay 😂 take it easy m8 👍
Hi Pete sounds like you’re doing great and I’m convinced my daily routine of certain food and exercise as well as not drinking anymore is what has made me recover the way I have too. I eat a punnet of berries a day for example, kefir yogurts and drink at least two cups of coffee and my own home made herbal tea. I also eat 85% dark chocolate a day just a bite off the large bar.
My recent letter this week from my hep doctor states moderate fibrosis based on new fibro scan results and bloods but I have an ultrasound next week as they want to explore more. My MRI this time last year indicated maybe bile duct issues as I was vomiting green bile stuff. Then a month or so later I was in hospital with jaundice and ascites and likely decompensated cirrhosis.
My doctor did say my liver is scarred which is fibrosis and I’m unlikely to reverse that any more, but that’s different from cirrhosis. He also said with cirrhosis and especially alcohol related liver disease they still don’t know that much about it all and that’s why they like to see where things are at after a spell of abstinence. 10 months now for me.
Yet I still have a few cirrhosis symptoms like spider nevi and a droopy right breast. That could all be alcohol related though as I have alcohol neuropathy which is awful at times but I’ll take that given how I was this time last year at death’s door.
Just carry on doing what your doing that’s what I’m doing as if I have decompensated cirrhosis l, gotta stay alive and well ha ha.
Just to add I’m to see my hep doctor in six months for a check up which he’s hoping after than I can be discharged as an out patient, I also have an ultra sound scan next week. I think my doctors are flummoxed about my latest results in terms of improvements as not many with a fibro scan score of over 22 get it down to 9 in 9 months given I also had jaundice and ascites. Abstaining is truly the only way if it’s alcohol related as mine was and I know despite my good results I’m still not out woods yet and have a king king way to go to stay sober and never damage my liver again. It’s been an awful 9 months but right now I’m sending this from the gym which I attend weekly and this time last year I was dying, literally drinking myself to death. Have a good and safe day all 👏
That's it grassroots, what else can you do in all honesty. I need to exercise more and eat more healthy tea options. I do include chicken or fish in my meals but sometimes make a curry sauce and naan bread for example? The only symptoms I have come across is itchy feet and aching pain around my liver area but my consultant put me on a list to have a scan and possible endoscopy as she thinks it may just be stones that needs removing. We'll soon see?
Exactly and don’t worry about cheat meals I have the odd one and to be honest I went down to 11 stone and have put 2 on since last year but I’m still skinny, but my doctor said the only way I’ll put more weight on would be to eat junk food every day which I don’t want to do but I was told the odd cheat meal won’t hurt.
Exercise is so important I learned that and I love walking so even just that does wonders.
My MRI this time last year revealed polyps, colitis, IBS and a severe fatty liver which I’ve reversed or resolved through healthy eating, exercise and quitting drinking.
It seems like you’re doing great and everything right Pete and just follow what your doctors say that’s what I do.
I used to get itchy constantly since I was a kid and the drinking helped that.but after a month when I first stopped I no longer itch. The alcohol neuropathy is terrible though and come and goes. Muscle cramps and numb tingling hot and cold feeling in my feet with stab like pains. Again if that’s the price to pay I’ll accept that.
11 stone, wow! I'm 21 stone but I'm naturally built big as always worked on building sites etc...for years. My doctor said to me, try to loose 10% so that's the goal. My portion sizes are always big though and I tend to eat more in the evening. All in time I guess, I've done the hard part of giving up alcohol so I'm not just changing everything else over night! The itching is getting loads better than it was, I used to have to stop on the street, sit down at a bus stop and take my trainer off as it was that bad. Can I just ask what else have you been eating as that's what I get a bit stuck with, evening meals! I know ideally I should be eating lentils, fish, plenty of greens but it does get a bit repetitive! I have started making myown turkey burgers as they are packed with protein and tastes good with sweet potato wedges. And only ever use extra virgin olive oil in cooking balsamic vinegar and apple cider vinegar for a dressing with a bit of lemon juice
My ideal weight should be about 13 and a half stone, I know just another half a stone and I’d fill my body much better, I’ve always been skinny, but I’m conscious of being too skinny now. RE night time meals, it varies with me, your Turkey burgers sound delicious, I’d go with them. I eat a lot of fish, brown rice, pasta etc. I steam my veggies and I try and make my own food at home as much as possible, it helps my wife is an amazing cook. I like duck which is packed with protein and I make a mean healthy beef stir fry in one pan, just 2 tea spoons full of olive oil.
I probably graze eat mostly, every so hours, I snack a lot on healthy stuff like a banana here if I’m hungry, some grapes there, an apple, a protein bar (low sugar and salt) and I’ve been known to eat some oats at half 12 at night just to fill me up. Protein shakes are my go to as they are packed with protein, I was on fortisip in hospital, they really work.
I’ve been making my own at home and peanut butter, there is lots of healthy versions, a few tea spoons of that can be like 10 grams of protein. Eggs as well, I eat a lot of them on brown toast with avocado, some tomatoes and garlic cloves. With anything diet related though, it’s always best to see a specialist as everyone is different. I make my own homemade low sodium pickle juice which helps with cramps, aches and pains and my alcohol neuropathy. I also drink shots of turmeric and ginger and add that to my herbal teas along with apple cider vinegar with mother, that thing is a godsend to me. But again you seem to have this so well done you mate, keep it up.
Sounds like you got it bang on there mate, il be taking some of those ideas...I can't stand the thought of being skinny, I start to panic when I loose weight and feel like some sort of crackhead! Haha. Stir fry I do love so that will be going on the shopping list 👍 I think I just really overthink stuff and comes to the point where I can't think straight anymore. I been doing a sort of healthy roast dinner which sounds a cheat, but it's just potato's, veg, chicken, and use the veg water to make a bit of low salt/sugar gravy. I do need to invest in a steamer I think
You’re doing great mate food wise, even roasts are Ok, it’s just the high salt content and possible high sat fats but that can all be minimised, at Xmas I gorged on our roasts ha ha. I could kill for a kebab or bacon sarnie though but I’ve been a good boy since coming out of hospital. I make my own pizzas at home - my wife makes the dough in her bread maker thing. And overthinking that’s me, I do it constantly but I believe by doing so that has also helped with my recovery, but sometimes it’s good just to relax and not over think and yes have the occasional cheat meal. As my doctor said he’s rather me be eating anything rather than nothing and weight wise people say I look well and have put weight on but they saw me when I was seriously ill. I check my weight religiously though and worry when I lose a few pounds which I did over Xmas despite what I thought was me over indulging. You can’t win ha ha. With liver disease it’s like whack a mole as someone once said to me, one thing fixes one thing but another problem will pop up needing whacked.
Exactly, I tend to just use my common sense rather than fully taking on board what the doctor says sometimes... they are there to help, but when I was 1st diagnosed with possible cirrhosis a year ago, it was like death was round the corner and that was it. Now there's hardly anything there so they obviously don't know the full ins and outs of everything like people think! I sometimes make myown pizzas with tortilla wraps in the air fryer, they are so quick and tasty.
The air fryer is great we use it a lot and yeah my doctors are obviously some of the best when it comes to liver disease but they were honest with me in that they said look we still don’t know the ins and outs of it all.
They are flummoxed my ascites hasn’t returned for example and while they know a lot I’m the type of person I wanna know as much as possible about my own health so I can be my own advocate because the NHS as great as it is is at break g point.
I’ve chased up bloods, demanded bloods, demanded scans and arm myself with questions whenever I visit my doctor who once joked I should have his seat as I seem to know more about liver disease than them, well my own anyway.
I have noticed at first I was just another alcoholic who they’ve seen a thousand times over, the moment I showed them I was serious about my health and going sober the more they interacted with me and push for me and want me to get better and the more they are engaged.
My doctor said we see so many people come and go and unless they want to help themselves there is not a lot we can do outside of advice and medical procedures if it comes to that. You have to be your own advocate. I was told don’t drink, cut out salt and sugar, take your tablets and good luck. I had to learn about nutrition and especially the importance of protein and I had to learn all about the liver and what it needs and what it doesn’t and even daft things like muscle cramps how can I treat that without the need for potentially toxic medicine that may help but could cause other issues and it all boils down to what we eat and don’t eat, drink and don’t drink and that’s the key along with regular normal exercise. The human body and especially the liver is an amazing thing and can heal, recover and come back from the brink of death. You’re doing amazing and seem to be knowledgeable about diet and stuff which will stand you in good stead I’m sure. Love hearing people doing well after not doing so well so keep it up mate.
You too mate, it's always gonna be a struggle but like you said....just keep plodding on haha 1 last thing I would like to ask is ascites? I don't really know what to look out for if they do develop? The consultant wasn't the best help, all she said is look out for fluid build up? And I'm thinking...is it really obvious when it happens, or could it be missed? As I'm not down for another check up till may!
I still don’t fully understand ascites and neither do the doctors it seems, it’s deemed a newish development in advanced cirrhosis and is life threatening. It’s basically a back up of fluid in your stomach or legs or even chest due to the back pressure of the liver which struggles when scarred to filter toxins, fluid and blood even. It can lead to a thing called HE which is really dangerous as it causes paranoia, confusion and can lead to a coma and death due to the build up of toxins the liver is struggling to filter out that’s why they give people with ascites diuretics to help them wee out as much as they can and of course a thing called lactulose to poo out the deadly toxins.
I was put on diuretics immediately in hospital for my entire stay and I lost half a stone, but the suites (swollen belly) was causing me pain so I demanded a drain which they were reluctant to do, but did eventually get 5.5litres drained from me.
I didn’t even know what ascites was, I thought it was my beer belly and my doctors have said 10-15 years back someone coming in with jaundice with ascites were detoxed and told to stop drinking, believing a swollen belly to be a beer belly or nothing so that’s why a lot of data about cirrhosis is skewered because those poor people sent home died of complications with ascites and were not treated for it which they now get treatment for.
Me being me I read up in diuretics and ascites when I got home and thought while the tablets will help, it can’t be healthy for other stuff surely so I looked into natural diuretics from food and drink sources, coffee is a wonderful diuretic as is dandelion as well as grapes, berries, water melon and other fruit and veg so I still took my tablets but ate and drank a lot of those stuff despite being on a 1.5ltr a day fluid restriction. I thought to myself yes me peeing a lot will help with the aspires but my body was already massively depleted with vital vitamins and nutrients and here’s me basically peeing it all out and what damage will that do to my kidneys?
After a month I had some bloods done and a scan and was told my ascites had gone and to discontinue with the diuretics immediately because they can be harmful and like I said, one solution will help with one issue, when it comes to liver disease, but may cause other issues, I didn’t want my kidneys being compromised as well as my already damaged liver. I swear my diet helped with the ascites the most and my doctor kind of agreed.
I was told in hospital I can’t be cured, just treated, that at best the diuretics would ease the ascites and maybe prevent me needing drained every so often which is dangerous, which of course depressed the gel out of me and I cursed myself even more for allowing drink to ravage my body the way it had.
But touch wood ascites hasn’t returned, that’s not to say it won’t at some point and I always bloat after a meal so I’m constantly paranoid if it’s acsites. My doctor gave me a good tip, if I can suck my belly in so it’s flat or less round and it feels soft or flat I’m fine, if it’s hard and it still looks and feels swollen, I’m not.
I keep myself well hydrated these days and pee more than I do when I was on diuretics, but I can hold my wee in for hours now which I couldn’t when I diuretics, my wee is crystal clear mostly these days which means I’m flushing out any toxins in my system which I try to limit through a healthy diet, naturally and in a way the good vitamins and nutrients are being absorbed by the body to fuel it.
I feel so sorry for anyone with ascites because it’s awful, I was in so much pain and no-one should suffer having to get drained every week or few weeks and be on diuretics all the time because again they do help and work, but at what cost? Again diet, it’s all about what we put and don’t put into our bodies.
BTW it was my wife who noticed my belly being hard and swollen, I just thought it was a beer belly. Jan last year, my MRI said mild ascites, jaundice, severe fatty liver, but no evidence of cirrhosis (as if they can really tell), so I thought great, carry on drinking. Next thing I’m in hospital dying with full blow ascites, and I do believe jaundice is linked too, to do with bilirubin levels. Again I didn’t even know what ascites was and still don’t fully understand it, I do know I never ever want that to return and have nothing but sympathy, respect and we’ll wishes for those that do. The poor bloke next to me in hospital had 15 litres drained and said it was a monthly thing. You’re doing so well though Peter so keep it up and sorry for the wall of text ha ha, I do love writing!
Don't be silly saying sorry, it's all useful info that will help me out mate. Least I know a bit more than I did. How much was you drinking, and for how long? I been a really heavy drinker since as long as I can remember...its crazy thinking back! Was pissed constantly at work, even driving the forklift, the past 10 years I've been on the vodka and talking around 2 bottles a day, everyday so god knows how I'm still here?! And then I see comments on here about people only having a few drinks at the weekend etc...and on deaths door! Guess it's the luck of the draw but most alcoholics don't seem to eat much food, but I was eating loads and drinking loads of juice and water every night/ morning. I explained this to the doctor and he said...Maybe that's what's kept you alive? But will never know like a lot of things in life. You've done so well for pulling it back though, from what you've been through.well done 👍 to be honest, I'd still have no idea I have liver issues if it wasn't for the crazy sky high bloods that was showing and the doctor sent me straight for scans. But I felt well then, just like I do now so just go with it
Thanks Pete, I was a heavy whiskey drinker for a decade due to stress, running a business, during Covid it got worse and towards the end I was drinking 3 1 litre bottles a week easily, and the nice expensive stuff as well.
For about 6 months before the end I hardly ate, lost all my appetite and rarely drank water, I was lucky in that my poison was whiskey, I could always take it or leave it with any other alcohol.
You eating and getting fluids still will have helped massively because my body was depleted of all kinds by the end, I was skin and bones and I didn’t even notice it. For 2 weeks straight before I dialled 111, I was constantly at the toilet with the runs, just clear liquid water and vomiting everything up, mostly liquid, thankfully no blood, just whiskey and Coca Cola so I had been kind of weening myself off it during those 2 weeks because I just couldn’t keep it down.
I was so week I could barely get out if my wife’s car who took me to the A&E and needed a wheelchair otherwise I’d have just collapsed, the photos of my condition and stay in hospital are not nice, think of a George Best on his death bed, that was me, but they are a good reminder of what not to do/be/go back to.
My bloods were off the chart too, I was pumped with all kinds of fluids and had to take over 10 tablets a day, some of which I’m sure were for detoxing, by the 4th day I started to feel better, but still very week, it wasn’t drink I craved, but cigarettes, it’s funny because I still can’t kick that habit but the drink after the first month was easy, it’s kind of not an option when you’re told you drink again and you die, simple as that.
You also being big will have helped and while they’ve told you to lose weight which I’m sure you will, my liver was basically using my own muscles to feed off for protein because I had none left so lost a lot of muscle and although I’m regaining it slowly but surely, it’s been a long hard struggle and even though I was constantly hungry towards the end, I couldn’t stomach food, just whiskey. Once I started eating healthily and moving around after about a month I felt great, went on long walks and started getting back to normal, I’m still weak compared to what I used to be, but I go to the gym and I’ve noticed I’m lifting more and more and getting there. Again being somewhat skinny and with alcohol neuropathy if that’s the worst, I’ll take it. And yes I feel desperately sorry for those who have cirrhosis or liver disease and don’t drink or hardly drink, survivors guilt definitely is a thing, but I also feel blessed and truly grateful that I’m still somehow here and I want to desperately stay around for as long as I can and now, money, business, flashy cars and nice things which I’ve had, lost, had, may desire etc, I’m alive and as long as I’m alive I’m winning, I have my wife and kids, amazing family and friends and my health, even if it’s compromised, what more do I need?! I do kick myself though that I allowed drink to get such a grip on me when I was never a drinker or not a heavy drinker anyway. Life’s pressures eh, alcohol is the devil’s work IMO and needs more regulated because it costs the NHS so much a year and kills people. But I would say that, I’m the one with the problem, if only I could have drank in moderation like most people can and do. But the longer I stay off it the less I no longer need it because really we don’t need alcohol or drugs, life itself is the biggest drug one will ever need, there is no bigger high than that.
Very true words! It's the worst drug going 💯 that's exactly how I was when I tried to come off the drink... felt like I was literally dying so went back on the drink, then finally I was offered a stay in rehab last January and that was it. I miss it sometimes but like you say, it's not a option anymore. I was put on a clinical trial at the hospital for 6 months to take a tablet everyday and go for regular checkups at hospital, to try sort my liver out. I still don't know if did any good or further damage? Its like getting blood out a stone, getting answers from the hospital! Anyway, I was offered the chance to go on another trial a few weeks ago which I took. Had the medical everything, then had a call the other day saying I can't be accepted as my liver isn't bad enough and only had a meld score of 6. It scores from 6-40 dosnt it so I'm guessing it couldn't be better on paper. Sometimes it's good news to get told you can't do something haha
You’re braver than me Pete, I didn’t even want the medicine prescribed for me ha ha but that’s very kind of you doing your but for science and even better your meld score is a 6 that’s the same as mine. I asked my doctor about endoscopies in December and he just laughed and said no need. Yet I have spider nevi which is associated with cirrhosis and portal hypertension which is a complication of cirrhosis and when I asked what’s that all about he said it could be liver related or alcohol related or both but my bloods don’t suggest portal hypertension nor does my liver, but my scan next week an ultrasound scan will hopefully reveal more. Alcohol can cause cirrhosis but if not it can still damage the liver or areas of the liver like bile ducts and so on. I did miss a drink at Xmas and couldn’t wait for the day to be over because I was getting strong urges and I hate that, but even so I know I will never touch a drop again unless I’m on my death bed and give me all the whiskey in the world I’ll have it ha ha
It's funny you said that haha I always think exactly the same...I have urges but its being human! Its not something you just forget about over night, il probably still having urges when I'm 70 but I won't touch it again unless like you said, nothing to loose. End it steaming 😂 to be honest, I fooled myself into thinking that the trial might help and can't do more bad than good? But who knows when you need to sign your life away haha lucky you have a scan, they don't normally do nothing unless your bloods are through the roof, and you might die any day. I think the trick is to keep on at them till they get sick of you
The first month was awful, I wanted a whiskey every minute I was awake, then it subsided and only returns on certain days like Xmas. But I had a lads night out at Xmas and stuck to non alcoholic beers and even ended up the designated taxi driver, I got a kick out of that just being able to go out and not drink and I thought I’d be miserable, but far from it. I have an addictive personality so I’ll likely always get those urges, but I can trust myself to never drink again, but not trust myself to have just one drink and stop there. It’s weird, but kind of amazing at the same time. I don’t blame anyone who trials for new medicines because when it’s your life at stake you’ll do anything to improve your chances and I’m sure they know what they are doing and wouldn’t just risk someone’s liver, hopefully some good will come of it, what’s the saying where there is no harm, what’s the harm or something? I’m very pushy when it comes to my doctors, but even my upcoming scan seems out of the blue, I genuinely think they are astounded by my results I know I am and want to hopefully get me off the in patient list, they are probably sick of all my questions and ruining them up ha ha. That or my recent fibro scan revealed something else. I do know they had been mentioning bile ducts a while back while my liver was still recovering, but other than my fibro scan at my requests after the first one they did, I haven’t had any other scans so I’m due one as the rule is every six months for one or both of an ultra sound/MRI/MRE scan I think. I could be wrong on that mind.
I'm not entirely sure what happens at the 6 month check up as my 1st will be may time, I was the opposite to wanting to drink, I did rehab then felt that much of a high when I came out, I wasn't bothered at all but just the odd night when I'm bored, I think...1 bottle can't hurt surly? Then snap out of it otherwise it could easily fo the other way! Just got to keep reminding yourself that you have come this far, and can obviously see the results. But like Christmas and new year didn't bother me 1 bit, I rarely went to the pub when I was drinking as I was too smashed to leave the flat haha plus I was on disulfiram for about 6 months so I couldn't drink or it makes you really bad, but come off them now just to keep dvla happy as my licence is due back this month. 64 month ban done 😂 worlds longest ban!!! All the clinical trial people kept saying is...the biopsy results are about the same as it was before the study, so I'm guessing they don't really know? 🤔😂
It could take ages regarding the trial results, will they do follow up work? And I probably drove many a time over the limit, not intentionally and if I was driving say early the next morning I’d cut my drinking down, but my wife said she could always smell whisky in me, I couldn’t of course! I used to be a social animal yet only ever had a few pints as I didn’t like the stuff and ended many a night drinking whiskies, but towards the end I was drinking mostly at home and secret drinking too, hiding stashes and taking mini whisky bottles out with me to sip on, shameful stuff really. I could probably get away with a few pints in say a weekend, but I don’t ever want to put myself in danger ever again, I have too much to lose and if my wife and kids lost me, I’d be dead, but the thought terrifies me. I carry a picture of my family around so if I get an urge I’ll stare at that and tell myself so a drink is more important to you than your wife and kids, do they mean so little? In fact I’d rather be dead if they meant so little because life without them right now and always wouldn’t be worth living for. Thankfully my urges are rare and fleeting and I know the tiger points and how to handle it. My life now is so consuming because I’m so active and everyday I’m like right let’s take the day on head on. I may not be 100% physically, but mentally I’ve never felt better in all my life. I’m less aggressive, moody, depressed, restless, impatient and have a renewed energy which the drink took from me, even when I just want to lie in bed because of the aches and pains and alcohol neuropathy I force myself up and once I’m up I have to get out as I can’t sit in the house.
I can't sit about all day, I've always been the same unless I had a bottle then couldn't care less where I was haha half of the bottle would be gone by time I got home anyway! I was the same hiding bottles in the bin/back of cupboards at work/in the boot a bottle even in my sock! Was shopping with the ex a while back in asda and said to her...il be back in a sec, just going to grab something, I ran to the beer Isle and necked a bottle of vodka, put the empty bottle back on the shelf, and went off to find her again pissed out my head 😂 with the family and people around you, that's what keeps me going aswell. If it was just me alone, God knows what I'd be upto? Haha
That was me towards the end, content to sit at home with my whiskey and not leave home or bother with anyone or anyone unless I really had to and even then I’d make excuses, feign illness, even Covid, again shameful stuff really. Oh and yeah if it was just me, I’d have just drank myself to death and probably happily and even towards the end, despite all I had to live for, the demon drink was saying ah so you’re yellow, so you have a big swollen belly, so you’re weak, thin and frail and your skin looks like crap, but how good am I, your bottle of whiskey, go on have another you know you want to and I did time and time again until something clicked and said go to A&E immediately. I doubt I’d have lasted another month. Sober me is much better and so is everyone around my life much better me being sober around them and in their lives, I was a happy drunk though and even happier just left alone with me and my drink, I could just chill all day drinking glass after glass of whiskey. Covid did a number on many people mind it suddenly become acceptable to drink early, in the house, everyday, I drank a lot just so the day would be over quicker and I could get out of this lockdown nightmare willing covid to hurry up and go away.
Yeh that's it, excuse after excuse haha just leave me alone! 😂 3 bottles a week though isn't bad, well sorry course its bad but I compare it to my 2 bottles a day. The doctor kept saying..your bloods are sooo so high, I've never seen that and have great concerns for the future, and asked me what I was drinking? I was saying for months 4 cans a night and her reply was...right, that's not true and whatever you are drinking needs to be cut in half immediately! I can't imagine going yellow 😔 I would probably just have 1 long panic attack that never ends! I do keep checking the whites of my eyes but I guess that all comes what your loosing function, more down the line
I didn’t notice myself turning yellow it was my wife she said my eyes, I checked them and they were, then a week later my face and then my whole body, it was weird and something I never want to happen to me again. The shame and the looks I got from people…
Yeh I bet mate, I can't even begin to imagine but you pulled it back, so well done! I'm gonna chase up this endoscopy as she booked it at my last visit on 6th November. Can't be too much longer. I've bought some kefir yoghurt earlier haha
It looks loads better than Greek, higher in protein and lower in fat and sugar but you pay the price don't you?! 😂
Cheers Pete and yeah I’d chase it up, and I’m actually eating two kefir yogurts right now ha ha after I indulged on a home made rice and prawn curry meal the wife made, first time I’ve had prawns in over a year as I was told to stay away from them, I know I’ll get bloated and feel some stomach cramp later if I don’t have a kefir yogurt. You can try the kefir drinks too.
You don't do bad there do you haha I love king prawns with garlic 😋 il have to have a look at the kefir drinks
God knows what the wife put in there but it was spicy and I’m not too keen on spicy food, but it’s a Friday, why not ha ha.
Exactly mate, nothing wrong with a bit of spice in ya life haha I love spicy food, been ordering all the spices online from a place called Bangcurry.com. get all the spices with recipe book and just add your meat or fish, cheap aswell
It depends what you mean by supplements. My hepatology consultant has said multivitamins and vitamin d are ok for me to take. There is bona-fide research from reliable academic medical research on the benefits or otherwise of many over-the-counter products. I don't find blanket advice about ignoring 'Dr. Google' helpful. It depends on the reliability of the source research, the currency of the results and your ability to discriminate between good and unreliable sources . My caveat is always to check with the qualified professionals who should be aware of any relevant studies into these substances and any potential hepatoxity of them.
I forgot to add I was told by my hep doctor be wary of over the counter vitamin supplements. I was given thiamine and folic acid when released from hospital and told a multi-vit or vit D would be ok for me. As ever it’s always best to get clarification from your doctors on anything related to vitamins as some people can’t have too much of certain vitamins or need more of certain ones. For me it was thiamine and folic acid which I’m told I can now stop, but taking them won’t harm me. I also take collagen in powder form which I add to my protein shake. It helps with my muscle cramps.
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