confused

[hopingnottoolate]

i drink quite a bit. went in for my blood work about 2 months ago, liver stuff was high. DR sent me to get a sonogram. they came back and said i had a fatty liver and should cut back on my drinking. i went in this week to DR because my lower legs were swollen. no clots but when the nurse called me she said i had liver failure. i asked like cirrhosis? she said past that. i was panicking and saying was just in there 2 months ago ect.... so she went back and asked the DR again and said hard to tell but probably reversible if i stop drinking for 3-6 months ? that doesnt sound like liver failure does it? they are referring me to a liver specialist

sorry for the grammar and ranting just a little scared,

[RugbyMama]

Liver failure sounds scary but is basically a way of saying an organ is not capable of fulfilling all its normal functions. Heart failure doesn't mean death, nor does kidney failure it just means that they are struggling to complete all the things that it does normally.

Your liver has over 500 functions. When you drink heavily or regularly over a period of time, your liver struggles to repairs itself and then has to focus on processing alcohol rather than the other things it needs to do. Oedema (swelling) is a symptom of this.

You need to take simple steps, quickly to immediately improve your liver health. Stop all alcohol, eat healthily, get regular gentle exercise. Your liver is your most forgiving organ, it can and will repair itself, even in a state of cirrhosis where it technically can no longer do that, it will try. By taking these simple steps, you can help your liver help you.

[hopingnottoolate in reply to RugbyMama]

thank you! that is refreshing to hear, i have stopped drinking, well i had 2 shots after work yesterday far apart and sipped, because i dont know if i will go into withdrawls or not because i have not quit long enough to see in a long time. but yes I am planning on quitting

[2022minks in reply to hopingnottoolate]

Don't plan to quit just quit 😉 alcohol whether it is the cause to your liver disease or not, every drop however small is a poison to your livers health. So to give yourself hope, quit drinking and eat healthy as you still have a chance to improve your liver. Xx

[hopingnottoolate in reply to 2022minks]

thank you!

[RugbyMama in reply to hopingnottoolate]

My husband quit alcohol completely as soon as he got the elevated liver function test. He had drunk heavily for 20 years, had not had a day without alcohol for at least 6 months following the death of his father and the amount of alcohol he drank had increased significantly. He has now been completely sober for 15 months. Quitting alcohol has saved his life.

You will often get told to only stop under advice from doctor, but in my experience to do that you have to be VERY honest with you doctor about how much you drink. You need to stop drinking completely. It's never going to be just one beer, or just one shot. Be honest with yourself and stop drinking. Your liver will not get better until you do.

[fluffylottie]

Very similar to my experience. Bloods in March 2017 fine, slightly elevated, just cut back on alcohol a little. Went to the doctors in August saying my feet were numb to walk on. They said bloods indicate fatty liver. After feeling so breathless and dizzy by October I could only just fasten my size 8 jeans, like tummy was swollen a bit. Managed to walk to doctors and they called an ambulance as my eyes had a slight yellow tinge. Ended up in hospital for a month. Got a LOT worse before it got better (ascites, oedema). I was told I had cirrhosis and might not last 2 weeks. I had HE that I now know. Fluid had got into my lungs and I was on a catheter as kidneys started to go. So full liver failure, even though I was sat up, watching TV etc i became bloated (7st to 9st all fluid).... I was referred to liver specialist and prepared for possible transplant. It turned out to be acute alcoholic hepatitis, which can be more dangerous than cirrhosis. All the research I did at the time including joining this forum and their resources really help. I was off all the medication by 2019 and last year my Fibroscan was 6.5 kpa (stiffness).... and anything below 7 is normal. Cap for fatty liver was 229, so S0 (low). I can't diagnose obviously, but keep off the drink, have your check ups. Fatty liver straight to liver failure sounds like alcoholic hepatitis.... though I was told cirrhosis as the symptoms mimic each other, but it's hard to distinguish until some months of sobriety show healing. I am now fit and well, so please have faith and do not fear the worst at all. Good, clean food and even a daily walk can work wonders. Xx

[hopingnottoolate in reply to fluffylottie]

thank you!

[Male47]

I had liver failure, was told to never drink again, or even touch alcohol gel or mouthwash with alcohol in it.

[hopingnottoolate in reply to Male47]

did you quit? and did it get better?