Getting a little bit worried...

[fgtjbvnk]

Hello, 4 years ago I went to the ER for something unrelated to this because I have some pretty bad health anxiety and had a CT scan of my abdomen which said "hepatic steatosis identified with hepatomegaly" on it and my ALT was up in blood tests while the others were normal. I looked into a bit back then and saw fatty liver disease and never thought much of it because I was dealing with other things at the time and it didn't sound too terribly serious. At the time I weighed over 300 pounds and the doctor I saw on follow-up from that ER visit never seemed too concerned about it. Granted this was 4 years ago so it's hard for me to remember what symptoms I had if any but the only thing I can remember is upper right abdominal pain.

Anyway fast forward to today and I'm sitting at 200 pounds after getting from 300 to 165 at my lightest over the course of about a year. I keep feeling this pain in my right upper abdomen again pretty much daily. It's nothing severe and most of the day I feel nothing at all and when I do it lasts probably 10-30 seconds then stops. If I had to grade it on 1-10 I'd say 1 if that even. My main concern is that I've ignored this for so long and that maybe it has become something more serious. My health anxiety of course leads me to see symptoms in everything so of course I googled symptoms of serious liver problems and I feel like I have them like my palms are red, I got a bruise a couple weeks ago and I don't know where it came from and still isn't completely gone, my urine can be darker though it clears up when I drink water and it's only dark when I wake up in the morning or haven't drank water at work for 8+ hours, and feel a little bit more tired but maybe the tiredness is in my head...

I really, really hope I haven't killed myself by ignoring this for the last 4 years. I want to get established with a PCP but the doctor I want to see won't be taking new patients until mid March so I can't even get it checked out for a few weeks still. Not to mention I have a very high deductible with my insurance so costs involved with seeing doctors for testing is also a problem...

I guess my question is after typing all that out what symptoms did people have before they were diagnosed with a more advanced stage of the disease? Other than the occasional abdominal pain and this bruise I really feel pretty normal overall. I'm also only 28 so maybe my relatively young age helps in my favor as well...

[nash2 Partner]

For starters you have done what is the recommended treatment which is to lose weight so kudos to you. This disease generally moves slowly so the delay of a few weeks is unlikely to harm you so take a deep breath and try to relax a little. Dr Google will drive you crazy so searching for symptoms isn't a good plan if you have anxiety. You have to talk with your doc but from your story you likely did some damage when you were so heavy. If you are typical the loss of weight will have stopped the damage so while you may have been at risk before it is greatly reduced now. The odds are that if you continue on a good course any health problems won't be fatty liver disease but your doctor needs to confirm this for you.

[Ironj in reply to nash2]

I have a fatty liver as well. For a year I’ve been having a fullness / tightness feeling were my liver is. Just prior to having these symptoms I had a ct scan unrelated to this issue of the abdomen. All was clear no issues other the a fatty liver. Has anyone had this fullness feeling while laying on your back ? If I lay on my side it goes away.

Thanks for any advice. John

[Shato in reply to Ironj]

Hi Ironj, I feel that sometimes. When I lie on my stomach it is very uncomfortable in upper stomach, feels kinda like I am laying on an apple I would say

[Ironj in reply to Shato]

I also have that feeling when I lay on my stomach Almost like a knot or as you call it an apple. Have you had it checked out and if so what are they saying it is ?

Thank you

John

[Shato in reply to Ironj]

Other than the scan and biopsy and subsequent diagnosis of Nash, they havent said anything. I have bloodwork done every six months now. It really is as everyone says, doctors dont really say much. Personally, I think the liver "swells"🙂 cause I get this feeling most when I bugger my diet. Eg: eat doughnuts, apple stomach. Eat pasta, apple stomach. Eat anything too creamy, apple stomach........

[Ironj in reply to Shato]

I wonder if it’s diet , it might just be.

[NASHCIRRHOSIS in reply to Ironj]

If I eat just a little bite of anything, I feel like I ate a cow. Laying on my side does help, IDK, if its my liver or the diverticulitis.

[Ironj in reply to NASHCIRRHOSIS]

I have diverticulitis maybe it’s that but my symptoms of the diverticulitis has always been at the lower left side pain. This is upper right abdomen fullness / tightness while laying on my back. It’s had to decide the feeling but it’s not pain. My primary Dr examined the area 2 days ago and said he didn’t feel anything abnormal.

[fgtjbvnk]

I don't think the tiredness is in my head anymore I have just been very tired for the last 3 days now. I'm also feeling itchiness all over my body. I just can't get over this nagging feeling that my liver is completely messed up....

[Shato in reply to fgtjbvnk]

Hi there, I experienced itchiness in upper stomach area

[LaurieRose in reply to fgtjbvnk]

have you had your auto immunity checked?

Speaking from experience 'blood test results' when itchy they come back with an out of range level for auto immunity mine was ASMA anti smooth muscle antibodies and i get hives/urticaria on and off so itchy cant sleep, it has come back not tested again yet but pretty sure if they do it will be that.

If you are on the correct medication and taking it regularly you may need to have a review.