Worried

[Boss2015]

Hello, i was diagnosed in January with a moderately fatty liver and slightly raised enzymes. I had foolishly continued to drink as my GP said only to reduce and not abstain. My question is, can a fatty liver progress to damaging levels in 6 months? Does an MRI with contrast have the ability to see fibrosis? i have quit alcohol altogether now for 8 days and will not be picking it up again. i am just worried i could have done more damage than was already there.

[nash2 Partner]

Glad you have decided to quit. Alcohol is a toxin and there is wide variation in how people deal with the damage. It is possible to progress rapidly once the process gets going but it is much slower for most people. MRI isn't great for determining fibrosis but very good for measuring fat content. The liver will try to repair itself once the damage stops happening so the odds are in your favor now that you have quit alcohol but only further testing can tell you where you are.

[sophiaS1980]

Very simple , completely stop drinking, and find another doctor that will tell you so. good luck!

[mtk0925]

It wouldn’t have progressed that quickly unless you were very heavily drinking in that time period. I’ve limited myself to a very occasional drink and my dr said it’s not ok to have more than 2. I’ve been in situations where I went over that. I deeply regretted it felt sick the next day and felt horrible anxiety over it so now I have just been the sober one of the group when we go out. Because 2 drinks isn’t going to do it for me so I’ve been abstaining cause I basically am in the mind set “what’s the point if I can’t go all in might as well just not” He said “if you go out once a month have a drink or two but not more” so it’s like why bother. I have a medical marijuana card I like to take an edible here and there but I was given the green light for that by two drs