Fatty Liver

[Dahlia2017]

I've heard from some people that they have no symptoms at all w/ their Fatty Liver? My question is.. Why is it that I am completely miserable? I have a lot of pain on my right side where my ribs are, I feel that when my liver gets inflamed, I get a lot of pressure that pushes up against my ribs and toward my back.

[nash2 Partner]

Hi Dahlia

Sorry to hear that. The answer is that there is no pain until there is. Anyone who progresses will reach a point where they have pain and it is very individual. It is an indication that you need to be cared for by a liver specialist. Many people try to ignore it but that is never a good plan. I know that doesn't help much but there aren't many easy answers.

Wayne

[Dahlia2017 in reply to nash2]

Thank you for your reply, I worry constantly if it could be an indication that my liver is struggling.. it's weird cause I had no symptoms until one day they came on and never went away.. I have another endoscopy appointment on January 27th, but it seems like such a long ways to go..

[nash2 Partner in reply to Dahlia2017]

An endoscopy is an indirect way to test for advanced fibrosis. They are looking to see if you have high blood pressure going into the liver. A better test would be to see if you can get a FibroScan which is a type of specialized ultrasound that measures liver stiffness. Many people have trouble getting referred to a liver specialist but if you aren't seeing one you might consider trying that. The average doc doesn't get a lot of liver training. Since the onset was sudden I assume your doc has checked for the various viral infections as an infection can make the liver suddenly quite inflamed.

[Dahlia2017 in reply to nash2]

Thank you for the information, My fatty liver apparently showed up on the ultrasound they did of my abdominal area.. I think it showed that my liver measures 15. Something more or less.. but when I spoke to the GI she said that it may not even be a fatty liver.. she said it's often misdiagnosed for something else especially since my fatty liver or whatever it is causes me so much pain, nausea and vomiting..

Yesterday just kicking the ball around at the park made me run to the nearest trash can to throw up with pain in my right rib area..

[nash2 Partner in reply to Dahlia2017]

My guess is that your GI is right to be suspicious of ultrasound results but it is an indication that you need better testing. Can your GI get you a Fibroscan or ideally a liver MultiScan with MRI? Pain and nausea are warning that need to be understood.

[Dahlia2017 in reply to nash2]

Honestly I'm new to all of this.. I'd have to ask.. basically my main doctor just referred me too all these different doctors and to all these places to have ultrasound, CT scan, x rays and even to a urologist.. she couldn't quite pinpoint where my symptoms were coming from, Since August till now I've had all this testing done and nothing.. my symptoms are getting worst fast and I have no answers..

Thank you for the suggestions, I will definitely ask my GI and see what she says..

[nash2 Partner in reply to Dahlia2017]

My personal experience was somewhat like that. I was misdiagnosed and undiagnosed through multiple specialties until I insisted on being referred to a hepatologist and got evaluated at a transplant clinic. That took 5 years. Just be aware that most gastro docs don't really get much liver training and frequently miss liver disease. There are exceptions of course, but lots of folks here weren't managed in a timely way by the GI community so if you have a choice look for one with a liver sub specialty.

[Dahlia2017 in reply to nash2]

Thank you for the advice, I will look into it.. one question, do you have to get referred to a liver specialist?

[nash2 Partner in reply to Dahlia2017]

That depends on your insurance company and local rules so you have to ask your service providers. I had to have a referral but I just asked my primary doc to refer me where I had decided I wanted to go.

[Dahlia2017 in reply to nash2]

Thank you! I actually did some research here in Bakersfield Ca and unfortunately the only specialist that is here in town are all GI's.. the closest liver specialist is in L.A ..

[nash2 Partner in reply to Dahlia2017]

I have the same problem. I have to go 300 miles to the nearest hepatologist but I believe it saved my life. Had I continued under the care of my local primary I would have hit liver failure before any real action would have been taken. For me it was worth it. I still make that trip every year even though I am pretty stable.

[Dahlia2017 in reply to nash2]

I definitely understand that when it comes to our own health and well being we have to take action, When I first got sick back in August, my primary would just prescribe a lot of medication, she would switch my meds constantly..

I wonder though how it would work to get seen by a Liver Specialist in L.A County with my particular medical insurance.. ?

[nash2 Partner in reply to Dahlia2017]

Insurance is another big problem and you have to understand what they will do for sure. Sometimes you can get into a clinical trial. I tried to get into one that was willing to cover my travel costs and trial treatment if free but I didn't pass the screen but that can work for some.

[Dahlia2017 in reply to nash2]

Thank you! I will definitely look into it:)I appreciate your advice

[Hidden]

I think it is it an indication of how progressed your fatty liver is. I had no pain when I just had fatty liver, then I went to the doctor because I had been told by a previous doctor that I had a hernia and the pain had got worse. She referred me to a gastroenterologist who sent me for a scan and diagnosed fibrosis. I am noticing that when I eat something really nutritious my liver is soothed and when I have something bad for it flares up again, and yes, pain in the front and back (which apparently isn't actually the liver but the inflamed liver pressing on other things inside.)Sorry, I just typed as I thought and this may be a mess of words, lol.

[Dahlia2017 in reply to Hidden]

No worries, I appreciate you taking the time to comment .. it's something really new to me.. I just started with fever, nausea and vomiting everything I would eat.. when I went to the doctor, all my blood work was fine.. nothing out of the ordinary. But then, I started getting all this horrible pain.. and it interferes with my day to day activities.

[Hidden in reply to Dahlia2017]

It's hard to say if it would interfere with my daily activities - if I had any! I live a fairly slow life because of varying health problems - FI I don't walk far at all as I have amputation one side and progressed arthritis on the other. I do know if I exert any stomach muscles I get pain where my liver is, so I guess it would or does stop me from doing a lot of things. I have had a couple of bouts of fever with diarrhoea (adult nappy time) and feeling sick but not actually being sick (to the point of dashing to the toilet and standing over it for five minutes, then it passes.) I felt like death (and probably smelled like it too, poor Hubby)

[Dahlia2017 in reply to Hidden]

I understand, It's a bit different for me .. I'm always busy.. as a stay at home mom of 5 children, 4 go to school ( ages 10, 8, 7, 5 & 3 ) only the baby stays with me.. but there's always cleaning, cooking, I make 2 trips to and from school by foot and in the evening I take my car.. the school isn't that far, just a few blocks.. but at the end of the day.. I feel I can't complete as much as I used to prior getting sick.. I constantly have to take breaks in-between tasks.. and the pain is always there.. sometimes not as strong as other times.. but it never goes away..

[Hidden in reply to Dahlia2017]

I think it's the right thing to stay as busy as you can. I started off by being inactive thinking that was the way to go, but then you realise when muscles and strength start going that maybe it wasn't.I try to do something every now and again during the day but it so easy to slip back into bad ways, like you say the pain doesn't go away and if I do something that requires my core muscles then I get that real bad pain like it's telling me to 'sit down now B!$*#'

You do very well with four kids to look after. I think with most illnesses (my neighbour with cancer says the same)you're much better in the morning, then it gets bad during the day and by afternoon you're in no state to do anything

[Dahlia2017 in reply to Hidden]

Thank you for your reply, I really do try really hard to do my best.. at times it gets hard but then if I over do it.. I feel it comes back and bites me in the a**..

It's difficult for me especially infront of my babies.. they get so worried seeing me in so much pain, I just wished my husband was more understanding, it sucks to not have that moral support, everything to him is just a joke!

I have one question? Does your pain get offset by emotional stress or for example when you get upset?

I feel that nothing makes me feel better,

Yesterday instead of eating breaded shrimp, I had veggies with a bit of ranch.. and still I was nauseous and at night I threw up..

Also, when I am emotionally growing through a fight or a argument I get pain.. when that happens my husband thinks that I am just trying to play mind tricks on him.. like I'm using my condition as a way to get him to feel bad.. IDK..

[Hidden in reply to Dahlia2017]

If that's all you ate I wouldn't have thought your liver would have been unhappy with it. Do you still have your gallbladder? I had mine out because it was causing so much pain after eating.

I haven't noticed my liver flaring after conflict, though me and my Hubby rarely argue - but he DOES make fun of things if he possibly can. I ask him a question and usually get some stupid jokey answer, that drives me mad (I'll eventually get the answer I want though not always, sometimes after a whole conversation I walk away and go, hang on he never even answered me)

I do get support from him, and loads of cuddles, cuddles are good therapy! lol

Sorry, sounds like your Husband doesn't support you (this is the nicer version of what I was originally going to say, lol). Men are often so focused on what a wife should do for her Husband they forget there's rules for them too. Does he think you're putting it all on? That you're making up the pain just to get attention? Surely you have some sort of diagnosis to show him you're not.

I shall look out for the pain/upset in future and report back

👍

[Dahlia2017 in reply to Hidden]

Thank you for your response..I actually had my gallbladder removed back in 2015.. but just like my liver problems it came on all of a sudden. I just started with pain, non stop diarrhea and I was throwing up nothing but bile. ( yellow fluid ) When I went into the E.R it was an emergency situation, they did a ultrasound and there it was.. my gallbladder was about to explode!

Unfortunately Yes! I believe he does think I do make it up to get attention but I've explained to him that I can't control when and how strong my pains come on.

Yesterday my GI's office called, the biopsy on what they could get from my stomach came back and on top of my liver problems I have H. Pylori and am going to be put on antibiotics for two weeks.. hopefully it goes away with treatment cause they're going to push back my re- endoscopy

[Hidden in reply to Dahlia2017]

Well, I just think you have enough to contend with without a partner (who should be supporting you) telling you you're making it all up. If you had a doctor who wasn't supporting you you'd get another one, lol.

Yes, they said my gallbladder was about to burst, I think that's why we were all focusing on that and not my fatty liver. I heard it mentioned and then forgot it, so I didn't even think to google it to see how serious or not it was. I just thought 'yeah the rest of me is fat why not my liver'

[Dahlia2017 in reply to Hidden]

That's so true-

[Hidden in reply to Dahlia2017]

FYI, I just googled it and it seems we still can get gallstones without a gallbladder and it causes pain in the upper right quadrant where the liver is. So maybe that is what your pain is (don't know DISCLAIMER - NOT A DOCTOR!)

[Dahlia2017 in reply to Hidden]

Idk, my doctor said gallstones would of showed up on the scans/ultrasounds they did on me. I just saw my paper work from the Radiologist and my liver measures 15.4 cm, Idk much about what it's supposed to measure but I did Google it as well, apparently a females liver is supposed to be in the 7 cm area more or less I think

[Hidden in reply to Dahlia2017]

See, everyone seems to have all these measurements and numbers - all I got was a letter telling me they had found my liver to have fibrosis and I should lose weight!!😐

[Dahlia2017 in reply to Hidden]

Really? They actually didn't supply the report for me, but as a patient you have the legal right to get that information from the Radiologist. That's what I did, I went into the Radiologist and asked the ladies at the desk if they could give me my results and they printed them out for me then and there.. they even gave me a disk with all the images they took on it!

Trust me, if I hadn't done that they probably wouldn't have gave me the details either..

[Hidden in reply to Dahlia2017]

Aaah, right, I didn't do that, I just waited for someone to get back to me and when they that was what I got. I'll have to look into that then. Thank you x

[Dahlia2017 in reply to Hidden]

No problem

[jorcorde]

Dahlia2017 I'm pretty sure that not having structure support and stress provoke more pain.

Just want to share: I have been controlling my fatty liver and gallops in the gallbladder by doing interment fasting, low carb diet, min alcohol, and 30 min walking every day. I lost 26lb so far from 210lb and I feel great, I'm at the point where I can choose pleasure over pain.

The FiberScan show no stiffness in the liver and that was a relief.

It is working for me and I look forward to the next MRI in Feb to see the results.

Wish you well!

[Dahlia2017 in reply to jorcorde]

Thank you so much for the time you took to reply, I really appreciate any insight I could get.Unfortunately I count on no support at all, but I no longer mind.

I have a re-scope appointment for the 27th of January but since I was diagnosed with H.Pylori the doctor wants to make sure that its no longer in my system in order to move forward.

I just finished all my treatment of amoxicillin 500 mg, 2 pills twice a day, Clarithromycin 500 mg, 2 pills twice a day and Omeprazole 20 mg 1 pill twice a day for 14 days..

We'll see how it goes,