Noro

You're both right, my liver is definitely a concern. Even with the improvement, my levels are still on the high side, and I need to keep a close eye on things. Liver damage is definitely a wake up call. The three months of sobriety and health that I had after I got out of the hospital for my liver problems was a big reason why I'm still here. The relapse after those three months was foolish and dangerous, and I'm just lucky I got another chance. Not a lot of people can say that, and I can't take it for granted this time. I can't believe I drank so much, even when staring disease and death in the face. This drug can lead us to do crazy things.

I hope your liver problems are improving, Zee. It can be scary. I know how it is. I still worry about these things, and I look at life a lot differently than I did before I ended up in the hospital. When I first started drinking, my concerns were hangovers and blackouts. A few years later, my concerns are now liver disease and permanent brain damage! This is scary stuff and the last thing my body ever needs again is even a single drop of that poison I was so obsessed with.

Huey

It's been a while, and my memory is still pretty shot. . . Not to worry though, at least i'm enjoying a sober happy life.

2granddaughters

One of my friends was told years ago by a psychologist when he was in a rehab center: "You are a sick puppy... it'll take you 5 yrs to find your marbles and another 5 yrs to learn how to play with them".

Maybe you're like my buddy .......... (yes, he finally found them and all was well)

All the best.

Bob R

bjames

As another member said, folic acid and thiamine are HUGE! They help tremendously. My doctor also has me take fish oil and vitamin D.

Forward12

How large of a b vitamin supplement were you guys taking, and did it help with recovery? I'm having similar issues with trouble remembering things, feel cloudy, a kind of "where am I" feeling all the time etc,..

SlimSlim

Noro:

After reading what Zee posted, I went back and read all of your threads. Maybe you have not fully comprehended the words highlighted in bold. It truly can go wrong very quickly and dying of liver disease can be a very ugly and painful death. You have now relapsed three times since you were hospitalized. It is entirely possible that if you relapse again, you will not have another chance at sobriety. Honestly, I don't know how much more serious things can get for you.

There's a documentary, Rain in My Heart, on youtube that I would like you to watch, which hopefully will strike a major cord with you and leave you with no doubt in your mind that the next relapse could be a fatal one and deter you from ever drinking again...Rain In My Heart (1 of 10) - YouTube

Slim

Zee

My liver is doing well at the moment Noro, my last blood test was June and all my levels were normal. They got back to normal pretty quickly after I stopped drinking and my ascites went completely after a couple of months. It took a few more months to get my strength back, but I'm doing pretty well. I have nearly forgotten what it feels like to be drunk now, I'm adapting to my new normal, and its a lot better than it was a year ago thats for sure!
I have had an endoscopy in May and I don't have any varices or portal hypertension which is a godsend because that is the really dangerous part, when you bleed into your stomach, yukky. Have you been given an endoscopy or ultrasound yet?
I've watched Rain in my Heart a couple of times. It makes me sad and cements my resolve never to relapse. My doctor, family and friends are proud of me because nobody thought I could stay stopped. My fear of my mortality is greater than my need to drink the poison! I have just started tablets for my anxiety which are in a low dose because of my liver, these seem to be making me think less scary thoughts, maybe you should chat to your doctors about your fears, sometimes you need something to get the brain kick started again. Be strong x

Noro

I appreciate your concern, Slim, but I have fully comprehended those bolded words, many times. I know how quickly things can get bad from experience. I've gone to the hospital over my own concerns, I've cleaned up and am committed to sobriety, and am not allowing past relapses to invalidate my efforts and commitment this time around. I keep a close eye on things, I have already scheduled a followup appointment to have my liver looked at, I am taking the vitamins I was given, I am staying healthy, and I think about my liver every day. You say you don't know how much more serious things can get for me. I don't know how much more seriously I could take it. Just because I'm asking a particular question involving an organ other than my liver, does not mean I am not consistently concerned and attentive over my liver health. I've watched Rain In My Heart, and yes, it is an eye-opening documentary, at certain points difficult to watch. Few documentaries have woken me up quite like that one has.

I am not neglecting or ignoring how serious and delicate my liver situation is. I am acknowledging, however, that there has been improvement, that I am following with a plan for continued improvement, that I am back to staying sober day by day, AND that there are other parts of my body that have been affected by my drinking other than my liver. Yes, my liver demands full attention, and for all my mistakes, I've still made efforts to improve my situation. I don't think feeling encouraged that my liver is not in as bad shape as it was in February, is a sign that I'm not taking things seriously. I'm acknowledging that, along with taking better care of my liver, there are other concerns that I have as well. Thus this thread, as I'm curious about others' experiences with brain function improvement with continued abstinence.

Noro

Hey Zee, yes I had an ultrasound done in February. My liver at the time was enlarged. There did not appear to be permanent damage/cirrhosis, however an ultrasound isn't the most definitive test to determine that. I inquired about a liver biopsy, and they did not seem to find it necessary. Pretty much every doctor I've seen, even after my relapse, think that the outcome looks good if I absolutely stop drinking, which I know now is crucial, more than ever before.

I'm happy that your liver health is improving. Having another chance after a liver scare is a blessing. Not many people are fortunate enough to have caught it in time. And any new normal is better than our old normal. I remember the feeling of having forgotten what being drunk is like. I remember looking back on it as just feeling sluggish, tired, sad, etc. Even as I relapsed, I remember realizing when drunk, "Why do I do this when I only feel worse?" I guess trying to apply logic just doesn't work, though. Better to stay away from it entirely.

Zencat

All I can say its no fun being "shot-out", with my brain and organs permanently damaged by past alcohol/ dry goods addiction

BackToSquareOne

Here's a link to some really good videos on what goes wrong with the brain. There is a little drop-down box above the video that says "9 videos", click on that to get the other 8 parts if anyone wants to watch it. Daniel Amen - Change Your Brain Change Your Life 1-8 - YouTube