Cirrhosis
 

Today I was googleing (?) health problems associated with alcoholism becuz, like some of you I'm sure, I worry sometimes about the damage I may have done to my liver from my heavy drinking. I came across a sight for people with cirrhosis and I "lurked" like people sometimes do here. I read all their stories, some from caregivers (spouses, children) and some from the patients themselves. They were unbelievably sad! They did, however, make me realize I've got to take by sobriety seriously...I cannot drink!!! If I continue, and return to my level of drinking, I could definitely end up with this terrible disease. Right now my liver enzymes are ok, but if I continued drinking they could easily change. That said, I'm just posting this to let others know, especially people who have not completely descending into full-blown alcoholism, that alcoholism is a terrible disease that can lead to even more hellish diseases. I'm sorry if I scare someone but maybe that would be a good thing.

I drank everyday for 25 years - I am sure I did some damage. As of today I am 69 days sober.

I have had pains in my liver area for a few years - a few weeks into my sobriety the pain went away. I also started to get a strange pain/tingling sensation near my pancreas a few weeks before I quit drinking - that is also gone.

The thoughts of those pains helps be stay sober. I was in denial when I was drinking and didn't care what I was doing to myself.

I did not consider myself late stage. I did not realize I was having any serious health issues before I got sober. Three years ago I had a full workup the doctor told me my bloods were "gorgeous" (mid 40's I'll take anything being gorgeous)).

Fast forward three years. I had blood work done before I went to detox. Pretty much every level was skewed. One of the things my doctor had me tested for almost right away was ammonia levels. Apparently this is what causes brain damage. It is a secondary effect from the liver being unable to remove toxins. My ammonia levels were elevated.

It is scary to think of what is going on under our skin when we are drinking. I don't think most people achieve long term sobriety by being scared straight, but I know that it is one more thing to keep in front of me when the wine starts singing a siren song.

I had full blood work done once a year almost every year between 2002 - 2012 and the results were always excellent even though I got loaded every single day.

Being told by a professional that I was in good health just gave me the OK to keep boozing it up. Funny how the alcoholic mind works.

Re:Cirrhosis
 

I lost a cousin almost 3 years ago from cirrhosis. The ironic thing is he never drank. He wasn't really over weight either. He was a couch potato though.
He lived with it 4 or 5 years,taking medicine to keep his ammonia down. The medicine basically gives you diarrhea,and that's where the ammonia goes. When ammonia gets elevated,it's like being drunk and disorientated.
He had heart disease, long before cirrhosis, and took 325 mg aspirin daily because the doctor recommended it. Aspirin is hard on your liver, and I have wondered all along if the aspirin isn't what caused his cirrhosis.
Every time I hear someone say they take aspirin everyday for whatever reason I tell them about this. I think the real heart maintenance dosage is supposed to be 81 mg,but a lot of doctors prescribe 325.
I'm not gonna go into detail,but trust me,it isn't a good way to go.
I was still drinking when he was diagnosed. And I really don't think it had much to do with me quitting.(sick isn't it) But as I have said all along,I'm just not really sure how I finally succeeded at quitting.

Fred

Actually, aspirin has relatively little effect on your liver. Now Tylenol (acetominophen) can destroy your liver. Aspirin is hard on your stomach lining taken at high doses.