alcibiades

Hello,

I've been drinking fairly heavily for about 8 years and was hoping to find some information about fatty liver from individuals who have experienced a similar diagnosis. Last year about this time, I was drinking the heaviest in my entire life. I averaged about 10 drinks a day, every day. 9 months ago I noticed discomfort at the bottom of my front rib-cage, right side. I started to wonder whether it was my liver, but I put it off. The ache worked its way to the right side of my torso, (at the bottom of the last rib), and then it slowly worked its way to my back (still the very far right side of my back, again under that last rib). The pain jumped around during the day, front, side, back, etc. but always on the right side of my body. I finally decided it was time to make changes in my life and went to the doctor, told him about my drinking history. He had blood work done, and my ALT and AST were slightly elevated (60ish both).

I made some drastic changes with my drinking. I cut back from 60 a week to right around 30. The discomfort never left though, and 3 months later I went back to the doctor. He had more blood work done and scheduled an ultrasound. The ALT and AST bloodwork came back normal, but the ultrasound showed fatty liver.

My delusion was that I thought I could cut back more and still drink but heal my liver. I was obviously wrong. I cut back to 20 drinks a week over the winter and that constant ache never left. I then cut out all alcohol during the week, saving only for the weekends. That went on for about a month. The past 3 weeks I've had a couple of beers, and still, the ache has not left.

I'm extremely physically fit. I lift weights, run half-marathon's, do cross-fit, triathlon's, etc. Another one of my delusions was that I could drink as much as I wanted because I exercise so much. After all, I don't eat donuts for breakfast, can't I have my one bad thing in life? Obviously not.

I was hoping to get some feedback from folks on this forum in regards to fatty liver and pain in the liver area. I thought for sure cutting back from 60 to 20 to 10 to now I have a few beers with family and friends on the weekend and I don't even get a buzz. I decided yesterday that I'm just not going to drink anything anymore because I'm tired of worrying about this constant ache. Any thoughts on when I might start to get some relief?

Thanks for your help, very much appreciated.

ScottFromWI

We cannot give you medical advice here, but my experience was that quitting drinking completely helped with a LOT of my physical ailments. I'd stay in close touch with your doctor as you move forward, even drinking "a little" can still cause damage - so total abstinence is a good thing for healing.

Dee74

I'm glad you decided to stop drinking.
I hope you see some improvement soon

D

Forward12

I was diagnosed with fatty liver a few years ago and it did scare the crap out of me. On the bright side, it's actually very common and by itself isn't too much to worry about. Things like eating a fatty diet can cause it as well, however it's not an excuse to up the drinking again as fatty liver is the first stage on moving onto more serious issues.

Hawkeye13

Sounds like your liver is telling to quit totally
Perhaps you should take its advice?

least

If you still have that ache, I think it means you should stop drinking altogether. Not just "some", but "none". Your body is giving you a clear sign. Listen to it.

alcibiades

Thanks for all of the positive feedback! Sounds like the solution to my problem is pretty obvious.

I read this forum for a few hours last night and its amazing how everyone has unique physical responses to alcohol. I haven't experienced a lot of the symptoms others have complained about, and it doesn't seem as though the majority have complained about liver pain either (at least it doesn't seem to be one of the more common themes) My history of alcohol consumption, the fact that the ultrasound showed fatty liver, makes me fairly certain that my problem stems from alcohol. Even so, I asked my doctor how confident he was that we're chasing the right source on this issue (since most people with fatty liver don't have symptoms and have no idea they have it until they are diagnosed). My doctor shrugged, said all we can do is look at the information and make the most informed decision. He mentioned I could have a CT scan if I wanted, but added that its a lot of radiation, maybe start with abstinence first. I told him I would work on the drinking.

Thanks again for the comments. I've already made extreme changes to my drinking habits, even went out with all of my friends to watch the NCAA tournament opening day and drank diet coke at the bar. Everyone at the table seemed to be in better spirits than me (no pun intended haha), but it was a lot easier than I thought.

Also wanted to say how extremely impressed I am with the responses on this forum, seems like an incredible group. Kudos to all of you.

Soberwolf

Welcome

yinzer

I had liver pain and I think a lot of people here did. It went away after I quit. Cutting back didn't get rid of it, although I tried that.

ScottFromWI

As mentioned by others, "cutting back" will most likely not solve anything. Moderation is the holy grail of an alcoholic, and we will try literally ANYTHING to achieve it. I tried every method there is and even made a bunch up myself. None of them ever worked of course, I always returned to daily binge drinking after a short period of time.

Bottom line - why would you "maybe" try abstinence? If all indicators point towards alcohol being the source of the problem, then stop drinking. Cutting back will most likely not help with the liver issues, if the damage has already been started by alcohol, abstinence is the solution - not just "drinking less".

SoberinSyracuse

Personally, I never got noticeable improvement with my alcohol-related complaints by cutting back.

But when I totally STOPPED....WOW!!! the healing that happened.

There's something about abstinence. The body just loves it.

alcibiades

Thanks Yinzer! Hearing this helps more than you know. The little demon's in my mind always trying to convince me that alcohol is not causing the ache in my side, and if it is the problem, then I can cut back and get better - all lies. I've learned one important truth about myself when it comes to alcohol, I can be very delusional.

A few months ago, I was drinking exactly 3 beers every night. I savored every single sip. It tasted like heaven because I knew I would only get 3. That was exactly 21 beers a week, right under the "heavy drinker" label. So, theoretically, I wasn't a heavy drinker, surely my liver would heal. Fact is, it just didn't.

I'm the heaviest drinker I know, so I don't have anyone who has had similar experiences to talk to. Glad I found this place. Hearing that others have had similar pains from alcohol helps eliminate those voices of doubt from my mind, silly as that might sound to rational minds.

alcibiades

Thanks again guys, really helps to hear these things.

SoberinSyracuse

You nailed it. Beware of such labels and guidelines. Boozers are ALWAYS trying to slice-and-dice definitions in such a way that the conclusion is "Let's keep drinking."

alcibiades

Lol. This is all very serious so I don't mean to laugh, I just can't help laughing at myself when I think about the many attempts to fix my problem without giving up booze. I started taking milk thistle, lecithin, choline, lots of black coffee (antioxidants of course), cut out sugars and starches, anything I could find to help my liver heal. You know, everything except doing the one thing that would give me the absolute greatest chance to heal - abstinence!

I read the liver basically protects itself by surrounding itself in fat, and so it makes sense that even if I go 6 days without a drink and then only drink 2 beers, my liver probably goes back into fat storage mode the minute it gets a taste of alcohol again, and I'm back to square 1. That's my theory anyway since moderation, although it fixed my ALT and AST scores, hasn't done anything to remove the constant nagging ache in my side.

Jsbodhi

Best wishes xoxo

PS- I like your screen name
Have you ever read symposium?

alcibiades

Thanks JSBodhi!

I haven't read Symposium, had to google it. Pretty good read?

I saw a show in History Channel one time about Alcibiades and couldn't believe he was a real person. Incredible biography, can't believe they haven't made a movie about him yet.

Hawkeye13

Check out this badass synopsis:

http://badassoftheweek.com/alcibiades.html

alcibiades

LOL Nice find Hawkeye! Pretty incredible huh?

Jsbodhi

Yes alcibiades is amazing!! Absolutely incredilble.

He is one of my favourite history characters xo

Symposium is one of my favourite books of all time ( very good if you like philosophy)
Alcibiades is a big part of that book