MrBen

I'm just interested, as I never have and as an alcoholic this is the ultimate fear. I suppose it would be unusual at my age as is usually takes 10-15 years to develop and I'm only 22.

So, has anybody seen someone with it? Know someone? Or even have it themselves? What is the condition like close up?

PurpleKnight

There was this story not that long ago in 2008, a girl aged 24yrs old!!

Alcohol damage isn't just for the old!!

Dead at 24: The young girl whose life was wrecked by cheap alcohol | Mail Online

MrBen

I read about that, I believe I read a story about a girl who died even younger. People are starting younger and younger, I started drinking around 18, but I know plenty who started at 12. It's crazy.

IOAA2

"Alcohol damage isn't just for the old!!"

Well said. Personally at my point in sobriety I'd be equally concerned about the other parts of the body that are taken for granted to function in a healthy manner. I start with the brain, throat, heart and don't forget the effect on the emotional side.
Answering your question, my wife is a Hospice nurse and says the death of an alcoholic is about the worst way to go. She has the experience of dealing with the families that are seldom mentioned and need probably more help than the victim did.

BE WELL

heath480

Yes I have met many.

Ghostlight1

Yes. A fellow co-worker. His skin was green. The whites of his eyes where yellow. It was sad to see and he was still drinking. Not anymore, though, he passed away.

suki44883

Yes, I watched my father die of cirrhosis. It's an ugly way to die.

Soberween

My best friend died six months ago due to secondary liver cancer at age 48 which basically mimics cirrhosis. Her eyes were yellow, her urine was orange, she itched everywhere, she lost 60 pounds in three months, her blood pressure and hemoglobin were beyond low and she looked nine months pregnant due to ascites. She had to have a port put in to have her stomach drained every single day. She truly suffered. It has helped for me to stay sober in her honor. She wasn't even much of drinker and here she had to go through all of this. It changed me.

MrBen

I've only ever seen pictures, I can't imagine how horrific that must be in person.

Elisabeth888

I did not see my cousin right before she died, but I was told she was bleeding out of her eyes, nose, and mouth. Her liver and kidneys shut down.

She was 41.

Mountainmanbob

due to hanging out in AA meetings
and
having many sober friends who used to party hard
yes
I have known several with advanced Cirrhosis of the liver
at least three that I have known died from it
they seem to have yellow eyes at times
and towards the end their stomachs swell up
leading with some to a very painful slow death

towards the end for these unfortunate ones
most have their livers drained with very large inserted needles

Mountainman

AnvilheadII

i watched my mother die from liver disease...a gawdawful horror.

mtskies

This was a great post for me to read. 5 days today and it was a reminder of how horrible alcohol is for us. I never want to go through that.

2hi2die

I have a friend on a liver waiting list..hope I'm not next

MattyBoy

Unless the cirrhosis has led to liver failure in which case jaundice, ascites and a host of other gruesome symptoms occur, it's not always obvious if someone has it. There are some tell tale signs though which I see in some of the regular heavy drinkers down at my local pub - spider veins on skin, orange/brown/reddish complexion, big gut etc etc. There are in fact a lot of people with early stage cirrhosis who otherwise look fairly healthy but if you look hard enough you'll always see some of the tell tale signs.
But as an addiction counsellor once said to me 'for a true alcoholic, the psychological stuff hurts far more than the physical damage. Cirrhosis is just the bitter cherry on the cake'.

tomsteve

old joe is someone ive mentioned on here before. drinking led him to cirrhosis at a young age. he passed away with over 30 years of sobriety.his condition up close while sober was one of peace and serenity.

MrBen

I heard somewhere that 15% (I think that is right, feel free to correct me) of cirrhosis is found after death. That seems quite amazing to me. I know a guy actually, my brothers stepfather, whose gut makes him look 9 months pregnant and never looks well. He's a big drinker- a 20-25 pints on a night out guy. I often wonder what they'd find if he ever got tested.

Climber122

Hi Mr. Ben,

Just an idea: I wonder if you might consider visiting the hospital and seeing if they would allow you to bedside visit with a person or two who would be willing to meet with you. It's an excellent way to serve them and keep them company, and would help you to see first hand the effects of heavy drinking on the body, soul and mind. It would take a lot of courage for you to do so as it would bring up a lot of uncomfortable feelings and fears. You might make a friend as well. If you didn't want to go alone you could try attending a recovery meeting that is held at the hospital.

MrBen

That's a great idea Climber. I'm going to look into that today.

mary5alive

I'm 23 years old and have been a very heavy drinker since I was 18. As someone above posted, it affects so many other organs too; my stomach is soooo messed up. I literally go through antacids like they're candy just to function normally.
Most of the times after a really bad night of drinking, i'll puke nothing but bile for the entire next day. I don't know why that happens, but it definitely can't be good. :/

My Dad was a horrible alcoholic for almost 10 years, and what finally got him to stop was his pancreas being in awful condition, as well as liver disease. The doc basically told him he would die a slow, painful death if he continued to drink.