Alcohol My Story
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Laguna Beach, CA
Posts: 5
Alcohol My Story
Hi
I am currently going through extreme mental stress because I have been having pains in the liver area. I am fearful that it is cirrhosis. I am only 33 and have been drinking 3 times a week since the last 8 years. I only like to do beer and very seldom hard stuff (2-3 times a year). I do not have yellow eyes or any other symptoms just pain in the liver area. I have worked really hard in life and have advanced professional degrees, it is just that when I was finishing education when I was ~25 I started alcohol and now after 8 years having this problem. I fear that all the hard work and pain I endured to make a great life will be robbed from me by alcohol. I fear going to the doctor since I think I would be diagnosed of cirrhosis.
Please I need to know if my drinking pattern, duration, age is consistent with fatty liver/which could be reversed or have I screwed up my life real good?
I am currently going through extreme mental stress because I have been having pains in the liver area. I am fearful that it is cirrhosis. I am only 33 and have been drinking 3 times a week since the last 8 years. I only like to do beer and very seldom hard stuff (2-3 times a year). I do not have yellow eyes or any other symptoms just pain in the liver area. I have worked really hard in life and have advanced professional degrees, it is just that when I was finishing education when I was ~25 I started alcohol and now after 8 years having this problem. I fear that all the hard work and pain I endured to make a great life will be robbed from me by alcohol. I fear going to the doctor since I think I would be diagnosed of cirrhosis.
Please I need to know if my drinking pattern, duration, age is consistent with fatty liver/which could be reversed or have I screwed up my life real good?
Member
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Auckland
Posts: 2,548
I think you may have to just bite the bullet and go and see a doctor. No one can really help here with this because we aren't doctors. The pain could be one of any number of things.....right down to anxiety about having cirrhosis! I'm sorry I can't give you reassurance. Once you decide to go the doctor you may feel a bit of relief....certainly after you have been you will have a better idea of where things are at.
Forum Leader
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Wisconsin, USA
Posts: 16,945
Welcome abcd123. You really need to see a doctor if you fear physical harm has been done by your drinking. Pain in your abdomen could be from a whole host of causes, some related to drinking and some not. But if you are worried why not get it checked to ease your mind? We cannot diagnose you here as its against forum rules to give medical advice, and there really no way we could tell anyway.
Member
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: East coast
Posts: 54
No nerve endings in the liver. You can't physically feel pain from the liver. Which is the reason so many alcoholics completely destroy theirs. It's something else but it may be related to drinking as well. See a doctor.
Administrator
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 211,427
Hi and welcome back abcd 
Common sense suggests it's probably nothing that can't be corrected, or at least greatly helped, by not drinking.
I hope you'll face your fears tho and see a Dr - that way you can put your mind to rest.
Common sense suggests it's probably nothing that can't be corrected, or at least greatly helped, by not drinking.
I hope you'll face your fears tho and see a Dr - that way you can put your mind to rest.
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Laguna Beach, CA
Posts: 5
Thanks you all for your comments and support. I will definitely schedule an appointment soon.
Would you people think that my level of drinking could have caused some damage? 3-4 times a week 6-8 drinks. Do I fall into the category of dangerous drinkers?
Would you people think that my level of drinking could have caused some damage? 3-4 times a week 6-8 drinks. Do I fall into the category of dangerous drinkers?
Administrator
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 211,427
Moderate guidelines for the US state:
so you're definite a binge drinker.
The problem is we're all different.
I know folks who drank less than me who died and others who drank more who are still drinking.
D
What does moderate drinking mean?
According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans,1 moderate alcohol consumption is defined as having up to 1 drink per day for women and up to 2 drinks per day for men. This definition is referring to the amount consumed on any single day and is not intended as an average over several days. The Dietary Guidelines also state that it is not recommended that anyone begin drinking or drink more frequently on the basis of potential health benefits because moderate alcohol intake also is associated with increased risk of breast cancer, violence, drowning, and injuries from falls and motor vehicle crashes
CDC - Frequently Asked Questions - Alcohol
According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans,1 moderate alcohol consumption is defined as having up to 1 drink per day for women and up to 2 drinks per day for men. This definition is referring to the amount consumed on any single day and is not intended as an average over several days. The Dietary Guidelines also state that it is not recommended that anyone begin drinking or drink more frequently on the basis of potential health benefits because moderate alcohol intake also is associated with increased risk of breast cancer, violence, drowning, and injuries from falls and motor vehicle crashes
CDC - Frequently Asked Questions - Alcohol
The problem is we're all different.
I know folks who drank less than me who died and others who drank more who are still drinking.
D
Member
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: San Francisco, CA
Posts: 174
Based on what you said and your age it is very, very unlikely you have caused any permanent liver damage. The pain is probably the result of something else, and quite possibly treatable. I would definitely see a doctor.
Member
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Ireland
Posts: 25,826
Welcome to the Forum!! 
The important thing is to draw a line under your drinking, and let your body heal, it can do great things, but needs to given a chance.
I quit alcohol permanently and many things repaired themselves, don't let alcohol take away everything you've worked hard to achieve!!
The important thing is to draw a line under your drinking, and let your body heal, it can do great things, but needs to given a chance.
I quit alcohol permanently and many things repaired themselves, don't let alcohol take away everything you've worked hard to achieve!!
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Laguna Beach, CA
Posts: 5
@purple knight and others.
Exactly, I so much hate alcohol right now. Looking back I think I had been extremely reckless as to risk all that I have, my health, money, loved ones. It is true that alcohol truly controls you. You think you are under control but not really.
I vow to never put a drop of alcohol ever again in my body.
Exactly, I so much hate alcohol right now. Looking back I think I had been extremely reckless as to risk all that I have, my health, money, loved ones. It is true that alcohol truly controls you. You think you are under control but not really.
I vow to never put a drop of alcohol ever again in my body.
Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: California
Posts: 2,693
Hey,
I am 33 and had pains like that in my liver area and I continued to drink for years. I drank every day. I believe that my health is back to 100% after 13 months of sobriety.
There's only one catch though. For your body to heal you need complete abstinence for alcohol. Forever.
I've been in your shoes and I was very scared. I am now healthy and although I never returned to the doctor for the follow up (she left it very open), my health has improved 150% since I have been sober for 13 months. I am never going to drink alcohol again.
Gosh, I can relate to your post on a very personal level because I came on here hoping desperately that someone, anyone would tell me that everything would be just fine.
I am not a doctor and I don't have a magic ball, but I would bet that if you never drink alcohol again, starting today, your health will probably be just fine.
I was never jaundiced and I've never been hospitalized either. Everything is so random with alcohol and our bodies. I know people on here who had delirium tremens and seizures from alcohol dependency who had not damaged their livers at all. I never had dt's or seizures with no assisted detox and I did damage mine. The damage is reversible with complete abstinence.
Again, I have been right in your shoes at your age. All I am going to say that when you stop drinking, your body really does heal in many ways.
I am 33 and had pains like that in my liver area and I continued to drink for years. I drank every day. I believe that my health is back to 100% after 13 months of sobriety.
There's only one catch though. For your body to heal you need complete abstinence for alcohol. Forever.
I've been in your shoes and I was very scared. I am now healthy and although I never returned to the doctor for the follow up (she left it very open), my health has improved 150% since I have been sober for 13 months. I am never going to drink alcohol again.
Gosh, I can relate to your post on a very personal level because I came on here hoping desperately that someone, anyone would tell me that everything would be just fine.
I am not a doctor and I don't have a magic ball, but I would bet that if you never drink alcohol again, starting today, your health will probably be just fine.
I was never jaundiced and I've never been hospitalized either. Everything is so random with alcohol and our bodies. I know people on here who had delirium tremens and seizures from alcohol dependency who had not damaged their livers at all. I never had dt's or seizures with no assisted detox and I did damage mine. The damage is reversible with complete abstinence.
Again, I have been right in your shoes at your age. All I am going to say that when you stop drinking, your body really does heal in many ways.
Member
Join Date: Jul 2015
Posts: 114
Best of luck with things and it very well may not be drinking related but it is foolish to ignore a persistent pain, I say this as the son of a mother I buried recently after she ignored abdominal pain until she couldn't anymore only to find out she had ovarian cancer that could have been treated had she gone to the doctor earlier. It may or may not be something so serious but do not ignore something like that, it's not worth it.
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