jryan19982

Went to an AA meeting this afternoon, and a new guy (at least I had never seen him) walked in and I had to do a double take as I thought he was wearing makeup. His face was yellow, not a hint of yellow but it was yellow. He was a thin guy but his stomach was distended and he was walking gingerly. He was in bad shape to say the least and it appeared his liver was very overtaxed and probably was so long ago. I am sure he blew through many stop signs and ignored wake up calls and this was the result, alcoholic hepatitis which can be fatal within just a few weeks. This is one of the busiest time of year for rehabs and I am sure it is because the holidays gave people an excuse to drink excessively like it did for me. It was an excuse to drink more than my normal amount, way more. From work parties, to parties with friends, holiday gatherings with family...

Today I saw first hand what would have probably happened to me had I kept drinking... Don't let this happen to you.

tekink

Jaundice is freaky to see in someone. The only times I've seen it the person was dead soon. One was my mom when cancer took over her liver (she was an alcoholic and lung cancer spread there to kill her) and in a guy that had liver failure at 38 years old and died a couple days before xmas two years ago.

I have early stage liver disease and I don't want to die that way.

jryan19982

I'm sorry to hear of your losses. I sure hope that is not the case with this guy. I'm sure the Dr told him quit and you have a chance of survival... Always a good idea to stop before it gets that bad but easier said than done. Good luck to you.

whopper

Thanks for the reminder of a possible horrible ending from alcohol abuse.

anxiousrock

I haven’t seen that on anyone. How long does it take to happen? Figure I would have seen it at AA.

jryan19982

Hard to say since everyone is different. Some people may not show that symptom and still be in the same kind of trouble.

chowchow

A friend of mine died at 44 last year. He had 2 kids. At the end he was yellow and was always covered in sweat and his stomach was distended. I went to his memorial service which consisted of people holding his ashes (in a box) and drinking toasts to him, I was really saddened by that and for that one night I didn't drink. But I went right back to it. It was scary to say the least and the world lost a really wonderful man who did a lot of charitable things and took care of everyone else except himself.

Maudcat

My sib has yellow patches around his eyes.
I’m guessing cirrhosis, but can’t know cuz he won’t go to a doctor.
He throws up, too.
Ain’t good.

MindfulMan

People think alcohol is less harmful than "hard" drugs.

Wrong. If anything it's worse, although harder to acutely OD on than opiates.

Sorry you had to see that. I have lost two people to alcohol, one at 49 and another at 38, and one to heroin overdose.

It's a sobering realization in every sense of the word.

DontRemember

My buddy's wife said to me, about 6yrs ago(summertime, I'd been working out, tanning,ect..) "You look very yellow." I went home and had a look.. I didn't 'get drunk' for a few months,but here I am. I wonder how many times I've looked 'yellow' since? God knows I(ve) felt the liver pain before I quit. This stuff is NO JOKE!

JustTony

I have heard the liver can pretty much 'pack up' overnight. One day you're feeling rotten, hungover and knowing you're drinking too much but 'there is always tomorrow to give up'.

The next morning you wake up with yellow eyes and a strange hue to your overall skin colour.

I saw my uncle die of cancer on the liver. We suspect he was an alcoholic but we don't know as he was a recluse (as well as being a really lovely man, when he did surface now and again).

It really isn't a nice way to end your life.

Regards,

JT

Forward12

There is no way to tell. Some people can heavily drink for only a couple of years and it does them in, some are alcoholics their entire lives and live into their 80's.
I know of a few personally, one dead with cirrhosis at 42, another that went into cirrhosis at 38, was on death's door and would be dead if it wasn't for a last second liver transplant. Another at 36 with pancreatitis from drinking that almost killed him.
I also was watching that dr. g, medical examiner show where a lady that "just" had alcoholic fatty liver, died after a hard bender from her liver finally giving out.
Alcohol is a literal poison and you're playing russian roulette every time you take a sip.
As for AA, unfortunately I think most that do have severe issues refuse any kind of treatment, heck just alcoholics in general, even when it's obvious and would rather go to the grave with a bottle in their hand, then to ever admit they have a problem.

Stronger2017

I still remember the jaundice on the guy in “Rain in my Heart”. Sometimes I can’t believe how ignorant I can be. So glad I saw sense and recommitted to sobriety🙏

SoberLeigh

What a chilling message . . . .

That poor soul represents what any of us could become but for our sobriety.

EliL

It’s not just your liver that can cause you to appear yellow and more cases than not have nothing to do with alcohol consumption. It’s not a given that if you drink everyday for the rest of your life that you will turn yellow or get liver failure! Far more likely you will die of something the coroner doesn’t even associate with alcohol abuse eg heart attack, stroke, accident etc. If it is because of alcohol consumption then that would be considered quite the warning sign to quit!! And to go to a doctor! Might be one for the gratitude list though, after a bad day and not feeling grateful at least I’m not yellow

needsumsupport

wow...I'm facing some tests on Monday and I could be in trouble...helps me to read this...I've always been a drinker....never tried to quit...today is only day 3 for me and I hope I can reverse the damage I've caused to myself, not sure...but I'm gonna fight....staying off the sauce is the only hope I have,

SoberLeigh

Staying off the sauce is the absolute best thing you can do for yourself in so many ways!

Welcome to SR, needsumsupport; glad you found us.

SoberLeigh

I am sorry about your brother, Maudcat.

leviathan

My mother died if liver failure due to alcohol. My best friend died of liver failure due to alcohol.

It is just not a good way to go.

Forward12

Liver failure, strokes, accidents, are the leading causes of alcoholic deaths.