BlakeV

In 2019 fall, I drank 2-5 bottles of wine weekly, When I decided to take a cold turkey January, I had some liver pain that just went away quickly.

Month passed, I kept my commitment. Saturday, February 1st, we were no longer in January. I drank a bottle of wine, no big deal, so I thought.

BEFORE that, I felt a few times on a slight slope in skiing. It was funny at the moment. In one of the falls, I felt an acute pain around my liver area. Another time it was my shoulder.

Then Sunday morning, I had a serious pain at the liver. I felt sick and had to sleep a good part of the day.

I am still trying to interpret that pain. Can it happen just because I felt the wrong way or it is more than likely that my liver had damages still present.

I am due for a medical check-up next month. Going by blood test, my liver results are always ok. At the risk of looking hypochondriac, what kind of test can I request to my doctor to make sure that there is nothing else?

Coz

Hi Blake

My first question would be how do you know the pain was in your liver?

I ask because yesterday, I had a nasty pain just under my rib cage on the right hand side. First thought was that it was my liver, which I know is fatty and I have been referred for a liver fibroscan. It has never caused me pain before and I was feeling a bit 'peed-off' as I was on day 4 of quitting and resenting it hurting now.

So I did some online doctor searching and discovered that pain under ribs on the right side can be caused by lots of different things - a fall could very well be the cause of the pain in liver area and shoulder. Really worth talking to the doc about it at your check-up next month, or sooner if the pain keeps recurring.

Th doc will be able to advise on the best tests. For me, I had an ultrasound and pathology. That showed fatty liver so hence the referral for a liver fibroscan to make sure that cirrhosis hasn't started.

You know what they say, 'If unsure, seek professional advice'.

Hope it all turns out to be a bit of bruising from the fall which will heal itself in no time!

HeadEast

Go to your doctor.

Anna

As with any medical test, liver function tests are not always accurate. I think you should talk to your doctor and explain what has been happening to you. Any extra information you can supply may be helpful in his diagnosis.

Silver22

What HeadEast said. Go to your Doctor. Please don't wait until next month. Serious pain is something you should take notice of right away. If your liver did indeed talk to you then you have to listen to it. Even if it's not your liver, your body is telling you something you need to know.
Make an appointment today, yes? I know it's scary (doctors, needles, tests and all that awful hospital stuff) but it might be something that can be helped right now and in a month it might not.

daisy1

An ultrasound scan is the best way to know the extent of liver damage. I get a sharp right sided pain when stressed or eating and it's duodenitis, but was scanned for liver and gall bladder just in case. An endoscopy diagnosed it in the end.

AAPJ

Hi Blake,
Liver problems occur with folks who drink zero booze too. My point is that you can damage your liver with less alcohol than others if you have other contributing factors which I am not going to list because we don't give medical advice here. So maybe as you pass 50 it's time to take alcohol out of the equation for more than just the month of January?

PeaceManic

I don't think you're liver has pain receptors or whatever, that's why it's dangerous for people who drink. You can have full blown damage and not know till it's too late.

Noam19

Hi Blake. Welcome. The fear for my health and the dull ache I would get in the area of my liver are one of the reasons I'm quitting as well. It's not worth it and I would never want to put my family through a serious illness that was 100% preventable. Just be honest with your doctor about your drinking and ask to get a blood screening with a liver panel. That would be the first step. They'll take it from there.

Zebra1275

Stop checking WebMD. Dr. Google and trying to get medical answers from people on this website.

Instead, don't wait for your medical appointment next month. Call today and get in to see a doctor this week. The anxiety of waiting is probably going to drive you crazy.

BlakeV

I assumed it for two reasons. It is very similar to what I experimented end of year when I basically gave up drinking every day (I did that almost all December). The second is because I felt sick Sunday and slept many hours on day time.

It is on my right flank, below the ribs cage, Oddly it is longer this time than in January. I might be wrong. Very painful when I sneeze.

suki44883

I agree that you should see your doctor now instead of waiting until March. If it's nothing serious, it will put your mind at ease. Why spend the next several weeks worrying about it? Go get it checked out.

Coz

Ouch - definitely worth a trip to the docs to find the cause of the pain. At least then you will know how to treat it properly. Quitting alcohol is a good positive step, but knowing where the pain is coming from will be really useful for your mind and body.

AnvilheadII

i'm surprised no one has said this....but if you are in the least concerned about your liver, or other organs, than DO NOT DRINK. that's like driving, at night, in a snow storm, without headlights.

zoobadger

My liver was in bad shape when I quit. But I never had more than a bothersome ache. Nothing sharp or acute. (It's OK now, but still aches a little bit sometimes if I'm dehydrated or overdo sweet and rich foods).

So if you can see the doctor sooner, that would be a real good idea.

ThatWasTheOldMe

Alcoholism or just heavy drinking in general is like taking a lighter to your internal organs. Pretty much the entire digestive system.