Taking care of your liver
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2018
Posts: 11
Taking care of your liver
Hey everyone. I'm sure ive done heaps of damage to my liver. I'm not going to the doctor because then it becomes real. Besides, what am I gonna do other than stopping drinking and being healthier?
My question is have your medical professionals or even your own investigations turned up any good ways to turn things around and keep your liver as healthy as you can? I suppose im leaning towards supplements etc. Cheers
My question is have your medical professionals or even your own investigations turned up any good ways to turn things around and keep your liver as healthy as you can? I suppose im leaning towards supplements etc. Cheers
Administrator
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 211,373
Hi Muffinface
The best thing bar none is stop drinking.
The second best thing is swallowing that fear and seeing a Dr.
We can share our experiences with you, for sure - but we don't know what your liver is like.
What worked for some of us could be dangerous for you.
I was sure that with the amount of drinking I did I had months to live - turned out my liver was surprisingly healthy.
You might find the same if you go get checked out?
D
The best thing bar none is stop drinking.
The second best thing is swallowing that fear and seeing a Dr.
We can share our experiences with you, for sure - but we don't know what your liver is like.
What worked for some of us could be dangerous for you.
I was sure that with the amount of drinking I did I had months to live - turned out my liver was surprisingly healthy.
You might find the same if you go get checked out?
D
Member
Join Date: Jan 2018
Posts: 350
Hi M
How can you now how to get to where you want to be if you do not no exactly where you are right now.
A visit to the GP if you are an alcoholic is always advised
Give up alcohol. (Choose life)
Being on SR is a very important step.
Stop consuming alcohol.
Make a plan of how you are going to do abstinence.
Drink lots of water.
Eat healthy balanced diet.
Take vitamins as an alcoholic will have depleted vitamins B complex D E magnesium.
Some people swear by milk thistle however I did not get along with this.
Exercise to boost endorphins, as much as you can.
All of the above are likely to be massive changes to where you are now and the human body can be shocked by dramatic change, simply stoping alcohol abruptly can put some people in hospital.
Go to the Doctor and find your start point he is the only person who can tell you how your liver is now and how it has improved over X period of time.
Hope this helps!
How can you now how to get to where you want to be if you do not no exactly where you are right now.
A visit to the GP if you are an alcoholic is always advised
Give up alcohol. (Choose life)
Being on SR is a very important step.
Stop consuming alcohol.
Make a plan of how you are going to do abstinence.
Drink lots of water.
Eat healthy balanced diet.
Take vitamins as an alcoholic will have depleted vitamins B complex D E magnesium.
Some people swear by milk thistle however I did not get along with this.
Exercise to boost endorphins, as much as you can.
All of the above are likely to be massive changes to where you are now and the human body can be shocked by dramatic change, simply stoping alcohol abruptly can put some people in hospital.
Go to the Doctor and find your start point he is the only person who can tell you how your liver is now and how it has improved over X period of time.
Hope this helps!
Member
Join Date: Jan 2018
Posts: 325
I echo what Dee said that we really can’t say what would be good for you. I have recently given up a bottle and a half most nights wine habit with hardly any sober days for over 12 months. I went to my Dr and yes the blood results did make it real and quite literally sobering. My liver numbers are high, according to my Dr this should be reversable, but the evidence of damage meant I could no longer kid myself that quitting was an option for sometime in the future.
While you are right in saying abstinence is the biggest hope for liver recovery I will say seeing my Dr also discovered some other issues in my blood work that alcohol probably contributed to. I am now on medication and feel better than I have done in a long time. Things like high bp can be a silent killer and it’s not much good taking supplements in the hope of treating something you suspect you might have, when a different treatable condition could be a more immediate threat.
It was so hard to see my Dr, I nearly cancelled several times and even in the waiting room I almost chickened out and decided I’d pretend to be there for something else. I am SO glad I didn’t and by making it real it has also helped me make a more concrete plan to quit.
While you are right in saying abstinence is the biggest hope for liver recovery I will say seeing my Dr also discovered some other issues in my blood work that alcohol probably contributed to. I am now on medication and feel better than I have done in a long time. Things like high bp can be a silent killer and it’s not much good taking supplements in the hope of treating something you suspect you might have, when a different treatable condition could be a more immediate threat.
It was so hard to see my Dr, I nearly cancelled several times and even in the waiting room I almost chickened out and decided I’d pretend to be there for something else. I am SO glad I didn’t and by making it real it has also helped me make a more concrete plan to quit.
Guest
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Atlanta
Posts: 8,674
One thing we CAN and do know is that drinking hurts every part of our bodies, especially our pancreas and liver in most cases. It's just not GOOD for anyone.
That said, I know what it's like to be terrified to see the doctor. I finally had to do it, pretty much, because my GP sent me straight to a liver dr - I didn't drive at the time and there was no chance my dad was going to let me "get out of going" - and truthfully, I was terrified what I'd find out AND relieved I was finally going to learn the damage bc like Dee, I knew an end was coming- whether that meant drinking or death.
My dr told me- before tests, based on his 30+ years of experience- that if I kept drinking like I was, I had a year, 18 mo to live and tests confirmed it. I quit cold turkey and at my 90 day check up, amazingly, I had come back from the brink of cirrhosis and my test levels for all important parts were smack in the middle of normal range.
I had to quit drinking. I drank a lot of water, I rested, I started eating then eating well. I've kept it up and will be 2 years sober next month.
Supplements have not been a priority. Potassium, iron and B12 levels have improved by these measures I described. IMO and more importantly IME, a dr's help is necessary by the time we get to the point of asking these kind of questions.
Trying to get healthy without fully quitting to drink is, as the old saying goes, like trying to put a band aid on a gushing wound.
That said, I know what it's like to be terrified to see the doctor. I finally had to do it, pretty much, because my GP sent me straight to a liver dr - I didn't drive at the time and there was no chance my dad was going to let me "get out of going" - and truthfully, I was terrified what I'd find out AND relieved I was finally going to learn the damage bc like Dee, I knew an end was coming- whether that meant drinking or death.
My dr told me- before tests, based on his 30+ years of experience- that if I kept drinking like I was, I had a year, 18 mo to live and tests confirmed it. I quit cold turkey and at my 90 day check up, amazingly, I had come back from the brink of cirrhosis and my test levels for all important parts were smack in the middle of normal range.
I had to quit drinking. I drank a lot of water, I rested, I started eating then eating well. I've kept it up and will be 2 years sober next month.
Supplements have not been a priority. Potassium, iron and B12 levels have improved by these measures I described. IMO and more importantly IME, a dr's help is necessary by the time we get to the point of asking these kind of questions.
Trying to get healthy without fully quitting to drink is, as the old saying goes, like trying to put a band aid on a gushing wound.
Member
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: CA
Posts: 1,060
Go to the doctor.
I had a fatty liver, that was very swollen. Within a year of quitting the booze, my numbers dropped to normal ranges and the swelling gone. My doctor didn't believe me when I told him how much I drank until the diagnostic exams came back.
I had a fatty liver, that was very swollen. Within a year of quitting the booze, my numbers dropped to normal ranges and the swelling gone. My doctor didn't believe me when I told him how much I drank until the diagnostic exams came back.
Member
Join Date: Jan 2018
Posts: 38
I too am wondering about my liver. I’m on day 5 of no alcohol and feeling ok. I will be seeing my GP in a month and am a little afraid to see results of blood tests. Last year my liver counts were a little high but she wasn’t concerned about it. She didn’t know my wine secret though. Then again, a year ago I don’t think I was drinking as excessively. I want to be a month sober before seeing her. I’ve gained 10 lbs too so hoping I can lose some of it before my appt.
Member
Join Date: Jan 2018
Posts: 327
The only thing I can add is what I have read about the benefits of coffee and the liver.
There are several articles on this, but I can't post them yet.
Supposedly, coffee won't reverse cirrhosis but can slow it down. The goal is not to get to that point though!
I had normal ALT and AST levels but later found my ferritin was high. I had an ultrasound of my liver and was told I had fatty liver.
It's reversible in early stages, but my Doctor told me you have to stop drinking for it to heal.
With that being said, from what I've read, because the symptoms aren't always apparent there is no way to know when or how fast you will progress from fatty liver to cirrhosis. The best bet is to not test it.
There are several articles on this, but I can't post them yet
.Supposedly, coffee won't reverse cirrhosis but can slow it down. The goal is not to get to that point though!
I had normal ALT and AST levels but later found my ferritin was high. I had an ultrasound of my liver and was told I had fatty liver.
It's reversible in early stages, but my Doctor told me you have to stop drinking for it to heal.
With that being said, from what I've read, because the symptoms aren't always apparent there is no way to know when or how fast you will progress from fatty liver to cirrhosis. The best bet is to not test it.
Member
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: US
Posts: 5,095
I'm sure everyone is suggesting blood work. Why not? I mean, I get the fear, I do. Right now I have fear of the scale. Silly. My weigh in is tomorrow because I've been eating like a horse....doesn't change my weight by not weighing. So, you go get your blood work done and I'll weigh myself tomorrow! Ask your dr about taking Milk Thistle. Its an herb that has a lot of good evidence showing its support of the liver. But you need to talk with your dr first.
The liver is your detox system (as are your kidneys, your lungs and your skin). The cleaner and healthier your diet, the easier it is on your liver. It also metabolizes fat so eating a low fat diet can help decrease the load on your liver. There's load of information on the internet about how to support your liver with a healthy life style....
The liver is your detox system (as are your kidneys, your lungs and your skin). The cleaner and healthier your diet, the easier it is on your liver. It also metabolizes fat so eating a low fat diet can help decrease the load on your liver. There's load of information on the internet about how to support your liver with a healthy life style....
Member
Join Date: Jan 2018
Posts: 2,908
Agree with all posts re facing fear of doctor (and I’m telling the same thing to myself btw). I don’t know if there is any science behind it but I like drinking dandelion tea. Well not like it in terms of the taste. But psychologically (psychosomatically?) it makes me feel like I’m doing something healthy.
Member
Join Date: May 2012
Posts: 1,981
Stop poisoning yourself with alcohol of course would be #1
#2, you just have to suck it up and go to your docs. Simple blood work is done in minutes, and will give you the results to see if there is anything to be concerned about.
It's better to know sooner than later when it comes to health issues.
#2, you just have to suck it up and go to your docs. Simple blood work is done in minutes, and will give you the results to see if there is anything to be concerned about.
It's better to know sooner than later when it comes to health issues.
Member
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: New Hampshire
Posts: 201
If you can't even go to the doctor to "make it real", what are the chances this sobriety is "real"? It sounds like a way to stay in denial so you can excuse having another drink. Yes, the liver can repair itself, but only to a certain point. After that, you could really be playing with fire with your health, and if you end up very sick or worse, nothing will matter in the long run.
I hope that doesn't sound too harsh. I totally get not wanting to know. But you will likely be pleasantly surprised and feel a TON of relief once you get a few tests done and taking that stress off your mind can make it a lot easier to focus on sobriety. Just my 2cents from a person who avoided the doctors for 10 years. I was sure I would be told that I was dying. Instead I was told that my body could heal itself. It has made it a lot easier to imagine healing my mind now as well as my body.
I also drink tons of water, herbal tea and take vitamins that were recommended by my doctor. I really needed vitamin B1, vitamin D and a few other vitamins and minerals. A few weeks of that has made me feel like a brand new woman. Best of luck!
I hope that doesn't sound too harsh. I totally get not wanting to know. But you will likely be pleasantly surprised and feel a TON of relief once you get a few tests done and taking that stress off your mind can make it a lot easier to focus on sobriety. Just my 2cents from a person who avoided the doctors for 10 years. I was sure I would be told that I was dying. Instead I was told that my body could heal itself. It has made it a lot easier to imagine healing my mind now as well as my body.
I also drink tons of water, herbal tea and take vitamins that were recommended by my doctor. I really needed vitamin B1, vitamin D and a few other vitamins and minerals. A few weeks of that has made me feel like a brand new woman. Best of luck!
Member
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 1,355
The best way to take care of your liver is to stop drinking.
I wouldn't advise you hide your head in the sand and not go to the Dr just because you are scared.
Supplements are just that. Good if you are taking them in conjunction with another plan or action. Like not drinking. Always best to get second opinions from a Dr regarding supplements. They aren't always as they are billed to be.
I wouldn't advise you hide your head in the sand and not go to the Dr just because you are scared.
Supplements are just that. Good if you are taking them in conjunction with another plan or action. Like not drinking. Always best to get second opinions from a Dr regarding supplements. They aren't always as they are billed to be.
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