Paddy123

Hi everyone I'm new here. I'm an alcoholic and 6 days without alcohol. The reason I quit was due to a pain in my right upper quadrant. I went to the doctor and he has taken my blood for analysis which I will know results next week. I'm so afraid I have chorrisis of the liver. My doctor said I have an angry liver and will be ok if i quit drinking and eat right etc. in a few weeks. I'm so afraid. So afraid i quit and I'm taking campral and vitamins to help me. I'm just wondering if this has ever happened to you and how long it took for liver pain to go. Thanks.

Anna

Hi Paddy,

Welcome! I moved your thread to Newcomers so you'll get more responses.

Since your doctor has told you that you will be okay as long as you stop drinking, I think you should be okay. Also, getting the tests done will give you more information. I'm glad you posted.

Paddy123

Thank you Anna for reply and putting my post in correct place. I really want to quit and live to see my family grow up. I'm happy to be here. Thanks.

decchemist

I had a similar pain when I was drinking. I quit. Pain gone.

Welcome to SR and a sober life (which is great).

Paddy123

Thanks Decchemist. I hope and pray that results back not too bad/ok. The doctor told me he sees alot of this especially since in pandemic. The pain is not too painful but just dull and I'm aware of it with certain movements. I'm exercising and eating well and alcohol free. Still not sleeping well on day 6 A/F but read it will get better. Please God.

Paddy123

Thanks Decchemist. I hope and pray that results back not too bad/ok. The doctor told me he sees alot of this especially since in pandemic. The pain is not too painful but just dull and I'm aware of it with certain movements. I'm exercising and eating well and alcohol free. Still not sleeping well on day 6 A/F but read it will get better. Please God.

Hodd

I had some awful pains around the right lower ribs. My blood tests were fine. I continued to drink albeit a reduced amount, and the pains persisted. I had a private ultrasound which diagnosed a mild fatty liver. I was going to quit anyway so that seemed like a good time. And yet the pains still occurred! If something was amiss, I felt it better to confront it so went for a private fibroscan. All was OK. The doc said the pains were likely due to a fatty liver, which incidentally cleared up within a few months of quitting. The pains vanished the very next day!

I’m naughty to say this, but I doubt you have cirrhosis. The blood tests will reveal more, but try not to worry.

But it’s a wake up call, isn’t it? A friend of my wife’s was diagnosed with cirrhosis last year. He collapsed (in the pub!) and had far worse symptoms than you. He needs a liver transplant but isn’t well enough to be on list. It’s not looking good. You’ve dodged a bullet here.

anxiousrock

If your doctor said you're okay I would believe them.
time to quit drinking for good, it sounds like.

Paddy123

Thanks for your reply Hodd, sure is a wake up call, I had reduced my intake by drinking larger shandy, but drinking many lol. the doc said its sill alcohol. Sorry to hear about your Wife's friend. Yes, it has scared me into taking action. I was in the mode of starting campral which I'm now even though some say it's a placebo. Anyway, I will get my results this thursday coming and let you know results. Thanks again Hodd you have put me at ease with your reply. Good night from Dublin.

Paddy123

Thanks Anxiousrock, yes writing on the wall. I have had many problems with the drink in my life with all sorts of issues that it brings. I just hope now this is the end.

Hodd

Yes, I took Campral for a while. The science does sort of make sense. The receptors in a drinker’s brain have been affected by years of drinking, and Campral works to balance things out and reduce cravings. It won’t work at all if you’re still drinking, though. The label in the packet also says that willpower is required, and I’d say it’s 98% willpower. I found taking those massive tablets three times a day a big enough reminder!

Going back to those receptors - google GABA if you’re keen - they don’t return to normal unfortunately after we quit drinking. That’s why we’ll crave a drink like crazy if we drink again. So as much as I’d like a glass of wine on holiday (remember those? ), I’d crave for a wine the next day and the next. Anyone who thinks they can then become moderate drinkers needs their brain rewired, literally.

I reckon you’ll be fine, but it has to be all or nothing from now on. No sneaky rewards

Paddy123

Thanks Hodd, agreed. Yes, I just have to bite the bullet and admit I've come to the end of the road regards drinking and forget about moderation...tried that one before lol.. I'm just afraid of the post alcohol withdrawal symptoms and hope campral helps. I've started exercising now and watching my diet like never before..really in shock over this wake up call..!! I'm lucky to get this heads up as no symptoms sometimes happen with liver disease and hope results are ok?? I'm taking B vitemens also but its hard to know if they are doing anything?? In the long run I'm afraid of PAWs from past experiences with quitting and know it will be many months before I'm ok. But my current situation is a line in the sand for me. Basically its scared the **** out of me. Thanks for your reply Hodd.

Surrendered19

Hi Paddy. I definitely had some internal pain that abated slowly. Be patient. Repeated poisoning has its side effects. You body has an amazing capacity to heal itself if you get off the crazy booze train. I hope you feel better soon.

Aellyce

I had intermittent pains in the area where the liver is located (and in other places of my body) for years before I quit drinking ~3 months ago. They gradually subsided sober, but I still feel some aches very rarely. Like you, I was also very anxious about this but never had a proper exam for it until early this week. I was so thrilled to find out that my liver functions, kidneys, and a bunch of other things the doctor tested were fine - not even on the higher end of the normal spectrum, not even the functions that can sometimes detect long-term, even earlier alcohol abuse. I take it now as extra incentive to be grateful for my luck and never allow the possibility of drinking again.

Fingers crossed for you! One thing is certain: whatever the state of our health, more alcohol will definitely not make it better.

Dee74

Hi Paddy - welcome aboard

it may take a little while for the pain to go but if your Doctor says it will if you stay sober, there's no reason to disbelieve them

D

Willbilly

My liver hurt too. Im 3 months sober(I was sober a solid 7 months last year).

It took about a month before i would a go a day and not notice it. In the meantime my liver enzymes are on the low side of normal.

Now, if I start thinking about drinking my right side/ liver area starts acting up. I consider this a good defense mechanism, as it is a pretty strong deterrence for me.

Your liver is saying stop, stop now.

SIB

Mine hurt as well which is why I stopped 18 days ago. Stop now before its too late, its not worth it

WaterOx

Liver pain has been the recurring story of my heavy drinking career. It started over 6 years ago. That was the first time I went to the doctor. He said all tests were normal and I was in great shape. So guess what? I celebrated with a drink or 10. I went YEARS like this. The pain would come on, I'd get scared, then I'd go get tested. Normal.

Now I'm on my second serious quit because I'm so worried about what might really happen. There's always more than meets the eye to those tests. We never know what's really going on inside us- but we DO know that alcohol is poison... which is why if you come back totally "normal", I'd like for you to remember this post. I am "the normal aching liver" poster-boy of this entire website.

RUL23

My doctors (yes I asked multiple opinions on this) have told me many times that having normal blood work doesn't necessarily mean you have a healthy liver. Blood tests alone may not provide the indication your liver is diseased. That alone, makes me want to stop. And I also just recently had a normal blood test.

sortofhomecomin

Lager shandy is about 2% alcohol so basically for non-alcoholics....essentially harmless, but for us types, the temptation will always be to drink more of it to make up for the reduced alcohol content compared to what we are accustomed to. Your liver is quite possibly, even probably, fine but will only stay fine if you completely stop drinking.