wetherby

last week I visited the doctor with stomach and upper right hand side pain. It feels like back pain coming from my spine, its tender between the vertebrae, but who knows. I have also suffered for some time from bad digestion (reesty guts as they say in this part of the world) He has sent me for some blood tests as he thinks I may have a bit of 'liver stress'. Of course I'm now writing my will and saying goodbye to the kids.

I am an alcoholic but you would never know. I have been drinking a bottle of wine a day for a long time (10 years at least) rarely much more, always in the evening. (I'm 38)

I have no other symptoms no jaundice, bleeding, bruise, vomiting etc (guess whose been looking up cirrhosis on the web). I had a ultrasound scan about 3 years ago for gallstones , they didn't find any but i was told that the liver looked ok.

Anyone any knowledge on this subject am I right to panic? One benefit is I've not touched a drop for a week!

Thanks

CAPTAINZING2000

Maybe, you're worryin your self too much over this. Good time to give up the drinkin. You can't get good health back once it's gone. I'll b keepin u in my prayers

Evanna

Stay sober and you will find that the liver is a remarkable organ in terms of recovery. I would say try not go get ahead of yourself here too....you dont know what is causing this for sure yet anyway.

Try and get to some AA meetings if you havent done so already. Staying sober requires a lot of support.

Congratulations on your 7 days. That is brilliant.

wetherby

Thank you

Caraduinn

Wetherby,

Don't get too worried yet! You've done well to stop drinking, and there's nothing you can do about what's already been done, so try to relax a bit. That said, I've been in a similar spot before, and also freaked out. I can just imagine what you must be feeling right now!


I've been a blood donor for years, and last year, I got a frightening letter from the blood bank saying that my last donation had been unusable due to "irregular screening tests re: hepatitis," but that a second lab test was negative, so although I didn't have hepatitis, they could not use my donation at that time. Well, the next time I donated, the SAME THING happened, and though my doctor assured me it was just an "anomaly" and that I did not have hepatitis, I took it as a sign from above that I'd better stop the drinking (although it was a year before I actually quit--instead, I gave up donating blood, though I knew that I had a drinking problem). I went online and looked up everything I could find related to alcoholism and the liver, and had pretty much figured that I was a goner, with one foot in the grave, etc...("How will my children cope without a mother?" etc.) Very frightening.

ANYWAY... (I apologize for my rambling), maybe this is your "wake up call." Be glad you've managed 7 days without wine--you can make it another day! Think about how you are now helping your body instead of hurting it.

How has it felt to wake up in the mornings knowing you didn't drink yourself to sleep the night before?

Take care of yourself,
Cara

Caraduinn

Wetherby,

Hope all is well. Have you heard back from the Doc?

Caraduinn