Liver Function Test results approx 100 - not sure what tests

Gav, I guarantee that the symptoms you have are not those of serious liver damage. As I said, I have seen people with Gamma GT results of 2000 who have stopped drinking and seen it come down to a normal level. 100 shows that you are doing yourself no good but it is very early stage liver damage and will fix itself in a very short time if allowed to do so.

What you are suffering is the symptoms of alcohol withdrawal. Keep going and they will disappear.

Thanks again for your time, Paul.

It's just that I feel really unwell and I cannot understand these awful joint pains and severe burning and discomfort in my palms of hands and soles of feet.

I have started taking the high strength Vitamin B, and also some Imodium for the diarrhoea, but painkillers are not having any effect on these pains.

I am also still getting these awful sweats and my skin feels constantly clammy.

I am trying my best to listen to and take notice of your reassurance but, short of a bad flu many years ago, I have never felt as unwell as this with such vague, unpleasant symptoms.

Thanks again, Paul.

It's most likely alcohol withdrawal symptoms, but don't take my word for it, see a doctor if you think it may be something else. I am only going on what you have said, I can't diagnose accurately unless you were sitting in front of me. I would guess that is what it is, though from all you have said.

Thanks, pmcg21.

I suppose my concern is that we all react differently to alcohol.

I know I have only been drinking heavily - and occasionally very heavily last October and this July - for one year, and before that it was social drinking and only very occasionally intoxicated on 'special' occasions.

As I've said to Paul, I'm trying to take notice of his helpful advice and reassurance, but I can't stop thinking that I am just unlucky (though self-inflicted).

All because of a stupid exposure to an STI and fear that I had caught HIV from the encounter ....

It appears to me that you also have a tendency to worry yourself sick about any symptoms and imagine them to be something serious. You have gone from fear of HIV to fear of serious liver disease (which doesn't happen after a short period of excessive drinking). Try and relax, take your thiamine, drink plenty of clear fluids and do something to take you mind off your fears. I doubt you have anything too serious going on If you DO feel that you are very ill though, you must consult a doctor. I would guess that your most serious problem is your fear of illness

I'm sure I come across as very frustrating, Paul!

That said, if I didn't have these weird, very unpleasant symptoms, I would simply have taken what my GP (and you!) told me about the test result, cut-out the alcohol, and got another test done in a few weeks.

I'm really not a hypochondriac, but the HIV scare was caused by catching an STI and then having very suspicious symptoms for early HIV infection.

The strange symptoms I have now just seem suspicious to me because of the serious bingeing I did.

If I could get rid of the unpleasant symptoms, I would be much more content.

No, please don't think that. I am concerned for YOU that you are talking yourself into believing that you have all these serious health issues. What you have described is alcohol withdrawal symptoms. If you can avoid alcohol for a few more days, you will find they just disappear. None of the symptoms you describe are signs of serious liver disease.

Many people scare themselves to death by Googling symptoms they have. What they should realise is that a headache can be anything from a brain tumour to a tension headache. The reason we go to medically trained people is that the whole combination of symptoms needs to be looked at and investigations completed to establish what we have wrong, which could be anything from nothing to terminal.

If you read a symptom on Google, you will invariably find that it COULD be a symptom of some fatal disease. In the vast majority of cases it isn't at all.

Heavy alcohol consumption can also cause anxiety, which I believe is one of the reasons that you are worrying that symptoms you have are a sign of a serious illness.

 

Thanks, Paul.

I feel a little better so far today, thought still with achy joints.

Would simple pain-killers help at all?

I also feel very down due to a number of negative life events.  I daresay the very heavy recent alcohol intake won't have helped.

Yes, they might help. Ibuprofen (but not on an empty stomach) or Paracetamol.

Hello again, Paul, and thanks.

Unfortunately, as today has progressed, I have gradually felt more unwell again.

In particular, strange sensations in my hands and feet, pain in the limbs and joints, occasional sweating, some indigestion and mild stomach discomfort.  I've taken some Paracetamol, but it hasn't eased these symptoms.

I also seem to be dehydrated, in spite of drinking quite a lot of water and pure apple juice.  My urine has also turned a deep yellow colour.

I am terrified that, while my own fault, I am unlucky and have developed advanced liver disease after the past year of very heavy drinking on and off.

:-(

Strange sensations in hands and feet - Alcohol withdrawal (Thiamine will help that)

Sweating - Alcohol withdrawal.

Indigestion and stomach discomfort - Alcohol withdrawal

Pain in limbs and joints - Could be hundreds of things, most of which are not serious. Paracetamol doesn't really work for me either, try Ibuprofen, but not on an empty stomach.

Deep yellow urine - Caused by vitamin B supplements and is totally harmless.

If you had advanced liver disease, your doctor would have seen it from your liver results.

You worry way too much

 

Thanks, Paul.

I probably do worry way too much, and there's probably a lot of regret in there too.

But I wouldn't be so worried if I didn't actually feel ill.

I plan to give the GP's surgery a call in the morning and talk to either the duty doctor or nurse, not least because I want to take an accurate note of what liver function tests I actually had and the precise numbers.

Nite-nite. 

Hi gav44887 l have been following your troubles since last week and l told u it can go up to 400, and if u stop it goes back to normal.gav44887 l am sorry to tell u that l think u suffer from a high level of anxiety,,that can only be helped by medication such as Citalprom , to cure your anxiety bcoz l can see u worry yourself to death over small problems,l use. to feel the same as u once but now l hardly worry about anything, do u mind me asking, how do u cope at work if u do work.l am telling from my experience, l feel sorry for u bcoz your worrying is beyond your control, u need medication to cure it, for 2 months or so, cheers u are on the right site.