Milk thistle

18 months ago my blood work was fine, my only problems are increasing number of spider angioma and the nagging guilt I know I drink too much!

Sorry to hear of your diagnosis I hope you are in a good place right now?!

gb...

Always ask for a copy of your blood and imaging results/analysis.  You need to have these for your doctors, so if you see different physicians...everyone is on the same page.

Also, Quest Labs here in Florida only take about 24-48 hours, and I usually get my blood work results in the mail much quicker than I ever hear from a doctor.

With those numbers, you can plug them into a formula, which will give you a score to determine liver damage if any.

I know you've heard it before, but if it is your liver...you will HAVE to quit drinking.  I'm 5 months sober now.  I have ESLD, so if I drink...I will die.  Stop now...you can do it.  

Finding out my diagnosis was devastating at first.  But the more I read, the more I understand that cirrhosis is not an automatic death sentence.  People live with it a long time, and transplants offer a new lease on life.  So I am grateful for the diagnosis...and wow, I stopped drinking!  

There is hope...trust God on this one!!

Sabrina

(Let me know what your blood work shows.  Praying for you!)

Sabrina,

Thanks for the reply I'm worried beyond belief and really feel like this is the wake up call I've needed.

Not tempted to drink at all the last 2 nights and same tonight I'm so frightened.

I have just had my first cigarette of the day tho after a very exhausting day, I intend to quit them too but feel for now I need something to get me through the next few weeks.

Could smoking a few cigarettes be really harmful at this stage?!

Crazy to even be contemplating a diagnosis at my age but if whatever the outcome I've realised how foolish I've been and how much I value my life....

I just hope I've not left it too late

if you are just getting started...my doctor's advice to me was NO alcohol...and quit smoking.  I quit drinking, but the smoking I cut way back, but haven't stopped.  The doctor on my last visit said that if a cigarette here and there was helping me stay sober for now...it's okay.  Just work towards a goal and then quit.  For me, I am lacking the goal part...but I know I will have to quit that too.

Have you found a therapist/councelor you can see?  If not, go to AA and get a sponsor.  I've gone to meetings on and off for 15 years now.  It's only scary in the beginning, and then, like here...it becomes an awesome support network.  Just a suggestion.

I can't even have one drink...because I never in my life have had one drink.  I have tested, tried and proved it...unfortunately a few too many times.

Keep talking to people who can offer encouragement...and stay away from anyone who might be a bad influence on your sobriety.

One day at a time.

Sabrina

Yeah I think like you one drink might be the danger point for me... I feel for the first time, rather than thinking I'll have to cut back and could still enjoy drinking socially, that I might have pushed my luck too far and now it's only total abstinence that might save me....

I think that was the reply I expected with the cigarettes, long term they are too much of a temptation for me to drink but right now where I am just having a few is helping keep me focused and something else to look forward to at the end of a long day....

Depending on the outcome of my results I'll need a review and I'll take what counselling services are on offer as I need to understand why I drink and have done for so many years...

I was just one of those who tried it at 14 and liked it and abused it far too much thinking I was young enough to get away with it....

Last night I could barely sleep as I swear I developed an itch, funny there was no itch all day and I've been super busy and quite stressed but it wasn't until I sat down and had a cigarette tonight and a vitamin drink I've noticed the itchy feeling is back.... Wondering if that's all in my head now?!

Do you mind me asking what lead to your diagnosis?! What symptoms etc and have you told family?!

Good luck xxx

As far as my alcohol abuse went...shaky hands, morning drinks to stop the shaking, itchy skin all over, bruises, very bloated in the face and gut.  Bags under my eyes...it was pretty bad.

Then, I developed pancreatitis twice...it feels like a horse just kicked you in the ribs.  Awful.  Then ascites, where you develop fluid retention in your abdomin and they have to drain it out.  4 hospital stays.

Two inpatient rehabs, two out-patient.  

Dr's told me I have liver disease/cirrhosis and I may need a liver transplant.  So now, I am doing what I can to stay healthy and protect what little of my liver is still working.

I highly recommend either an Intensive Out Patient program.  And don't be afraid.  I showed up to see the councelor to sign up, and I was so intoxicated...I blew a .4.  They kept me there for hours and drove me home afterwards.  So I sobered up, rolled-up my sleeves and worked really hard.  I managed 60 days of sobriety before the program ended...so now I have a councelor and I go to AA meetings.  

AA will give you answers.  Talk to the gang hanging out smoking cigarettes before and after the meetiings.  Talk about one on one counceling.  Sometimes it's better than anyone with a medical liscense can do for you.

I'm still curious to hear what you numbers are....

Thanks and good luck.  You can do this!!

Wow Sabrina what a journey, I bet you feel heaps better already after stopping drinking you should be very proud, it's so bloody difficult.

Feel like calling the doctors but know I have days to wait still.... Impatient and driving myself crackers wondering what the outcome will be. Mentally preparing myself for the worst...

I haven't had the shakes and I'm on day 4, maybe a slight tremor in hands in the morning but nothing major.

I've done 6 days before quite recently and was fine but started back up again as was weak.

Tbh it feels like drinking isn't even an option now it's more about survival

Thanks Sabrina I feel like a weight has been lifted upon hearing the results are ok, but feel I still want to check the results myself and perhaps see what they say. Not saying I know more than the doctors but I just want to see the numbers.... Still feels like I can't have been that lucky and why the symptoms?!

Do you know the scariest thing was happening last week I was setting off shop alarms in various shops, I couldn't understand why and stupidly googled it and saw iron overload and serous liver problems... Sent my mind into overdrive and I was too scared to mention it but guess iron would have been checked with my bloods.

Feel better I've managed to easily resist not drinking tonight, easiest thing to do would have been celebrate with a few but my mind was set firm, I hope it lasts.

Hope you have a good weekend xx