1. Community
  2. Liver and gallbladder
  3. Liver Problems

Please - Don't Make The Likely Fatal Mistake I Did

Posted , 4 users are following.

ergo08
ergo08

Don't Use Enzyme Results Alone as an Assessment of Your Liver Health and Subsequent Drinking Habits

I started drinking to take the edge off due to anxiety when I was around 32. I continued to slowly increase my drinks until I was having about 6 cocktails daily. When Covid hit, I really increased my drinking to the point where I got to almost finishing a 750ml a night. I realized I had a problem and decided that I needed to get my liver enzymes tested. Predictably, the results were well outside of normal range with the doctor saying I needed to substantially reduce my drinking before things get worse.

I freaked out and stopped drinking for 3 1/2 months. I got another liver enzyme test to see where things stood and these were my results on 8/18/21:

Total Protein: 7.6

Albumin: 4.8

Bilirubin: 0.9

Alkaline: 48

ALT: 16

AST: 17

I was ecstatic that these numbers had improved significantly. All of them were well within normal range and the doctors commented as such. I felt like I had undone most of the damage over the years. And that, sadly, gave me the opening to start drinking again. I started to have a drink here and there and then it slowly ramped up until I was drinking close to a 750ml again.

Now on 2/18/22, six months to the day of that good test result, I was diagnosed with cirrhosis/ascites. I still can't believe it. I wish I had never gotten that second test and just assumed that I needed to continue on the path that I was on. It hadn't occurred to me that I could still have serious underlying liver damage after the positive enzyme test results.

Please don't be as naive as I was. Don't assume that everything is okay (or not okay) due to blood work and blood work alone.

Best health to you all.

0 likes, 2 replies

2 Replies

  • alex93755
    alex93755 ergo08

    Posted

    the same thing happened to me...i was drinking maybe a half bottle a day to sometimes a whole bottle.. drinks for ten years straight with a few breaks in between.. but i just kept needing more..i quit again for about a week and felt great.. then work got rough and i started drinking again for about 2 weeks.. then i quit again.. made it 3 days and then all of a sudden symptoms popped up...i have cirrhosis/ ascites.. diagnosed 2 weeks ago and been clean for 3 now..i have to get my stomach drained every week. I'm freaking out cuz they say I'm gonna die.... any tips at all? I'm freaking out

  • nick07991
    nick07991 ergo08

    Posted

    how are you doing now? can I ask what you were drinking

Back to top

Report or request deletion

Thanks for your help!

We want the community to be a useful resource for our users but it is important to remember that the community are not moderated or reviewed by doctors and so you should not rely on opinions or advice given by other users in respect of any healthcare matters. Always speak to your doctor before acting and in cases of emergency seek appropriate medical assistance immediately. Use of the community is subject to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and steps will be taken to remove posts identified as being in breach of those terms.