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Re assurance and advice please

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matt86207
matt86207

Hi everyone and merry christmas

Ok, so after loosing my job 3 years ago, I started drinking quite heavily everyday

I would go to the pub and have around 8 pints of lager a day ( 35-40 pints a week on average), this lasted for around 2 years

My eyes started to go yellow, and also the sides of my hands ( down the side where my little finger is ) also started to go yellow. I also used to get frequent skin infections but not sure if this is related to the alcohol ?

I have really cut back over the last 6 months, and now go to the pub twice a week most, but still have my usual 8 pints, I struggle to drink in moderation

Im really wanting to know what damage I could have done in that time

My stomach is quite large since I started drinking, and I struggle with deep breathing, such as yawning etc.. I get out of breath quite quickly, maybe I just need to loose weight around my stomach or maybe its something else...

I also sometimes get a dull ache across my stomach, not painful and only really noticeable if I lay there and think about it, still I worry about it

I have also recently noticed a couple of small black dots in 1 of my eyes when concentrating on reading etc.. is this something anybody has had before ? 

Thanks for taking your time to read this

Kind regards

Matt

0 likes, 3 replies

3 Replies

  • PaulJTurner1964
    PaulJTurner1964 matt86207

    Posted

    Matt, there is no doubt that you WILL have done damage to your liver, as is shown by the jaundice you are seeing. The good news is that, if you can stop or cut right back on your drinking, the liver has amazing powers of recovery and will fix itself if given chance to do so, as long as you don't allow it to get beyond a certain point where irreparable damage is done. So really, you need to act now, because you don't know how close you are to that 'point of no return'.

    Several skin infections are known to have excessive alcohol consumption as a cause or aggravating factor.

    The black dots in your eyes are called 'floaters' and happen to many people as they age (I don't know how old you are). The brain learns to ignore these over time and they will become largely unnoticeable. However, there are some serious eye conditions that can cause these, as well, so I would book an eye check up at a local optician's to be sure because some conditions would need urgent treatment.

    I would suggest that you have two choices here. One is to reduce your drinking further by using Nalmefene (if you can get your GP to prescribe it for you) or do an alcohol detox and stop drinking altogether. When you were drinking 8 pints daily, I would have said that detox was your only choice but you have done amazingly well to reduce that to just two nights a week. Having said that, your intake is still dangerous, especially as you have some liver issues going on.

    With the execption of the black dots in your eyes, I would guess that all of your symptoms would be considerably improved, or even totally eliminated, by a dramatic reduction in your drinking (down to a couple of pints each time you drink).

    • matt86207
      matt86207 PaulJTurner1964

      Posted

      Hi Paul,

      Thanks very much for your quick and helpful reply

      Yes to be honest ive never had a problem not drinking, and could quite easily go all week without a drink, but when I do go, I struggle to just have a few and go, I basically drink until I cant get anymore down me

      I also get aching joints, especially my shoulders, my body just feels battered

      Im currently just under 15 stone, but before I started drinking I was a constant 12 stone, all this weight seems to have gone to my stomach area which I know wont be helping with things

      Sorry forgot to mention I am 27 years of age

      As you have mentioned, I think I need to be stricter with myself when I do go out and know when to stop

      Is there a time frame do you know Paul for when things will start to improve ? Also, do you know of any vitamins or similar that could help with my liver and general well-being ?

      Thanks again for your help, it is much appreciated

      Kind regards

      Matt

    • PaulJTurner1964
      PaulJTurner1964 matt86207

      Posted

      Matt,

      You will feel a difference in your health VERY quickly if you can avoid alcohol. The reason I suggested Nalmefene is that it is good at helping people who tend to carry on drinking after the first one or two, to moderate their intake. I would say that you would notice a difference in how you feel after a few days and feel a LOT better after a month.

      I would suggest Thiamine and Vitamin B Compound. Thiamine deficiency is a major cause of alcohol-related dementia and, while you are probably too young to worry about that now, it's worth getting that deficiency (which you are very likely to have, drinking at the levels you have been). Alcohol causes a deficiency of a number of B Vitamins, as does the poor diet which usually accompanies heavy drinking.

      Your GP should be happy to prescribe these if you explain why you want them.

      Nalmefene may be harder to get depending where you live.

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