Went for my scan

Hi Paul i am 100% off the drink.......

It was the person who took the scan which told me everything was fine and no gal stones, The pain on my left is getting worse my constipation is getting worse just lots of gas.

I have no appitite and i am constatly tired. I guess some of it could be alcohol withdrawls?

Starting to worry something is seriously wrong, i hope it is just aniexty. 

I am a little suprised that the technician told you anything, they are usually not allowed to. A doctor will look at the scan and write to your GP. A scan wouldn't necessarily show an infection.

I DO think that your anxiety is adding to the situation as well. You will not have physical alcohol withdrawal symptoms now but you may have cravings for a drink.

How is your appetite?

I have no appetite lol, the pains are wearing off but surely not in my head?

If i could do the toilet i would be great.

If you do this, make sure that you tell the GP about your constipation as many pain killers will make it worse, you need one without the side-effect of constipation.

Hi Paul,

I wont take pain killers, they tried to give me injection the other day for the pain and i said no.

Surely this is real pain and no aniexty?

Yes, I think it is real pain. Nothing wrong with taking pain killers. You should if you need them, just ensure that you don't take any that cause constipation. Sorting out the constipation is likely to result in some relief from pain. That is why I suggested fruit.

I will try it out, sometime you wonder if you are better on the drink.

This is never ending and i don't see any light at the end of the tunnel.

All the drink does is masks symptoms for a while while they get worse and causes even more health problems. Beware the voice inside your head trying to justify having a drink You have done really well, don't take a step backwards now.

Keep going, it isn't never ending, even thought it may feel that way

 

I know Paul, i wont and don't want to drink only good thing about it was whilst drunk the paranoia was not there. 

I am now terrified i have something seriously wrong with me.... My lactalose never worked for constipation tonight so went to out of hours doctors and he wants me to do 8 movicol a day and had given me glycerol suppository.

Hopefully in 6 month we can look back and laugh about this, at the moment i am terrified i will not last a year and really hope it is the aniexty.

You will not live long if you drink too heavily Tambdy. That is what you have to focus on. I think you need to talk to your doctor about your anxiety. That WILL have been caused (or at least made worse) by the dependence on alcohol.

Lactulose rarely works after one dose. You need to eat fruit. Get yourself some prune juice too. I think it will make a big difference to you when that issue is cleared up.

You don't need to fear that you won't last. Nothing you have said sounds like you have anything that will kill you. You are doing the right thing being seen by the doctor and getting your symptoms investigated.

I suspect that you have been using alcohol to self-medicate because of your anxiety (the only way you could feel relaxed). Just remember that alcohol increases anxiety over time so that won't work in the long term.

Be honest with your doctor. Explain that you have anxiety which is causing you a real problem. That you have been drinking to excess which has helped to make you relax but that you know that isn't a healthy solution and you would like something to help you with your anxiety. I suspect he may give medication but he may also refer you to somebody for anxiety management (google 'anxiety management'). Basically that consists of learning about why everybody NEEDS anxiety for survival (the fight or flight instinct) and how that can get out of control in some people so that they suffer the anxiety reaction even when the situation needn't cause anxiety. Then you will learn relaxation techniques so that you can control it.

You may be able to learn a lot from YouTube videos on the subject and you will be able to get relaxation audio files which you can use yourself.

Good luck and keep fighting

 

Hi Paul,

Another drink free weekend for me although it was hard to the point i purchase alcohol and just left it in the car. Normally it would have been drunk straight away.

I think your right most of it is mental at the moment, and i need to sort it out the only thing i was going to ask, i think the pains under the left and right rib might be constipation now. Does the bowel reach to under the ribs? If not is there anything else there which would be affected by constipation and radiate to the back?

p.s thanks for all your help, i could not have got through this without you.

You are doing very well Tambdy. I would suggest that you get rid of the alcohol in the car to avoid temptation.

Constipation can be extremely painful and can hurt all over the abdomen so it is entirely possible that the pain under your ribs is due to this. Has nothing you have taken started to work yet?

Happy to be here for you Tambdy and glad you are finding it helpful

Hi Paul,

Movicol just brings out water, i don't know if there is a blockage or something. I do have suppositories but i have yet to take one yet. I have heard they are good.

Suppositories are good but they have to get to where the problem is and, if you are blocked up, you might have to hit it from both ends with both suppositories and oral medication.

I can't emphasise the benefit of fruit too much. Prunes are excellent and prune juice is too. Get yourself a couple of cartons of prune juice and drink that over the next two days.

The reason for just bringing out water is a thing called 'overflow'. Basically, the liquid squeezes out past the blockage but doesn't clear it. It can take time to break down the mass. Be careful with taking painkillers as many of these have a side-effect of constipation and that will delay any benefits from medications designed to clear you out. Check that any painkillers you take do not cause constipation.

Hi Paul.

I am not taking pain killers, i am going to take movicol and the suppositories and hopefully that will help, i think i need just a big clean out and have for a while.

I eat lots of strawberries, grapes and melon over the last few days but i will try prunes.