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Diagnosed with fatty liver - don't let it happen to you (1 Viewer)

Binky The Doormat

Binky The Doormat

Footballguy
I have been a pretty heavy drinker, partier since high school. It was the mid-70s and was just the way it was. I was always pretty skinny - 5'9"/119 lbs HS graduation. I could drink most anyone under that table (not old alcoholics ...but most all of my friends and their friends anyway ...). I was an awesome drunk - loved to take speed and then plow away. I got energized, always a friendly drunk but not obnoxious, could still hold lucid conversations, etc. Alcohol has always been my social lubricant. Love how it makes me feel and love the social aspect of it.

A few years ago, every so often I noticed that I would get fall down drunk sometimes which never used to happen. It just would hit me out of nowhere - like when you first started doing tequila shots - all is good and then wham ...shovel to the side of the head.

Then I noticed I had more stomach problems and the trots more often. Well over the last 4-5 years things have continued to get worse. I have lost some social connections because of getting too hammered at parties, I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, and generally didn't feel nearly as well I should.

Golfing has been difficult, as I was having pain in my lower mid-back and under my front right ribcage. Was tested several times and told my liver enzymes were way up (have been high for a long time but at that point really high). I had an ultrasound Wednesday. Was diagnosed with a fatty liver. If things aren't significantly better, a liver biopsy is next.

Now no alcohol, almost zero carbs, etc for a while. Worst was last night - I thought I was having a heart attack - lots of pain just below my ribcage, just below the heart, painful bloat, chest tight, hard to breathe. Couldn't get comfortable in any position and just walked the house wondering if I should call 911 or try and drive to the hospital. My jaw was tightening a bit but didn't have that metallic taste in my mouth. Though I probably should have, I just hung through it till I past out around 6am this morning.

This scared the living hell out of me and may have finally woken me up to doing something serious about my health. I know the chances are pretty good that I am a functional alcoholic so this may be tough. I have to start walking, exercising, and eating right. Then on a social level - not drink - at least for the next few months. Ugh.

 
I can relate to a lot of what you posted. Good news though, quitting drinking won't necessarily be that difficult (at least start off with that mindset). Momentum builds quickly.

Full disclosure: I still dabble in beer, but I do have a near 3 year stretch without alcohol in the past decade.

Put me down for a beer-free week as a show of support for you.

 
Good luck with things. It's hard to make changes, but when it's your life at stake, it's time to do it.

Out of curiosity, how much do you weigh?

My wife was diagnosed with Type 2, lost 40 lbs. and it is gone. So you can reverse it if you work at it.

 
As someone who father who was an alcoholic (as are others in my family) until he was 50 and died of liver cancer and 60 it's always been a concern for me.

Hope you can quit drinking altogether because in my experience there's no such thing as an alcoholic who can socially drink (i.e. a couple of drinks at dinner).

 
kutta said:
Good luck with things. It's hard to make changes, but when it's your life at stake, it's time to do it.

Out of curiosity, how much do you weigh?

My wife was diagnosed with Type 2, lost 40 lbs. and it is gone. So you can reverse it if you work at it.
Click to expand...
Thanks - my weight is usually somewhere between 178-190lbs. Usually around low 180s. I could lose a few no doubt - and I know that will help.

 
Baloney Sandwich said:
Sounds like you are trying to get out of paying up on our Tiger bet
Click to expand...
lol - nfw. I will informed my wife a couple of years ago about the Tiger bet with Baloney Sandwich but not to pay until he has clearly retired for good and has not yet broken Jack's major record. She does not have the keys to this account but that information is in a safety deposit box along with other critical Binky financial data/info.

 
Binky The Doormat said:
Balco said:
And I too was diagnosed with fatty liver. Changed my diet, lost weight, and 6 months later my liver numbers were perfect.
Click to expand...
Did you keep drinking or just lower it some? How is your drinking now?
Click to expand...
I greatly limited it. Fatty liver does not just occur to people who drink either. I watched my diet and tried to cut out meat as much as I could. Getting the ultrasound scared me straight. Every time I wanted to eat bad, or drink too much, I just didnt. Because I was scared.

 
And I rarely drink to excess. I have a couple beers or a glass of scotch every now and again.

 
cstu said:
As someone who father who was an alcoholic (as are others in my family) until he was 50 and died of liver cancer and 60 it's always been a concern for me.Hope you can quit drinking altogether because in my experience there's no such thing as an alcoholic who can socially drink (i.e. a couple of drinks at dinner).
Click to expand...
This was the biggest thing I got from the story. He's an alcoholic.

 
Got some labs done a month or so ago and one of my liver enzymes was slightly elevated. Doctor wanted to run more tests to rule out liver damage.

After those tests came back normal, he basically called me a fat ### and said if I lost weight the number would be normal. So I guess you could say I have a "fatty liver" brought on by being overweight. I'm not a drinker.

Good luck to you, OP.

 
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Willie Neslon said:
How old are you and how much are you drinking?
Click to expand...
57 - I haven't had a drink in a couple of weeks. My deal has always been work hard & play hard.

Play hard = drink hard = fun with friends. When I drink, I usually have 5-7 large drinks (say 2-3 shots with approx. 10 oz. mixer) or more depending on how long the get together lasts. After retiring, I drank and drunk dialed old friends or the wife would join in occasionally. Would do this a couple times times a week and typically go through a 1.5 liter of vodka or bourbon in a couple of weeks. I have drank pretty heavily since I was 17-18.

ETA: BTW, thanks for all the kind thoughts. I really think things will be ok. I posted because I have always felt bulletproof no matter what and last night's experience really gave me a sense of my personal mortality for the 1st time ...that I can remember anyway ... :) .

 
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Take care of yourself. If you don't have your health, you don't have much really. Best wishes.

 
Last edited by a moderator:
For those of you with already elevated liver enzymes, don't take Tylenol. Acetaminophen is known to elevate liver enzymes. In chemo some of us battle higher liver enzymes (I don't) and they've been told to ditch the Tylenol if that's something they use.

 
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My history is similar to yours, Bink. Before my gall bladder got diagnosed as a contaminated waste dump, I think the doctor thought I might have the same condition as you. My enzymes have always been a little high whenever I've had tests run, so that was a natural assumption given my symptoms.

Good luck, amigo.

 
CurlyNight said:
For those of you with already elevated liver enzymes, don't take Tylenol. Acetaminophen is known to elevate liver enzymes. In chemo some of us battle higher liver enzymes (I don't) and they've been told to ditch the Tylenol if that's something they use.
Click to expand...
This.

They sneak acetaminophen in by writing you a script for percocet (oxycodone + acetaminophen). Oxycontin(oxycodone) or mscontin(morphine sulfate) have no "tylenol" to mess up your liver, but we had trouble getting the pharmacies to time their orders to match when we needed it... they don't like stocking stuff that has a stupid street value.

 
BowieMercs said:
CurlyNight said:
For those of you with already elevated liver enzymes, don't take Tylenol. Acetaminophen is known to elevate liver enzymes. In chemo some of us battle higher liver enzymes (I don't) and they've been told to ditch the Tylenol if that's something they use.
Click to expand...
This.

They sneak acetaminophen in by writing you a script for percocet (oxycodone + acetaminophen). Oxycontin(oxycodone) or mscontin(morphine sulfate) have no "tylenol" to mess up your liver, but we had trouble getting the pharmacies to time their orders to match when we needed it... they don't like stocking stuff that has a stupid street value.
Click to expand...
Add Norco (Hydrocodone) to the list to not take in cases of elevated liver enzymes. Same reason. I see people adding Tylenol to Norco for pain relief and that is a big no, even if you don't have liver problems.

 
How has your diet been over the years?

I have been addting a couple of things to my supplement list over the years.

Turmeric

Milk Thistle.

 
My father developed fatty liver. I think I saw him take two drinks over 50 years. But doc said it is a very rapidly growing condition due to fatty diet and lack of exercise. Good luck!

 
Uruk-Hai said:
My history is similar to yours, Bink. Before my gall bladder got diagnosed as a contaminated waste dump, I think the doctor thought I might have the same condition as you. My enzymes have always been a little high whenever I've had tests run, so that was a natural assumption given my symptoms.

Good luck, amigo.
Click to expand...
Thanks UH! How did your doctor end up diagnosing the gall bladder - just more tests? How did he move off of the fatty liver and go there? I eat delicious foods and have always had kind of a fat tooth instead of a sweet tooth. Love bacon, gravy, sausage, sausage gravy, cheese and hard salami - the kind that are wrapping in paper and have lots of big white chunks of fat.

 
Binky The Doormat said:
Baloney Sandwich said:
Sounds like you are trying to get out of paying up on our Tiger bet
Click to expand...
lol - nfw. I will informed my wife a couple of years ago about the Tiger bet with Baloney Sandwich but not to pay until he has clearly retired for good and has not yet broken Jack's major record. She does not have the keys to this account but that information is in a safety deposit box along with other critical Binky financial data/info.
Click to expand...
Hey, as an incentive to get yourself healthy I will give you the option of getting out of the bet if you go without drinking between now and the end of the year.

 
Binky The Doormat said:
I have been a pretty heavy drinker, partier since high school. It was the mid-70s and was just the way it was. I was always pretty skinny - 5'9"/119 lbs HS graduation. I could drink most anyone under that table (not old alcoholics ...but most all of my friends and their friends anyway ...). I was an awesome drunk - loved to take speed and then plow away. I got energized, always a friendly drunk but not obnoxious, could still hold lucid conversations, etc. Alcohol has always been my social lubricant. Love how it makes me feel and love the social aspect of it.

A few years ago, every so often I noticed that I would get fall down drunk sometimes which never used to happen. It just would hit me out of nowhere - like when you first started doing tequila shots - all is good and then wham ...shovel to the side of the head.

Then I noticed I had more stomach problems and the trots more often. Well over the last 4-5 years things have continued to get worse. I have lost some social connections because of getting too hammered at parties, I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, and generally didn't feel nearly as well I should.

Golfing has been difficult, as I was having pain in my lower mid-back and under my front right ribcage. Was tested several times and told my liver enzymes were way up (have been high for a long time but at that point really high). I had an ultrasound Wednesday. Was diagnosed with a fatty liver. If things aren't significantly better, a liver biopsy is next.

Now no alcohol, almost zero carbs, etc for a while. Worst was last night - I thought I was having a heart attack - lots of pain just below my ribcage, just below the heart, painful bloat, chest tight, hard to breathe. Couldn't get comfortable in any position and just walked the house wondering if I should call 911 or try and drive to the hospital. My jaw was tightening a bit but didn't have that metallic taste in my mouth. Though I probably should have, I just hung through it till I past out around 6am this morning.

This scared the living hell out of me and may have finally woken me up to doing something serious about my health. I know the chances are pretty good that I am a functional alcoholic so this may be tough. I have to start walking, exercising, and eating right. Then on a social level - not drink - at least for the next few months. Ugh.
Click to expand...
Good luck with this. I have a younger brother that was diagnosed with this in his late 20's, more due to being obese than drinking. With lifestyle changes can this be reversed? You will feel great if you stick with the changes I'm sure, keep strong and beat it.

 
Binky,

You're a little ahead of me in the diagnosis process, but I too have been told I have elevated liver enzymes. Had the ultrasound a few weeks back and they came back inconclusive/no noticeable issue. Now have an appointment with a liver specialist in a few weeks. I think my PCP is a bit test happy and severely lacking on providing information, but until I get this resolved, I'm listening. Preparing for the, 'you're drinking days are over" speech.

I am a big guy, who drinks a lot, and laughed at exercise. It's been an increasing problem over the past few years as I've packed on 30+ lbs. The last 6-12 months have been a near constant bender.

Ultrasound scared me a good bit coupled with my drinking causing problems at home. Since that point I've turned things around (or am trying to). Really started watching what I ate, and stopped drinking daily. I still have a few (somewhere between a 6 and 12 pk in a 7-10 day time). If I go cold turkey to all salads and no drinking I know I'll fall off the wagon so I'm cutting out as much fried stuff, throwing in a few salads a week, cutting back on portions and limiting my drinking to once a week (heavily curbed). I might have a beer with dinner, but lately I've been able to fight those back with more success.

Been going at it for almost 2 months now and I'm coming up on being down 25 pounds. Thanks to a pinched nerve in my back I can't really exercise (good info on not taking tylenol- thanks! I'm going to assume since it hasn't been mentioned that Ibuprofen is ok).

Best of luck Binky. Sounds like we'll be the two sober sticks in the mud at next year's draft.

 
Baloney Sandwich said:
Binky The Doormat said:
Baloney Sandwich said:
Sounds like you are trying to get out of paying up on our Tiger bet
Click to expand...
lol - nfw. I will informed my wife a couple of years ago about the Tiger bet with Baloney Sandwich but not to pay until he has clearly retired for good and has not yet broken Jack's major record. She does not have the keys to this account but that information is in a safety deposit box along with other critical Binky financial data/info.
Click to expand...
Hey, as an incentive to get yourself healthy I will give you the option of getting out of the bet if you go without drinking between now and the end of the year.
Click to expand...
I will have to change my will.

 
odin33 said:
Binky,

You're a little ahead of me in the diagnosis process, but I too have been told I have elevated liver enzymes. Had the ultrasound a few weeks back and they came back inconclusive/no noticeable issue. Now have an appointment with a liver specialist in a few weeks. I think my PCP is a bit test happy and severely lacking on providing information, but until I get this resolved, I'm listening. Preparing for the, 'you're drinking days are over" speech.

I am a big guy, who drinks a lot, and laughed at exercise. It's been an increasing problem over the past few years as I've packed on 30+ lbs. The last 6-12 months have been a near constant bender.

Ultrasound scared me a good bit coupled with my drinking causing problems at home. Since that point I've turned things around (or am trying to). Really started watching what I ate, and stopped drinking daily. I still have a few (somewhere between a 6 and 12 pk in a 7-10 day time). If I go cold turkey to all salads and no drinking I know I'll fall off the wagon so I'm cutting out as much fried stuff, throwing in a few salads a week, cutting back on portions and limiting my drinking to once a week (heavily curbed). I might have a beer with dinner, but lately I've been able to fight those back with more success.

Been going at it for almost 2 months now and I'm coming up on being down 25 pounds. Thanks to a pinched nerve in my back I can't really exercise (good info on not taking tylenol- thanks! I'm going to assume since it hasn't been mentioned that Ibuprofen is ok).

Best of luck Binky. Sounds like we'll be the two sober sticks in the mud at next year's draft.
Click to expand...
Wow! Good on you for taking action man.

Can you walk for an hour a day with your back issue? That is where I think I am going to start - giving it a go tomorrow. Not hard but just even changing habits is tough. I stay up late and then sleep until 11am or so, sometimes later. The only thing I really have to do most days is pick up my daughter at school around 3pm so I have really gotten lazy and liking it.

The toughest thing will be the social thing for me. ALL my social interaction involves drinking and golfing or just drinking - as do all my friends.

Thanks for the words of encouragement and same to you. Lets keep up on progress.

 
Sorry man.

One thing from my own experience: If you think something is wrong and you need to go to the hospital- have someone drive you or call for an ambulance. My niacin flush (a nothing medical event) turned into a rolled truck (lots of pain, tests, docs appointments, money, dealing with the state, etc) because I made the decision to drive to the ER and passed out on the way (when I left I did not feel light headed or otherwise anything that would leave me to believe I should not drive).

 
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