Help for my brother

[Pjs68]

Recently, it has been brought to my attention that my older brother (52) was told a couple of years back by his doctor that he has to quit drinking or he will die.  I have always known he likes his beer, however, I was unaware that he drinks whiskey every day also.  My brother will not tell me or my sister in law any details regarding his health.  Lately, he has lost an awful lot of weight and the other day, when he took off his jacket, his shirt sleeves pulled up and I was horrified by the sight of his arms.  The were streaked with scratch marks that had dried blood on them.  His arm was covered with them.  I asked him about it and he just put it off as normal itchy skin.  My sister in law said he has this all over him.  He refuses to discuss it with her or me.  Is this a symtom of physical deterioration due to alcohol abuse?

[boogieman]

hi. thanks for that info about cirrhosis, i wasn't aware of that. that's something i love about this site----there's always more to learn. take care,   gm

[KjFlicka]

Something a lot of people don't know is that 'itchiness' all over and intense is a classic symptom of cirrhosis.. It is all the time, pretty much all over the body and I near scratched myself to the bone. If his doctor had mentioned something to him a couple years ago about not drinking or he'll die, I'm guessing his liver is not in very good shape.
Boogieman is exactly right though in that if he does continue to drink and this is his condition, he is basically committing suicide. Please make an attempt to get through to him or his wife. Take care.

[boogieman]

hi. i guess the question is in reference to the scratches and their cause. they could be an indication of dehydration as itching will accompany dry skin. dehydration is common in chronic alcohol use. i have also seen individuals who were heavy users of opiate painkillers with similar scratches, as those type medications will induce itching. a third possibility is that they could be the result of withdrawal symptoms or a compromised nervous system. acute alcohol detox can cause vivid sensory hallucinations in which the affected person will believe that insects or spiders are crawling all over them, among other things. it could also be some type of allergic reaction that has been brought on or made worse due to the lack of proper nutrition often seen in alcoholics. if he was told that he would die from drinking a couple of years ago, the prognosis is likely poor if he never stopped. sudden complications can arise and cause death with little warning, especially when the body is constantly anesthetized by alcohol. please advise if i can answer any further inquiries and take care,  gm