fatty liver alcohol induced

[ribhurting]

My doctor recently told me I have "fatty liver" infiltration.  I have horrible pain in my RUQ of my abdomen, right under the ribcage from front to back.  I have been a heavy drinker for about 20 years,,,43 y/o now.  I recently (Monday Oct. 28th) quit drinking and have been goiing to A.A.  Question is how long does it take the pain to dissipate???,,anybody been thru this before...thanks..

[dixiedarlin]

I do not have much input re: your question - but would appreciate any feedback/history you could give me re: your situation.......I also have had pain below my right rib (off and on) for many years (10-15).  It is more of a discomfort than a pain (a nagging little 'ache') and it comes and goes.  In the past 6 months though it seems to occur almost daily.  It is in the exact same place each time and the ache is the same - never 'worsens'. It seems to be much more noticable when I am sitting down. I drink a glass of wine or two in the evenings and have done this since my early twenties but do not abuse alcohol.  I know I probably need to go to the Dr. for an eval...but seems about the time I decide to look into it - it is gone again.  I have a history of GERD and a small hiatal hernia.....could this be liver related or gall bladder/IBS, etc.  Just trying to see if anyone else has my type 'pain'.  Does yours move around and how severe? - any other symptoms?? Thanks for your input.....  I

[roxnsox]

Researchers have recently discovered that fatty infiltration of the liver can be alcohol induced or NON-Alcohol induced.  The only symptoms of fatty infiltration of the liver is dull pain in the right side under the rib, fatigue, and sometimes elevated liver enzymes will show up on a blood test.  You can read about this in the New England Journal of Medicine, April 2002 issue.  Or you can go to the American Liver Foundation website at Liverfoundation.org and do a search on their website.  They have good information about all liver problems.  
  The Non-Alcoholic induced fatty liver disease is known as NASH.  (Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis) I was diagnosed with this in February after a biopsy.  I suffered with pain for many many years before I found a good doctor and figured out what was wrong.

[dixiedarlin]

Thanks for your input Rox....I guess I will need to have this pain looked into soon if it keeps bothering me.  Today - I don't have it at all......other days it is constant.  The location is between my stomach and right rib - actually exactly where the gall bladder is located.  I feel it is either GB, bowel or liver related....however - it always hurts in the same exact place and doesn't hurt at all in my right side under the right rib (which would be indicative of liver) - only hurts at the curve of the rib next to the stomach.  I know I am self-diagnosing - hate to go to DR.s unless absolutely have to....heard too many horror stories.  I know if it is GB - I can probably live with the stones and not have surgery unless complications arise.  My mother has had gall stones for 30 years and has never had any surgery for them.  Rox - what kind of pain (come and go?) and where was yours.....did it move around, etc?  I talked with my Dr.s nurse today and will set up appt. next week if still hurting.....do you know anything about GB flushes, etc??..thanks again for all your input....DD

[salsamighty]

Interesting.  

I had ultrasound 12/4/01 following gall bladder attack to look for stones.  They were there.  Ultrasound also noted fatty liver, which I asked the Dr. about and he had not much to say.  

Had laproscopic GB surgery in January.  Easiest surgery I ever had.  Very little pain.  Just nausea for about a week.  Zocor dosage was increased in June as cholesterol was still too high.  Liver tests promptly went bad when Zocor increased to 40 mg.  Advised to wait 6 wks and repeat liver tests, which were worse than before.  Advised yesterday to go off zocor for 6 weeks and have liver tests repeated.

I also have been having similar pain in rt. rib area since about September.  Can't be gall bladder.  Gets better if I sit up very straight.  A dull ache.  Sometimes for days, sometimes gone for weeks.   From the Zocor?  What happens in these situations as usual course of events?

[roxnsox]

Mostly I had dull pain under the right rib in the location of the Gall Bladder.  Over the years I had three scans to check for stones and never had gallstones.  The doctors never even suggested removing my gall bladder.  The pain kept getting worse and I ended up having pain up and down the right side of my body in different locations, like my right ear, under my right arm, in my right hip and down to my right foot.  I couldn't get a doctor to take me seriously.  Since my pain was one-sided one docotr sent me to a neurologist and they sent me for head x-ray and MRI scans to check for tumors or whatever.  None of these tests revealed any problem.  One time they did a CT scan and found that I have tiny tumors in my kidneys.  The doctors were not concerned about this either.  Then after I finally found a good doctor I discover that I not only have this fatty infiltration in my liver but that is what is in my kidneys as well.  
   So I am supposed to be on a low fat diet and lose one pound per week.  I did lose 20 pounds and I feel a lot better.  It can be bad for the liver if you lose the weight too fast.
   There has been some research and they are doing more research at this very moment at the National Institute of Health in Bethesda, Maryland.

[Arne]

Hi ! I am a 45 years old male and have much of the same history you were telling. For three years ago I experienced
my first pain under the right ribcage and sometimes radiating to my back. I`ve also get tired and worried a lot due to the condition. A lot of tests was carried out; Bloodworks, ultrasound, upper GI and evrything went out negative.

I dont now if anexity could make the symptoms worse, but
after the testsresults was OK I think the symptoms disappeared after 6 - 8 weeks from outbreak. I reduced drinking because discomfort from abdomen seems to follow. Now and then I still feel discomfort from the area under my ribcage (moustly movements and sounds), and right now
I experience a period of a lot of signs from the liver area.
So if your condition is caused by a fatty liver it should
be to expect that it will recover in the future, when staying away from drinking.

In which way does a fatty liver or chirrosis beeing
diagnosed ? Which role do bloodworks play in this proscess ?

Sorry about my english and good luck to you all !

[ribhurting]

i had an ultrasound that diagnosed my "fatty liver",,,,,i used to drink a fifth of voda per day,,,,,,have been sober since Oct. 28 but pain remains the same,,,doc says it could be 2 months before i experience relief,,,,,,,,other people in A.A. say 3 days-6 months for the pain to go away,,,,would love input from other previous heavy drinkers that have stopped drinking on how long it took them for their rib-pain to dissipate?,,,thanks folks.

[georgie439]

Ribhurting please take it slow, you have been drinking for 20 years and a fifth of vodka a day, for some time I gather!! Thats alot of alcohol, first give yourself some time, sober time!! Hopefully you are still sober when I write this post, I have been there not w/ alcohol but the journey is the same!!  I met somebody whose liver was so bad from drinking he might have needed a transplant!! I'll try to find his e-mail addy, he is fine today, but he also stayed sober!! If he would have continued to drink he probably would have needed a new liver!!  Just know that everyday you stay sober is another day your liver gets a break!! You can find alot of info. about liver on internet. It is a remarkable organ, I mean think about it, Did you know that when they do a live liver transplant, the half they take from the donor grows back, thats remarkable!! Also you might want to ask your dr. about milk thistle.
I really cant stress to you enough that w/o staying sober, nothing is ganna work, You have 18 days today, think about that,
when was the last time you had 18 days w/o being in a hospital, or where you had a choice??  Please write anytime
   ***@****  
Good luck and know that pain will be there a while....georgie