Risk level

[Langoustine]

Hi guys,

Hoping someone can help me out here..  I'm a 29 year old British guy currently trying to remove unhealthy elements from my lifestyle.

One issue I've come up against in the demon drink, and how much damage I may already have caused my body.  I started drinking at age 14, with friends, but only during school holidays and stuff.  Started going to pubs at 16 maybe once or twice a week and drinking 6-8 pints.  This continued until I was 21 and went to Uni, when I stepped it up a bit, prob drinking 4 pints of beer a night, every night and also going out twice a week and drinkking a lot more.  Anyway, safe to say I drank WAY over the top for four years.

Left Uni at 25, consumption since is probably c.three beers a day Sunday-Thursday, and a bottle of wine on both friday and again on saturday nights.  Reckon I drink maybe 35 units per week.  (Which WHO classes as pretty low risk, but the UK NHS frowns upon- confusing huh?)

Since leaving Uni, I've been taking milk thistle daily and also drink plenty of coffee, although I didn;t do either of these when drinking at my heaviest.  I generally feel fit and well, although towards the end of my uni days (2005), I used to get a pain over my liver after heavy drinking (happened 2 or 3 times).  Haven;t had that for years now.

Anyway, based on the above, what damage am I likely to have caused?  Particularly, am I candidate for Cirrhosis?

Thanks

[Jacker]

My bloodwork was always normal.  Last year, I had a persistant pain in my liver area though, so I had a CT Scan.  It indicated fatty infiltration of liver, but the size was normal.  I quit drinking completely for 6 months, and a sonogram showed my liver as completely normal at the end of this period.

It is possible to have good bloodwork and still have liver issues.  That being said, the can heal itself if you don't push things too far.  I'd suggest taking some time off from drinking, and if you choose to drink again, keep the volumes lower.  

[Langoustine]

Just to clariffy, I think the doc meant that anyone presenting with end stage alcoholic liver disease in their twenties would have had to have been drinking pretty heavy, obviously I know there are plenty of folks with cirrhosis at that age for other reasons who've never touched a drop..

[Langoustine]

Hi Guys,

Followed Rubble's advice and got myself checked out.  Doctor said it was highly unlikely I'd done any serious harm based on my Uni years, but did a physical and bloods to put my mind at rest.  (Had to persuade him to do the bloods though, said it was hard to justify with no symptoms).  

Results:-

Total Protein:- 7.4 (6.0 - 7.8)
Albumin:- 5.0 (3.5 - 5.0)
Total Bilirubin:- 12 umol/L (2-19)
ALT:- 34 (8 - 56)
ALP:- 44 (38 - 126)
GGT:- 59 (8 - 78)

Anyway, doc says all results absolutely fine, and noting no symptoms I can stop worrying.  I've read that my GGT figure may be a little on the high side, but guess that could be down to having two glasses of wine the night before the test?  Anyway do these results look OK to you guys?  The doc says he aint refering me for a scan when I have no symptoms, a clear physical and clear bloods.

Just a bit concerned about all the press stories about folks getting cirrhosis in their twenties, although the doc says people in this category must have been drinking huge ammounts since their early teens.

Would appreciate your thoughts guys.  Thanks for the earlier advice Rubble.

[Rubble]

drinking a lot in youth is commons for many millions in this world, so that in and of itself should not get you worried about your liver as the liver is quite resilient. however, it is difficult to tell to what extent that drinking may have caused damage to your liver as everyone's liver reacts differently to "bad things" (drinking, pills, food, etc).  I would say if you are concerned then you should go get some blood work done and have them specifically test your liver function tests ... if these all come back normal and you have slowed down on your drinking then I wouldn't be too concerned.

actually, the fact that you are 29 and are aware of this is a very good thing as most people drink heavily until late 30's or later and then worry and by that time it might be too late.

good luck. go get blood work done to ease your anxiety.