Is their something wrong with my liver?

[paul1912005]

Im too nervouse to go to my gp for a liver test and I know that I drink too much. I tend to have six to seven 440ml cans on wednesday evening and 10 440ml tins on sunday afternoon. All so friday I have about six to eight friday evening same tins.

I've been drinking like that for seven years now, and recently I have these blotches on my arms and one on my chest. They itch like crazy and some times they go and sometimes they don't. I haven't got any pains in my stomach as in chest. Yet this week, my body has been real itchy. Normally along with my urine I don't go to the pee allot but if I am on drinking session and after four tins, I need to go and then its every tin after that.

Are these sines of liver problems? I do think that I have a problem because I drink mainly because of boredom.

[Mic2006]

Sorry to bump this thread, but i have similar fears.

Im 25 and have been drinking perhaps 2-3 pints a night, Fri Sat when go out obviously have quite a few more then that - apx 7/8 pints.

The last 3 days i have had an almost constant stabbing pain to my left side below my rib cage, when i touch there i feel nothing yet when i touch near on my stomach i feel the pain then.

The problem is i have been mildly addicted to a pain killer called Solphedine, and for perhaps 3 years i have been on no more then 4 a day.

I feel this is the reason for the pains i have been experiancing lately.

I first taken them when a freind offered me one for a hang over, and i have never turned back - i know the damages they can cause and is rearly worrying me.

Ive been putting off going to the doctors all week but will be going tomorrow to ease my mind.

Any advice on the above? thanks

[gusisred]

I have read in several articles that the liver can regenerate itself if the disease has not gone too far. They say with stopping the drinking and eating a healthy diet, the liver will fix itself.

[lmroswell]

You are obviously worried over this.  Make an appt with your doctor and have them run blood work for your liver.  Not all livers are created equal.  Some people can drink quite a bit, and not experience problems with their liver, while others drink moderately and end up with issues.  Go get the tests done.  Just doing that will make you feel better and empower you to take better care of yourself.  Good luck.

[laneybuns]

What a pertinent topic.  I am also terrified for my liver.  I take too much vicodin (8 back surgeries in 3 years.)  I have built up a tolerance so i need more and more to make the pain subside.  My drinking used to be excessive before I took the vicodin because it helped with the pain.  Now, however, i drink very little - maybe 2 glasses of wine a week.  I have been feeling very sick for over a month now - terrible nausea (sp?), vomiting, headaches, dizziness.  I have been putting off seeing my doctor as well due to fear of results but am going tomorrow.  Can't stand the worry anymore.

Go ahead and get the test.  Peace of mind means so much.  And, what I found with drinking is you don't have to be classified as an "alcoholic" if you can realize the root problem of why you drink.  If you slow down, or quit, you will realize how much better you feel emotionally, and, especially in the mornings when you wake up and greet the day.  Do it for awhile and the drinking will subside.  That is what I have found.

Good luck.

[Roger Gould, M.D.]

The blotches are a potential problem. You should definetly get a physical, and you should definetly think about getting treatment for your drinking.  The damage you may have is probably still reversible, so do something now.

[DJ-RxT]

Drinking out of boredom is definitely a sign of stages of alcoholism and is something you might really want to seek treatment for. The symptoms you described aren't generally consistant with most types of liver disorders. Excessive urination is also fairly common when one is consuming large amounts of alcohol in a single session; if the liver appears particularly dark, and your stool is unusually light, that includes signs of liver damage or disease, and a physician should be consulted. In general, if you feel uneasy about what you're experiencing, you should go see a physician, to if anything, get some peace of mind. It'd be difficult to really assess your condition over the internet, so I'd probably suggest to go get checked out. As far as your consumption of alcohol, that is probably also something you may want to get help for, especially if you yourself acknowledge that you believe your drinking may be excessive and may be affecting your health. Good luck!

[ilogik]

I am also a heavy drinker.  I have had a rash appear on my skin which was itchy so I want to a GP to check it out and I also mentioned a bit of tenderness on my right side. He decided to do bloodwork along with a liver test. It came back with some high numbers, dont remember what and he ordered a ultrasound of my liver. Well it turns out I have a fattly liver from drinking.  The rash or "blotches" only get worse with time for me.