I'm sorry this is so lengthy but I want give as much detail as possible with my history as I am scared I have serious liver problems.
My history: White male, 52 yrs old. 6' 200 lb and for the most part, I am very fit.
I smoked off and on from 15 to 33 and quit smoking cigarettes completely in 1990. I smoke cigars occasionally.
With very few lapses, from age 25 to 49 I was seriousl involved in weightlifting/bodybuilding and going to the gym and keeping fit. I never used steroids but did on occasion use some supplements, mostly protein, creatine and occasional testosterone boosters (legal OTC) when I was in my mid to late 40's.
I was never a big drinker but would drink on occasion (Super Bowls, Las Vegas trips etc), always beer, never liquor and cannot remember ever drinking during the week or drinking for more than 2 consecutive days.
In early 2003 I started working from home for myself. At that point I would have 1-3 drinks maybe 3-5 nights a week, usually vodka, sometimes wine. At that time "a drink" was typically a shot or two on ice. Also during this time I still would over indulge on the Vegas trips, super bowls etc.
In June 2005 I became completely burned out on training and had some personal things going on. Rather than going to the gym I would finish working and would drink anywhere from 2-3 drinks but now the drinks were a highball glass, filled with ice and then vodka so I would guestimate that there were probably 2 or 3 shots per drink at least. By 2007 it got to the point that I would drink a 750 ml bottle of vodka in 4-5 days.
This continued until late last year 2008. I should state that during this 3+ year time frame, I would feel guilty, stop drinking for a week or two and would get back to the gym but always fell back on bad habits.
From 2005 - 2007 I had regular blood work done and my liver enzymes, bilurubin etc were always well within normal range.
I have had problems with heartburn (now we call it GERD I guess) for most of my adult life and in early 2007 I had an endoscopy to make sure my esophagus was okay and the test came back totally normal. My Dr prescribed Nexium once a day which at this point I rarely take and currently have very few instances of heartburn.
In late 2007, I would sometimes feel as if my abdomen was bloated. Sitting up straight would be uncomfortable. This could last a half hour or 2 days and was infrequent but annoying. Being concerned with liver issues, I had another blood work up and a CT Scan. Both were normal.
Since late last year (2008), I have realized I cannot, nor should I drink like this and have for the most part, not been drinking. I tend to run very obsessive/compulsive so there were a few instances of the old habits (what I now consider binge drinking) coming back but for the most part, I'm back at the gym and feeling great. I have however had some "non-alcoholic" beer lately which actually has 0.5% alcohol.
Lately however, even though I'm not drinking, I have had this feeling of "something" in the area below my right rib cage. Sometimes it just feels like I want to push on it. It is not pain, it's just as if I can feel my liver (or whatever).
More common though is the off and on bloating I get in my lower belly. There are times, if I relax my abdominal muscles that I look pregnant. If I try to "hold it in" which is my normal way of using my abdominals, I feel as if everything is getting pressed on in me. Sometimes, just bending over causes pressure right in the middle of my upper abdomen. The one thing I can add is that all that time of not working out and drinking like I did, obviously put a nice, thick roll of fat that covers my stomach. I have never had anything but a 6 pack so I don't know if that is contributing to this feeling.
This is not every day but is enough to where I am now looking online and now I'm finding out about cirrhosis, ascites etc and I am scared out of my mind that this bloating is ascites. I am calling my dr today for blood work and to see what is going on. I guess after all this blathering, I'm just wondering if anyone can say whether or not it is possible to have developed cirrhosis after 3-4 years of compulsive, heavy drinking? Can ascites come and go with weeks of nothing and then the bloating? Is ascites only in the abdomen? I have no swelling anywhere else.
I'm hoping I have not gotten to this point too late. Any info is truly appreciated.
God bless