Can't stop worrying

[WaterOshun]

I've recently had a normal result on a liver blood test. However, I can't stop worrying I've done too much damage. Research says these tests aren't wholly accurate in detecting liver damage and I'm finding myself obsessively anxious and worried that I've done too much damage thats going undetected. It's really affecting me.

Should I go back to GP? Is it worth paying a fortune for a private scan?

@WaterOshun - it’s true that sometimes liver blood tests can be within a normal range even in very heavy drinkers. But there are different blood tests to the routine liver bloods that are more helpful in detecting problems in drinkers.

How much do you drink? Did you tell the person sending you for the bloods how much you were drinking?

you can get a fibroscan for around £300 which will tell you a bit about how healthy your liver is. But no test or scan can really know what is going on in all your organs. The best you can do - if you are drinking heavily- is cut down or stop and give your body a chance to heal (and I say this as a binge drinker who has tried to stop many times).

Worth remembering that all heavy drinkers will have a degree of fatty liver but this can reverse completely with abstinence/very moderate drinking (ie one or two drinks a week).

unless you have cirrhosis (which you don’t as your bloods wouldn’t be normal if you did) the liver can recover from drinking induced damage.

Thank you, that's really helpful. I didn't know that about cirrhosis, that's helped calm me a little.

I was drinking everyday and going through 2-3 bottles of gin a week at home (+ wine, cocktails etc when out socialising). This went on for a few years.

I've been successfully moderating for about 5 months now. It's been a challenging journey but currently only having the odd drink when out for a meal/socialising every few weeks. I'm hoping I've made a change soon enough that my liver can recover.

I'm just hugely exhausted, bloated, itchy skin, anxious. I think much can be put down to general life stress, but I can't seem to shake the worry it's the past drinking.

I would assume if the GP didn't feel they needed to refer you for a higher level of care, then it's probably fine.

If you are really only occasionally having a few drinks every few weeks and nothing in between, then before you start panicking about a private scan, which is £££, I would get your liver tests done again. You can do it privately for probably £60.

I was drinking very heavily, much more than you, and my liver tests were normal again 4 weeks after I quit drinking. Your liver tests would not be normal if you had permanent liver damage.

I’m in a similar position @WaterOshun and can relate to the worry. I was having terrible pain in my right side and referred for pancreas/liver ultrasound and have also had 2 rounds of full blood work. All came back normal but as I know I was drinking too much (stopped completely 5 weeks ago) it’s hard to shake the worry that something was missed. I’d read the same online that bloods can look normal even if there’s a problem underlying, and even though I’ve stopped drinking now I fear that the worry will stay with me indefinitely! Sorry no advice but understand your thoughts 🙂

Thank you, it sounds like you totally understand where I'm coming from. Glad all looks well with you and congrats on your 5 weeks 😊