I’ve just read an article in Closer and now I want a liver function test.

[DingleBerries]

I don’t usually buy these magazines but I’ve got an essay to do and wanted to use something that was ‘easy reading’ to break up the time.

There’s an article in there a mother 42 has liver cirrhoses, after just a few years of drinking, a short time (weeks) of drinking two bottles of wine per night during a nasty break up but just a couple of glasses of wine a night before and after that, over a space of just 6 years. And now she won’t live past 60

I’ve had an unhealthy relationship with alcohol since I was 17! I was in the pub with friends every night.

I’ve never got as bad as two bottles on wine in a night but I drink most nights and when shit hits the fan, I tend to drown my sorrows.

I’m 35 now and recently experienced a bereavement and I turned to wine. It got bad briefly so I sought different things to help instead, counselling etc and cut down.

However, after reading that article I’m shit scared that all my years of drinking have done irreversible damage! Especially since I seem to have done significantly more than the woman in the article.

I stupidly thought cirrhosis was caused by people who drank spirits straight and from they wake up until they go to bed.

I had NO idea it was so serious.

I want to call my GP tomorrow and ask for a liver function test. They already know about me turning to alcohol during my bereavement and have been very helpful in changing that for me so they know my history.
Would that test be a good idea? If I’ve done damage then better that I know now?

Just last night I had two mugs of mulled wine and I was going to have a glass of wine with tapas tonight and now I’m feeling terrible and guilty and ashamed.

Has anyone had a test after years of drinking?

[DaisyDukesShorts]

There are emotional drinkers, not just those with a physical dependency on alcohol.
Some people are 'functional' alcoholics, for instance working, family life, all looks 'normal' from the outside, but they drink every day, or binge.
Alcoholism is a complex addiction.

[DingleBerries]

Right they have now gone.

They coagulated in the sink when mixed together, as if I needed a reminder how how digusting it was.

I’m definitely an emotional drinking.

There is now no alcohol in my house and I am making an appointment tomorrow. I’m also seeing my counsellor/therapist on Saturday.

[PerfectlyDone]

"Alcoholic' is not a helpful phrase IME.

"Problem with alcohol" is a much more constructive way of thinking about it.
If you are constantly thinking about it and needing to reign yourself in, you have (as you have recognised) an unhealthy relationship with alcohol.

Closer might be a trashy, sensationalist mag but hey! if it gave the OP the nudge she needed in the right direction, who's to complain?!

[goose1964]

I'm sure that your GP will do a liver function test. I have mine regularly due to medication and mines OK unless I take NSAIDs. It is reassuring as I used to drink, only at weekends, but heavily. I stopped drinking as much when I was diagnosed with diabetes and now am well within recommended limits most weeks.

[Charmatt]

I had liver function tests after finding out that medication prescribed to me was interacting badly with mine. My readings were off the scale and I was told at one point that, had I not transferred to other medication, I had 'about 5 years left with my liver', but I had to have a biopsy to find out that bit!

I am pleased to say that once my medication was sorted out, my liver function returned to normal and I have normal readings. It took about 5 years in all for the readings to come down within normal limits, but it shows how amazing the liver is and how it can regenerate.

I understand your concerns, and would follow it up, especially as they know why you will be worried. The fact you are also changing your behaviour is a good thing too, and will show you want to understand to look after yourself. I think it would be an understandable request.

[AnnieAnoniMouse]

I'm sorry to hear about your baby x

Just to give you a little reassurance, if your liver was bad you'd know it.

It's a long, ongoing, and seriously boring story that I won't inflict on you, but due to an illness my liver was bad. I'd known I wasn't well for a good 2 years beforehand but they kept blaming the initial illness.

Even now my liver readings border on normal I know it's not right.

Don't worry about having something undetected. Your liver damn well lets you know.

Just taking as a warning scare & get things sorted out x

[DingleBerries]

Thank you.

I can’t remember who recommended the book on here but I have bought it. It’s now ok my phone ready.

I’m seeing my GP tomorrow and I think I might ask about the Antabuse tablets.

[Mrsdraper1]

I grew up in a house with a lot of drinking, no vodka on the cornflakes but every day and too much.
I did drink (socially)when I was younger but have had to stop as I get migraines and alcohol triggers them.
Because of my upbringing I never had booze in the house. I used to have a glass of wine with a meal in a restaurant or might have bought champagne for a special occasion but now nothing.
The weirdest thing when you don't drink is people get strange about it when you tell them, as though you are judging them (I'm not, my parents struggled with it and I lost a close friend to it as well so I wouldn't judge because I know it isn't a choice if you are an addict and "ordinary drinkers" don't bother me either I just chose not to drink at home and now choose not to drink because it's not worth having to lie in a dark room for 2 days afterwards).
Anyway, the reason I am telling you this is that if you have decided to quit, prepare yourself for the strange reaction you will get from other people. It might help to say you'll drive, I do that quite often then I don't have to explain and everyone thinks I'm nice for picking them up! Or to have a story ready to explain it if you don't want to tell the truth, at least to start with. Forewarned is forearmed.
Good luck with quitting and I hope the doctor can put your mind at rest. Really do wish you all the best. You are doing the best thing you can do for yourself, it really does ruin lives.

[SisyphusHadItEasy]

Dingle, I hope this does not sound trite, but I am really proud of you.

If you need someone to chat with nonjudgementally, my PM box is always open.

[Increasinglymiddleaged]

OP you do know that obesity is if anything a bigger cause of liver disease/ cirrhosis than alcohol? I also think it's highly unlikely the woman in closer is telling the truth tbh. But aiming for better health is never a daft plan so go for it.

[Imsorrynow]

I think your OP was brave and insightful Dingle and you’ve probably made a few of us take stock and think about our own relationships with alcohol.

[esk1mo]

sorry but those saying “your liver will let you know..” are not correct.

many people, if not the majority have no idea that they have problems with their liver. its one of the main reasons people get to a point where it is too late to do anything, because by the time they have symptoms the damage is irreversible.

[LilQueenie]

some people can drink and never really show signs or be affected. Think lemmy/ozzy and they lived/live to a good old age. However I think its a good thing you are taking steps to avoid any bad health in the future OP. My aunt became an alcoholic and within 10 years died over it. This was also due to bereavement and fear of hospitals. Never really got to the bottom of what happened but a stroke was a factor in it.

Hope all goes well OP.

[DavetheCat2001]

Question: can you just rock up to your GP and request a liver function test, or can you only get one if they suspect you might have an issue?

[ShoesHaveSouls]

Your liver won't necessarily let you now if it's damaged - liver disease is called the silent killer. It can sneak up on you with no symptoms.

But different people have different susceptibility.

OP, your plan sounds like a good one.

[DingleBerries]

Sisyphus I really appreciate that and I will PM you in the next few days if that’s ok.

Dave are you asking about me or for yourself?
For me, my GP already knows that it’s because I’m having issues with alcohol.
If it’s for yourself and you don’t want to disclose to your GP that you might have issues then I’m afraid I don’t know.
I don’t expect they do blood tests for no given cause.

I get the impression from what I’ve read, that your liver will indeed tell you when somethings wrong but at that point it’s way too late.
I want to do something about it now before I get to that point.

Thanks for your replies on this thread it’s really helped.
I’ll update with the GP appointment outcome tomorrow.

As for tonight, I’m still going for tapas but I will now be driving and drinking virgin cocktails.

[Noodles4Me]

Everyone processes alcohol differently. And the liver is very robust. I was a heavy drinker (2 wines a night...bottles) and went for a liver function test. I expected them to say my liver was more a shrivelled up pea these days, but the test said my liver was healthy. Baffling.

You can buy the tests online but don'the know how good they are.

[TroelsLovesSquinkies]

My crappy liver hasn't let me know anything. I don't drink even, ever! My meds have been messed about with this year, so hopefully my liver test will look better in December. Doesn't help I was gifted a bag of wonderful Jelly beans, my weakness. Trying hard with diet and exercise here.
What also rubs me the wrong way, my Df(father) drank himself silly and yet his liver was healthy even with all the abuse he gave it, he died from heart problems.

[DaisyDukesShorts]

It's amazing what some people can tolerate. My friends dad drank 3 bottles of red wine a day and lived to 90!

[User452734838]

My dad is 78 and drinks 4 bottles of whisky a week so like you say different people have different tolerance levels. However, of it worries you then just cut back or cut out. If the test is negative, you may be inclined to ignore it and carry on as you are. I don't drink at all now and feel much better for not doing so both mentally and physically. I have also saved around £1500 in a year!

[OstentatiousWanking]

Hi OP sorry got distracted.
OK so I got sober with my local alcohol service. I tried AA but it wasn't for me. I do know lots of people who it did and does work for, so not knocking AA at all.
I ended up in hospital after an internal bleed with severe pancretitis. I was in hospital for a couple of months and did have some liver damage at that time. I had MRI scans and lots of other tests at that time.
That said I was doing a bottle of vodka a day so not surprising.
There is a tablet called Acamprosate that really helped me. You take it three times a day for up to a year to stop the craving for alcohol. It doesn't work for everyone. But it helped me along side attending a couple of support groups a couple of times a week, and one to one support from an alcohol support worker.
If you Google your local authority and alcohol misuse your local service will come up. You can self refer if you think you need a bit of support, or even a bit of practice advice.
There's no reason your GP can't get you a liver function blood test to put your mind to rest. Are you taking Thiamine and Vit B? Both are important if you are drinking more than safe amounts.

[Tanfastic]

You don’t have to be an alcoholic (or the public perception of an alcoholic) to have cirrhosis. My dad died from cirrhosis of the liver and I never considered him to be more than a heavy drinker and he never drank spirits, just lager.

He didn’t know he had cirrhosis until he suffered a major episode of vomiting blood from a ruptured oesophageal vein (caused by the enlarged liver). There are very little signs until it’s too late in lots of cases unfortunately. He stopped drinking after this scare but the damage was done and he lived another ten years sober but not without some major health problems one of which killed him eventually as a result of his damaged liver.

I don’t mean to scare you but you are doing the right thing.

[DingleBerries]

Tanfastic no this is good. I want to be scared. That’s what I need to hear.

I don’t crave alcohol physically. Mine is purely mental. But a pill that would make me hurl would work very well.

[Candlelight234]

Ignore everyone saying words to the effect of 'your liver will let you know if it's not ok', this only happens just before it packs in, i.e well into the process of failure.
You are doing the sensible thing of getting it checked now, and pouring your booze away. Well done.