(I really, really hope he is not around here). Sorry this is long.
Thanks for all the responses from my post a few months ago about my fiance (started drinking early and often has slowed down but still has his days). I have been real concerned about him and he mentioned that his palms were pink and he thought his liver enzymes elevated.
Well I was going nuts, listing all his symptoms. One night I asked him about the comment about his liver enzymes and asked him if anyone ever told them they were high. He said yes, years and years ago, he was told his liver enzymes were high. I asked if anyone told him he had cirrhosis and he said no. . he wouldn't detail anything.
I tried and tried to get him to the doctor but to no avail. He didn't drink for 10 days a few weeks ago and then he went out with friends one day and had about 7-12 beers. The next day he came in to my office and acted a little odd. The next day when we woke he said that he said he needed to tell me something. I said ok, and he preceded to tell me that he thought he had a stroke the morning before on the way to office. I tell him, to the doctor we go and he says no. So I badger and badger and he promises me he will go to the doctor in the box monday morning.
Monday morning he acts like he is going. I get a call from a friend of his who is in the medical community asking me what is going on. He had talked to fiance who told him what happened. I told his friend I was worried about his liver. He said not to worry about the liver. I told him that fiance told me that he was told 20 years ago that his liver enzymes were elevated. He said, "I know." Evidently, the two were in a business venture and applying for life insurance and the tests came back bad for fiance. His medical friend put him on an agressive vitamin program that he felt should really protect his liver . Six months later they retested him extensively and the tests were much better (to this day, fiance is a vitamin freak!)
I went to check on him at the doctor in the box and he was sent to the ER. He had minor simptoms of a stroke (partial blindness in an eye and location disorientation). The ER ran a CT scan and said there was something there. They ran an MRI and determined he had had a stroke (and chastised him for not coming in 4 days before). Fiance was honest about his drinking.
They put him in the stroke program and for two days he was tested and monitored. . .blood, urine, mris, electrocartogram etc. In the end they said he has high cholesteral and high blood pressure. I specifically asked about his liver and the doctor said he didn't see anything to worry about and the liver enzymes are normal. He did say it wouldn't hurt for him to lose 20 pounds and as a man, one of the easiest ways to do that is to cut back on drinking. That's it.
Fiance said he would shape up (eat better, reduce drinking, exercise, lose weight) but that the hospital stay was a waste of his time and he is not going back to the hospital for at least 10 years. (I have read enough here, that you could take the same facts. . stroke etc./high blood pressure and look at it as a sign of cirrhosis).
So, I give up. Maybe I am crazy. I knew something was wrong. . .maybe I am just proned to think liver. I'll tell you, I am still very skeptical.