HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

alcoholic hepatitis

Support Forums
>
Hepatitis
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 7/22/2011 4:34 PM (GMT 0)
Hello, i think i have the right forum if not the i apologize. I think i may have a mild case of alcoholic hep, although my blood work was normal and my ultra sound was too. I had a mild dull pain on right side with nausea after a weekend of drinking(prob consumed about a case of beer). My stomach also has a weird feeling like it's heavy and the doctor said the lab work and ultrasound normal prob gastritis. Doctor put me on dexilant 60mg about a week ago. I guess my question is could labs and ultra sound be normal but still be suffering from alcohol induced hep?

p.s
The weekend drinking episode was a month ago and haven't had a drink since because it scared the crap out of me.
Posted 7/22/2011 5:34 PM (GMT 0)

Used to drink,

Welcome to HW!  Well, it's good it scared the crap out of you.  People take for granted that their bodies will save them from over indulgences but sometimes...not so.  So you haven't been drinking since then but were you a heavy drinker before that one weekend?  I am inclined to agree with the doctor that if your labs are fine and the scan was normal, then it was likely something else.  Could be your stomach or gall bladder.  Are you scheduled for any follow up visits?

Posted 7/22/2011 6:00 PM (GMT 0)
I would say by by what I have found on internet I have been a moderate to heavy drinker on weekends for about 20 years. I could easily put away 6 to 8 beers in one night( usually Friday and Saturday nights). So I would say on weekends I could easily down a 12 pack to a case. Haven't had any hard stuff in a very long time as I thought beer was less harmful but apparently I have been mistaken. I have a high tolerance to alcohol and always have so I thought weekend drinking wasn't harming me(dumb i know) because I can drink allot with very little hangover. I have 3 children two of which meed me very much as they are younger. This really scared me as I am 44 years old and never felt this kind of pain before(dull ache in rt upper quad) and stomach felt really bad like a heavy feeling and burning. The doctor said gastritis can cause this. My stomach has felt like this before but it would always get better after a couple of days. I have been Hasselhoff drunk more times than I like to admit but those episodes usually happened at weekend parties. I have a follow up in 3 weeks to see if meds help my stomach.

Thank you for fast response because I was convincing myself Doctor was wrong and they missed something. I have been driving my wife crazy
Posted 7/22/2011 6:06 PM (GMT 0)
Usedtodrink, welcome to the forum!  It's good that you were scared sober!  Dexilant is used to treat heartburn.  Your body could be trying to tell you something.  Everything in moderation.

 

Hugs,

Connie

 

P.S. Sorry I put the drug name instead of your screen name.  I'm kind of out of it right now...had liver cancer treatment on Mon., which is apparently killing my brain as well as the tumor.  skull

 

Hugs,

Connie

Posted 7/22/2011 6:29 PM (GMT 0)
Yes I agree. My only fear is when I feel totally normal I may dismiss this episode and start my old habits. I am not going to lie I enjoy drinking and like the buzz from it but its not worth getting sick from. The ultra sound checked liver pancreas and gall bladder all came back normal so I am perplexed as to what is causing the pressure or dull ache on rt side. Yes I know Dexilant is for heart burn but I was still worried. Guess I will still abstain from alcohol for now anyway.
Posted 7/22/2011 6:38 PM (GMT 0)
I have seen on internet where blood work normal and ultrasound normal but patient still had liver issues. This is what scared me the most
Posted 7/22/2011 7:24 PM (GMT 0)

Lots of things don't show up until advanced stages of the disease.  If you have difficulty staying stopped, go to AA.  If you are able to stop, but are miserable without booze, go to AA.  If beer is causing problems in your relationships or in your marriage, you need to stop.

Hugs,

Connie

Posted 7/22/2011 7:41 PM (GMT 0)
Hello used to drink and welcome. My husband was only 46 when he died of liver cancer caused by alcoholic cirrhosis............He only drank beer. So there is no such thing as a safe alcoholic beverage where cirrhosis is concerned. Cirrhosis does not discriminate against any of the alcoholic beverages...........too much of any of them over time will destroy anyone's liver. skull

Anyways........I hope this serves as your wake up call..........either don't drink or drink in moderation if in fact you are not a alcoholic. I've never heard of an alcoholic being able to go from heavy drinking to moderate drinking.........so that being said if you even think that you could be an alcoholic......stop.

If you have a good doctor.........trust him. If you don't, find a good one. It's wasted energy worrying about something that probably doesn't exist. If it is still bothering you in a few months get tested again.
Posted 7/22/2011 11:02 PM (GMT 0)
The thing I noticed about your post was that you never spoke about having a beer or two. It's obvious that you like beer too much to be moderate in the use of it. Also, what do you think your behavior says to your children regarding the use of alcohol? If nothing else, cool it for their sake(s). I never had an alcohol problem, Hep C cooked my liver. I have no problem with people who have healthy livers, that use alcohol in moderation. That doesn't appear to be your situation. The tone of your post makes it clear that you're aware there's a problem.
Posted 7/23/2011 1:51 PM (GMT 0)
I haven't had a beer in month and really don't miss it. I just hope all I have is gastritis as my stomach still feels weird like its heavy (best i can explain). I just hope with the normal ultrasound and blood work there is no perm damage and everything is reversible.
Posted 7/23/2011 3:59 PM (GMT 0)
Sorry to hear that Pink Grandma, 46 way too young for that to happen. I normally drank about 6 beers on friday night sometimes 8 and you are right about worrying about the past nothing I can do about that. I would never want to put my family through something like that because from my research its not pretty.
Posted 7/23/2011 5:42 PM (GMT 0)

"I haven't had a beer in month and really don't miss it."

Very glad to hear that!  Perhaps it is just gastritis, but if your liver is involved, then you probably will be one of the lucky ones who have stopped in time.  We have some of those here, but far more who didn't stop in time...and you're right--it ain't pretty.

Hugs,

Connie

Posted 7/24/2011 5:56 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks for your kind words hep 93 this really scared me and each day I seem to be getting better. Stomach less bothersome and nausea is gone still have a little pressure on rt upper quad but that too seems to be getting better. I used to have interment pain there but that is gone. I just looked at my kids and cant believe how foolish I have been for many years. I guess I always had the mindset that.... couldn't happen to me....well I no longer believe that and even though my labs and ultra sound were normal I have to believe that there is some damage there. Cant imagine consuming that much alcohol didn't do anything to me. I wish everyone in this forum the best of luck and hopefully there will be more people who stop in time to have long healthy lives.
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply