Questions AH

A loved one was diagnosed recently with Alcoholic Hepatitis. Binge drinking for many years and heavy drinking approximately last six years, (with continuos drinking for the two years). Drinking a 1.75 liter in two days or less. This is the first time alcohol has caused health problems for them.
They had felt tired for two months and blamed it on the heavy alcohol usage. Appetite decreased the last few months with continued heavy drinking but eating very little. Took themselves off alcohol by using beer for a couple of weeks. During withdrawal they became jaundiced and went to the hospital. According to Dr., liver was starting to fail and Bilirubin was in the lower twenties. Blood test, scans and MRI done. Enzymes started to lower (slowly) and they were sent home. Last blood test enzymes up again. NOT drinking. I guess my question is, does it take a long time to get better. It has been three weeks since hospitalization. Loved one is still jaundiced, fatigued, but they are eating better.They are on vitamins and pentoxiphylline I have looked up every everything I can find on liver diseases. I was very happy to find this forum.

Hi, Springbloom, and welcome to the forum. I'm sorry your loved one has liver disease. Since you aren't revealing the sex of this person, I will just use the pronoun "he."

As David indicated, if there is cirrhosis, that part of the liver is essentially dead. If there is still healthy tissue then the liver can regenerate. But he must NOT drink...one day at a time. If he has a problem staying sober (and my guess is he will, since it's been such a huge part of his life for so long), he should go to AA or alcohol counseling, though AA has the best track record of keeping drunks sober. Thanks to that organization, I have been sober for 26 1/2 years. I could never have done it on my own.

He will also need to eat a healthful diet, low in sodium. He should abstain from red meat, as it's the most difficult protein for the body to metabolize. He should eat lots of fresh or frozen fruits and veggies, and chicken, fish and shellfish, beans and/or soy products, and dairy. I also recommend a multivitamin WITHOUT iron and 500 mg of vitamin C daily. His doctor may also recommend vitamin B12 for the short term. He should eat a candy bar when he feels like he needs alcohol. Alcohol has a high sugar content, so cravings are associated with that. Candy usually blocks the physical craving.

It will take months for him to get better, due to the damage that's been done over the years. When an alcoholic stops drinking, he may actually get worse for awhile. It's a metabolic thing which I won't go into. It will take 6 mos. to a year for him to really start feeling good. This is the tough part, to keep going forward without alcohol.

If you have any other questions, feel free to ask.

Hugs,
Connie

That's typical behavior for an addict...isolating.

Hugs,
Connie

Thank you for sharing these stories. MamaLama I am glad things are going better for your loved one. It is helpful to hear stories of people getting better and advice about healthy lifestyles to help AH recovery, even if it takes several months or a year.

Syxx, our member, A.Ziffle, is an example of that. However, he only has about 15% of his liver functioning. As mentioned, the parts of the liver that are cirrhotic will NOT regenerate. But the healthy parts will regenerate and cirrhosis can be stopped in its tracks or the progression slowed if one lives a healthful lifestyle, including NO alcohol (never mind being "careful" about it.) Tylenol contains acetaminophen, not ibuprofen, and can be taken safely up to 1500 mg daily. It's ibuprofen that can do a lot of damage. Of course, it's best to only take medication prescribed by a physician.

Hugs,
Connie

Welcome Springbloom! I have cirrhosis caused by alcohol, and like your loved one, went through some of the same symptoms and probably worse. When I first went to the hospital my family and friends were called in to say their goodbye's. They gave me days to live, then a month, 3 months and so on. Along with my liver I also had Kidney failure which didn't help things but I started to gradually get better. After 2 months in the hospital I was sent home. I was recently divorced at the time and have 3 small children so I moved in with a sister to recover. When I was in the hospital my Dr. told me if I hadn't gone to the ER that day I would've died, and that was all the help that I needed. I'm 37 years old and you're telling me this is it? Not gonna happen! Not seeing my kids again has stopped me from picking up a bottle and May 3rd will be 2 years for me. Liver disease is not easy, and I know some of us here can tell horror stories of how hard it is, but it can and has to be dealt with. It took about a year before I started to feel better. My liver is pretty well damaged, but with a lifestyle change I am now stable! I eat a low sodium diet, limit my red meat and eat a lot of fresh fruits and veggies, nothing canned! Exercise is also very important! I'm sure in your loved ones condition, muscle mass has deteriorated and they are weak and fatigued, so it's important to be somewhat active if possible. Walking is a great start! Stay away from OTC meds and listen exactly to what the Dr. says.
For myself, there are still bumps in the road, but from where I was and where I am now is a huge change. Most importantly, I get to wake up everyday knowing that I will get to see my kids and make sure that they are happy, healthy and protected!
Best of luck to you and your loved one!
Jeff

Post Edited (Hyde1) : 3/24/2013 1:41:19 AM (GMT-6)