Confused - no diagnosis

Hi all,

I have posted once before - I have been having abdominal pain on and off for years.
Liver enzymes and CT and MRI scans are normal.

The reason a I worry about my liver is that I am extremely sensitive to alcohol. I do not drink - as I have gotten older I simply cannot tolerate it. I stupidly had a spoonful of tiramisu and I feel tired for 3 days, I feel short of breath and get upper left abdominal pain, my right side feels swollen and I get irregular heart beats.

The only thing that anyone can find wrong with me is scarring in my colon from diverticulitis (so things do not move through me as they should) and my pancreatic enzymes in my stool are low. However, I had an EUS to look at my pancreas which also looks normal so I have been told I do not have pancreatic disease. They have also seen some redness in my stomach.

Is there any way that I could have damaged my liver at university but that it still looks normal on scans and enzymes are all normal. My alcohol history is VERY low from 0 - 18, then probably 60 units per week for 30 weeks per year at university for three years. After 21 years old I have again drunk minimal amounts.

Sorry for posting the same question - but I do get worried when I feel crap for a week after one spoonful of tiramisu!

Andrew

Andrew,

I peeked around the Internet and found a good description of Alcohol Intollerance:

www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/alcohol-intolerance/basics/definition/con-20034907

Most notable is this description:

Alcohol intolerance occurs when your body doesn't have the proper enzymes to break down (metabolize) the toxins in alcohol. This is caused by inherited (genetic) traits.

Intolerance reactions can also be caused by a number of other ingredients commonly found in alcoholic beverages, especially in beer or wine. These include:

Sulfites or other preservatives
Chemicals, grains or other ingredients
Histamine, a byproduct of fermentation or brewing
In some cases, reactions can be triggered by an allergy to a grain such as corn, wheat or rye or to another substance contained in alcoholic beverages.

Rarely, severe pain after drinking alcohol is a sign of a more serious underlying disorder.

It looks like you are one of the "lucky ones" who has an alcohol intolerance. Abstinence seems to be a good idea.

Let us hear if your doctor has some more ideas on your situation.

Best,
Mama Lama