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Q: Quitting Alcohol--mild Confusion?

asked by: gordonz on May 15th, 2006

New User

Hello all,

i was drinking 1/3 a bottle of whiskey every night for about a year. Then I quit for 2 months. After that I started drinking again--the same amount for 6 months straight, ending with this post. I'm a 24-yr old male.

I should note that I was drinking alcohol on top of taking an ssri antidepressant every day (paxil.) however research indicates that the interaction between alcohol and paxil is not related to absorption, but only brain chemistry (the alcohol makes you more tired, but also decreases the effect of paxil slightly.) so I don't think this means extra liver damage, as far as I know.

In the last month or two of drinking I noticed I have a slightly enlarged liver area (middle right side of the torso.) ever since then, i've had pain in the liver area when I drink. And I also started to have great difficulty concentrating sometimes, terrible short-term memory, and short moments of confusion (where I have a sudden mental fog for 10 seconds, then it goes away.)

i ran out of money a week ago and now i'm tapering every night with 2-3 glasses of wine. So i'm successfully tapering, and I will be done with alcohol after only two more days of wine!

However, i've noticed that through this tapering/and or withdrawal, this mental fog hasn't gone away. And I still have liver pain. I have liver pain after eating, after drinking coffee, after drinking wine. After anything I put in my mouth besides water, I get a little bit of pain in the right side.

I've read that cirrhosis only occurs after over 8 years of hard drinking, every day. So I would doubt that I have this now. But could it be that I have a less dangerous liver condition? Does it go away?

I've only been an alcoholic for one and a half years. I'm 24. Do you think I could possibly have a developing cirrhosis, and that's why I have mental fog?

Or do you think i'm mentally foggy because of alcohol withdrawal?

I have no medical insurance so I can't go to a doctor. However my psychologist has seen a lot of alcoholics, and he thinks the swollen liver is normal for an alcoholic--it usually goes away after 6 months of sobriety.

But what could this mental confusion mean? I'm not really worried.. But this is annoying me. I'm focused on the task at hand for a minute, then a spell of confusion. It also kinda seems like maybe I just damaged my short term memory a lot in these last two months of whiskey...?

What do you make of this?

Reply asap folks.. Is this confusion normal after drinking heavily for 6 months straight? I was drinking every night for 6 months with no quit.

Normal? Will it go away in a week or so? Because I can't drink anymore due to no money.

Lemme know!

Replies(6)

shadowalker164

replied on May 17th, 2006

Experienced User

“can’t drink any more due to no money” gordonz, my friend, that is what pan handling is for. When we are broke and we still want a drink, we do what we need to do. We will do whatever it takes to get what we need. And what we need is another drink.

We are alcoholics. And alcohol is the only thing we care about in the end. We will tell you that we love our wives, girlfriends, children, parents, but every one of them comes after alcohol. Alcohol always comes first.

Good luck with tapering off, I never could do that. It seemed that when I was controlling it, it wasn’t any fun. And when it was fun, I wasn’t controlling it. But that’s just me.

As to the medical questions, asking for advice on recovery websites is like a being in lock-up and asking legal advice from your cellmate. Sure they got some, but how good is it?

Richard

Nano

replied on May 18th, 2006

New User

Hi,

i think you should see a doctor. I would be worried about the what you feel in you liver area the swollen part. I'm no doctor but I don't think your alcohol consumption can be the only thing??

On the other hand don't worry about the memory loss. I have been drinking a lot at a certain stage of my life and experienced exactly the same. A docter once explained to me that this was due to alcohol destroying cells (short memory) in the brain and this memory would not come back whatever you do. It does no damage in the long term though.

Go and see a doctor about the rest though!!

troubledstarshine

replied on June 15th, 2006

New User

Similar Questions

I have had pain in the upper right side (location of the liver) for only a week and a half now and already had x-rays (inconclusive) and an ultrasound (showed a slightly enlarged liver, gall bladder ok).

The nurse that told me the results said that a slightly enlarged liver is a result of alcohlism. I am very confused by that since I don't drink more than maybe 2 drinks a month. I am only 27 and the 2 drink average is over the last year - prior to that it was maybe 1 per month. Is there any other possibilities? The nurse also said that a slightly enlarged liver would not cause the pain that I am in or the nasious feeling. The pain is so bad sometimes that I can't even sleep because everytime I roll over I fell sharp pains. Most of the time the pain is similar to the pain of cramping of menstral crams except that they are in the upper right side of my body. I have tried a moist hot rag over that area and it does seem to help but not get rid of the pain. Laying on that side also seems to help a little but not get rid of the pain.

The nurse basically said that there was nothing that could be done and that if I still have pain, I should go to my primary doctor (which I will be doing in the next week). Any sugestions?

john

replied on January 18th, 2007

New User

Re: Similar Questions - Pls. Responds

I was drinking / smoking for almost 5 years continue, average 180ml per day
also not had proper food,

two years back when I tried to drink as regular habit, was unable to do so & feel very bad at that moment, and did vomiting etc….Due to this I stop for a week n started again…but scenario was the same & also my body started heating up immediately whenever I had drink.

Due to this I stop drink completely for some time, also shown to doctor & did all test which was require all test was normal, doctor said do not go for drink for a life.

I started drink again after 6 months & drink continue for 2 months, again same scenario ….&

this time I started feeling pain on upper right side of liver, whenever I had food / tea / coffee I was feeling more, now it’ 2 years I have pain as mention above.

I shown to doctor, he said now keep the word & do not go for drink, I asked what happened is something is wrong with liver he said do not worry it looks like there will be internal liver swelling , & it will get clear asap, well he not provided any time frame for that.

Now almost 2 years still I have pain on upper right side of liver whenever I had food / coffee etc…..I am taking liver tonic as safer side right now.

But really wants to know what next, can some one help us, who knows for all this, can some share there experience, will greatly help us. Thanks

i don’t want this pain any more, already paid what ever mistake I did in past
now wants good life…..Thx

ivar888

replied on June 21st, 2009

New User

Lansprazole its a proten pump inhibitor, u may have a ulcer, do u get the pain like me 24h after drinking when lying down its worse or with fatty food, milk thisle is good if ur worried about ur liver but the organ has few nerve fibers so thats not where the pain is coming from stress is the worst and keep active and busy sex is allways good.

judemchugh

replied on June 22nd, 2009

New User

I think you have to evaluate your own health. Try to abstain and sober from alcohol then carefully observe how your body reacts from it. If you think, you're body is getting worse due to withdrawals then you must get medical attentions to have a proper alcohol treatment.

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