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!
|
shadowalker164
Experienced User , Rather EHEALTHy
Joined: 14 Jan 2005 Posts: 175 Location: Tampa, FL
Posted: 05-17-06 12:58pm
“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
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 10 May 2006 Posts: 14
Posted: 05-18-06 09:03am
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!!
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troubledstarshine
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 15 Jun 2006 Posts: 1
Similar Questions Posted: 06-15-06 07:40am
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
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 11 Jul 2003 Posts: 3
Re: Similar Questions - Pls. Responds Posted: 01-18-07 04:41am
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
