Need to stop now - liver pain etc

[wooger]

Hi

Im sorry this is a ramble but im panicing.


I have been drinking really heavily for about 5 years - im only 24, and were talking like... a bottle of spirits a day or so.

anyway, my liver is aching (ive already been told its 'not functioning correctly, but its regenerating itself at the moment (this was a couple of months ago).

anyway, for the past week or so I have managed to cut down to 9 UK units a day, even occasionally missing a day (ie sunday and last night)

anyway, would I have dangerous withdraws from this amount if i stopped cold turkey? i.e. from 9 uk units a day?

I hope i get some responses soon cus Im terrified.

If its still safer to taper would a jump down 3 units every 3 days be okay until I get to zero? I really cant talk to my dr about this, he is fed up of me. and the local alcohol service has a huge que for detox and i dont think they would give me one cus of how much ive cut down by.

any responses would be so very much appreciated.

thanks

Wooger

[spedteach]

Need to stop now - liver pain etc

wooger
what's the US equivalent to a UK unit? what kind of al do you drink?

[wooger]

Need to stop now - liver pain etc

Hey - I'm sorry I couldn't find a conversion rate

but 9 UK units is 5 x 440ml cans of 4.0% beer. I have been drinking this amount for around a week or so. For a few weeks before I was drinking around 7 cans, then for years before that around 6 litres of 5.3% cider every day :| (or vodka)

do you think it would be alright to go cold turkey from the 5 cans of beer? please help, im so worried!

[spedteach]

Need to stop now - liver pain etc

Cold turkey from 5 cans of beer, granted I am not a medical professional but have detoxed so many times and been in rehab a couple of times, I feel professional when it comes to detoxing. I would say you should have no problem. Maybe a little shakey, pulse rate a little elevated. My detox problems followed my drinking 2 to 3 bottles of wine a day for a week or more.
If you taper you should drink smaller amounts everyday, not completely skip days so the al gradually leaves your body.
Are your liver function tests abnormal? Do you have any anti-anxiety medication?

[wooger]

Need to stop now - liver pain etc

yeah my liver function tests are abnormal very scared but when i went a few days ago about it, he said it didnt appear to be mishapen or anything (he just kinda felt me).

I dont have any anti-anxiety medication other than beer - the thing is tho, before i managed to cut down to around 5 of those cans, I was drinking 6 litres of strong cider pretty much everyday for like, years. but as im able to get by on 5-7 cans for like 2 weeks, im guessing if i cut down to 3 cans today, tommorow and the next day, 2-2-2 then 1-1-1 then quit i would be okay?

[spedteach]

Need to stop now - liver pain etc

w.
that sounds like a good plan. You've actually made a lot of progress already. Good luck. I know it's really scary but it's so worth it once you come out on the other side. It would be wonderful for you to get sober so young.

[wooger]

Need to stop now - liver pain etc

hey, thank you for your kind words and encouragement

I also phoned the health service today because I was getting so worried about the pain I have in my side, the nurse I spoke to seemed to think that as the dr who examined me didn't seem overly concernced etc that I will probably be okay, and that its just my extreme anxiety making me freak out so much about it.....

I hope shes right!

[Wagoneer]

Need to stop now - liver pain etc

Wooger - hope you are feeling better. If the pain worsens, please get yourself to a hospital. Good luck in your journey - you seem to have a good head on your shoulders - and you have friends here who will support you. It's a hard journey, but well worth it. Wish I had gotten a clue when I was your age!

[Choochie]

Need to stop now - liver pain etc

Wooger, sorry I don't know about detoxing but it sounds like Sped gave you good advice. Hang in there and post - we'll try to help all we can. I really hope this is a wake up call for you and that you can stay sober. Maybe after you get a handle on this episode you can try AA. Do you have AA where you live? I always assumed it was worldwide. Good luck.

xx,
Choochie

[sapphire1]

Need to stop now - liver pain etc

Hi Wooger, your detox plan sounds very sound. If you have cut down from 6 litres of cider per day to around 5 cans of beer and havent experienced extreme withdrawals so far, you probably wont experience any except for anxiety if you continue to cut down as you have planned. Please if you havent already started, drink at least two litres of water per day..add lemon juice to this. Cut down or eliminate coffee, soft drink and concentrated fruit juice. Focus on eating fresh fruit and vegetables and lean protein. Are you taking any vitamins or supplements? If not, add some B AND C and magnesium and calcium. If you are interested in a list of supplements that will help your detox and help restore liver health, please PM. If the liver pain gets worse, get yourself to the hospital straight away, or change your doctor. You are a young person, just starting out on your life...you need to find a doctor that is interested and compassionate. PLease take this very seriously as liver failure can happen in very young people. It is great that you are realising that your life has to change....and it will get better if you restore your health and get alcohol out of your life. You have so much to look forward to, so many great experiences to have....PLEASE dont let alcohol rob you of this. Strength and grace, Saff

[Guest]

Need to stop now - liver pain etc

I thought I'd add some useful information to this thread.

Firstly 1 unit (UK) = strength of drink x mls/1000

So 500ml can of 6 % cider = (500 x 6)/1000 = 3 units

Recommended limit for healthy drinking(ie over which you could be doing damage to your body) is 21 units a week. With 1-2 days alcohol free. Whenever quoting number of 'drinks' I use the units system since a 'drink' can mean anything from a half pint glass of wine(the 275ml ones you get in pubs these days'), to a pint of Stella(5-6units) or a G & T.

Pains - when I was drinking I would get all sorts of pains. Some of it is because your digestive tract is disturbed, in other words you have wind or cramps because your gut is working quicker or slower than it usually does - as well as less efficiently. I'm not disputing genuine pain since alcohol does attack and damage EVERYTHING it touches on it's way from mouth to excretion.

Withdrawl varies from person to person, and you only find out when you try. It's easy to whack down the librium, but being spaced out on sedatives isn't great anyway and their use is best restricted. Mild withdrawls are just something to get through. I had jelly legs a while back(and I was only drinking every couple of weeks or so), as well as the panics, racing heart etc and I remind myself that's what I have to look forward too and worse if I touch a drink again. I'm not saying you should put yourself in danger, but a few side effects can be a big wake-up call.

[wooger]

Need to stop now - liver pain etc

Hey everyone - thanks for all the replies

anyways, I have been drinking lemon water as suggested and also milk thistle! I went to the hospital as it seemed like the pain was getting worse - and guess what good news!! the dr said my liver enzymes are only slightly elevated - its nothing to worry about and they should go back to normal once i stop drinking.

UKblonde - the dr at the hospital thought it might be some kinda 'stone' in a bile duct which is causing the pain, he put it down to eating some spicy greasy chicken wings :P but I think that it prolly is due to alcohol - tho I'm not a doctor! and yes, I agree with you about the units over drinks thing, it seems so silly to go by 'drinks' since that can mean anything in relation to % and quantity of liquid.

I continued with my plan today so only one more day at 3 beers then 2-2-2-1-1-1 (unit wise 5.4-.3.6-3.6-3.6-1.8-1.8-1.8)> However, the number which has been chosen as 'safe' drinking levels was just picked out of thin air and if not based on scientific evidance at all - I will find a link for you tommorow its just late now! Not that I'm saying it isn't bad, trust me, I now realise how bad alcohol is

Slightly bad thing is tho I had a panic attack today at around the time I start drinking which was preceded by a weird twitching/shaking of my arm, which went away after I had my daily 'allowance'

[Guest]

Need to stop now - liver pain etc

Hey sounds like you are doing really well there, just be very aware that it's easy to 'taper' then take off again before you get to zero. So the method whilst good in theory, has it's own dangers. I think you'll notice a big difference after a week to ten days AF.

I actually consider any units to be dangerous since alcohol is a poison, damaging anything it touches. The government have to come up with something, especially under pressure from a lucrative, socially acceptable brewing industry.

[wooger]

Need to stop now - liver pain etc

Hey

thanks - but I messed up tonight I had 5 cans tonight inmstead of the planned 3 - mainly cus I had the start of what i thought might be 'hallucinations' :| I guess maybe going down to 3 cans was a bit ambitios

I feel like such a failure

[Choochie]

Need to stop now - liver pain etc

Wooger, we have all been where you're at - thinking we would drink x only to drink y. That's exactly what brought us here - our inability to control our drinking.

Can you get to an AA meeting? Can't remember if you're considering that. Or, outpatient rehab? What about Balcofen?

Excuse me if I'm being redundant with questions.

xx,
Choochie