Major worry about liver - again!

[Boosh]

I've posted here before and I was feeling pretty confident after visiting doctor, and now I'm worrying again and have multiple panic attacks a day :/

So for the past year or so my right side of abdomen and back hurts. It's a mild pain, I can feel discomfort when lying on this side, generally from what I've read it suggests problems with liver. And I drink a lot of alcohol (helps with my anxiety :/ ), so that fits. I'm a petite woman and I usually drink 2 beers in the evening, sometimes 3 - but basically everyday.

I've done urine home tests and my bilirubin was sky high, so after nearly dying of panic I visited doctor who run blood tests and did an ultrasound scan of my abdomen, and nothing came out. He even said I have "perfect" results of both blood tests and ultrasound scan. My enzymes were all normal, and the scan said that my liver is of normal size and structure.

But my pain didn't go away and I've started googling and it would seem that blood tests can come back normal even with damaged liver, and as far as ultrasound scan goes, it theoretically should detect serious problems, but if the doctor performing it wasn't well educated, he could've missed something. Moreover, all of my symptoms fit liver disease. I'm so scared, I've just read sometimes it can go unnoticed and when doctors finally find it it's too late.

I want to get liver biopsy, but no doctor will let me do it without a proper reason, so I was thinking about at least doing doppler ultrasound that should be better with detecting liver diseases. What do you think? It is really probable that my doctor was wrong and my liver is not functioning?

I wasn't drinking prior to taking blood tests and ultrasound, maybe my liver went back to normal for a day or two, and when I drank beer again it started swelling again? Is it possible?

[MissDk]

Have you been checked for Gilberts syndrome? I have it, and it shows with high bilirubin and it is not a serious or deadley syndrom. Besides high bilirubin I had discomfort in my liverarea which is also a common symptom for the syndrome. Besides Gilbert syndrome I aldo have a fattyliver (nonalcoholic) and have had that for 16 years. I have also had a liverbiosy some years ago, and trust me - you don’t want to get one. It is extremely painful!
Here in Denmark where I live we get an ultrasound if the doctors suspects anything wrong with a patients liver, and that scan can show if there is anything wrong with the liver. It shows size and structure, so if your doctor have said everything look fine after the scan, you can trust that.
I have also got a fibro-scan to look for chirrosis on my liver a few weeks ago. The doctors uses that kind of scan instead of a liverbiosy theese days, because it is far more safe than a biopsi and without sideeffects.
And then - don’t google. Google will always show you worst case scenario. I’m sure you are fine, but I understand your worry. I have been there myself (and still are)
Hope you can understand my reply :)

[Boosh]

Thanks for the reply!

I was reading about Gilberts syndrome, but my bilirubin was normal according to blood tests, so my doctor never even suggested it. I hope the ultrasound would indicate cirrhosis, I'm afraid I have it and I'm wasting my days when I could be waiting for liver transplant if diagnosed correctly.

This fibro-scan sounds like something that could help alleviate my fear, I'll try to get one. Thank you :)

And I know I shouldn't Google, but sometimes I just feel I have to :(

[Fishmanpa]

I visited doctor who run blood tests and did an ultrasound scan of my abdomen, and nothing came out. He even said I have "perfect" results of both blood tests and ultrasound scan. My enzymes were all normal, and the scan said that my liver is of normal size and structure.

IMO... a typical example of Dr. Google + catastrophizing. Perhaps real life therapy and/or meds as opposed to drinking every day would be in order? :whistles:

Positive thoughts

[MissDk]

My bilirubin level is not always elevated. It is normal for Gilberts syndrome that it can be high in one test and normal the next time.
But the doctor have to make a special bloodtest to find the syndrome. They don’t check for it in rutine bloodwork.

I know it is difficult not to google. I do it myself and it is almost like it is an addiction. But my anxiety always go through the roof when I google, so I try to
reduce it a lot.

I honestley don’t think you have anything to fear about your liver.
Remember that medicine, food and other things can effect your bloodtest and that is a common reason to elevated liverenzyms.

Your ultrasound was fine - tell your anxiety that when it tries to convince you otherwise. I hope the best for you.

[Boosh]

IMO... a typical example of Dr. Google + catastrophizing. Perhaps real life therapy and/or meds as opposed to drinking every day would be in order? :whistles:

Positive thoughts

I have prescription for anxiety meds, but they are metabolized through liver, and I'm afraid of taking them :shrug:
I went to therapy, but it just seemed like wasting my money, the therapist didnt even acknowledge my problems. You're afraid you're dying? Well, you shouldn't be. You think you're drinking too much? Ah, it's not that much anyways, besides, it's pretty common with anxiety.

I know my drinking and anxiety are my own problems, but I thought she'll help me with drinking less and alleviating my worries, but she was like "meh" all the time, "you're not dying, why do you worry, it's silly". Didn't really help. I should probably look for another therapist, but I've already spent so much I'm afraid it's just waste of money :/


My bilirubin level is not always elevated. It is normal for Gilberts syndrome that it can be high in one test and normal the next time.
But the doctor have to make a special bloodtest to find the syndrome. They don’t check for it in rutine bloodwork.

I know it is difficult not to google. I do it myself and it is almost like it is an addiction. But my anxiety always go through the roof when I google, so I try to
reduce it a lot.

I honestley don’t think you have anything to fear about your liver.
Remember that medicine, food and other things can effect your bloodtest and that is a common reason to elevated liverenzyms.

Your ultrasound was fine - tell your anxiety that when it tries to convince you otherwise. I hope the best for you.

That's interesting, I'll try to do the tests again, but I have so much doctor visits planned it will probably take me some time.
I know googling is the worst thing I could do... But you know how it is, you just want to check really quickly if this symptom is something serious and now you're reading about cancer.
Now I'm reading about how orange urine can mean problems with liver and mine was orangish for the last 2 days... I did drink carrot juice day before yesterday, but could it last for 2 following days? And now I'm worrying again, eh. And my back still hurts and my spine feels weird, maybe my liver is putting pressure on my organs and deforming my body :scared15:
I just want to get rid of these thoughts :/