anxious about blood work - liver...

[colls22]

Had blood taken for analysis today. They will be doing a CBC, in addition to other testing, including something about liver function.

First off, please, no judgement anybody, as I'm quite aware of my bad behaviour. Over my acute period of health anxiety (the last year and a bit), I have, more often than not (ie almost daily) resorted to alcohol to calm my nerves. Again, I know this is an awful thing to do, and have put a stop to it. Sometimes it would be one glass of wine a day, sometimes several.

On to my question - does anyone know what effect this pattern, over the amount of time, can have on liver functioning? I've been doing some reading, and it sounds as though a good possibility is that the blood work could come back with elevated liver enzymes. Does anyone know anything about that?

Quite frankly, I will be amazed if there are no abnormalities, with all this alcohol in addition to my usual cocktail of anxiety medication and various sleeping pills. My poor liver

[gcalex]

What is in the usual cocktail of anxiety medication and how long have you been taking it?

[colls22]

Sorry, poor wording, by usual cocktail I was referring to the combination of anxiety pills and sleeping pills. I took Lexapro for about a year, having stopped a few months ago. I took a sleeping pill that here in Canada is called Zopiclone for 6-9 months, and then switched to Tryptophan, which I am presently taking. Additionally, if I run out of the sleeping pills and haven't re filled, I will often bridge the gap with something like Gravol (anti nauseant, but cause sleepiness).

[gcalex]

I doubt tryptophan would hurt the liver.  Alcohol of course can over time in large amounts, but the body can take a lot of abuse.

[colls22]

I didn't think so either re the Tryptophan, otherwise anyone who eats turkey on a regular basis would be in big trouble :)

Me asking these question is more of a pre-emptive measure to control my anxiety in the case of liver enzymes coming back high. If I know that's a possibility, you will be much less likely to see me posting in a "do I have liver cancer" panic in a few days.

[JohnCase]

I had a slight drinking problem for a year before and even more so after the passing of my sister this past July.  I was drinking a fifth of alcohol every other day sometimes. If I went out drinking I could easily drink a liter.  I didnt find this as a problem until one day I woke up and wanted a drink.  That is when I stopped. 

To somewhat answer your question, I too was worried about my liver from this. Before I developed my Health Anxiety, I just asked a Doctor about my habit and if I could have a liver problem.  He basically told me that the Liver is the strongest and most durable organ in your body.  You would have to seriously abuse it weather it be alcohol or drugs or being severely overweight for a long time.  A long time is relative, I know. Unfortunately, he couldn't give me a time range as all of our bodies are different. But in the end, he did say that a couple years of hard drinking could in fact raise your liver enzymes and could develop into a "fatty" liver.  But getting cirrhosis or liver cancer was unlikely.  You would know if this was the case most of the time with pain in the upper right quadrant of your abdomen behind your rib cage, pale colored stools, yellowing of the skin and eyes and swelling of your legs and feet.

My advice is, if you feel that drinking is harming your body, just stop.  Or drink in moderation.  Maybe drink your wine or whatever every other weekend?

Also, water is your best friend while drinking. While its not proven that drinking tons of water while drinking has any benefit on your liver, the doctor said to me it can do nothing but good for it. :-)