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Hi, I Have A Question. 5 Days Ago I Ended
Question: Hi, I have a question. 5 days ago I ended up in the ER because of dehydration/alcohol detox due to a 2 week alcohol binge I went into. When I went into the ER I had already been sober for 4 days, now is been 9 days since I stopped drinking. They did a series of tests on me, blood-work, EKG, CAT scan, etc. The Dr said everything was fine except for my liver enzymes, he said my liver was swollen because I was producing too many enzymes (Transaminitis) was his diagnosis. He didn't give me any medication but recommended I keep hydrating drinking Gatorade for the next 7 days, which it what I've been doing. My appetite is pretty much back to normal, I have no fever, no faintness or lightheadedness, no shakes, no diarrhea, no heart related symptoms. The only thing I still feel is a little dizziness that wont go away since I stopped drinking 9 days ago. So, my question is... is that normal due to the liver enzymes?... Should I keep just drinking Gatorade or should I drink something else as well?... Any other advise about the dizziness and how to stop it or treat it?... Please let me know, thanks you!
Brief Answer:
a lot of possibilities.
Detailed Answer:
Hello and welcome to Ask A Doctor servie.
So, first, most of the risks of alcohol withdrawal are certainly over in the vast majority of people by 1 week without alcohol. If someone has never had serious mental/neurologic damage from stopping alcohol suddenly it's unlikely that they will and even more unlikely for it to occur more than a week out. In general, someone wouldn't need to rehydrate even one week after stopping alcohol unless there was vomiting or diarrhea that was continuing. Then, in general someone would go back onto food and especially back onto thiamine and folate vitamins (a simple b complex or one a day vitamin would be fine). Vitamins and starting back on a regular diet would generally be advised BUT NOT IF there is pancreatitis. this irritation of the pancreas is quite serious and also quite painful. without pain or elevation of pancreatic enzymes, it's basically impossible for there to be pancreatitis.
next.
alcohol enzymes are usually abnormal with alcohol and take quite a variable amount of time to correct. Sometimes this takes 1-2 months. It certainly would be a reason to further examine the liver: testing for hepatitis virus infection is usually done. Ultrasound of the liver is usually done and this is quite good for finding fat in the liver due to alcohol having metabolic effects (if your main calorie intake is carbs like alcohol and if there is a vitamin deficiency, fat will build up in the liver; this is only rarely of any consequence but can elevate liver enzymes about 2x normal). The ultrasound can find more serious problems such as scarring of the liver (cirrhosis). or gallstones or tumors. All of which are more common wiht alcohol.
The dizziness is difficult to say without an exam. There are many causes of dizziness .they can be broken down into two groups. there is due to nerve issues and there is due to blood pressure issues. WIth the blood pressure being low, people feel faint. This is different than feeling unsteady or if the room is spinning.
a lot of possibilities.
Detailed Answer:
Hello and welcome to Ask A Doctor servie.
So, first, most of the risks of alcohol withdrawal are certainly over in the vast majority of people by 1 week without alcohol. If someone has never had serious mental/neurologic damage from stopping alcohol suddenly it's unlikely that they will and even more unlikely for it to occur more than a week out. In general, someone wouldn't need to rehydrate even one week after stopping alcohol unless there was vomiting or diarrhea that was continuing. Then, in general someone would go back onto food and especially back onto thiamine and folate vitamins (a simple b complex or one a day vitamin would be fine). Vitamins and starting back on a regular diet would generally be advised BUT NOT IF there is pancreatitis. this irritation of the pancreas is quite serious and also quite painful. without pain or elevation of pancreatic enzymes, it's basically impossible for there to be pancreatitis.
next.
alcohol enzymes are usually abnormal with alcohol and take quite a variable amount of time to correct. Sometimes this takes 1-2 months. It certainly would be a reason to further examine the liver: testing for hepatitis virus infection is usually done. Ultrasound of the liver is usually done and this is quite good for finding fat in the liver due to alcohol having metabolic effects (if your main calorie intake is carbs like alcohol and if there is a vitamin deficiency, fat will build up in the liver; this is only rarely of any consequence but can elevate liver enzymes about 2x normal). The ultrasound can find more serious problems such as scarring of the liver (cirrhosis). or gallstones or tumors. All of which are more common wiht alcohol.
The dizziness is difficult to say without an exam. There are many causes of dizziness .they can be broken down into two groups. there is due to nerve issues and there is due to blood pressure issues. WIth the blood pressure being low, people feel faint. This is different than feeling unsteady or if the room is spinning.
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Vaishalee Punj
Answered by
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