What Are The Effects Of Alcohol On Liver?

Posted on Mon, 24 Nov 2014

Question: Hi. I have been a heavy drinker since I turned 21. In the recent 3-4 years I started to notice or "touch" my right side of the rib cage for worrying I have hurt my liver. I have read about swelling of the liver and the yellowing of the skin and eyes IF there was that much damage. I am not yellow, I don't have liquid stools, I don't have nausea, or any other symptoms BUT when I touch my ribs on the right size and compare them to my left side, I feel significant difference. I feel like each rib is twice the size on my right side! I have been poking them with my fingers for the last 3 or so years. I went to a clinic and the nurse had me lay down on my back and felt under my rib cafe, she said she did NOT feel my liver, but, I didn't feel she had much experience as she had to open up a medical book and seemed unsure when speaking. I don't have insurance to get blood work done, I just don't have the money and I'm also scared, but I quit drinking November 1st because....the last few months every time I drink, the morning after I had a little vaginal bleeding, just some pink, last week I had a lot more, almost looked like the start of my period, long bloody tissue looking, guessing just blood and pink. This last time the discharge with clear and bloody parts lasted a whole day, it made me go sober. I am scared out of my mind, because I researched it and it says alcohol does soemthing to the uterus and makes that happen but it's a sign of liver failure when it happens. Please give me some words, and yell at me if you have to so that I can sleep. I know I drank a lot, I have a problem, but when I touch on the BACK of my back ribs I feel a hard organ like feeling poking out underneath my ribs and I am convinced its my liver. Please help me. Doctor, also, I like to worry and over think everything. I guess I just want to know, if the discharge is there with blood EVERY time I drink the morning after, do I need a transplant or can I snever drink again and I will be okay because the liver fixes itself when it can. I know that depends on how bad the damage is, sometimes the tissue is dead forever.

Answered by Dr. Chobufo Ditah (23 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Be relaxed, the liver is not that bad for now!

Detailed Answer:
Hi and thank you so much for this detailed write up.

I must congratulate you on stopping alcohol. That is a life time decision that you would live to appreciate its benefits. It is true that drinking damages the liver but a damaged liver would never stay silent. You would for sure present with signs and symptoms of liver injury. Like you rightly mentioned, you have had no yellowish eyes. This means that the liver is still able to do its job and eliminate what it has to.

There is no further damage that would be caused to the liver in the asencf further alcohol intake. Your ribs, no matter the extend of any liver damage would never change in size. Your concern about a possible liver disease is way too excessive and is actually responsible for most of your fears and not any liver related disease. You need to relax and be calm. The past is in the past and the decision you made would take care of today and the future. That is the right decision. Not even the vaginal spotting suggests a liver disease.

In all, you have no overt signs of a liver disease as of now. You may have consumed huge levels of alcohol in the past but there is just no evident liver complication now. Be calm, relaxed and continue a healthy lifestyle.

I hope this helps. I wish you well. Thank you so much for using our services and do feel free to ask for more information and clarifications if need be.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Vinay Bhardwaj

Follow up: Dr. Chobufo Ditah (9 minutes later)

Doctor. The vaginal bloody discharge was ONLY after the night I had six beers. It lasted all day. I read about it and found some articles online that said in fact that alcohol does something to blood vessels and sometimes can cause vaginal bloody discharge. To test the theory what I did is drank again one night that week and it happened again the next morning! You're syaing that it might be because of the alcohol but NOT because my liver is damaged? I also feel like ts swollen when I sit, is that the muscles maybe because I keep touching there? Thank you doctor.

Answered by Dr. Chobufo Ditah (6 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Your liver is not responsible for that!

Detailed Answer:
Hi,

I understand how worried and concerned you are about this. Honestly, I have not found a reason to think the liver is not functioning well at this time. You can't report feeling the liver swollen. This is simply not possible unless you have a mighty liver that is visible from a distance.

Keep calm, Relax about this and if any symptoms in future suggests a liver disease, we would investigate. As of now, there are just no symptoms to suggest so but for the fact that you had consumed alcohol and is very worried.

I wish you well and keep the discussion going if need be.

Note: In case of any other concern or query related to prevention, evaluation, diagnosis, treatment, or the recovery of persons with the any type of addiction or substance use, follow up with our Addiction Medicine Specialist. Click here to book a consultation now.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Shanthi.E