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Diagnosed With Fatty Liver. Why Am I Advised To Stop Drinking?
I have been diagnosed with Fatty Liver ...I drank very hard last month with friends in town so Im not surprised..But I hear that all people who drink (binge drink) will develop fatty liver for the time they drink and than it goes back to normal with time.....If that true why did my doctor tell me I could no longer drink? Shouldnt I just stop for a few months until it goes back to normal?.
Wed, 20 Feb 2013
Hello,
The major cause of fatty liver disease is alcohol as you must have already noted. Since the liver is the major organ responsible for alcohol digestion or detoxification it turns to accumulate a lot of fat converted from the high calories contained in alcohol. Ones you are already having fatty liver due to alcohol, it is advisable to stop completely alcohol as recurrence is most likely and continues fatty liver will definitely lead to hepatitis and hence consequently liver failure which when it complicates results to irreversible damage to the liver such as a fulminant hepatitis or hepatic failure/ liver cirrhosis/hepatocellular carcinoma.
These complications which started initially as fatty liver (even though you see it as mild diseases) resulted to liver failure and subsequently early death.
I totally agree with your doctor to stop alcohol. You can reduce in take but that would not still remedy the situation. Your liver is prone to fatty liver, it is best you quit drinking.
Even if your fatty liver is of non-alcoholic origin, same counseling still holds
Hope this helps
The major cause of fatty liver disease is alcohol as you must have already noted. Since the liver is the major organ responsible for alcohol digestion or detoxification it turns to accumulate a lot of fat converted from the high calories contained in alcohol. Ones you are already having fatty liver due to alcohol, it is advisable to stop completely alcohol as recurrence is most likely and continues fatty liver will definitely lead to hepatitis and hence consequently liver failure which when it complicates results to irreversible damage to the liver such as a fulminant hepatitis or hepatic failure/ liver cirrhosis/hepatocellular carcinoma.
These complications which started initially as fatty liver (even though you see it as mild diseases) resulted to liver failure and subsequently early death.
I totally agree with your doctor to stop alcohol. You can reduce in take but that would not still remedy the situation. Your liver is prone to fatty liver, it is best you quit drinking.
Even if your fatty liver is of non-alcoholic origin, same counseling still holds
Hope this helps
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4 Doctors agree with this answer
Hello, Welcome to HCM, I am Dr. Das
First of all, you have to understand that fatty liver is an irreversible condition. It is your misconception that it reverts back to normal when you stop drinking.
Generally it is a benign condition. But when it is associated with heavy drinking, disease can progress to very bad condition where liver transplantation may be needed.
Regards.
First of all, you have to understand that fatty liver is an irreversible condition. It is your misconception that it reverts back to normal when you stop drinking.
Generally it is a benign condition. But when it is associated with heavy drinking, disease can progress to very bad condition where liver transplantation may be needed.
Regards.
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