Bipolars dealing with Alcoholism Group

I had a follow up with my doc today. My liver enzymes were a little high. (we didn't test my liver before starting the divalproex) Considering my history with alcohol, she thinks it may be related to fatty liver and not the Divalproex. I am hoping it is the former since it is reversable with proper diet & exercise and will motivate me even more to stay off the poison/alcohol.

Has anyone else had liver problems/abnormalities because of drinking? How long after you stopped drinking did your liver "heal" itself?

I was very fortunate when I first quit drinking several years ago that I had minimal liver damage. I was not given any sort of special diet, I had gastric bypass surgery almost 3 years ago and although I wasn't one of them, I do know that they find fatty liver in overweight people and required them to lose some weight before they would do the procedure. In the case of an alcoholic, the concern is, of course, cirrhosis of the liver. The fatty liver could be due to the amount of sugars and carbs found in alcohol of all types.

I'm not an expert, these were just a few thoughts I had.

Colleen

I've been told that the liver does not always heal itself after one stops drinking and that an alcoholic can develop liver problems even after they've quit drinking. I am not a doctor.

I'm not a doctor either, but I have heard the same thing. A lot depends on how much damage the drinking caused.

Colleen

Actually at this time I am not overweight. I am however in the upper range of "normal". (while my weight has fluctuated up and down in the last 10 years, I have not been obese since 2002) Oh well... if the high enzyme levels are linked to the medicine, then I have to switch and that would just suck. (going back to work monday after a 3 month leave and having to switch meds would be difficult) If it is fatty liver, I have read that if it is at the beginning stages it can be reversed with diet and exercise. If it is at a stage that it can not be reversed, that would suck too. Anyhoo, I'm getting an ultra sound on May 12 to see if it is indeed fatty liver, and my Divalproex has already been lowered a little. (from 1000 mg down to 875 mg) I am also going to have the enzymes retested in a couple of months...