So I've got liver transplant...

[M1chl]

I am not writing this to be interesting or anything like that. I am here to maybe warn some users about what happened to me. I have GAD (Generalized Anxiety Disorder), which is pretty shitty mental health disease. I am not here to make excuses, but this shit is solely responsible for my drinking problem.

See, I had been abstinent, completely. Well, till 2015 when this disease struck. Till then I was hooked on Alcohol when I felt anxious. Yes, I have attended many doctors, but hardly anything worked. Well Benzodiazepines did, but at one time I got cut off of my dose and W/D was brutal. So after that, I search for something which does not form dependence (funny, I know, when I was boozing like crazy). I remember when I have problem with Sciatica nerve, I took Pregabalin, which not only ease the pain, but it made me calm and well, normal. Sadly after Pfizer have class-action lawsuit, this medicine is very hard to get hands on. At least in my country. I was still getting prescribed some useless anti-depressants, which obviously does not work or Benzos which I don't want, but sadly they worked, so I have, thanks to doctors which change doses quite often, many W/Ds. Alcohol makes more bearable, so I form a habit of heavy drinking, it was not a problem to down 2x 0.7l bottle of 40% (80 proof) Alcohol per day, when I had particular bad day. I've never had a hangover or anything like that, so it was easy to feel that Alcohol did no damage to my body since it help me through the day, to be productive or at least I could do stuff. I am know that my self-delusion was strong.

Well, until this May. In this month I've turned yellow and needed to be hospitalized. In hospital they've told me, that I am not going to make it, if I am not going to get a liver transplant. I was pretty stunned. "So this is it...". Well not quite, I was moved to pretty well known IKEM Prague hospital...where they flat out told me, that I am not worthy of liver transplant and that they are going to take care of me, but that I should not expect any miracles. So yeah it was tough few days. Than minds of doctors changed. I am not sure why, but maybe it was that I have a GF who visited me every day, my friends, which I wanted to say "goodbye" or my words which I told to doctors. Something, I am still processing "why?", but nonetheless I am deeply grateful for this second chance. The surgery was not easy, I was 8 hours on the table and then I have 2 more revisions of that surgery. Grand total: 18 hours of saving my life... Then I was administered with opiates for pain management and proceed to be fucked up like never before, it's pretty insane what brain can do. Not that I want to experiment with those substances, I've heard to much bad stories about that to even be near them. And now I am laying in hospital for recovery and thinking what I am going to do next, in my new life. Luckily in here I got Lyrica (Pregabalin) and I feel stabilized. Hopefully, I will get a prescription when I am going to be dismissed from here.

So what I wanted to say, that liver Cirrhosis could be closer than you might think. If you have any problem with Alcohol get help, it's not worth the risk. If you have some mental disease and you need to drink, get better doctor, immediately. It's not so harmless substance. Sadly, I am living example what it could do... I am ashamed of that, I was ashamed to drink, so I did that in quietness of my house mostly. But not exclusively. It's a shitty habit to have and 4 years was enough to almost got me killed.

So take care of yourselves folks, it's not a laughing matter and thanks to doctors, nurses, staff in IKEM Prague for saving my life.

Side note: I don't think that socialized health care is a bad think, I've got new liver for merely 60 buck per month at no extra cost (even though the price for new liver and surgery is around 65 grand of freedom dollars), sure I was at the mercy of doctors, but all in all, it's hardly a bad deal...

 

[_Karooo]

In this month I've turned yellow and needed to be hospitalized

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Who donated a new liver so fast? Was it cadaver?

Edited: people might take it the wrong way

 

[SolVanderlyn]

Hope you pull through. Sorry to hear you're having such a bad experience.

If you don't mind me asking, how old are you and how long did you drink for?

 

[CyberCaesar]

This is a million dollar surgery and treatment in the United States.

 

[grang]

lmao xD

Who donated a new liver so fast? Was it cadaver?

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Why the fuck are you laughing? Jaundice turns you yellow and is a sign of liver failure.

 

[_Karooo]

Why the fuck are you laughing? Jaundice turns you yellow and is a sign of liver failure.

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I know. The way he said it was funny.

 

[Dan]

Wishing you all the best, and speedy + very healthy recovery, OP. Keep us informed on your progress.

 

[smokey5604]

I wish you the best on your new lease on life. Alcoholism is a horrible beast and it takes a lot to overcome it. Take care of yourself man.

 

[pigeon_interrupted]

Good luck, M1chl. As someone who also struggles with addiction. This is like the ultimate second chance.

 

[Deleted member 8561]

I am not writing this to be interesting or anything like that. I am here to maybe warn some users about what happened to me. I have GAD (Generalized Anxiety Disorder), which is pretty shitty mental health disease. I am not here to make excuses, but this shit is solely responsible for my drinking problem.

See, I had been abstinent, completely. Well, till 2015 when this disease struck. Till then I was hooked on Alcohol when I felt anxious. Yes, I have attended many doctors, but hardly anything worked. Well Benzodiazepines did, but at one time I got cut off of my dose and W/D was brutal. So after that, I search for something which does not form dependence (funny, I know, when I was boozing like crazy). I remember when I have problem with Sciatica nerve, I took Pregabalin, which not only ease the pain, but it made me calm and well, normal. Sadly after Pfizer have class-action lawsuit, this medicine is very hard to get hands on. At least in my country. I was still getting prescribed some useless anti-depressants, which obviously does not work or Benzos which I don't want, but sadly they worked, so I have, thanks to doctors which change doses quite often, many W/Ds. Alcohol makes more bearable, so I form a habit of heavy drinking, it was not a problem to down 2x 0.7l bottle of 40% (80 proof) Alcohol per day, when I had particular bad day. I've never had a hangover or anything like that, so it was easy to feel that Alcohol did no damage to my body since it help me through the day, to be productive or at least I could do stuff. I am know that my self-delusion was strong.

Well, until this May. In this month I've turned yellow and needed to be hospitalized. In hospital they've told me, that I am not going to make it, if I am not going to get a liver transplant. I was pretty stunned. "So this is it...". Well not quite, I was moved to pretty well known IKEM Prague hospital...where they flat out told me, that I am not worthy of liver transplant and that they are going to take care of me, but that I should not expect any miracles. So yeah it was tough few days. Than minds of doctors changed. I am not sure why, but maybe it was that I have a GF who visited me every day, my friends, which I wanted to say "goodbye" or my words which I told to doctors. Something, I am still processing "why?", but nonetheless I am deeply grateful for this second chance. The surgery was not easy, I was 8 hours on the table and then I have 2 more revisions of that surgery. Grand total: 18 hours of saving my life... Then I was administered with opiates for pain management and proceed to be fucked up like never before, it's pretty insane what brain can do. Not that I want to experiment with those substances, I've heard to much bad stories about that to even be near them. And now I am laying in hospital for recovery and thinking what I am going to do next, in my new life. Luckily in here I got Lyrica (Pregabalin) and I feel stabilized. Hopefully, I will get a prescription when I am going to be dismissed from here.

So what I wanted to say, that liver Cirrhosis could be closer than you might think. If you have any problem with Alcohol get help, it's not worth the risk. If you have some mental disease and you need to drink, get better doctor, immediately. It's not so harmless substance. Sadly, I am living example what it could do... I am ashamed of that, I was ashamed to drink, so I did that in quietness of my house mostly. But not exclusively. It's a shitty habit to have and 4 years was enough to almost got me killed.

So take care of yourselves folks, it's not a laughing matter and thanks to doctors, nurses, staff in IKEM Prague for saving my life.

Side note: I don't think that socialized health care is a bad think, I've got new liver for merely 60 buck per month at no extra cost (even though the price for new liver and surgery is around 65 grand of freedom dollars), sure I was at the mercy of doctors, but all in all, it's hardly a bad deal...

Click to shrink...

Hope you get the help you need and that the next few months go smoothly with the whole organ rejection routine (for liver transplants this is almost never life threatening and just involves drugs to suppress your body's reaction to the foreign organ.)

And as for the underlined, my friend a liver transplant + ICU for days on end is going to cost well over a million dollars without insurance. (And even with insurance the allowed rate would be a fraction of the hospital bill, but this is why you have insurence, because it's much harder to fight a hospital bill and not have to deal with the insurers allowed rate.)

 

[M1chl]

Hope you get the help you need and that the next few months go smoothly with the whole organ rejection routine (for liver transplants this is almost never life threatening and just involves drugs to suppress your body's reaction to the foreign organ.)

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Well I guess I am fine on Pregabalin, obviously I feel pretty nervous about the future, but hopefully I manage to function normally. I take Tacrolimus for organ rejection routine, so hopefully it's a good drug.

And as for the underlined, my friend a liver transplant + ICU for days on end is going to cost well over a million dollars without insurance. (And even with insurance the allowed rate would be a fraction of the hospital bill, but this is why you have insurence, because it's much harder to fight a hospital bill and not have to deal with the insurers allowed rate.)

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Well that's pretty insane price, I wonder how much insurance costs for normal human being. On average I mean. And with insurance, how much you need to pay for this time of surgery? It differs from hospital to hospital?

Anyway, I am grateful for what we have here, when I read this.

 

[M1chl]

Hope you pull through. Sorry to hear you're having such a bad experience.

If you don't mind me asking, how old are you and how long did you drink for?

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I am freshly 30 years old, with 4 years of heavy drinking experience. No Alcohol before. I also have some auto-immune disease (Psoriasis) which probably helped this to be so soon.

Wishing you all the best, and speedy + very healthy recovery, OP. Keep us informed on your progress.

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Thanks, I will keep you posted : )

I wish you the best on your new lease on life. Alcoholism is a horrible beast and it takes a lot to overcome it. Take care of yourself man.

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Yeah, I know. Luckily I have no urge to drink. Thank you very much, I hope that everything is going to be fine.

Good luck, M1chl. As someone who also struggles with addiction. This is like the ultimate second chance.

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I hope you manage to overcome you addiction, I wish you strength to do that. I know that there is not going to be a third chance, so I am trying to comprehend, how different is going to be my "new" life.

 

[Paquete_PT]

Take care of that liver op! Make sure you cherish it and the life it gives you (and don't forget the hundreds of people waiting for a liver transplant). Never miss your immunosuppressive drugs. You should talk to your doctors about finding something else, pregabalin is not supposed to be used the way you want it to and there have been some cases of pregabalin-induced liver toxicity.

 

[Aprikurt]

Two bottles of 40% proof alcohol a day? Jesus Christ man. You're lucky to be alive.

 

[Deleted member 8561]

Well that's pretty insane price, I wonder how much insurance costs for normal human being. On average I mean. And with insurance, how much you need to pay for this time of surgery? It differs from hospital to hospital?

Anyway, I am grateful for what we have here, when I read this.

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Insurance costs around ~480 a month if you take the national average, but different states have different averages for multiple varying reasons.

Of course if you have a job and your workplace offers benefits like insurance that greatly reduces the cost to just co-pays or what ever extra stuff you personally want to add on and pay for.

 

[M1chl]

Take care of that liver op! Make sure you cherish it and the life it gives you (and don't forget the hundreds of people waiting for a liver transplant). Never miss your immunosuppressive drugs. You should talk to your doctors about finding something else, pregabalin is not supposed to be used the way you want it to and there have been some cases of pregabalin-induced liver toxicity.

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I am well aware of that and I am strictly monitored, so if anything goes badly, it's going to change. I am not going to miss anything of my 10+ drugs which I have to take, at this moment. And obviously, I am going to take care of myself better now I've got second chance.

Two bottles of 40% proof alcohol a day? Jesus Christ man. You're lucky to be alive.

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Well, I know. That's pretty much what I wrote about. I am well aware of that.

Insurance costs around ~480 a month if you take the national average, but different states have different averages for multiple varying reasons.

Of course if you have a job and your workplace offers benefits like insurance that greatly reduces the cost to just co-pays or what ever extra stuff you personally want to add on and pay for.

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That's pretty hefty price to pay, I would be probably dead already if I were US citizen. Since I am sure that liver transplant, even with insurance, is going to be expensive.

 

[Powdered Egg]

You would have been dead or bankrupt in America OP. Stay healthy and please be on top of things, good luck!

 

[Deleted member 7051]

This is a million dollar surgery and treatment in the United States.

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Do you have to pay a deposit for the liver first and then monthly installments afterwards or do they just want it all up front? 😏

 

[M1chl]

You would have been dead or bankrupt in America OP. Stay healthy and please be on top of things, good luck!

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Yeah it seems like I would be most likely dead. And yeah I planning to stay healthy, this was lesson like no other before.

 

[_Karooo]

So who donated the liver? Family or cadaver? I assume the immunosuppressive drugs will be lesser than what's required for a kidney transplant. Anyway, take care of it OP and don't miss your medications.

 

[Taker34]

Damn, I know you from posting on the gaming side. That must have been rough, I wish you the best going forward. Thankfully we have a really robust social safety net in Europe. Get well soon! You don't get many second chances in life after all.

 

[M1chl]

So who donated the liver? Family or cadaver? I assume the immunosuppressive drugs will be lesser than what's required for a kidney transplant. Anyway, take care of it OP and don't miss your medications.

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I have to give 15 signs that I am not going to say a word about it, but at the same time I don't know who was it. It was from cadaver around my age, I was told. Since my arrival to IKEM, I waited around a week for new liver. It was pretty quick. Obviously I have many dialysis before that, so I was prepared for the surgery.

I take 14mg of Tacrolimus (drug name is Advagraf), I am not sure how much you need to take with kidney transplant.

I am going to take care of my new liver and I am not going to miss on my medication.

Damn, I know you from posting on the gaming side. That must have been rough, I wish you the best going forward. Thankfully we have a really robust social safety net in Europe. Get well soon! You don't get many second chances in life after all.

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Well and I wrote almost all those replies on gaming side under influence... So yeah. It was not rough, if you don't think about it. If you do, than it was the biggest lesson, I probably ever going to get and also biggest chance in life. I am well aware of that and hopefully everything is going to be fine in my life.

 

[exodus]

Wow, we are freakishly similar. Also have anxiety...was never diagnosed but it runs it the family. Also have Psoriasis. And definitely need to stop drinking. I'm at the 4-5 drinks a day far too frequently right now. Thank you for sharing this.

 

[oledome]

I hope you recover well OP and that you're able to manage your addiction going forward 👍

 

[SolVanderlyn]

I am freshly 30 years old, with 4 years of heavy drinking experience. No Alcohol before. I also have some auto-immune disease (Psoriasis) which probably helped this to be so soon.

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Oh man. I'm the same age and have been drinking even longer than you...

I hope stories like yours can convince people suffering from alcoholism to cut back or stop. Me included.

 

[M1chl]

Wow, we are freakishly similar. Also have anxiety...was never diagnosed but it runs it the family. Also have Psoriasis. And definitely need to stop drinking. I'm at the 4-5 drinks a day far too frequently right now. Thank you for sharing this.

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Well, than be very careful what you are doing, since I was told that Psoriasis played a role, why I had liver problem so soon. Have you ever had a Psoriasis Outbreak? Because if you have, that means your liver is in bad shape. I have one in 2017, stopped drinking and it was fine, but sadly relapsed and well, you know the rest. Seriously though, get help.

I hope you recover well OP and that you're able to manage your addiction going forward 👍

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I hope so too, it seems now that I can do it, but well, it only "seems". I still don't know the real life, I am still in hospital.

Oh man. I'm the same age and have been drinking even longer than you...

I hope stories like yours can convince people suffering from alcoholism to cut back or stop. Me included.

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Well maybe you have not been drinking as much as I had. But honestly, I would be really careful and get some help.

 

[Deleted member 28474]

Thanks for sharing your story, friend.

I've struggled with alcohol because of anxiety myself.

Hope your recovery is smooth and goes well.

 

[big_z]

Wow, we are freakishly similar. Also have anxiety...was never diagnosed but it runs it the family. Also have Psoriasis. And definitely need to stop drinking. I'm at the 4-5 drinks a day far too frequently right now. Thank you for sharing this.

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Same club here but I've been able to get rid of my psoriasis(or at least put it in years of remission) and largely stopped drinking to focus on fitness. Anxiety still sucks though.

You would have been dead or bankrupt in America OP. Stay healthy and please be on top of things, good luck!

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What happens in the states if you do get surgery and it bankrupts you? Do hospitals still hunt you down regardless until you've paid up or push the debt onto next of kin?

 

[Keikaku]

Get well OP and seriously drop alcohol forever.

 

[exodus]

Well, than be very careful what you are doing, since I was told that Psoriasis played a role, why I had liver problem so soon. Have you ever had a Psoriasis Outbreak? Because if you have, that means your liver is in bad shape. I have one in 2017, stopped drinking and it was fine, but sadly relapsed and well, you know the rest. Seriously though, get help.

Click to shrink...

I have guttate psoriasis. I've gotten 2 major outbreaks to date. Both came on after strep throat. Only get a new spot occasionally now.

 

[doublechocochip]

Same club here but I've been able to get rid of my psoriasis(or at least put it in years of remission) and largely stopped drinking to focus on fitness. Anxiety still sucks though.




What happens in the states if you do get surgery and it bankrupts you? Do hospitals still hunt you down regardless until you've paid up or push the debt onto next of kin?

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If you file for bankruptcy, it discharges the debt and is supposed stop collection. Your credit score takes a massive hit though. It will affect your ability to get loans and mortgages.

 

[Valcrist]

Never drank alcohol in my life. Join me, friend! I'm glad you got what you needed. Best wishes. I'm sure life feels a lot more of a gift to you than it did before. Take care of yourself.

 

[M1chl]

Get well OP and seriously drop alcohol forever.

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Well, I have to, so consider it done.

Never drank alcohol in my life. Join me, friend! I'm glad you got what you needed. Best wishes. I'm sure life feels a lot more of a gift to you than it did before. Take care of yourself.

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Well I was in your club till my 26. birthday, so I know how it is and now I have to move to your club if I want to or not, since no third chance.

 

[Weltall Zero]

God, that was grueling to read, I can't imagine actually living through it. My most heartfelt empathy. :(

Depression and anxiety fucking suck, and medication is often the lesser of two evils, but because of how wildly differently it affects people and how many side effects they have, it's still a pretty big evil. Just finding out what works for you can be a nightmare.

 

[B_Spooky13]

Congrats man hope it all goes smoothly

How much were you drinking? 2 bottles of Fifths?

 

[Valcrist]

Well, I have to, so consider it done.



Well I was in your club till my 26. birthday, so I know how it is and now I have to move to your club if I want to or not, since no third chance.

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My liver is gradually getting worse due to my weight. I have a vice of my own, soda! Which I have drank nonstop since I was a child. I dropped it 3 months ago. I've learned to love water.

 

[M1chl]

God, that was grueling to read, I can't imagine actually living through it. My most heartfelt empathy. :(

Depression and anxiety fucking suck, and medication is often the lesser of two evils, but because of how wildly differently it affects people and how many side effects they have, it's still a pretty big evil. Just finding out what works for you can be a nightmare.

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Well I lived though this nightmare, it's pretty strange that I've got medicine I needed in hospital, where I was put because, I have no access to said medicine before.

 

[TheMan]

How is your anxiety being treated now?

 

[Weltall Zero]

Than minds of doctors changed. I am not sure why, but maybe it was that I have a GF who visited me every day, my friends, which I wanted to say "goodbye" or my words which I told to doctors. Something, I am still processing "why?"

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According to Wikipedia, liver transplants are heavily filtered for (because livers themselves are very hard to come by), and they're not given to people who will likely keep drinking. So I'm guessing what changed is that the doctors had enough time to monitor you and confirm you have no issues giving up drinking for good / heavy withdrawal / etc.

Incidentally, the fact that doctors trusted you to be able to stay away from booze should probably also clear anyone's doubts here regarding your ability to stay clean.

Well I lived though this nightmare, it's pretty strange that I've got medicine I needed in hospital, where I was put because, I have no access to said medicine before.

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Yeah, I meant I can't imagine what it must be to have to live through (actually experience) it, not that I can't imagine surviving it.

 

[M1chl]

Congrats man hope it all goes smoothly

How much were you drinking? 2 bottles of Fifths?

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Not sure what it bottle of Fifths, but I have been drinking a lot, sometimes 1.4l of 40% Alcohol volume.

My liver is gradually getting worse due to my weight. I have a vice of my own, soda! Which I have drank nonstop since I was a child. I dropped it 3 months ago. I've learned to love water.

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So keep up the good work, I have no such habit so I don't know how hard is to drop the soda. And well, I was fat due to alcohol, but thanks to this surgery I've lost like 30Kg in short period of time and now I weight around 85kg while 191cm in height.

 

[CyberCaesar]

Do you have to pay a deposit for the liver first and then monthly installments afterwards or do they just want it all up front? 😏

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The hospital will do a full financial report to determine if you can afford it. Sorta like a mortgage.

 

[abrasivemurk]

My liver is gradually getting worse due to my weight. I have a vice of my own, soda! Which I have drank nonstop since I was a child. I dropped it 3 months ago. I've learned to love water.

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How did you learn the state of your liver?

 

[abrasivemurk]

Not sure what it bottle of Fifths, but I have been drinking a lot, sometimes 1.4l of 40% Alcohol volume.



So keep up the good work, I have no such habit so I don't know how hard is to drop the soda. And well, I was fat due to alcohol, but thanks to this surgery I've lost like 30Kg in short period of time and now I weight around 85kg while 191cm in height.

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What was the official diagnosis for your condition? Acute liver failure?

 

[M1chl]

According to Wikipedia, liver transplants are heavily filtered for (because livers themselves are very hard to come by), and they're not given to people who will likely keep drinking. So I'm guessing what changed is that the doctors had enough time to monitor you and confirm you have no issues giving up drinking for good / heavy withdrawal / etc.

Incidentally, the fact that doctors trusted you to be able to stay away from booze should probably also clear anyone's doubts here regarding your ability to stay clean.



Yeah, I meant I can't imagine what it must be to have to live through (actually experience) it, not that I can't imagine surviving it.

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Well it is surprisingly easy to live through. And well, I have no W/D whatsoever and now I don't feel like I even want to be close to Alcohol, so I guess I could live with that.

 

[Valcrist]

How did you learn the state of your liver?

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I have multiple sclerosis and I get my blood tested regularly. My numbers have been going up steadily and they were wondering if it was the medicine I get infused once a month for my MS - but my doctor said it's just fatty liver basically and if I lose weight I should be alright.

 

[B_Spooky13]

Not sure what it bottle of Fifths, but I have been drinking a lot, sometimes 1.4l of 40% Alcohol volume.

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Oh wow. So you were drinking just under what us Americans call a "Handle". Which is about 1.7L. That is alot. Around 39 shots

Well I'm happy you got this second chance

 

[M1chl]

What was the official diagnosis for your condition? Acute liver failure?

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Yes, it was accute liver failure.

Oh wow. So you were drinking just under what us Americans call a "Handle". Which is about 1.7L. That is alot. Around 39 shots

Well I'm happy you got this second chance

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Well, I am happy too, I would not be here if not for second chance.

 

[DrM]

Yeah it seems like I would be most likely dead. And yeah I planning to stay healthy, this was lesson like no other before.

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My dad had a liver transplant 8 years ago and informational bill at the arrival home was around 200.000 €. Not to mention the prices of medicine he needs to take...

Just be aware of possible rejection. My dad had two and luckily he felt that something is wrong and went to the hospital same day.

 

[Nothing Loud]

Yeah the Czech drink more per capita than any other Europeans last I read. Is it common to find people who drank as much as you? I'm sorry to hear about your struggles. I also have a very difficult to treat generalized anxiety disorder. Traditional medications haven't worked for me except for benzos. However I have always been very careful with my rarely used Xanax dosage and I never mix it with alcohol. Nowadays a mix of mirtazapine and buspirone has helped me manage most of my daily anxiety. You're very lucky to be alive with having alcoholism and a benzo addiction. Good luck to you in the future.

 

[rafiki]

2x 0.7l bottle of 40% and no hangover? wow

and it really makes me happy that you acknowledge your problems and are grateful for this new life. Remember this liver could have easily gone to someone else, but you were chosen. Please don't waste it away, make each day count