Do I Have Alcoholic Hepatitis?

Do you have abdominal tenderness, especially on the upper right side beneath your lower ribs?

Do you have nausea and vomiting?

Do you vomit blood or material that looks like coffee grounds?

Do you have yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes (jaundice)?

Do you have poor appetite and lose weight (you look malnourished and skinny)?

Do you have low grade fever, usually fewer than 100 F?

Do you feel fatigue and weakness?

Do you feel confused, or have memory problems, lack of mental clarity or inability to focus?

Are you a heavy drinker (you drink more than 3.5 ounces (100 grams) of alcohol daily –approximately seven glasses of wine, seven beers or seven shots of spirits)?

Do you regularly drink large amounts of alcohol daily, for more than 10 years?

Do you binge drinking (having five or more drinks within two hours for men and four or more for women)?

Are you overweight?

Are you a woman, African-American or Hispanic?

Based on your answers it is unlikely that you have alcoholic hepatitis. Alcoholic hepatitis is an inflammatory disease of the liver caused by heavy drinking over many years. The only safe way to prevent alcoholic hepatitis is to avoid drinking alcohol. But, if you want to drink, consume alcohol in moderation. If you are a man younger than 65, you can have up to two drinks a day, and if you are a woman of all ages or a man over 65, you can enjoy in one drink daily. Check with your doctor before you mix medications and alcohol and tray to protect yourself from hepatitis C.

Based on your answers there is a possibility that you have alcoholic hepatitis. Alcoholic hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver that occurs in people who drink a lot for many years. Over 90 percent of alcohol you drink will be processed by your liver. While breaking down alcohol, the liver creates toxic substances that can cause inflammation and damage to liver cells. Over time, the scar will replace healthy liver tissue, causing your liver to work improperly. The final stage of alcoholic liver disease is the formation of irreversible scars on the liver (cirrhosis). Treatment involves quit drinking, medications and counseling.

Based on your answers there is a high possibility that you have alcoholic hepatitis. Alcoholic hepatitis is a serious liver disease characterized by inflammation of the liver caused by excessive alcohol consumption over a number of years. People with alcoholic hepatitis must stop drinking alcohol immediately, because that is the only way to reverse the liver damage. The liver is a vital organ and you cannot live without it, so people with alcoholic hepatitis, who still drink alcohol, are literally putting their lives in danger. Treatment also includes dietary changes and prescribed medications. In severe cases, a liver transplant is a treatment option as well.