“Fatty liver- can it get better?”
I was recently in the hospital for a prolonged fever. It turned out to be a tick born infection. During my stay they did an abdominal ultrasound that showed that I have a fatty liver. I have been a heavy drinker for years and the doctor told me it is imperative that I stop. My question is if I stop will my liver heal itself. Am I already in the beginning stages of cirrhosis or is this reversible? Can the liver regenerate?
8 Answers
#1 the only way to tell if there is any cirrhosis or scarring (on a microscopic level) is with a biopsy so without that, has it set in at all, no way to know
#2 yes fatty liver is reversible of you STOP doing the things that irritate the liver (ALCOHOL! TYLENOL!) Fatty liver is that middle stage "fork in the road" where it can be pushed in either direction. Stop drinking, be good to yourself, and it should go back to normal. It took a while to get that way and it will take some time to get back to normal but it will get there!
#2 yes fatty liver is reversible of you STOP doing the things that irritate the liver (ALCOHOL! TYLENOL!) Fatty liver is that middle stage "fork in the road" where it can be pushed in either direction. Stop drinking, be good to yourself, and it should go back to normal. It took a while to get that way and it will take some time to get back to normal but it will get there!
The liver is renowned for being very capable of renovating itself, at least prior to scarring (cirrhosis). If you revert to healthy lifestyles you have a good chance of getting a well functioning liver back. Heed your doctor's advice.
Fatty Liver is not one of the stages of Liver cirrhosis. Usually, people with high cholesterol or obesity will get fatty liver, even otherwise healthy people can have fatty liver. It is a non-specific finding.
Fortunately liver is one of the body organs that can regenerate. Stopping alcohol consumption is definitely the first best thing to do. Healthy eating, aerobic exercise, weight management are the next step.
This (fatty liver) is one of the diagnoses that I tell patients can be treated without prescribing medications. Yes you can treat fatty liver successfully, needs lots of commitment!
Haseeb Khawaja M.D. FACP
This (fatty liver) is one of the diagnoses that I tell patients can be treated without prescribing medications. Yes you can treat fatty liver successfully, needs lots of commitment!
Haseeb Khawaja M.D. FACP
Damage done by drinking alcohol is reversible unless liver is completely gone. If you stop drinking completely, you have chance to heal. Obviously, your doctor knows better about your liver status.
Once there is cirrhosis, that part of the liver cannot regenerate, but the other parts that show inflammation and fatty liver can certainly heal. I agree that quitting alcohol is very important.
possibly reversible if you completely stop the alcohol; need followup with your liver specialist
Your MD should also take some blood tests to define staging of liver damage, then the question of cirrhosis can be answered. And yes the liver has the ability to regenerate.
