Most recent bloodwork...

[Panhandler80]

Had some bloodwork done on Friday. For the past 3 or 4 years I've really been trying to cut back on alcohol and I've been failing. Last Dr. visit he said if things don't improve substantially he wants me to go to Houston for a litany of tests. He said to cut out booze ENTIRELY and come back in three months. Well, I wasn't able to do that, but I did cut out almost all week night drinking. FINALLY, an improvement. I was dreading coming into work this morning and looking at results. I still have some work to do, but at least now I can justify better behavior. Anyway, just wanted to share in case anybody else out there is struggling with it. There REALLY IS reason to make better choices.

On 1/30/2026:
BIL - 1.4
AST - 64
ALT - 122

On 5/15/2026:
BIL - 1.3
AST - 47
ALT - 83

Again, not great, but at least headed in the right direction. Dr. appointment is this Friday. He'll still be displeased, but again, at least we're improving.

 

[DesertPinstripes]

Nice work. Keep it going! Hope that you find the positive impact in bloodwork motivating.

 

[atmat]

There are lots of behavioral therapy treatments that can support you in eliminating alcohol.

But interestingly, recent data suggests that GLP-1 receptor antagonists support drinking cessation.

All that to say, if you’re overweight and/or have other comorbidities that would permit insurance to cover a GLP-1, you might ask your physician about it.

In general, GLP-1’s are also associated with improved liver health.

 

[Poser]

I had a good friend who had similar liver numbers as your first set of data and he just refused to stop drinking. He ended up dying in a liver failure related coma in his mid 50s. You made good progress in that 3 month window, but if you want to give your liver the best chance to repair itself, you'll really want to consider 0 alcohol for a 3 month stretch. It would seem in your grasp, based on the changes of this 3 month window, that you could get back into normal range.

 

[Panhandler80]

There are lots of behavioral therapy treatments that can support you in eliminating alcohol.

But interestingly, recent data suggests that GLP-1 receptor antagonists support drinking cessation.

All that to say, if you’re overweight and/or have other comorbidities that would permit insurance to cover a GLP-1, you might ask your physician about it.

On tirzepatide now. Have lost about 30 pounds. 6'1 and at 190 pounds.

 

[atmat]

On tirzepatide now. Have lost about 30 pounds. 6'1 and at 190 pounds.

How long have you been on it?

 

[Panhandler80]

I had a good friend who had similar liver numbers as your first set of data and he just refused to stop drinking. He ended up dying in a liver failure related coma in his mid 50s. You made good progress in that 3 month window, but if you want to give your liver the best chance to repair itself, you'll really want to consider 0 alcohol for a 3 month stretch. It would seem in your grasp, based on the changes of this 3 month window, that you could get back into normal range.

Man. I hate to hear that. My last visit to the Dr his exact words were, "You need to get this under control, or it IS going to bite you."

I'm 45. Like I said, definitely room for improvement, but happy to at least be moving right direction. Still too much excess, but at least I can now say that having restraint is helping. Just need more restraint!

 

[Panhandler80]

How long have you been on it?

Started in early Nov of last year.

 

[ChrisA]

Man. I hate to hear that. My last visit to the Dr his exact words were, "You need to get this under control, or it IS going to bite you."

I'm 45. Like I said, definitely room for improvement, but happy to at least be moving right direction. Still too much excess, but at least I can now say that having restraint is helping. Just need more restraint!

Don't wait until your 49 to give alcohol the boot like I did. In hindsight, I'd loved to have quit at 45, or 3 decades before that. Good luck sir, pm is good if you'd like to reach out.

 

[atmat]

Started in early Nov of last year.

So you’re still early into it. Your numbers have improved significantly from January to present. Not to minimize they’re still high — but keep it up.

 

[EastHumboldt]

Keep up the good work and double down on it. It takes guts to come on here and talk about stuff like this.

I really like a beer or a scotch at the end of the day, but I’ve cut back to one drink a week. It’s a comfort ritual with me. If I have two in the evening it wakes me up at 3 or 4 am, and if I have one I fall asleep on the couch. It saps my energy, which I don’t have as much of as I used to. I’ve replaced the cocktail comfort ritual with popsicles. The kind with no added sugar, which may be marginally healthier than the other kind.

One thing you should think about. Experts in addiction say this about it. “ If you remember the last time you had X, and you find yourself thinking about the next time you have X, if you forget lots of little things but you never forget your X. If you need X to get you through stressful situations or as a little reward for whatever, then you are addicted to X”. So think hard and honestly with yourself about whether you’re addicted. If you are, you’ll have a very hard time sticking with whatever changes you make. If you are, you’ll need to admit it and get some kind of help. Deciding to quit is an essential first step, but Very very few people are able to just quit an addictive substance by deciding to do so.

Most of the men in my family, (including me) and my mom have been high functioning addicts for periods of their lives. Mostly alcohol, but other things as well. I’m not an alcohol addict, I’m a nicotine addict.

 

[HuntHarder]

On tirzepatide now. Have lost about 30 pounds. 6'1 and at 190 pounds.

That's almost considered skinny. Keep up the work brotha, dieing of liver failure would be one of the worst ways to go, knowing you had plenty of chances to fix it. We lost a friend at 45 y.o. to liver failure. Dr's told her it was going to happen if she didn't change her ways and it did. Left behind a 9 y.o. boy.