Doctor outlines 7 signs of Alcoholic Liver Disease (ascites, Caput Medusae, jaundice & more)

In this video Dr O'Donovan outlines 7 clinical signs of alcoholic liver disease, including scleral icterus, caput medusae, ascites, spider neavi, and asterixis (aka flapping tremor) -- plus more.

This video contains clinical photographs to facilitate your learning.

Remember these signs are not specific to alcoholic liver disease and can be seen in other forms of liver disease such as Hepatitis.

For more information on alcoholic liver disease please see the following resources:

If you or a person you know are struggling with alcohol addition and live in the UK please access this resource:

If you live in the USA please see this resource:

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Disclaimer:

The video is intended as an educational resource only. The information within this video or on this channel isn't designed to replace professional input, so if you have any medical issues please consult a medical provider. No professional relationship is being created by watching this video. Dr. O’Donovan cannot give any individual medical advice. All information should be verified for accuracy by the individual user. Dr O’Donovan accepts no responsibility for individual interpretation of data, although it is always accurate to the best of his knowledge at the time of the video being published.

[ianashton]

Am 69 and have been a drinker since I was in my teens. Never considered myself an alcoholic but often drank heavily. Of late, I was suffering with really bad acid reflux every time I had a glass of wine so I decided to stop drinking completely. Have not had acid reflux since and have lost weight too. Am sleeping much better, the brain fog I used to get on a regular basis has gone and it’s also meant I’m saving money and putting it towards more constructive things. Wish I’d done it years ago and it proves it’s never too late to stop 👍

[Toomuchforyall]

Going on 3 weeks being sober from alcohol I can definitely say it was one of the greatest thing I ever gave up. I feel more energetic, my anxiety are under control, and I lost a significant amount of belly. For those who are suffering you are not alone you have to look at alcohol as poison, it’s not easy whenever you have the will to end it trust me it will definitely be worth it. Stay strong!!! Never give up

*SN quick update it’s been 8 months since I last had alcohol almost to a year. Stay strong my friends the process may seem long but it will be worth it in the end. Your skin and body will glow once you stopped completely you’ll realize it wasn’t so bad and you won’t have any urges to drink.

[Namaste]

Lord help my daughter to stop drinking alcohol

[nothulkhogan]

Going into day 3 of sobriety wish me luck and prayers couldn't hert either 😊

[LeevyMessiah]

Enjoying my sobriety since 28 Novermber 2021 and still going and not going back to that messy life.. Lord I'm thankful 🙏🏽👏

[djm]

One year ago today, my husband was brought home for hospice care. He died five days later from alcoholic liver disease and he had every one of the symptoms listed in this video. If you have a drinking problem, please get help. You do not want to die like this!

[spaceted]

I stopped drinking alchohol about 38 years ago !!!! Now I'm 68 yrs old !!!! My father who was an alchoholic, died when he was 58, and he had yellow bloodshot eyes and a bright Red Nose !!!! Giving up Alchohol was the best thing I ever did !!!! I also gave up Smoking at the same time !!!!

[Bidenislying]

My first marriage was with an alcoholic, my second marriage was with an alcoholic, both of tbe men wouldn't change and died from drinking and abusing their bodies. I decided that I need to be the best me possible and not abuse my self. No more drinking or smoking. I have been alcohol free and stopped vaping. I am 57 and medicine free, my health has aches and pains but other than that I feel stronger.

[jamsbarry]

Last August, I noticed my eyes had turned yellow and 2 days later my liver and kidneys failed. They also had to drain that liquid out of my stomach a few times... 4 to 5 liters at a time. It was soooo scary to have gone through that, but I've been sober since then, almost a year now. I wish I hadn't let it get that far along, but I'm Happy to be alive and sober !! Anyone reading this... if you are struggling, ask for help ! Don't wait ! You may not get a chance later !

[ianstewartorr]

Acute pancreatitis got me at 47 and nearly killed me I’ve been sober ten years now to beat this alcoholicism I must die a sober man then I’ll have beaten it greetings from Scotland 🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧

[cannibasqueen]

My cousin is in a medical induced coma due to cirrhosis for the last six days.Please if you are spiritual or go to church Im asking for prayers for her! With God and our prayers she will make it!

[healthyhabits_]

Thankyou for sharing this, sending love to everyone struggling with alcoholism and those in recovery.

[upjxmtj]

These signs, among others, may not alarm or frighten you, but the last sign that he mentioned should. A complication known as Hepatic Encephalopathy; I don't understand all the dynamics of this complication, but when I witnessed it, - it scared the living hell out of me. When you see someone you love more than anything else in the world develope this, it is devastatingly heartbreaking, - especially if you are standing helplessly alongside them in a hospital room while four nurses are holding them down and necessarily hurting them. It is absolute agony. They'll anxiously or hopelessly stare right at you, calling-out your name, - over and over and over. They'll be screaming for you, and you're assuring them right into their face or ear and it's absolutely hopeless. I have never known heart-tearing agony like that. My God, if you're a heavy drinker,
PLEASE at least think about this. I know the idea of stopping is like just, - there's just no way, - believe me, I understand this all too damn well. My own personal alcoholism was so bad, I had to finally leave the whole State to work it out in ... nevermind, it was hell. But thank God, I took away what I'd learned, and spent several years alone out there, and finally, I was free. If I can do it, - I KNOW that you can to. Please believe me. Please don't mess around with yourself in this way, I swear to God, eventually your body's gonna crash, and when it does, failures don't like to be alone. When one thing shuts down, everybody seems to follow the leader.
Well, I feel like I've kinda made an ass out of myself here. But if humiliating myself allows just one person out there to think about it, - just think about it, - my naivete and embarrassment was worth a thousand prayers.

[nikkimitchell]

I'm 38 in my early 30s I started to get the spider type veins all over my chest and they were moving up my neck. So grateful I quit alcohol 5 yrs ago this February 7th ❤️ #WEDORECOVER

[Salty-cracker]

21 years sober…..alcohol is so terribly addictive and dangerous

[lanebashford]

As a longtime RN, the sickest patients I ever cared for had alcoholic cirrhosis. Everyone's heard the old saying, "there's worse things than death" and IMO cirrhosis is way worse than death. The patient is extremely uncomfortable with his swollen abdomen and ascites (fluid). Most cirrhotic patients also have some degree of renal failure as well. Their diet is fluid, protein and sodium restricted. They can't eat much of anything and they truly need protein to heal but too much will put them into hepatic encephalopathy and cause them to go into a coma. Some of them are still addicted to alcohol which makes everything worse. The swollen belly can sometimes leak peritoneal fluid and they'll get peritonitis. They have to take huge amounts of laxatives in order to help flush out the high amount of bilirubin in their stool from their failing liver. They're in pain and can't have much of anything for pain because it could kill them or cause them to go into a coma. These patients are truly miserable and the disease process lasts for a year or two until death. I have never seen or heard of anyone beating cirrhosis. It's pretty much fatal. I got very close with the family members of patients with cirrhosis and I was always truthful and honest with them, explaining everything we were doing for their loved one. It's a very sad situation.

[josedelossantos]

I was so addicted to drinking there was not one day I wouldn't drink until I developed gastritis and I got very bad abdominal pain couldn't eat or drink anything . Now I'm a month sober

[paisley]

My Father passed of kidney failure due to cirrhosis 1 month after I turned 8, he was 37. I am now 60. It destroys everyone's life around you, not just yours the alcoholics. The people left behind to pick up the pieces are the ones that suffer the trauma. My Father functioned very well to the end. Did not miss work, held the same job for 19 yrs, ECT. You would never guess it. There was a barrel of empty whiskey bottles in our basement, you never saw him without a beer and a Camel cigarette. Or Lucky Strikes. I wonder if he ever looked at a bottle and thought " my kids need me more than I need this"? Apparently not.

[robme]

I'm 40 and I've been drinking 6-10 light beers day for 18 years before quitting cold turkey. I luckily didn't get any of these. When I quit I only had minor withdrawals; morning headaches, trouble sleeping, and low energy for about 4-5 days. It took me about 3 months to loose the mental cravings and start to look healthy.

[teresaeckhardt]

LORD, ,THANK YOU FOR HELPING EVERYONE DEALING WITH LIVER and KIDNEY AND INFLAMMATION DISEASES...