Quitting drinking was the best decision I ever made

As I write this, the sun is rising. This crisp, lovely time of year is my favorite season — the calm just before the holiday chaos kicks in. It’s when I start making pledges to myself, like, “Don’t overdo things.” And I know some of those promises will be broken somewhere between the Thanksgiving turkey and the Christmas eggnog. But there’s one pledge I know I’ll keep, because I’ve kept it for eight years: I will not drink.

If, like me, you have metabolic dysfunction‑associated steatohepatitis (MASH), you may wonder if drinking alcohol is ever safe. That’s a good question. I used to believe that it was just my genetics and poor diet that were causing trouble for my liver. I didn’t consider myself a heavy drinker. I’d have a glass of wine at night after work, and on weekends, cocktails with friends as we prepped for a fun night out.

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Most nights, I’d grab a ride share home, especially if I’d overindulged. I’d go home, sleep it off, and start fresh the next morning. Every now and then, I’d sleep all day. As I got older, those nights got harder to bounce back from. A little alcohol seemed fine, but too much left me hungover and generally sick. Nobody needs to befriend their toilet bowl that often. So after a few false starts, I quit drinking for good in 2017. Later that year, my diagnosis changed: Stage 3 liver disease became stage 4 — cirrhosis. I was devastated.

I’m thankful that I quit drinking when I did. Most people aren’t told to ditch alcohol until their doctor thinks they’re in full alcoholic territory. I’d been told that moderate drinking was fine. But for some of us, “moderate” has no safe bar. It was simpler for me to stop altogether. When doctors told me I was at end-stage liver disease, they were happy to cosign my promise not to drink. That promise? It’s my favorite one I’ve ever kept.

I recently read a study showing that for MASH patients, even moderate drinking can drive your liver toward cirrhosis and failure. I didn’t even blink when I read it. I already knew my decision was the right one. Even though I came close to death from this disease, I’ve been able to turn things around. I quit alcohol, I changed my diet (goodbye, fried foods), and I built a holistic plan to protect my liver from further damage.

It’s actually amazing how fast things shift when you stop drinking. On occasion, I still catch myself romanticizing alcohol, but those thoughts don’t last long. I realize now that each drop of alcohol I put into my body is poison for my liver (and other organs, too). Let’s be clear: Alcohol ads would have you believe in glamour, rooftop martinis, and dancing under Edison lights on the Upper East Side. When was the last time you experienced that? For me, it was about 20 years ago.

So, yes, this might bum some people out. But my goal here is education about ways you can live with MASH and protect your liver. We’re born with one liver (unless you’ve had a miracle transplant). You can’t just grab a replacement from the freezer at 7-Eleven. So take care of yourself and your liver. Drinking is a pleasure that can quickly flip into a nightmare when MASH is in play. Learn a few tasty mocktail recipes. You’ll be surprised how fast booze becomes a nonfactor in your life. Quitting puts you in full control.

Note: Liver Disease News is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The opinions expressed in this column are not those of Liver Disease News or its parent company, Bionews, and are intended to spark discussion about issues pertaining to liver disease.

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