Could it be hepatitis?

Ever since July I haven't felt the greatest, and my symptoms seem to be getting worse. I already have herpes, so my immune system in general isn't the greatest. Was also a prior IV drug user, who used the same needles, and shared occasionally. I've recently started having bad right upper quadrant pain with itching all over my body, nothing helps it...(also an alcoholic, slowed down to just beer recently). Drinking is the only thing that seems to make the itch/pain go away. I've also noticed blisters on my fingers, but honestly I'm not sure if they could possibly be from when I was trashed drunk and possibly burnt myself with a cigarette or something. I also have bad lower back pain. Went to the doctor last Wednesday and I'm currently waiting on hep c/hiv results. Was at the ER earlier with a temperature over a 100 (been running a low grade fever for a while now), but all they did was give me iv fluids, wrote me visteril for the itching, did blood cultures, and sent off a test for lyme disease. And also told me just to wait for my hep panel results from my regular doctor. Please don't judge me, just asking for opinions and if anyone else has had any of the same symptoms? I know I've made plenty of bad decisions, so please keep the negative comments to yourself. Thanks, for hopefully kind replies.

hi Brooke

I am not the liver patient...my partner has had all that you describe...drugs.and alcohol. he has drug free for nearly 40 years. and alcohol free since Sept 2010. he was positive for hep c, Epstein barros, and cmv.

the local docs treated him like he deserved to be I'll, but when he got to a major liver doc, that all changed. he was very very ill...pain, weakness, mixed up sleeping schedule, edema in legs, terrible itching, AND he was,acting kinda,crazy/angry all the time. he had cirrhosis for sure. very advanced.

that was 2010. now he is sober, post liver transplant, cured of hep c, and back to his life.

it would be great if this has not gone too far for you...and that quitting drinking will be enough to slow down any liver damage.

let us hear from you.
hugs,
mama lama

hi Brooke,
glad to hear your doc ordered the ultrasound before your bloodwork comes back.. right upper pain can come from many issues. Ultrasounds of the abdomen, can rule out many of these issues..as well as help with diagnosis..

My cirrhosis has indeed healed somewhat. A fibroscan showed most of my liver has regenerated.. A small portion remains scarred, but my hepatologist said my liver is full function. I still have ultrasounds every 6 months to look for cancer. MY twin has liver cancer from hep c and alcohol.

may I ask how old you are? Just curious!!! chronic liver disease moves very slow. I got hep c in the 60s, and finally cleared it in 2012.. I was very lucky!