What was your experience being diagnosed with NASH?

Back in the early 1990's I was giving blood to the Red Cross. After one donation, I received this "kind" letter from them that if I ever donate blood again, they were going to prosecute me. They said my blood failed the hepatitis test. So, I went to my doctor and gave him the letter, and he ordered a blood test. It came back that I had no Hepatitis enzymes in my body - not A, B or C; but my liver enzymes were quite high. He said that we would watch this. Over the years we watched it, and I developed diabetes. I was not given a specific diet, just knew I had to get my weight down - I was not particularly obese, and I exercised very hard. I played basketball, bikes 20-30 miles a day. I biked centuries once a year. One doctor gave me ultrasounds and one time a liver biopsy - all came back normal. Until October 12, 2020. I woke up feeling funny and could not stand up without collapsing. Went to the ER, ended up in the hospital with an esophageal bleed. My liver was full of cirrhosis, and I had two spots of HCC cancer. Now my only hope was a liver transplant. On September 5, I received a transplant at the University of Michigan. I wish I had known much earlier about NASH and how serious it was. I am going on my fifth year, and no cancer. I am so thankful for the Doctors who treated me at St. Mary's hospital in Grand Rapids, MI; and then the doctors at the University of Michigan Liver Transplant.

My Dr acted like it was nothing to worry about

I've had Fibromyalgia since 1993 (diagnosis then). So, I've lived with odd pain and sensitivity for years. Two years ago, I told my doctor that I was having a new and different pain, like my ribs were constricting whatever was under the rib on my right side. She sent me to a gastro/hepatologist who ordered additional bloodwork and a fibro scan. He said the bloodwork showed I was anemic and the fibro scan showed NASH and explained what it was. Said I was in Stage 1 Fibrosis. And that alcohol had nothing to do with a fatty liver. Also said I was overweight, elderly, and too sedentary. He made me feel demeaned and like this was all my fault. Then I started doing some researching. I found out that a lot of the medications I took for the fibromyalgia contributed to most of this. Unable to lose weight due to medications and the fact that a lot of drugs are harmful to the liver. I started doing research on natural supplements to help detox the liver. My last bloodwork showed improvement in my liver enzymes. I told my PCP I didn't want to go back to the hepatologist, and she is currently looking for someone with a better bedside manner. She agreed that NO ONE should feel demeaned when they go to a doctor.

Didn't need a biopsy. FibroScan showed stage 4. I was stupified. I was never a drinker so that didn't make sense to me.
I now know the types of liver disease and severity of the condition.

Why did it take so long to diagnose this?