A Downsized Diagnosis

So, you’ve been diagnosed with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and your doctor brushed it off as “not serious.” Now, you’re sitting in a cloud of fear because you’ve just been diagnosed with a disease, but somehow you aren’t supposed to worry about it. Well, that was me nearly 4 years ago.

The first sign of NAFLD

The first symptom that gave me the inkling that something wasn’t right was the strange, dull ache on the right upper side of my abdomen that had been bothering me for longer than I was okay with. Did I think something was wrong? Not necessarily, but there was definitely something “off” about how I was feeling.

I noticed that this feeling amplified when I ate certain foods, especially after binging (a story for another time). Deep-fried, fatty, high-carb foods made the ache much stronger. I knew, deep down, there was a correlation, but when you are emotionally eating away your feelings, not much else matters or takes precedence.

At least, that’s how I felt, until I looked into my rearview mirror, felt the ache in my upper right quadrant, and would have bet my life that my eyes had a tint of yellow to them. An immediate trip to the emergency room for answers would end up marking the beginning of a 4-year-long journey of self-educating on liver health.

The frustration of a downsized NAFLD diagnosis

The ER was about as helpful as a perforated umbrella. Yellow in my eyes? No matter how many times I brought it up, they blew it off. Bloodwork came back relatively normal—nothing to raise any eyebrows. Even my liver enzymes were fairly normal. They performed an ultrasound and only discovered that my liver was slightly enlarged. Again, this was nothing to them.

They recommended that I see a gastroenterologist if I wanted further explanations, but as far as the ER was concerned, I was good to go. The only way I can describe the feeling flooding my mind is if you were to lie on your back, eyes closed, on a playground merry-go-round. I was spinning and spinning and spinning. To be quite honest, I was scared.

Navigating little to no concern

The gastroenterologist provided a few answers, but once again, there was a lack of urgency or concern. I had a FibroScan completed. Findings? NAFLD and Level 3 Steatosis. To me, the patient who wasn’t a doctor, nutritionist, or professional, these 2 diagnoses on their own sounded equivalent to “you’re done for.” My specialist said, “I am not worried about it.” I had no scarring or damage to my liver, which was a slight breath of fresh air for me. But over 67% of my liver had fatty deposits on it. This downsized NAFLD diagnosis didn’t sit right with me at all.

Taking control of my liver health

So, I took my diagnosis and paper handout, briefly reviewing the Mediterranean diet and its components. I then stopped by Walmart to buy notebooks, went home, sat at my computer, and began my research. Come to find out, unbeknownst to me and not thanks to any provider I had seen, I learned that the liver has a unique capacity to regenerate itself after damage.¹

I also learned that NAFLD can progress into NASH, which can progress into cirrhosis and irreversible liver damage.² This was further proof that NAFLD is a disease that should have a lot more exposure and awareness than it does. Just like that, I was becoming my own specialist and providing myself with much-needed answers to the questions I had that kept me up at night. The answers that would end up changing my life.

A new perspective on my NAFLD diagnosis

Nearly 4 years, a marriage, and 2 sweet babies later, I have learned how to incorporate parts of the Mediterranean diet into my life in ways that work for me. I have lowered my cholesterol, blood sugar, and liver enzymes. I lost 60 pounds before having my first baby, and now, 5 weeks postpartum with my second and last baby, I'm ready to lose the weight again and for good. I plan to have my second FibroScan within the next year to evaluate my progress.

From scared patient to empowered advocate

I went from a scared patient with a diagnosis of an unknown and potentially dangerous disease to an advocate and voice for everyone who has ever experienced what I have. For me, NAFLD was never something to fear; it became something to embrace, learn from, and better myself with, which is exactly what I have done. And if I can do it, so can you. You are not and never will be alone in this. At NASHDisease.net, we are all in this together, every step of the way. Cheers.