Feeling abdomen pressure and a whole lot of anxiety. What was your first month like? Am I overthinking things?
Hello! First-time poster (25M) here. I have pretty persistent health anxiety and would love some clarity on what the fatty liver journey looks like.
A little over a month ago, I went in to the urgent care with complaints about pressure and tightness in my upper right abdomen. Thought it would be gallstones, which runs in my family. Doctor called in an Ultrasound ASAP where the report found I have no gallbladder issues, but do have hepatic steatosis. The doc was very nonchalant and callous about the whole thing. Didn't want to order any further testing to determine cause/stage. Casually suggested I stop drinking (I was drinking a moderate amount, probably 2-3 drinks, 3-4 days a week) and vaguely recommended I eat healthier.
After doing reading on my own and getting more helpful advice from a primary care doc, I've been on the Mediterranean diet + alcohol-free for six weeks. I miss sweets and fried food a hell of a lot but I'm staying vigilant. Dropped about 6% of my bodyweight after the first two weeks of dieting and intermittent fasting, though the weight loss has stalled since. I got bloodwork and have normal levels on everything liver-related except for Bilirubin (1.8).
But I'm still often feeling that tightness and fullness in my upper right abdomen... And I can't help feeling paranoid something worse is going on. Is this normal / roughly what the first month post-diagnosis looked like for other folks? I'd love to be able to work small treats into my life again, in moderation. What steps can I take to help the healing process and get to a modified version of "normal"?