Water in the body
July 5, 2010 | 10,00 EUR | answered by Dr. med. Olaf Stephan
Hello, my friend has thrombosis, chronic, swollen legs, feet, and hands. He also has a very swollen abdomen, with some bruises in the liver area. He doesn't eat much. He is also an alcoholic and drinks three to four bottles of beer every day, unfortunately nothing else. I am very worried because he absolutely refuses to go to the doctor. I don't know why. I am very afraid, I don't want to lose him. Oh, he is 53 years old. Please reply to me soon. I will wait.
Dear inquirer,
Your question can be answered relatively shortly and simply: your friend should urgently and as soon as possible see a general practitioner. Apparently, he is suffering from a serious liver problem due to alcohol abuse, possibly already with cirrhosis of the liver. The water retention in the legs and possibly also in the abdomen (so-called ascites) are symptoms of a rather advanced liver disease, which is always life-threatening. In any case, your friend should immediately stop drinking alcohol, although this is only possible for alcoholics under medical supervision (detox treatment). Individual motivation and the support of the social environment of the person concerned are highly necessary here. To emphasize once again, it is absolutely essential to see a doctor (preferably an internist or general practitioner) soon and start treatment, I hope you can motivate your friend in this regard.
Best regards, O. Stephan.
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