A Scunthorpe woman who was diagnosed with liver disease is urging people to be aware of the condition’s signs, highlighting that it’s not always related to alcohol consumption.
Belinda Whitlock, who faced a misdiagnosis that delayed her treatment, is now working closely with healthcare teams to raise awareness of liver disease and its symptoms.
Whitlock described how her symptoms, which included chronic fatigue and pain in her right upper abdomen, were initially overlooked. “I had very vague symptoms, one of them being chronic fatigue, which was unusual for me,” she said. “I also experienced some discomfort in my right upper abdomen, but nothing that would warrant an emergency appointment. However, I knew something was wrong.”
Her journey began when she sought medical attention for what she believed were menopause-related symptoms. Initially, her doctor prescribed hormone replacement therapy (HRT) to address the issue, but the symptoms persisted. “It turned out that because of the HRT I had a bit of bleeding, and that warranted a referral for a gynaecological scan,” Whitlock explained.
It was during the scan that doctors discovered an issue with her liver, which led to her eventual diagnosis of liver disease.
“I saw the British Liver Trust website, and thank God I did, as it literally saved my life,” Whitlock said.
She was quick to point out that liver disease is often mistakenly associated with alcohol consumption, but there are many other potential causes. “The nurse said to me, ‘That’s probably the first thing most people say to me – they don’t drink alcohol,’ and that’s a common misconception,” she noted. “There are so many reasons someone can have an unhealthy liver.”
Whitlock is now committed to raising awareness about the condition and ensuring others do not experience the delays in diagnosis that she did. “I left the consultation fuming because I didn’t get any answers,” she recalled. “I felt that the doctor didn’t really care and didn’t know what to do with me. I said to myself, ‘This has to change—this isn’t acceptable.’ If I’ve experienced this, I don’t think I’m the only one.”
She is now working with healthcare professionals to help ensure that liver disease is recognized and treated earlier, potentially saving lives in the process.
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