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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| How darts star hit health bullseye | How darts star hit health bullseye |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| By Jane Elliott Health reporter, BBC News | By Jane Elliott Health reporter, BBC News |
| Andy now and at his unhealthiestProfessional darts player Andy 'The Viking' Fordham was a man hitting all the wrong numbers. | Andy now and at his unhealthiestProfessional darts player Andy 'The Viking' Fordham was a man hitting all the wrong numbers. |
| Thirty one - the number of stones he weighed; 23 - the bottles of lager he drank daily; seven - the number of takeaways he had each week; and one - the liver he was rapidly destroying. | Thirty one - the number of stones he weighed; 23 - the bottles of lager he drank daily; seven - the number of takeaways he had each week; and one - the liver he was rapidly destroying. |
| It came to a head last year when he collapsed at a tournament, prompting doctors to warn him to change his ways or face certain death. | It came to a head last year when he collapsed at a tournament, prompting doctors to warn him to change his ways or face certain death. |
| But now after losing 17st (108kgs) and stopping drinking Andy is stepping up to the challenge. | But now after losing 17st (108kgs) and stopping drinking Andy is stepping up to the challenge. |
| The former world champion has done so well that he has been removed from the emergency liver transplant list - with doctors predicting he will not need one now for maybe five years allowing his body to build up strength. | The former world champion has done so well that he has been removed from the emergency liver transplant list - with doctors predicting he will not need one now for maybe five years allowing his body to build up strength. |
| I was not worried about my health at all because at the time you just don't realise there is a problem Andy Fordham | I was not worried about my health at all because at the time you just don't realise there is a problem Andy Fordham |
| The 46-year-old said the doctors had given him a terrible wake-up call. | The 46-year-old said the doctors had given him a terrible wake-up call. |
| "They told me if I carried on drinking I would be dead within 10 years, which is kind of hard to take in," he said. | "They told me if I carried on drinking I would be dead within 10 years, which is kind of hard to take in," he said. |
| "I was really surprised when they said I had a liver problem it is just one of those things you don't think will happen to you. It is always someone else." | "I was really surprised when they said I had a liver problem it is just one of those things you don't think will happen to you. It is always someone else." |
| Drinking excess | Drinking excess |
| He started drinking at the age of 13 and said it had spiralled, but that at first his football passion had kept his weight down. | He started drinking at the age of 13 and said it had spiralled, but that at first his football passion had kept his weight down. |
| But joining the local darts league and drinking with the players combined with a back injury, which stopped him exercising, took its toll on his body and he started piling on the weight. | But joining the local darts league and drinking with the players combined with a back injury, which stopped him exercising, took its toll on his body and he started piling on the weight. |
| "I don't know why I got so hooked. I think it was because I was not a falling over drunk," he said. | "I don't know why I got so hooked. I think it was because I was not a falling over drunk," he said. |
| "I used to use drinking as an excuse for everything that I did. | "I used to use drinking as an excuse for everything that I did. |
| "At the height it was just so bad I would have at least a crate of lager, spirits and probably two bottles of wine. Right from the start I thought if I didn't drink I couldn't play.The normal liver tissue has been replaced with fibrous scar tissue | |
| "Drinking was part and parcel of the darts circuit but now they have tried to stop it. | "Drinking was part and parcel of the darts circuit but now they have tried to stop it. |
| "We were just surrounded by drink. | "We were just surrounded by drink. |
| "But I was not worried about my health at all because at the time you just don't realise there is a problem. | "But I was not worried about my health at all because at the time you just don't realise there is a problem. |
| "Then I started getting out of breath quickly and that was the first time I realised that there was something not right, but I would still not face up to it. | "Then I started getting out of breath quickly and that was the first time I realised that there was something not right, but I would still not face up to it. |
| "When I played Phil Taylor in 2004 in a head-to-head I had to stop because I nearly collapsed and that was the first major sign." | "When I played Phil Taylor in 2004 in a head-to-head I had to stop because I nearly collapsed and that was the first major sign." |
| Ignoring warning signs | Ignoring warning signs |
| But Andy, unaware of the damage he was doing his liver, ignored the warning symptoms. | But Andy, unaware of the damage he was doing his liver, ignored the warning symptoms. |
| Three years later he collapsed at the world championship. | Three years later he collapsed at the world championship. |
| "I went to the tournament and when it came to my turn to play I just said to the officials I can't do it," he said. | "I went to the tournament and when it came to my turn to play I just said to the officials I can't do it," he said. |
| "I couldn't breathe and they carted me off to hospital. | "I couldn't breathe and they carted me off to hospital. |
| "That was when I was told that my liver was knackered and that a build-up of fluid was crushing my lungs." | "That was when I was told that my liver was knackered and that a build-up of fluid was crushing my lungs." |
| He had had 16 litres of fluid drained from his lungs and suffered a minor stroke. | He had had 16 litres of fluid drained from his lungs and suffered a minor stroke. |
| After he recovered he vowed to adopt a healthier lifestyle and as well as stopping drinking alcohol, he started to exercise more and cut out high fat takeaways. | After he recovered he vowed to adopt a healthier lifestyle and as well as stopping drinking alcohol, he started to exercise more and cut out high fat takeaways. |
| "I feel so much better it is unreal and now I am even drinking water, which is something I would never touch." | "I feel so much better it is unreal and now I am even drinking water, which is something I would never touch." |
| And with his health returning, Andy is aiming to resurrect his darts career which has been stagnating for the past 12 months. | And with his health returning, Andy is aiming to resurrect his darts career which has been stagnating for the past 12 months. |
| Liver damage | Liver damage |
| His consultant, Dr John O'Grady, from London's King's College Hospital, said the dart star's drinking had been 'astronomical', but he was delighted by his recovery. | His consultant, Dr John O'Grady, from London's King's College Hospital, said the dart star's drinking had been 'astronomical', but he was delighted by his recovery. |
| Dr O'Grady said the liver could sometimes recover from years of abuse, as was the case with Andy. | Dr O'Grady said the liver could sometimes recover from years of abuse, as was the case with Andy. |
| Tests had shown an encouraging trend of improvement in his liver function, which could mean that a transplant could be postponed for some years. However, he will need surgery at some time. | Tests had shown an encouraging trend of improvement in his liver function, which could mean that a transplant could be postponed for some years. However, he will need surgery at some time. |
| "What is happening is a phenomena we see happening with alcohol-related liver disease - when you stop drinking the liver can, in some patients, recover very substantially, said Dr O'Grady. | "What is happening is a phenomena we see happening with alcohol-related liver disease - when you stop drinking the liver can, in some patients, recover very substantially, said Dr O'Grady. |
| "About 3% of the patients on the waiting list recover to a greater extent than we are expecting and Andy was definitely one of those, but we must not give the impression that he escaped a transplant. We could turn around in three months and say it is back to plan A." | "About 3% of the patients on the waiting list recover to a greater extent than we are expecting and Andy was definitely one of those, but we must not give the impression that he escaped a transplant. We could turn around in three months and say it is back to plan A." |
| But he added at the moment it was looking good. | But he added at the moment it was looking good. |
| "He still does have some fluid retention, but everything else is improving and he is getting his energy back and has a reasonable quality of life." | "He still does have some fluid retention, but everything else is improving and he is getting his energy back and has a reasonable quality of life." |
| The British Liver Trust hailed Andy's achievement as an inspiration to people committed to improving their health. | The British Liver Trust hailed Andy's achievement as an inspiration to people committed to improving their health. |
| Alison Rogers, the charity's chief executive, said: "Andy's achievement is an inspiration. It shows that you can change your health through your own personal action. | Alison Rogers, the charity's chief executive, said: "Andy's achievement is an inspiration. It shows that you can change your health through your own personal action. |
| "It takes a huge commitment to make lifestyle measures that can have a sustained impact on your health and can be incredibly difficult." | "It takes a huge commitment to make lifestyle measures that can have a sustained impact on your health and can be incredibly difficult." |