OT: Liver Enzymes

[BlueRidgeMtns]

Anybody on the pack ever had elevated Liver Enzymes? I had my annual check up a week or so ago and my AST was a 43 (scale of 10-42) and my ALT was a 63 (scale of 10-60). I have to go back for more blood work at the end of next week to see if they're back down.

Since that's all new to me... I wasn't sure if those were super high numbers or just something to keep an eye on.

 

[Shmuley]

Have you overdone the tylenol recently?

 

[Palmettodog]

Tell the Doc you're a State fan, he'll understand your alcohol abuse.

 

[HotMop]

I'd go with what your doctor says but mine hover around those numbers and he isn't too concerned, just keep an eye on it.

 

[Cousin Jeffrey]

Gallstones?

 

[johnson86-1]

Anybody on the pack ever had elevated Liver Enzymes? I had my annual check up a week or so ago and my AST was a 43 (scale of 10-42) and my ALT was a 63 (scale of 10-60). I have to go back for more blood work at the end of next week to see if they're back down.

Since that's all new to me... I wasn't sure if those were super high numbers or just something to keep an eye on.

Since you said "back down", I am guessing you have a baseline to compare against, and you're doctor is probably more concerned about the change than concerned about being just outside of "normal range".

 

[Dawgbite]

Mine check high every time I do blood work. The first time the Doc sent me for all kinds of tests but nothing abnormal came back other than High Liver Enzymes. After several doctor visits and about a grand one of the Dr's finally said that some people just have elevated Liver Enzymes. It's worth taking the next step because it can be symptoms of some bad things but its not that unusual based on what I have been told.

 

[Captain Ron]

As mentioned above, Tylenol will do it. It is awful for your liver and never mix with alcohol. I will not take the stuff anymore.

 

[Colonel Angus.sixpack]

This happened to me recently. I just cut back on booze in general and did not drink at all the weekend before my follow up test and it came out normal the second go around. I don’t really take Tylenol so I just kept doing that

 

[coach66]

This is a serious problem, almost killed a friend of mine and has forever

altered his life. Tylenol and booze are a lethal combination and the active ingredient in Tylenol is present in many, many otc drugs so beware.

 

[BlueRidgeMtns]

Yeah, I don't ever take Tylenol... i did do my blood work on a Monday after going to a wine festival on Saturday and having a few beers afterward.

Anyways, I'm not drinking until after my next blood test just to be on the safe side.

 

[BlueRidgeMtns]

never had them... but my dad and 2 of his sisters have had their gallbladder removed.

 

[RocketDawg]

Yeah, I don't ever take Tylenol... i did do my blood work on a Monday after going to a wine festival on Saturday and having a few beers afterward.

Anyways, I'm not drinking until after my next blood test just to be on the safe side.

That will give you an indication of whether it's the alcohol causing the problem, but if it is just "studying" for this blood test (i.e., stopping the booze this once) won't solve the problem. The number would likely go right back up and you'd not know it. You want to pass the course, not just pass this test.

 

[J-Dawg]

Yep. Something to remember when you go to chug that bottle of Nyquil during cold season.

 

[BlueRidgeMtns]

I went to high school with a girl who died from this.

 

[BlueRidgeMtns]

indeed

 

[xxxWalkTheDawg]

Ugh. Gallbladder problems.

never had them... but my dad and 2 of his sisters have had their gallbladder removed.

You have never had a bad night until you have a gallbladder attack. I still have mine but have had a couple of gallbladder attacks. It feels kinda like what the people on Alien would have felt when the aliens hatched out of their gut.

It had been scanned since and there are no stones. i have some GI cocktail on standby if another one happens. Also made a couple of teaspoons of Apple Cider Vinegar in a large glass of water a usual evening... umm... treat. No more since doing that.

 

[stateguy]

When Tylenol damages the liver, the labs are almost always significantly worse. Not taking Tylenol and alcohol is def best

Most common reason for minimal elevation like that is fatty liver disease from being overweight

 

[RightOfCenter]

Mine check high every time I do blood work. The first time the Doc sent me for all kinds of tests but nothing abnormal came back other than High Liver Enzymes. After several doctor visits and about a grand one of the Dr's finally said that some people just have elevated Liver Enzymes. It's worth taking the next step because it can be symptoms of some bad things but its not that unusual based on what I have been told.

This sounds exactly what happened to me. They tested me for everything under the sun. Checked for hepatitis, did an ultrasound, told me to quit drinking for a month, tested me after the month. Came back as fatty liver, told me to quit for another month tested me again. They told to me lose weight and quit drinking. I've got some padding around the middle but no where near fat. So I am trying to lose weight and have cut back on the jack, though I was never going over the limits anyway.

 

[bassdawg]

Anybody on the pack ever had elevated Liver Enzymes? I had my annual check up a week or so ago and my AST was a 43 (scale of 10-42) and my ALT was a 63 (scale of 10-60). I have to go back for more blood work at the end of next week to see if they're back down.

Since that's all new to me... I wasn't sure if those were super high numbers or just something to keep an eye on.

Had similar elevated levels in my blood work. Went to a liver specialist in Tupelo (a heptologist if you’re curious) & he said take 1200 iu of Vitamin E daily (3 of the 400 iu capsules). Been good ever since & that’s been about 10 years now.

 

[Apoplectic_Objurgator]

Considered Keto?

 

[SaintsDoc]

barely above normal; shouldn't be concerned. Very likely from ETOH. Should have Hep C screening regardless. I see a ton of fatty liver disease in MS-Steatohepatitis. Definitely not gallbladder disease as it affects a different liver enzyme.

 

[jethreauxdawg]

Do what?

As mentioned above, Tylenol will do it. It is awful for your liver

This is news to me. Not disagreeing, I just thought that stuff was no big deal. I pop Excedrin Migraine (same active ingredient + caffeine) from time to time for bad headaches. Maybe I'll just drink a coke next time.

 

[dawgphd]

First of all, I'm not a medical professional.

Do you exercise? If so, strenuous exercise, particularly weight lifting, will temporarily elevate your readings.

My doc makes me abstain from working out for at least 5 days before labs.

I think an extremely high protein diet can also contribute.

 

[NTDawg]

I was thinking the same thing. I been researching keto and IF recently, pretty interesting stuff. I don't know a lot about liver problems but it might be worth your time to do some research on insulin resistance and to have your insulin levels tested.

find a podcast or YouTube of dr Ben Bikman, really good stuff

 

[lariverdog]

barely above normal; shouldn't be concerned. Very likely from ETOH. Should have Hep C screening regardless. I see a ton of fatty liver disease in MS-Steatohepatitis. Definitely not gallbladder disease as it affects a different liver enzyme.

totally agree here, and yes I've been doing this for 35 years

 

[The Peeper]

Are you on statin drugs, i.e. cholesterol lowering? My Dr. had me on several different ones till we found one that wouldn't elevate the liver levels

 

[BlueRidgeMtns]

i started back lifting heavy the week before my labs. I'm definitely carrying a few more lbs since getting married a year and a half ago and probably need more cardio than anything. I just hate running.

Thanks, everyone, for the info.

 

[johnson86-1]

This is news to me. Not disagreeing, I just thought that stuff was no big deal. I pop Excedrin Migraine (same active ingredient + caffeine) from time to time for bad headaches. Maybe I'll just drink a coke next time.

The OTC dosage of tylenol and fatal dosage of tylenol are relatively close. I have heard that it is the closest of any over the counter drug.

And tylenol isn't even that effective. I try to go motrin or aspirin or alleve if I can.

Fun fact: tylenol is mixed with a lot of pain killers not because the pain killers are more effective when combined with tylenol, but because it makes the pills more damaging to the body, which helps the drug escape the most restrictive regulations because it makes it less desirable as a recreational drug.

 

[ShrubDog]

Are you on statin drugs, i.e. cholesterol lowering? My Dr. had me on several different ones till we found one that wouldn't elevate the liver levels

Statins can mess a man up quicker than lightning.

If its not one thing its another.

 

[was21]

Yep..that's exactly what's needed...cardio or any aerobic exercise. Anarobic like lifting won't get the job done

 

[was21]

Actually, a woman named Lee can mess a man up quicker than lightening

 

[Apoplectic_Objurgator]

Are you on statin drugs, i.e. cholesterol lowering? My Dr. had me on several different ones till we found one that wouldn't elevate the liver levels

From what I’ve learned statins provide no health benefit beyond funding pharms and in some cases cause other problems. Do you have info otherwise?

 

[60sdog]

GI cocktail

You have never had a bad night until you have a gallbladder attack. I still have mine but have had a couple of gallbladder attacks. It feels kinda like what the people on Alien would have felt when the aliens hatched out of their gut.

It had been scanned since and there are no stones. i have some GI cocktail on standby if another one happens. Also made a couple of teaspoons of Apple Cider Vinegar in a large glass of water a usual evening... umm... treat. No more since doing that.

How did you get a scrip for GI cocktail? It's hard to get, only one pharmacy in my town can compound it, and it costs something like $200 for 8 ounces.

 

[Wizard of bulldogery]

lay of the purple drank. next time go to a weed brownies tasting festival. just ask kenny rogers he'll approve

 

[Dawg1976]

When I turned 40 my Liver Enzymes went out the roof. Don't remember the numbers but my family doc scared the crap out of me. Said it was high enough that it could lead to a liver transplant. Sent me to a gastro guy and he eventually did a liver biopsy. The pathologist said I had chronic hepatitis probably due to an autoimmune disease. They put me on prednisone for 6 months and my numbers returned to normal. I have had a liver profile run every year for the last 23 years and my Liver Enzymes are still normal. So who knows if it was really autoimmune related......may have been due to a virus or something.

 

[TheDawgInMe]

totally agree here, and yes I've been doing this for 35 years

Username checks out. (well, almost)

 

[xxxWalkTheDawg]

How did you get a scrip for GI cocktail? It's hard to get, only one pharmacy in my town can compound it, and it costs something like $200 for 8 ounces.

Emergency room doc wouldn’t when I had my first. But there were some pill seekers in there when I went and I’m sure the attending physician was sick of it.

Got the script from my general practitioner the second go around. He saw I was in pretty bad shape and conceeded that he would rather me have that instead of pain meds. The wife is a BSN-RN and it eased any concerns he had that I may misuse it. I also think it is not near as potent as what I was given in the ER. I could be wrong. I only have taken one dose. I still have the rest for emergency.

CVS pharmacy compounded it. I don’t remember it being 200 bucks though. But when you need it.. it’s damn sure worth it.

 

[lariverdog]

and your point? The values he gave were barely outside normal limits. In fact, they were within the statistical error of any chemistry analyzer. So that means if he had the same specimen run 10 times, some may actually report as normal. For those who don't know, 10% is often the standard deviation for error with analyzers.
Now lets talk about normal ranges. They are determined and verified under a typical bell shaped curve to capture 80% of the population. That leaves 10% on either side that would still be "normal", at least for them.

Now that we have discussed the in vitro possibilities, the in vivo odds are that he may have done a life activity that slightly stressed his liver. ALT is the most sensitive enzyme of all, it doesn't take much to elevate it. I wouldn't worry about doing anything invasive or at all at this point.

 

[DerHntr]

lariverdawg looks a lot like liverdawg. That’s his point.