Liver Function Test

[JackieClaire]

Liver Function Test

Nora,
That is a brilliant idea.
Panno, if you can't speak to the doctor, is there a practice nurse you can have a word with.

[Guest]

Liver Function Test

Guys,
I too had abdominal pains and bloating, and worried constantly that it was the AL that was causing it and that I was damaging my liver. I had tests done in November (blood and Urine) that showed many slight issues. I felt then that if I didnt get rid of the AL, that this was a sign of things to come. I stopped AL in Feb. and I just went for a recheck and everything came back normal. Guys, this is the real reason we need to stop drinking - for our health. We are not young anymore and AL damages us not only mentally but physically as well.
Panno, I am sure that you are not in trouble but please see this as your wake up call to give this crap up. If you need support, just ask for it - you do not have to quit alone!
Take care my friend and keep us posted.

[spuddleduck]

Liver Function Test

panno - please dont drink. it sure wont help anything. ill be spying at you across the bay with my binoculars. i had liver test a couple of weeks before i 'started stopping drinking'. like you i was worried and stressed about it. i phoned the surgery to ask about the results and they said they couldnt tell me, i had to see the doc. of course this worried the shit out of me even more. a week of worry later i found out i was in the 'normal readings' (bloody miracle considering my drinking habits). instead of taking this as a green light to carry on drinking i took it as a bloody miracle second chance to keep my poor little liver happy. my cholesteral and blood pressure were high (partly due to my diabetes) so ive get medication for that. so try not to worry too much.. you may have a bloody miracle result too. as others have said.. the liver is a clever little bugger for repairing itself if you give it a chance .

[JimBeam911]

Liver Function Test

Panno,

There's no point worrying until you get your results. After my last physical check-up, my doctor called and asked me to discuss the results of my blood tests. I thought for sure it was my liver, being that I had a sharp, dull pain under my right ribcage, but it turned out my blood sugar was slightly above normal. Of course, this was still caused by my excessive drinking.

In terms of the liver, I think someone needs to take a more hard-line approach in this thread. True, the liver has incredible regenerative capacity, but ONLY after certain kinds of damage. Nearly 3/4 of your liver cells can be completely non-functioning before you experience ANY symptoms. So in a worst case scenario, if your liver enzymes are elevated, quitting definitely might help everything return to normal, but even this is not a guarantee. Moreover, you can have normal liver function tests even with a severely damaged liver.

A friend of my family's had elevated liver enzymes without any symptoms of liver disease. He quit drinking, and was re-tested after 6 weeks, with not much of an improvement. An ultrasound and biopsy confirmed that a large portion of his liver is scarred, although he has enough healthy, functioning tissue to live normally IF he stays away from alcohol. However, the entire time, both before and after quitting, he felt perfectly healthy without experiencing any symptoms!

Whatever the results of your tests, the safest approach is to quit drinking forever.

[spuddleduck]

Liver Function Test

oh heck. thanks jim beam.. i didnt know that, but its good to hear. keeps my resolve stronger.

[Funny Girl]

Liver Function Test

So true Jim - I had a friend die 2 years ago at 54. He seemed fine - a bit tired & run down, but he was a CPA & business was expanding - you know, just working too hard. One morning, he just didn't wake up. Cirrohsis. . . . .his organs shut down completely.

[Panno]

Liver Function Test

Thanks for all the support. I have to be honest back in 2001 I had a scare after taking zyban to stop smoking I got a toxic shock and was in hospital for a few days but the tests they did showed to much alcohol and t cell count was not good then in 2004 had endoscopy and the consultant told me then all ok but liver showing signs of damage - so true to form I still press the self destruct button and carry on!!! But no more I really want to stop now and I can't thank you all enough for your support xx

[tictak]

Liver Function Test

I had a liver function test about 6 months ago,all was fine apparently.... but ive read so much that these tests can be flawd.... and im sure i look a little yellow

[KatieB]

Liver Function Test

Panno - hang in there.. we are here for you.. I agree with MB - try and see your doctor sooner to put your mind at rest.. and as JB said, its best to quit drinking forever regardless of what this test shows.. good or bad, AL does liver damage to all of us, if we continue to drink as we have been..
Katie xx

[dancingon]

Liver Function Test

Panno, did the doctor say why he ordered the cholestorol and liver test because of itching? Is this a symptom of something wrong with the liver, or of high cholesterol?
I could get paranoid. I've developed an itchy rash which comes up and goes down. I bathed the dog, put a new flea collar on him, changed all my bedding but now you're telling me I might be getting bitten from the inside?

[dancingon]

Liver Function Test

OK. Just read some more about this on the net. Apparently liver problems are often associated with itchiness. But it's not that the liver is causing it so much as that the normal toxins etc on your skin which would normally be dealt to by your liver, can't be if your liver is weak. Not sure if this is my problem, but it may be.

[auntiegriselda]

Liver Function Test

Liver fx and milk thistle

Hello everyone! I am a member who has not been active for some time. I've been drinking about a bottle of wine every night for about 2 -3 years. I can go without for a couple of weeks at a time and don't have any withdrawal symptoms. The problem is I have had high liver enzymes for the past year and I tried to ignore it and didn't stop drinking except for a few days here and there. Had the Liver function tests (LFTs) repeated this past winter and they had actually gone down a bit. I have some milk thistle but have been afraid to take it because I'm allergic to ragweed. Has anyone had any experience with taking it when you have this allergy? I sure don't want to have some kind of severe reaction. I have cut way back on my drinking but haven't completely stopped.
Cheers to everyone. Panno hang in there. This thing is so tough.

[dancingon]

Liver Function Test

Hi Auntie
I'm going to start taking milk thistle on Monday so will let you know, but then everyone is differnt. Can you ask a naturopath whether your allergy to ragweed is likely to mean you're allergic to milk thistle?
I've been drinking a bottle a night too. I've started taking Evening Primrose and that seems to have calmed my itching, so maybe it's not my liver. I'm too scared to have a liver test - maybe I'll pluck up th ecourage when I reach 2 weeks AF.

[auntiegriselda]

Liver Function Test

Hi Dancing,
Thanks for the reply. I don't know any naturopaths but maybe can find one somewhere around here. I did Google milk thistle and it said there have been cases of anaphylactic shock so that kind of scared me. It says on the bottle not to take if you are allergic to ragweed and I've been told I am. I have hayfever from lots of weeds. I go back to the GI doc on 3/30 and I'm hoping to stay AF as much as possible because he is going to retest the liver enzymes. Hopefully they will be back down.
I'm also going to ask about Baclofen which is not supposed to cause liver problems. The doc was totally clueless when I asked about Naltrexone so guess I'l have to bring him some research papers!
I look forward to talking with you again.
Auntie

[savon19]

Liver Function Test

Gosh, Panno - terrible that the Drs. would leave you message like that, knowing it would make Anyone panic!! Although, I guess it's a privacy issue - they don't want to leave a message with info in case someone else accesses it...

Definitely call them first thing.

Please let us know outcome. Good luck!