help just went to the doctor...

[mwbernstein]

I've been a drinker for 20+ years and just had a physical and found my liver enzymes ALT slightly elevated by a few points... does that mean I have cirrhosis...

[JackieClaire]

help just went to the doctor...

:welcome: mw,

First don't panic.

As I'm not a doctor I can't say 100% it's not cirrhosis but it sounds highly unlikely as you're liver enzymes are slightly raised. It does mean that you need to take control of your alcohol intake. I'm curious, did your Dr give you any advice or suggest further tests.

The liver is a very forgiving organ and after about 6/10 weeks off alcohol, it should revert back to normal.


J x
:l

[Guest]

help just went to the doctor...

Depends on the reading really - I'm a stickler for asking for values for any test, 'normal' doesn't cut it with me!

Usually anything up to 60 is 'ok' and people can have readings up over 1000 - think that one was George Best though. I've been in rehab with folk who've got them in the several hundreds, but the good news is that it drops rapidly with AF time.

[mwbernstein]

help just went to the doctor...

Thanks .... so much

my ALT was 64. and the doctor started to ask questions about my drinking... I felt like 20 years was coming to get me in payback... WHAT a wake up call. I always wanted to stop drinking but finding out that it could be effecting my health (liver) and seeing the numbers was pretty scary!

I need to go back in 2 week with no drinking ( so scared I know that will not be a problem) and there going to run the test again. this time they only check my ALT but next time there going to check all liver functions.

But with a ALT of 64, it sound like Im not to late to save my liver. I hope. If my liver was in bad shape would this number be higher? or can you still have stage 1 liver cirrhoses and still have a slightly elevated ALT???

Thanks for all you support... and so glad I found this web sight!

[ExpatJock]

help just went to the doctor...

mwbernstein;1065555 wrote: my ALT was 64. and the doctor started to ask questions about my drinking... I felt like 20 years was coming to get me in payback... WHAT a wake up call. I always wanted to stop drinking but finding out that it could be effecting my health (liver) and seeing the numbers was pretty scary!

I need to go back in 2 week with no drinking ( so scared I know that will not be a problem) and there going to run the test again. this time they only check my ALT but next time there going to check all liver functions.

But with a ALT of 64, it sound like Im not to late to save my liver. I hope. If my liver was in bad shape would this number be higher? or can you still have stage 1 liver cirrhoses and still have a slightly elevated ALT???

Thanks for all you support... and so glad I found this web sight!

mwbernstein,

Three liver function tests form the main focus of the medical practicioner; GGT, AST and ALT. None of these tests confirm nor exclude injury or disease within the liver. They measure instead discrete enzymes being leaked by the liver. The higher the number for each test, the higher the probability that the patient is consuming excessive quantities of alcohol (though many prescription drugs and over-the-counter meds. such as codeine can give 'false positives' too).

The GGT number is the most sensitive and indicates the level of recent enzyme induction. AST and ALT indicate longer-term activity. The doctor compares the results to 'reference ranges' supplied by the pathology lab. If your results are within range, you're OK, "move along now, nothing to see here". If your results are significantly outside range, you may own a problem.

The reference ranges for the three tests, as practised by pathology firm Healthscope Australia, follow. Note that reference ranges can vary slightly from lab to lab depending on testing methodology:
GGT U/L (units per litre) 10 - 49
AST U/L 0 - 40
ALT U/L 0 - 50
Your test result may have alarmed you, but during abstinence the numbers reduce quite rapidly. For example, I went into detox in mid-January. Five weeks later my GGT had dropped from 262 to 33. My ALT and AST weren't elevated outside reference range when I entered detox, but they too also dropped over the five weeks - to 14 and 16 respectively.

As mentioned above these numbers don't rule out/in liver damage. This can only be confirmed by imaging (ultrasound, CT scan, MRI) or, in rare cases, tissue biopsy. Probably the best indicator of liver damage can be had by looking in the mirror and detecting any signs of jaundice. If your eye 'whites' appear a yellow/orange colour, then that's a sign of jaundice. Same goes for your facial skin colour if you're from a white caucasian background.

Hope this little bit helps. Please keep us updated with your progress - we've all been there, done that and have the T shirt to prove it!

Good wishes.

[ATLThrash]

help just went to the doctor...

I am from the US and had never heard of George Best-- in looking at posts it seems he was the "gold standard" of a drinker! I had to look him up on Wikipedia-- very interesting. Don't worry too terribly much-- not to minimize your fear but the one time I had a slightly high number it was normal with 2 weeks off drinking and the doctor did not feel that further tests were necessary -- and I certainly pressed him like mad!

[gyco]

help just went to the doctor...

life

mwbernstein;1065555 wrote: my ALT was 64. and the doctor started to ask questions about my drinking... I felt like 20 years was coming to get me in payback... WHAT a wake up call. I always wanted to stop drinking but finding out that it could be effecting my health (liver) and seeing the numbers was pretty scary!

I need to go back in 2 week with no drinking ( so scared I know that will not be a problem) and there going to run the test again. this time they only check my ALT but next time there going to check all liver functions.

But with a ALT of 64, it sound like Im not to late to save my liver. I hope. If my liver was in bad shape would this number be higher? or can you still have stage 1 liver cirrhoses and still have a slightly elevated ALT???

Thanks for all you support... and so glad I found this web sight!

hi M W,i think if there was a big concern the doc would of told you,i went thro similar on my last epesode in the hospital,the doc looked at mine and didnt fuss at all,just told me my life style had to change,it was a no brainer ,he said,i do wish you well,and i had drank for 38 years,wake up call