Much to my surprise,my latest LFT showed my AS going up from 45 to 64,despite not having a drink for over 9 weeks.My previous AS was down from 65 to 45 after 7 weeks. Can it fluctuate like this or is there something else going on? I had a liver scan which didn't show anything.I was previously on about 60 units a week.
BTW,the message when I rang for the results was to make an appointment to have them explained to me,but that is in 2 weeks.I thought they would have returned to normal,not gone the other way.
Hi eric! welcome..haven't seen you before...but I DEFINETLY would ask your DR.....what did your DR say?
I have never had experience with this....
Sorry, I never look at a whole post before I reply..just the original question...so you have to wait 2 weeks!
That s*cks....
I just did some research on why they would be elevated....didn't really get an answer on that...but what I did read...and we really can't go BY THE INTERNET....is that they should be under 40.
It sounds like your liver is struggling to repair itself and what I read is cirrohoisis....which really means you shouldn't drink again.
I hope that they re-test you ....and as you know if you drink....that would be BAD....I know it is not easy...I am also TRYING not to drink and it has only been 3 weeks....Congratulations on your 9 weeks!
How long have you drank for?
How old are you?
I'm 53 and have been drinking to variou degrees for 30 years,but never bottles of whisky or anything.
Hmmm..I'm 52...and been drinking as long as you too (with an 8 year break)....and I have never had my liver enzymes discussed..unless I was in the hospital after a binge.
As far as I know...I'm ok.
Hopefully with time you will be too....Maybe others will come along with the same experience you are having
Hi Eric,
Try not to worry about this. LFTs DO change for reasons other than alcohism.
The fact that you had a clear liver scan is excellent news.
I'm a nurse, and my advice is to go and ask your GP to explain to you why your liver enzymes are diffeerent at the moment - I reckon there's a simple explanation but I don't know all your medical history so you really should see your GP.
I'm pretty sure there will be a very trivial reason why this has happened. I don't mean that I'm trivialising your worry -far from it - but your orignal question was Can LFTs Fluctuate Like This? And the answer is that they can, for myriad reasons.
By the way, BRILLIANT that you've not had a drink for over nine weeks!!!!!!
Will you come back to the forum and let us know what your GP said?
Love from Tess
Thanks everyone.Yes,I will come back on when I've discussed it with my GP.In the meantime,if anyone has any further input I would be very grateful.
OK - some viruses and infections in other parts of your body can cause changes in LFTs. They go back to normal after a while.
Have you had any infections or viruses in the last ten weeks?
Just as a shot in the dark, check over any meds you're taking, (especially any started recently) to make sure they're not a problem here. Because if they might be, then your doc might have to get back to you sooner (hint, hint).
No,none that I know of.I had been taking methocarbamol and calcium/magnesium,but neither are supposed to affect the liver.I have pain under the front ribs,the side and back also,which comes and goes,sometimes dull,sometimes stabbing.
Right - now all the other things are pretty complicated and it's best your GP explains what is happening. Also, the relationship and ratio between various liver enzymes is of more importance than one random reading, so that has to be taken into account, too.
If you've stopped drinking and have a normal liver scan I reckon this has not got anything to do with liver damage, but as I said, I'm a nurse, not a doctor, and I haven't got your notes in front of me!!!!
I really hope you can stay calm until you see your GP. All the best and keep in touch, Tess.
Hi. Welcome. You won't get an appointment now as if it's like my GPs, all appointments gone after 9. If you call your GP now you will be able to get him to call you. Hopefully this may put your mind at rest. Good luck xx
Great idea!
Good idea.I used this to get the doctor to phone me.He didn't know why it should go up again,but is contacting the gastro in the hope that he will bring forward September's appointment.
That's good to know, Eric. keep taking it one day at a time. You've done so well. Love Tess
'In the meantime,if anyone has any further input I would be very grateful.'
Well, LFTs are a blunt instrument, not always a good indication of what is happening and often not that understood by doctors. If they were, your doctor would have explained all the information and you would not need to be posting here and asking the question.
I have seen a plethora of people on here, state that they drink like a fish but they had an LFT and apparently all is fine, when blatanly, we know that this cannot be the case.
If you've been a regular heavy drinker for many years, there will always be some damage and because of that, the readings are going to fluctuate. The long term trend is the best indicator.
I'm not a doctor, but I've had more LFTs than hot dinners in the last two years. My letter from the gastro last month, said both of the following. My liver function has returned to normal. I have cirrhosis. So there we go, I am both okay and not okay in the same letter.
Personally, I wouldn't worry about it, but get another test in six months and see what the trend indication is like.
Thanks RHGB.I value your opinion.It wouldn't be as bad without the pains I mentioned above.
Ah, missed that bit. I always got the short sharp stabbing pains. Of course pain is our body's warning sign, but most ignore it and tell ourselves that it is nothing and will go away of its own accord - or at least that's the way I worked.
The liver doesn't have any nerve endings, so doesn't signal any pain. It can if enlarged, rub some of the other internal organs, which do have nerve endings and will produce pain. I can't remember which ones, but I've read it several times, especially in the liver forum here.
There are of course several other organs that can cause pain, pancreas, gallbladder etc. I can't remember where they all are, but most of mine are enlarged through drinking, but a quick Google will show a picture of the human anatomy.
My advice is, the only person that your health is of the utmost importance to, is you, not your GP, you are just a name on the books, one of many. Don't leave it to someone else, take charge of your health, don't worry about becoming a nuisance. Politely, call the surgery and ask for an earlier appointment, because you need to know now and that two weeks is unacceptable.
Wait for them to offer you a sooner appointment and if they don't, tell them they have obviously misunderstood you and which part of not willing to wait two weeks do they not understand.
apologies for changing the subject, but is there an a;ternative to lactuloe that you recommended because husband is diabetic and is not allowed to take it.
Sorry Eric! I quickly pinched your discussion.. Tess