Hello everyone.... I have been having a number of symptoms for a while now and now I'm thinking it may be possible i have a liver problem.
About 4 days ago my both of my hands felt sore while driving. Later that night while washing my face I noticed the outside of my hands on the side had redness so I turned them over and noticed they both palms were red. Under my thumb, little ringer and at the pads under each finger. The redness is also on some of my actual fingers. I went on Google images and typed on red rash on palms and from the photos I seen what I had was called Palmer erythema. I had a dermatologist appt the next day for a cyst on my back and showed him my hands. He confirmed it's what it is. I also pointed out to him some other skin issues that had recently popped up. He said I had spider nevi, something that begins with a T but is all these little veins around my nose, under it and around my mouth and liver spots. I forgot to show him my nails but I wanted him to look at them. He said I needed to go to my primary for some blood work. I have an appt but went on line to look up causes of the skin issues and liver problems is all that keeps popping up and the list of symptoms in addition to the skin ones are symptoms I have been having lately.
I had basic labs start of May which included some kind of liver function test cause I recall my Dr telling me my kidneys and liver were good from the blood work. I also had a ct scan of my abdomen w/o contrast for a mass he thought he felt. The report says my liver looks okay other then being enlarged by 20cm which he thinks is something called Riedels lobe and nothing to worry about. The report also says the lack of contrast limits pathology in the solid organs which the liver is one of them. I am not even sure you can see liver disease with a ct scan anyways.
So here I am worrying over my liver now anyone have any advice?
Indeed having good blood work is a good thing though I dont know exactly the blood that was drawn. It was ok assuming just a basic test. Like ones you get during check ups. From everything I am seeing is you can have normal blood work and still have liver issues. I don't know if liver issues are found on ct scan or if there is a specific test for it.
I used to drink tons far to much in my 20s but I haven't drank in several years now. I do however take narcotic pain meds daily and have for many years. The passed 3 months I have also been taking a lot of Tylenol which I just recently found out is a big no no
Leberprobleme können in einer CT-Untersuchung, aber nicht in allen Details festgestellt werden. Ich weiß, weil ich durch das System gehe. Ich hatte die CT-Untersuchung am 1. Juni, die etwas nicht ganz Richtiges mit der Leber zeigte, dann eine MRT-Untersuchung der Leber am 15. Juni, die eine Schwellung der Leber zeigte, die den Gallengang beeinflusst, und warte jetzt auf eine ERCP, um die Ursache zu diagnostizieren (möglicherweise Krebs des Gallengangs). Jede Form von Lebererkrankung ist anscheinend nicht einfach zu diagnostizieren in ihren frühen Stadien, aber wenn man dann Gelbsucht bekommt, wenn es einfach ist, ist es oft zu spät, um viel zu unternehmen.
Right, so you have, Palmer erythema, Spider nevus and thread veils (the thing that began with T) plus liver spots.
These can all be to do with liver problems, but if you look them up, they all can be to do with some other cause. What is wrong with your nails, you didn't mention?
You are quite right in that blood tests don't always show problems up.
As for CT scans, I don't really rate them for liver checks. I've had a couple for my brain in the last three years. Once for my brain haemorrhage and once again when I started blacking out. But to check my liver (which is damaged) I have an ultrasound every year (as well as a full set of hospital bloods - about 24 tests).
The ultrasound always picks up the liver scarring and the radiologists are very good at using it. It is exactly the same as they use on pregnant women. I come away with blood tests that are all fine and a not very complimentary report about my liver.
An ultrasound is very good at detecting liver problems including early stage problems. It is always used for the liver in the UK, but for some reason (I don't know why) in the US the CT/MRI scan is preferred.
I looked at my summary from dermatologist and the veins that popped up out of no where on my face are called Telangiectasia.
I started to not feel very well a few weeks before Easter. Very tired, can't remember things, I can literally be talking to someone and several times forget how to say a word and either sit there trying to bring it out of my mouth or end up saying something totally different, itchy sometimes but nothing is there, lightheaded spells, most of the times I have no appetite and when I do eat I'm full the 2nd bite. These symptoms may or may not be related. My skin has darkened but I don't spend much time outside. I wanted to ask the dermatologist about my nails because they have rigids. If you look at them from the side or any way you look at them really you can see the lines in them. They go to bottom and the white part at the very bottom of your nails looks kinda like a moon is gone. It's a radish color there and at the tip of my nails also.
I was worried about my skin changes because they are fairly new but I didn't look up what they could be because I already had an appt coming with the dermatologist in the next month. I freaked out when my palms turned red a few days back and thank God I had an appt the next day because with all of that stuff popping up back to back I was really starting to worry. I'm still worried, very worried. I'm 35 years old with kids youngest is turning 3 next month and I need to be well for them.
I forgot to add that 2 weeks ago I started getting pains in my legs, feet, arms and hands.... I have never had pains like these before. Someone asked me if it was joint pain but u do not know what joint pain feels like.
ask Dr for A to A blood work done. I did and found that I was all out of whack. If blood work for live they are looking for ATL and SET me els. They can give idea if liver is having issues. Usually they will do liver biopsy to tell for sure.. Good luck.
The liver produces the energy we use to function. If we do not ear properly or the liver is not functioning properly, we feel tired and lethargic. The fact that you have no appetite, indicates there is a problem, because the body should naturally ask for food to keep it going.
Finger nails are a very good indicator of our health. The ridges in a young person point to a problem. The disappearance of the Moon on the thumbs (people don't neccessarily have them on fingers) and the radish colour usually indicates a liver problem.
Not eating will give you memory problems, because you will not be getting the neccessary vitamins such as thiamin.
You have too many symptoms not to have a problem. You need to write them all down, mention that the dermatologist has confirmed some and go back to your GP and get more tests done plus an ultrasound. You should not sit there hoping it is going to go away.
I think if your GP is ignoring it, with all these symptoms (assuming you've mentioned them to them) then it is worth getting a second opinion, for your sanity and wellbeing if nothing else.
However, you must, must, must, write everything down, all the things you have listed here. Start with all the things that the dermatologist has confirmed and write that it was the dermatologist that told you.
Point out your nails, ridges and colouring, disappearing lunula (Moon) on thumb. Point out fatigue (use that word, not tired), lack of memory, confusion (encephalopathy - put that in brackets), lightheadedness (possible syncope), itchiness (peripheral neuropathy).
No appetite, can't eat more than two mouthfuls. And tell them that your liver is enlarged by 20cm (8 inches) which is a lot.
Please write it down, believe me, you will forget half of it if you don't and it will be the important stuff you forget, in amongst the confusing atmosphere at the hospital. Some doctor or nurse will start discussing something with you and take you off at a tangent and it is so much easier to refer to a piece of paper of give that to them.
Finally, if you do go, please come back and update us.
I'm sorry I made a mistake. The report says my liver is enlarged and measures 20 cm not that's it's enlarged by 20 cm. The report states.....
The liver is enlarged measuring 20cm in length. This appears to be Riedel's lobe variant elongation of the right lobe as opposed to generalized true hepatomegaly. The liver has normal density. No suspoius cystic or solid masses.
I do think I will probably go to the ER. They don't much like it when you go and it's not an emergency but I am going to try because I really am not feeling well and for all this stuff to be popping up back to back has to mean something. I pray it's not my liver but I have so many of the symptoms. Most of the symptoms can have other causes as well but the I'm not sure about the skin ones. I seem to have every skin symptom and that's scary.
I was admitted to hospital on June 1st to June 3rd for the lightheadness. I looked through all my labs from when I was there as they took blood every few hours but I find no liver testing in those labs. Mostly cbc with differential and basic metabolic.. lots of blood testing looking for heart attack and prothrombin time test which I think was checking to see how long it takes blood to clot.
I did go to the emergency room. They ran blood work... cbc auto differential, comprehensive metabolic panel, lipase, and urine test. Said blood work was normal... I asked for a copy but they said they couldn't give me one but that I fluid request one from medical records 2marro. I asked for an ultrasound but they said ask for one from my primary Dr. I do not know if any of the above testing checks your liver.
I am off to my primary care Dr. All my blood work from hospital was normal so I will be asking for ultrasound. We will see what they say about my request.
Yes, I wrote them down but he wouldn't take my paper and when I was telling him about them he stopped me and said what is the main reason you are here? I explained and he said you should make an appt with your primary care Dr we handle life threatening emergency here and there really isn't anything we can do but I will run some blood work. He did cbc with diff, comprehensive metabolic panel and lipase and he said they all came back normal and told me to make appt with my primary care dr.
I got ultrasound set up for July 12th for my liver. She gave me a really hard time about it. She said she doesn't see how to justify it since my liver function tests are normal so she isn't sure my insurance will pay for it and I may have to self pay. That's okay by me... she also gave me a referral to see an ear nose and throat Dr because she says lymph nodes are swollen in the left side of my back and have been for over a month. Just my luck another thing to worry about