yock
01-23-2006, 03:41 PM
I would like to have my liver tested and I'm not really sure what test(s) to ask for. I have been a moderate drinker since the age of 30 (I'm 47 now). What I mean by moderate is I don't drink during the week but on the weekends I'll put away 4 to 5 beers while out with friends. Also, I find that I cannot absorb medicine the way I use to. Sometimes it takes 4 hours for aspirin to kick in, and I think this is liver related. So I would like to have a basic test done on my liver to see if it's damaged in any way. Can anyone advise what tests to ask for? Thanks.
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inyourdreams
01-23-2006, 04:53 PM
You wanna ask for a full liver panel or liver function test (depending on how your Dr words it).
HONEY_1
01-24-2006, 12:51 AM
The only way to find exact condition of the liver is a biopsy....
inyourdreams
01-24-2006, 08:01 AM
Insurances will not pay for a biopsy (assuming you have health insurance) unless your liver enzymes are elevated, so you have to do bloodwork and a liver panel first.
feelbad
01-24-2006, 10:37 AM
Just having a basic hepatic panel along with an ultrasound will tell you alot about your liver.doing the panel alone does not really give you the true picture as the labs wont actually show any sort of a change out of the normal range until the actual damage to the liver gets to a certain point.The same thing holds true for the kidneys,trust me on that.my kidneys have exstensive polycystic damage and my ultrasounds are the only thing so far that actually show the real damage going on.my labs are all within the totally normal ranges.once the cystic damage reaches that 'magic' level,then and only then will it actually start to show itself in my labs.Sooo, getting the labs AND an ultrasound will give you what you are looking for at this point.if you are just wanting to see if there is any noticable damage,these two tests will do it for you.If nothing actually shows up on these,you can be pretty safe that nothing is really damaged.But like what was stated above,a liver biopsy would truely show if there was actually ANYTHING damaged,but is not actually needed for what you are trying to find out.Good luck,i hope things are all looking good.let us know.Marcia
HONEY_1
01-24-2006, 07:13 PM
Inyour dreams,,,,you state:
Insurances will not pay for a biopsy (assuming you have health insurance) unless your liver enzymes are elevated, so you have to do bloodwork and a liver panel first.
Under drs orders,,,,my insurance covers. True,,,most people that would want to know condition of liver would start off with the bloodwork but you know what,,,,that always isn't a true indicator either. You could have liver damage and lots of people have normal enzymes. Sad but true and you would only know of deteriation of liver at end stage when you finally are getting the symptoms. Ultra sound shows enlarged or fatty liver but if your liver did indeed have moderate damage,,,,would not show up on ultra sound.
Insurances will not pay for a biopsy (assuming you have health insurance) unless your liver enzymes are elevated, so you have to do bloodwork and a liver panel first.
Under drs orders,,,,my insurance covers. True,,,most people that would want to know condition of liver would start off with the bloodwork but you know what,,,,that always isn't a true indicator either. You could have liver damage and lots of people have normal enzymes. Sad but true and you would only know of deteriation of liver at end stage when you finally are getting the symptoms. Ultra sound shows enlarged or fatty liver but if your liver did indeed have moderate damage,,,,would not show up on ultra sound.
inyourdreams
01-24-2006, 07:52 PM
I guess I worded that wrong. You can't walk into a Dr's office and state you want a biopsy of your liver without the Dr having any prior knowledge of your liver state. They aren't just going to order a liver biopsy without knowing if you have a problem with your liver. Biopsies can kill you, so they have to have a reason to go in and do one. From what I was told from several liver specialists across the country, there is no way your liver can be damaged without it showing up in your liver enzyme panel--that is how your liver is functioning. Your bilirubin and liver enzyme panel are going to be elevated with any malfunction in your liver. Even taking over the counter Tylenol and cold medicines up your enzymes showing a change in the cells of your liver. And that was true in my case---fatty liver showed elevated enzymes and coincided with the ultrasound and ct scan. But I had to do everything in the Drs order so that my insurance would cover the cost of the tests. I went in with pain in my lower rib cage, bloodwork showed elevated enzymes, then for ultrasound and then for ct scan.
I was diagnosed with fatty liver---I had triple high enzymes, numerous ultrasounds and ct scans showing fatty infiltration of the liver and I denied the biopsy. That was 15 years ago. I now liver flush and have no trace of elevated enzymes, they in fact are half of the normal range and no fatty liver.
So a deterioration was cured by a home remedy, whodathunkit?
I would have to think if the original poster walked into the Drs office and demanded a liver biopsy because he/she had some pain in their rib cage, he/she would have to get bloodwork and go from there. That's why I suggested a liver function test to him/her. If that comes back normal, then he/she should go back and then pursue further testing if the pain is lingering. These are just suggestions I have given the poster to make it easier on their life since I've lived it myself for many years. I didn't have the internet and any way to ask questions before I embarked the long and tiresome journey. Have a nice day.
I was diagnosed with fatty liver---I had triple high enzymes, numerous ultrasounds and ct scans showing fatty infiltration of the liver and I denied the biopsy. That was 15 years ago. I now liver flush and have no trace of elevated enzymes, they in fact are half of the normal range and no fatty liver.
So a deterioration was cured by a home remedy, whodathunkit?
I would have to think if the original poster walked into the Drs office and demanded a liver biopsy because he/she had some pain in their rib cage, he/she would have to get bloodwork and go from there. That's why I suggested a liver function test to him/her. If that comes back normal, then he/she should go back and then pursue further testing if the pain is lingering. These are just suggestions I have given the poster to make it easier on their life since I've lived it myself for many years. I didn't have the internet and any way to ask questions before I embarked the long and tiresome journey. Have a nice day.
HONEY_1
01-24-2006, 09:53 PM
Yep,,,you are definintely right! We have to go through a whole battery of tests at drs office even if we kinda have an idea ourselves of what is going on lol
Glad to hear that you are doing so good and no longer a fatty liver! Just shows what happens when we take in interest in our health and do alot of our own research! Sometimes we could even help the good dr out at times and he is the one with the degree! Its nice to see you helping others out!
Glad to hear that you are doing so good and no longer a fatty liver! Just shows what happens when we take in interest in our health and do alot of our own research! Sometimes we could even help the good dr out at times and he is the one with the degree! Its nice to see you helping others out!