MOMOF3INNC
03-03-2006, 06:14 PM
I'm new to the board and was hoping to find out information regarding high liver function tests. It's kind of a long story, so I'll try to be brief. I went for a physical in April of 2004 and my liver enzymes were slightly elevated. They asked me to come back and repeat the blood tests in a few months. In June 2004 I went back and they were even more elevated. They did more tests and the doctor said I had a Positive ANA (indicative of auto-immune disease). From there I had an ultrasound that was negative and even had a biopsy that came back completely normal. I went to see a liver specialist who drew tons of labs that are more indicative of auto immune hepatitis. All these labs came back negative, including the ANA. He told me to monitor my levels and do nothing unless the levels go over 100. Fast forward to last Friday I went in to a new doctor and asked him to draw the levels to see where they were. Now they are both over 100 (AST 128 ALT 104). So it starts again. I go to the specialist on the 28th of the month. I am almost 36 and I feel healthy, I have no symptoms. I exercise regularly. I am not overweight at all. I drink occasionally. Any ideas? I thought when I had the biopsy in July 2004 that it was the definitive test to see if I had autoimunne hepatitis. I am trying not to be stressed, but it is hard. Any information would be helpful. Thank you in advance.
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Mrs.Crabtree
03-05-2006, 10:54 PM
I have been diagnosed with Autoimmune Chronic Active Hepatitis and I can tell you a few things what I've dealt with. When I first found out about it, I was yellow from head to toe. I thought it was the lighting in my apartment, so I didn't think anything of it. My parents on the other hand, felt differently. After being admitted into emergency, they did numerous blood tests. My ALT levels were approximately 650 and my AST levels were around 800. Wow eh? I too feel very healthy. I don't feel any pain and I don't have any discomfort. However, the side effects from the medications do cause numerous problems. These are cosmetic based and sometimes, not often, discomfort from sore knees and water retention. Your doctor seems to have found the problem before it gets worse, so be thankful for that. Just this past Christmas, I was diagnosed with cirrhosis of the liver. The only reason we found that was because my stomach was distended to the point where I looked like I was 5 or 6 months pregnant. My stomach was firm to push on and I had all other symptoms of being pregnant. When I did the test, it came back negative. It turns out, the portal vein that goes into my liver developed what they call Portal Hypertension. It is almost as if there was a "kink" in the vein. Therefore, all fluid that was to go through my liver was being backuped up into my abdomen. Now that I've been on diuretics ever since Christmas, my stomach is back to normal. It does get bigger every once in a while due having salt in my diet. Sodium-free diets are very difficult to follow.
I know I have spoken a lot about myself, but I hope that gives you a bit of information. Go see a Gastroenterologist if you haven't already. Where abouts are you located?
I know I have spoken a lot about myself, but I hope that gives you a bit of information. Go see a Gastroenterologist if you haven't already. Where abouts are you located?
MOMOF3INNC
03-07-2006, 09:31 AM
I'm located near Charlotte, NC. What's weird to me is that I jusr found some old lab values from 7 years ago and my AST and ALT were elevated at that time also. I had the liver biopsy done in July of 2004. If I have had something for 5 years at the time of biopsy shouldn't it have shown up? All the tests that were done in 2004 to diagnose AIH came back negative. Could I still have it? If not what else could it be?
Thanks for the response. Hope you are doing well.
Thanks for the response. Hope you are doing well.
Mrs.Crabtree
03-07-2006, 01:03 PM
Well, I had a liver biopsy done and it didn't show anything either. Mind you, I believe they are mainly checking for scar tissue on the liver or any cancer. Have you seen either a Gastroenterologist or a liver/hepatitis specialist? That's where I would start. What are your other symptoms? Are you jaundice? How is your weight (if you don't mind me asking?), health in general?
I have a print out of my entire medical history from the age of 19 and it is a timeline of all medical problems that I've had that either the doctors or myself believe are the cause of the AIH. I don't mind sharing that information with you if you like. You may not have AIH at all. However, Autoimmune diseases are strange. There are so many different kinds of autoimmune diseases and they effect everyone differently. Since they are hereditary, your mother (probably) had a form of autoimmune disease but dealth with different problems than yourself. For example, my mother breaks out in hives every night and usually because of her body temperature or the environment around her. I don't deal with that particular problem.
Either way you cut it, you should go see a specialist if you haven't done so already. Good luck!
I have a print out of my entire medical history from the age of 19 and it is a timeline of all medical problems that I've had that either the doctors or myself believe are the cause of the AIH. I don't mind sharing that information with you if you like. You may not have AIH at all. However, Autoimmune diseases are strange. There are so many different kinds of autoimmune diseases and they effect everyone differently. Since they are hereditary, your mother (probably) had a form of autoimmune disease but dealth with different problems than yourself. For example, my mother breaks out in hives every night and usually because of her body temperature or the environment around her. I don't deal with that particular problem.
Either way you cut it, you should go see a specialist if you haven't done so already. Good luck!
MOMOF3INNC
03-08-2006, 08:56 AM
I have seen a hepatologist two years ago, and they couldn't find any reason for the elevated levels. I am not jaundice and I feel extremely healthy. All the lab values that are indicative of an autoimmune disorder came back negative. I am stumped as to if I have a problem or not. I go back to see the hepatologist at the end of the month.
Mrs.Crabtree
03-08-2006, 06:28 PM
I think you should go see a Gastroenterologist in particular. They are specialists of the guts in general and he or she will be able to tell you the reasons why your liver enzymes could be out of wack. Hepatologists I find deal with mainly Hep A, B or C and don't pay too much attention to the autoimmune disorders. At least that has been my experience.
nobodytotalkto
03-09-2006, 02:17 PM
I know this is probably a stupid question, especially since you said you already had an ultra sound done, but could there be any way that you have gallstones? That could account for the reason why your liver enzymes are high but noone can find anything wrong with your liver.
I had the same problem about 2 months ago. My enzyme levels were high and after a couple blood tests, they didn't get better and we knew hepatitis was no longer a threat. I was about to schedule a biopsy, when my doctor said to do an ultra sound first. Thank goodness, because it turned out to be gallstones. My doctor actually told me that my liver was perfect, and you cant imagine how happy I was to hear that. Now she wants me to schedule an operation to have my gallbladder removed but that is another story. My point being, I had no pain either and would have never known had my enzymes not come back high.
Good luck to you.
I had the same problem about 2 months ago. My enzyme levels were high and after a couple blood tests, they didn't get better and we knew hepatitis was no longer a threat. I was about to schedule a biopsy, when my doctor said to do an ultra sound first. Thank goodness, because it turned out to be gallstones. My doctor actually told me that my liver was perfect, and you cant imagine how happy I was to hear that. Now she wants me to schedule an operation to have my gallbladder removed but that is another story. My point being, I had no pain either and would have never known had my enzymes not come back high.
Good luck to you.
Lenin
03-14-2006, 11:19 AM
MOMOF3,
ANA increases with almost any kind of infection anywhere in the body...it's rarely indicative of an autoimmune disease...I went through the same thing with an ANA of 1:320 that went to normal in a month. I had all the lupus, and Sjogrin's, and scleroderma tesing done...all negative.
Likewise ALA and AST around 100 is no reason for panic...with liver disease, these numbers SOAR! Both will go up to 100 with a COLD.
It sounds like you are fine. Don't make the doctors richer.:D
ANA increases with almost any kind of infection anywhere in the body...it's rarely indicative of an autoimmune disease...I went through the same thing with an ANA of 1:320 that went to normal in a month. I had all the lupus, and Sjogrin's, and scleroderma tesing done...all negative.
Likewise ALA and AST around 100 is no reason for panic...with liver disease, these numbers SOAR! Both will go up to 100 with a COLD.
It sounds like you are fine. Don't make the doctors richer.:D
MOMOF3INNC
03-15-2006, 09:16 AM
Thank you for the responses. I feel totally healthy. I have looked back and found that my enymes have been high (50-60) since 1999 if not even before that time. Wouldn't I have a symptom or have had something show up on the biospsy if there was anything wrong? Could my enzymes just be high? The last time I had them drawn when they were in the low 100s I had just had a strenuous weight workout and I read on another post that that can increase your enzymes. Any opinion on that?
nobodytotalkto
03-15-2006, 03:21 PM
Strenuous exercise CAN elevate enzymes, however, if they have been high since 1999, then most likely, there is a reason. You just need to find out what it is. Enzymes aren't high for just no reason. Now that doesn't mean that it's something bad or deadly that makes them high. It could be something extremely small and until you have pain or bad symptoms, you should be fine. If I were you, you may want to go and see another doctor or two, to see what they recommend.
Good luck.
Good luck.
MOMOF3INNC
03-15-2006, 09:38 PM
Thank you. If they've been elevated for 7 years, wouldn't I have a symptom? How long can it be before symptoms show up? What could it be if I've been tested for everything? I have an appt with a gastroenterologist next month. I'm trying not to worry, but I still do.