ALT of 158 and 154 - Liver & Pancreas Disorders Message Board

middlenameworry · 11-15-2006, 04:05 AM

Hi to all,
A scared newbie here.

I had a blood test done a few weeks ago after going to a doctor to check if I was diabetic( because both my mother and my brother have developed it)
I was told I am glucose impaired.
But more of a worry that was my ALT came back at 158.
I then went for a further blood test and it then came back with ALT 154 with a GTT of 70.
My doctor has now refered me to have a scan.

I have googled and now frightend myself to bits.

Is 158 a high level?

Any words of wisdom would be appreciated.

danielm · 11-15-2006, 02:13 PM

158 is high, but I've seen a lot higher than that.

Normal levels are between 0 and 40, so you can see yourself that 158 is on the high side. It indicates that your liver is under some distress at the moment and leaking enzymes into your blood stream.

Diabetes can be genetic for sure as much as you can develop it later in life too. It's often related to diet, but can be managed with modern drugs.

The important thing is that you wait for your doctors' results before jumping to any conclusions. Whilst it's scary when your liver has a problem, you're actually in luck in that your liver is the one organ in the body that can fix itself when you do the right things.

Wait until your doctor confirms the results before jumping to any conclusions. I know how you feel though, my ALTs were of similar levels not even 6 months ago and are now down to below 40 and normal once more.

Hang in there and wait until you get back your results, you'll be okay!!!

middlenameworry · 11-16-2006, 01:04 AM

Many thanks for your reply danielm.

Must admit I am scared to bits.

Im only a moderate drinker, and at weekends normally.
I am a bit overweight for my height of 5'4, at 168lbs and tend to carry it most on my middle area.
I have immediatley cut down on my fat intake and vow not to put any more drink to my lips at the moment.

Am i right in reading that it does not matter what your enzymes state as this does not reflect the damage done? (jeeze, do I really want to ask that question, im frightening myself more and more

)

MNW

danielm · 11-16-2006, 03:07 PM

That's correct, a raised enzyme level in your bloodwork indicates something is going on with your liver, but doesn't not indicate what damage (if any) that may be there.

Generally what happens is the doctors start with the bloodwork to find raised levels, then they usually progress to a scan (ultrasound or MRI) to confirm the findings in the bloodwork and to look for any physical abnormalties. It usually depends on what's causing your liver issues as to what course of action they take after this, as the treatment varies depending on the condition.

For myself, I was diagnosed with fatty liver infiltration, so I didn't need to progress to getting a biopsy done immediately. What happened for me was that I went on a very low fat diet, rich with fruit, veg and grilled fish as well as getting into a regular exercise regime. Medicine wise, all I take is a B1 and Milk Thistle supplement daily.

Over the course of 4 months I lost over 50 pounds (getting my weight back within normal ranges for my height) and watched my ALTs drop back to within normal ranges - no permanent damage done.

So the best thing you can do at this stage is try not to fret. If you're going to have any organ in your body get sick, your liver is the best and worst one to have I'd say - worst because a sick liver REALLY makes you feel like crap, but BEST because it's the only regenative organ you have and as long as you catch problems early, your chances of recovery are generally really good.

Let the doctors do their thing and see what they have to say first. I know from first hand experience how scary it all is, but really, there's nothing you can do at this stage but wait and let the doctors run the tests they need to confirm what's going on. In the meantime, get plenty of rest and try and relax - and cut out the fatty snacks and alcohol (your liver needs a rest!).

Best wishes.