Fighting alcoholism and question regarding my liver results, any help appreciated!
Posted , 3 users are following.
I've been drinking for the past 12 years daily. My normal consumption is about 6-7 shots per night. My URQ has been sore for the past few years and I have had numerous blood tests to monitor my liver function. My most recent test showed
PROTEIN, TOTAL 7.1
ALBUMIN 4.8
GLOBULIN 2.3
ALBUMIN/GLOBULIN RATIO 2.1
BILIRUBIN, TOTAL 0.8
BILIRUBIN, DIRECT 0.2
BILIRUBIN, INDIRECT 0.6
ALKALINE PHOSPHATASE 80
AST 25
ALT 10
Everything came back as "normal" but I am worried about my AST being 25 and my ALT being much lower at 10. I heard that a ratio of 2:1 was a sign of alcoholic liver disease. What does my liver results show?? Thank you in advance
0 likes, 5 replies
Guest mark909
Posted
Your AST isn't particularly high, as would be expected with alcoholic hepatitis. Exercise and/or exertion (including hard work) can also pop AST up and over ALT within normal range.
ALT is remarkably low, which can result from alcohol related B-Vitamin deficiency (particularly Vitamin B-6)
Your other labs look great! You might ask for a GGT liver lab to be included in your next blood tests. GGT really is the best indicator of both alcoholic liver inflammation as well as chronic alcoholic liver disease. A normal GGT = a happy liver! GGT is a cheap test, and your doc shouldn't mind adding it to your lab order.
All daily drinkers should supplement with a Vitamin B-Complex. Low dose pills taken twice a day are better than high doses taken once per day. If you start on B-Complex, your ALT will probably be up into the 20s (more typical/normal levels) with your next blood draw.
I wouldn't sweat a 2:1 AST/ALT inversion when both are within normal range and ALT is remarkably low.
Hope this helps.
mark909 Guest
Posted
Thank you so much for your reply and information! I'm not really sure why the GGT liver lab is not included but I will defiantly ask for it to be included in my next lab tests. I will also check out the B-complex as well. I have really been trying to kick this deadly habit/disease...its so hard!! Thank you again for all the information, I really do appreciate it!!
Guest mark909
Posted
I drank to excess for many years. Switched to light beer in my 30s which probably saved my life. Got good and sick in my early 50s, but couldn't wrap my head around a medical detox and immediately going teetotal for life.
I quit drinking during the day (which was remarkably easy), & started pushing back the starting time for my evening tipple later and later after dinner. After a couple of months of tapering/restricting, I found I was down to just a few light beers per night. Made the jump to sobriety one fine day and never looked back. There is life after alcohol, and it ain't all that bad!
Best of Luck
mark909 Guest
Posted
Congrats on your decision to stop drinking and your sobriety! I applaud you! I hope one day I can get the guts to finally stop drinking as I'm slowly slowly cutting back every night but indeed is very difficult for me. I suffer from major depressive disorder/GAD/insomnia which doesn't make things any easier but self medicating with ETOH isnt healthy at all ...only things are a few hours of false euphoria and the help of sleep which really is only a few hours at best. Thank you again...I hope to find a new path in life ..one without alcohol one day!
Guest mark909
Posted
I became very depressed when I got sick & realized I had to quit drinking, as I didn't even know if I could quit at the time. I was living alone and isolated.
I started going for long walks down by the waterfront and observing the homeless alcoholics. Figured this would probably be my fate for a while; but soon came to realize there were many who were worse off then I was, and I had a choice as to whether I was going to continue to decline or "get better" (whatever that was). I didn't even know at the time. For most of my life, my "happy times" were when I was drunk!
I did some of my best thinking while out on these walks, and when I would get home, would start thinking about a better life for me. Once I got out of my heavy drinking mode, everything seemed to change. I stumbled into a new relationship, which turned out to be a good one. Work was easier, & the fog of depression lifted. I was walking back on the sunny side of the street again, & life was good!
Keep the faith "this too shall pass" and keep recovery on a front burner. Time heals all wounds, and you WILL get better!