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Itchy Skin with one of the liver enzyme above normal

Posted , 3 users are following.

fhame39790
fhame39790

Hello,

Hi everyone hope somebody can help me about my problem,I’m having itchy soles and toes of my feet every night for months,so wnet to the GP for check up,she ordered 5 blood test and 3 days after letter came saying I need to repeat my LFT in 6 weeks time.I burst into tears and my anxiety raised to the roof because I’ve read from the internet that itching especially at night is related to a serious/chronic liver problem.I arranged a telephone appointment with my GP and she just told me she’s not wortied about it since it’s just only one liver enzyme is above normal.I asked her what’s the number and she was a bit annoyed and told me “giving you the number won’t do anything “and I said I just want to know and so she said the nrmal range is 44 and mine is 62 and since I could feel that she doesn’t like me asking about the numbers I wasn’t able to ask which one got that above normal result.

Questions:

1.Is my GP right for not being to concern about my result even if I have this itching for months and no cream or antihistamine is helping it?

2.By having just one above normal liver enzyme is it possible that I’m having a serious liver disease?

Please help I can’t sleep well every night because I’m too worried 6 weeks of waiting is making me so down.

 

0 likes, 4 replies

4 Replies

  • Guest
    Guest fhame39790

    Posted

    Hi fhame, & a moderate elevation in a single enzyme shouldn't be cause for alarm.  Most doc's don't get too excited about elevated liver labs unless they are double or more norm over at least two labs.  

    For reference, viral hepatitis-A can spike enzymes into the thousands, and most of these patients recover without lasting damage.  

    The liver lab most associated with itching is bilirubin, which is different from the enzymes (ALT & AST), so if bilirubin was tested in your original labs and not flagged high, it is unlikely your liver is responsible for your itching issue.  

    Please don't despair over this (not all that high) elevation in one of your enzymes.  Moderately elevated liver labs are quite common.  You need to get to the bottom of whatever is going on, but time is on your side for now.  

    Best Wishes for Better Health!  

    • fhame39790
      fhame39790 Guest

      Posted

      Thanks for your reply,I can’t help but worry because itching is linked to liver disease and when I had an abnormal result I was like boom!oh no this is it I have a liver problem.The waiting time for the next blood test and doctors appointment is awful I just want to be sorted out soon...
  • katarzyna31869
    katarzyna31869 fhame39790

    Posted

    Hello,

    although your liver enzyme results are not over the top ( just to give you a rough idea mine were in the 390's for both enzymes smile when I had HEP C and that was a reason to worry ) when liver issues start the enzymes are very often not high at all so if yours are raised you should get yourself checked and tested by a specialist (warning: sometimes kidneys make you itch too) but do not panic. smile  

    • fhame39790
      fhame39790 katarzyna31869

      Posted

      Actually kidney problem starts to worry me now because my swollen left hand/water retention that wasn’t that bad a year ago is getting bigger now had blood test last year because of the swelling but it all came back normal.Even worried now I have problem with both my liver and kidneys😞

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