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Liver Function Test results approx 100 - not sure what tests

Posted , 17 users are following.

gav44887
gav44887

Hello all,

Apologies for starting a new thread (and thanks to those who contributed to the last one I created).

To repeat briefly: I have been suffering from depression, anxiety and insomnia for the past two years.

Since last August, I have been drinking heavily intermittently - though hardly at all from November 2014 to March this year.

I then re-started drining heavily on-and-off from April, but my drinking was particularly heavy in the last week of July this year - I drank three 1.5 litre bottles of vodka that week.

I had liver function test done on 4 August (just over a week ago).  Subsequent to that, I got a letter from my doctor's surgery asking me to come back and have the tests repeated in a few weeks' time.

Yesterday, I had a regular appointment with my doctor.  He went through the liver function test results with me.

I cannot remember the names of the specific tests, all I can remember is that they were both about 100, the doctor said the upper figure for normal for both was 61, he said one was more importnat than the other, I need to reduce my drinking to within the recomened limits and to come back and have the tests repeated in a few weeks' time (as per the letter).

Since the binge in the last week of July, I have not been feeling well.  I am sweating very easily, feel achy, lacking energy, insomnia has got worse, and my appetite is not so good.  However, I have not lost any weight.

How concerned should I be (even if I reduce my alcohol intake)?  I have done so - I didn't drink any alcohol for a week, and have only drank wine since, and my alcohol intake is much, much lower than it had been in July.

Thanks in advance of replies.

Gavin.

2 likes, 119 replies

119 Replies

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  • gav44887
    gav44887

    Posted

    Hi Richard,

    You are right - I do have serious anxiety, depression and insomnia issues.  These all started when I feared I had HIV two years ago, and had become ingrained by the time (in late 2013) when I was finallly sure I did not have it.

    I have had to deal with a lot of negative life events over the past two years, and that is why I started drinking heavily periodically.

    I am already on various anti-depressant and anti-anxiety meds.

    :-(

    • gav44887
      gav44887 Richardt

      Posted

      Hi Richard,

      I have been on various meds on and off for 2 years.

      Currently ....

      Trazodone:  200mg nightly (supposed to help with sleep, it doesn't help me!);

      Quetiapine:  300mg nightly (ditto!);

      Pregablin:  150mg, twice daily.  It is supposed to help with anxiety (it doesn't appear to).

      The GP who I saw today thinks these (combined) are causing a lot of the sweating.  Actually, I'm inclined to agree.

      Without going into detail, this last 2 years have hit me like a tonne of bricks - one adverse life event after another.  After the first year, these drove me to drink.

      I'll update the thread with what the GP said in a moment .....

      I'll update the

    • Richardt
      Richardt gav44887

      Posted

      Hi if your medication is not working ask your GP to change it, citalprom worked wonders for me l used to drink a bottle of vodka per day, for years bcoz of anxiety , but now anxiety is all gone , hardly drink.
  • gav44887
    gav44887

    Posted

    So, I went to see the GP as planned this morning.

    Firstly, she said there is a bout of gastroenteritis going-around these parts right now.  She said that's almost certainly what I'm experiencing.

    She blamed the sweats on the combination of various meds that I'm on (sweating seems to be a common occurrence on all of them, especially Quetiapine).

    My blood pressure and pulse are normal.

    Then she did a physical exam.  She said my abdomen and liver region feel soft, not hard, no swelling, and no indication at all of inflammation or enlargement.

    She had the LFT and full-blood count tests repeated, including also one for diabetes (though that was tested for earlier in the year).

    In short, like Paul, she feels that some of the liver enzymes have been elevated due to short-term very heavy drinking not long before the tests from 4 August, but there is no actual or permanent damage.  With my drinking drastically redcued, she expects today's test results to be heading downwards.

    As always, they'll be in touch if there's a problem.

    Gavin.

  • gav44887
    gav44887

    Posted

    Hello again,

    As I said, I saw a doctor and had repeat blood-tests taken on Monday (two days ago).  (I was also put on an anti-biotic for folliculitis, presumably unrelated.)

    Yesterday, I got a text message from the doctors' surgery asking me to return a follow-up blood test.  Needless to say, this had me worried!

    So, I called the surgery this morning and spoke to one of the nurses.  She said that the reason for the text was that the hospital lab was unable to process the blood for the full blood count, so needs to be repeated.

    However, she said the liver function test results were much improved, in particular:

    Gamma GT:  72 (down from 121)

    AST:                25 (down from 96)

    I am encouraged by these results (I should be, right?), but still feel physically awful.  In particular, I have abdominal discomfort, aching joints and a really foggy head, with a feeling that I am going to pass-out.  I also have a feeling of pressure in the throat, a poor appetite, and feel dehydraated (maybe because I am sweating so much and often)..

    The nurse said she didn't feel that she was adequately qualified to comment but said that, as they want me to come back to have the blood test repeated asap, I should discuss these strange symptoms with one of the doctors.

    • Richardt
      Richardt gav44887

      Posted

      Hi brother l am happy for you, your results look great,u would pass the dvla alcohol abuse test, why not go on the Citalprom or depression site for the anxiety problem l am also on it, and explain your problem, its real helpful, same site different topic, cheers
    • gav44887
      gav44887 Richardt

      Posted

      Thanks, Richard.

      Yes, the results seem encouraging, but I really do feel physically awful.

      I had to drive into town this morning (before speaking with the nurse) and felt as if I was going to pass-out at the wheel several times.  I did consider going to the local hospital's A&E.

      I realise some of this could be stress / anxiety, making me feel even worse, and the cumulative effects of lack of sleep, but I have never felt as ill in my life, much worse than the worst flu I've ever had.

      :-(

    • Richardt
      Richardt gav44887

      Posted

      Hi come to the depression and anxiety site, it will help you.
    • gav44887
      gav44887 Richardt

      Posted

      I'll take a look, Richard, as you suggest.

      I saw a GP (a locum) an hour ago.

      He went through my recent blood tests and reassured me that the LFTs returning to normal, the kidney function was normal, I do not have diabetes and everything else was normal, too.

      He said to go ahead and get these repeated (they were supposed to have been done on Monday past, but the hospital lab could not process the sample).

      He said all my malaise - excesssive sweats, joint and inner thigh pain, abdominal discomfort, brain fog, losss of appetite, etc - is due to alcohol withdrawals, and will gradually disappear, but to come back if my ill feeling persists or worsens.

      I gave another blood sample to the nurse for a full blood count panel of tests - repeating the one that couldn't be processed on Monday.

      She said it will probably be Monday or even Tuesday before the results are back, and they will be in touch if there are any issues. 

    • gav44887
      gav44887 Richardt

      Posted

      Local GP surgery and the good-old NHS, Richard.

      Not working right now (long story after taking voluntary redundancy in 2012) but never had private health-care even when I did work - and for an insurance company at that!

       

  • Paper_fairy
    Paper_fairy gav44887

    Posted

    Hi Gav. Been following your posts. I'm not sure if this is positive or negative but I too have the symptons(apart from stomach) I am mostly sober for 7 months but had 3 binges of a day or two in that time. So progress as used to be a very heavy drinker every day for years. I suffer with depression some days but horrendous chronic fatigue. Dr says it can take months for your body to be normal again after years of abuse. It gets me down but nothing is as bad as a hangover so I hold on to that thought. Good luck in your battle smile
    • gav44887
      gav44887 Paper_fairy

      Posted

      Thanks, Paper fairy.

      As I said to Richard (above), despite these latest LFT results being encouraging, I have never felt as physically unwell in my life.  The symptoms also feel very strange as well as being very unpleasant, and do not respond to pain-killers.

      I am having to force myself to eat - I have no appetite.

      I will see a doctor tomorrow and see what he says.  I am worried that this is not just a possible liver problem, but some other organ(s).

      :-(

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