Weird Symptoms & Elevated Liver Enzymes
Posted , 14 users are following.
My strange health journey started about 6 months ago when I was walking in a store feeling normal and happy and then turned into dizziness, hand tightness, heart palpitations, couldn't breathe, etc. All the symptoms of an anxiety attack. My girlfriend rushed me to the E.R. They couldn't find anything wrong.
I went to the E.R. a total of 3 times in the course of about 3 months. Blood test, CT scan, chest x-ray, etc. Everything seemed normal. Then there were a couple of odd days where everything seemed dark and gloomy and lonely. Like someone had died or something. I was sad and had NO reason to be! I just kept saying "oh my god what is wrong with me?" I'd never had these issues in my life. I've just had this overwhelming feeling that SOMETHING is off/wrong with my body and couldn't figure it out..... So I started seeing a Doctor.
My doctor prescribed me Paxil. So far, I've had no more of those attacks that sent me to the hospital. But, I've felt one o those attacks coming on with heavy breathing, but then my body was overwhelmed with a burning "pins and needles" sensation and then I was okay. Almost like Paxil blocked the oncoming attack. This mainly happened at first but has subsided for the most part.
As for the present time.. I would still get a few random heart palpitations, so my Dr put a holter monitor on me to wear for 24 hours. Heart appears to be okay.. ok great. But I still get these weird feelings sometimes and dizziness. A couple times a week, I'll wake up at 2am immedaitely feeling really dizzy with some nausea, and MOST days I am off balance and my vision is just a bit foggy and dizzy. It's scary.. The doctor has done more and more blood test. My B12 is okay and everything else, except he recently found that my liver enzymes are elevated. My AST was intially 67 and ALT was 135. He tested again a couple weeks later and my AST dropped to 36 (now normal) and my ALT to 82 (still high). Tested a 3rd time and my AST rained 1 point to 37 (still normal) and ALT still at 82. Hepatitis testing all came back negative, so now I'm having an ultrasound on my liver this thursday.
I don't take any medicine and I stopped going out weekly and drinking alcohol about 4 months ago. I only drink water. I take my paxil daily, but that apparently doesn't elevate liver enzymes.
I forgot to mention that I kept getting reccuring styes in my right eye in the same spots. Last time it flamed up was a few weeks ago. It busted and looks normal again. But if history repeats itself, it'll be back again eventually.
Any insight? I'm mainly scared that it's cancer or something like that... But wouldn't my CT scan at the hospital and other blood tests have shown something??
2 likes, 22 replies
d57965 bbjack
Posted
Any updates? I've had the same thing for a couple years now and docs are stumped.
mombie bbjack
Posted
l'm just posting an update as i see nobody else has.... My liver enzyme levels dropped back into the normal range around 4 weeks after my extreme stress levels eased. I had to work hard to reduce my stress levels, and cut a lot of stuff (and people) from my life.
1 year on i am feeling ok. my doctor has checked everything imaginable and it all came back clear. i hope this helps.
mombie
Posted
2018...
I am 34 and have been having the same symptoms for 4 weeks now. I'm in the UK & doctors are stumped. I have been tea total for 8 years and my BMI is normal. My enzymes were 281/91 and the doctor was really worried. My heart rate keeps spiking into the 150's while Im calm and resting then dropping into the 30s too, which leaves me dizzy and exhausted. My life is one huge ball of stress (disabled son and hubby has huge health issues), but I have never had an actual anxiety / panic attack. For the most part I'm calm. It’s a standing joke that if I were any more laid back, I’d fall over. I’m calm in a crisis and have dealt with many of them while level headed. Including both parents dying suddenly.
I have had the heart monitor on for 24 hours but not had the results yet. I'm waiting for a heart echo, liver, kidney and adrenal scans. NHS waiting lists mean these could be months yet though. Meanwhile I have to "rest and take it easy" - I'd love the doctors to try that in my shoes haha!
2019... l'm just posting an update as i see nobody else has.... My liver enzyme levels dropped back into the normal range around 4 weeks after my extreme stress levels eased. I had to work hard to reduce my stress levels, and cut a lot of stuff (and people) from my life.
1 year on i am feeling ok. My doctor has checked everything imaginable and it all came back clear. (Heart echo, abdomen and pelvis ultrasounds, abdomen CT scan, DVT tests, etc etc.
Extra Background:
I was doing Slimming World at the time of my raised enzymes but stopped to help reduce stress. I’ve gained 50lb since but I still feel better now than I did then.
I honestly think the scary high enzymes and heart issues were my body’s way of telling me something had to give. As I say, I cut out things that were having a negative impact. I also switched jobs and that helped a lot too. I also make sure now I find time for myself - even if it’s just a bath with the door locked and my music on for 10 mins!
My life is still one huge ball of stress but I have accepted that most of it is out of my control and I have to roll with it. Hubby’s health continues to deteriorate so we’ve swapped roles. He’s at home more while I work more. This helped ease some of the financial stress we were under.
Just to add.... I’ve had depression for years and been on 20mg citalopram. I also have an under active thyroid and take 125mg levothyroxine a day for that since 2014. As someone else mentioned, I too get stys on my eyes and they are still constantly dry. I hope this update helps anyone reading this.
Jxjs bbjack
Edited
Whoa, crazy I found this thread, I have basically the same exact thing—going on 3 yrs now. Anyone have any updates?