I have plaque in my arteries with a calcium score of 65 , this was found by accident , I take 40 mg of atorvastatin , my liver test has come back high 53
I can’t get to talk to a doctor for 6 weeks it says on my records to re test which I have had done privately for quickness, but I am worried that I am harming myself at such a high dose of statins
I have booked to see someone privately but again 2weeks waiting
Anyone have any thoughts about this
Hi magnilink
I can only speak from my mum’s experience on this. She has been on 40mg Atorvastatin for about 4-6 months for her cholesterol and they have been successful so far in keeping her levels within normal range. I know there are much higher doses of statins available.
She is also due a parathyroidectomy to remove one of her glands that have consistently been keeping her calcium levels high.
What harm are you worried about the statins causing if you don’t mind me asking? Are you referring to the side effects?
If you’re concerned that the statins are affecting your liver, I suggest you chase up the appointment with your doctor. Failing that, and you still remain concerned, it may be that you have to go private again if you want a quick response/resolution.
I hope others will share their experiences of statins with you too.
All the best.
Tos
hi
I’m worried that the liver enzymes are high they should be in the range of 10 to 35 they are definitely too high
They were normal before statins
This is not in direct answer to your question but six weeks is way too long to wait to see/talk to a GP. It sounds unsafe. I would think about changing my doctor
Agree. Six weeks is ridiculous.
You don’t say which one of your liver enzymes is high so it’s difficult to know what you are referring too. Have you asked your doctor or even practice nurse to explain what this means in the real world? If it’s something that fluctuates or has it gone up gradually? I know that with some of these LFT tests you need to look at the other results too, not just one of the numbers. If you are worried you really need a health professional to go over your results with you.
AST 35. ALT 53
My local hospital lab doesn’t report ALT. I don’t know why as so many other places do. It reports AST, the normal range being 10.00-50.00 so I don’t know what normal ALT is, I presume something like an upper range of 35 or 40
I think statins can affect the liver but I don’t know much about it. In my experience as a haematology patient is that they aren’t that concerned about some readings being a little bit out of range, but if it’s by a large magnitude then they’re more concerned. Obviously it’s your body and these are your results, and you’re not just a set of numbers on a screen or on a printout, so it’s only natural to be concerned about any hint of something going wrong. We all have enough to be getting on with without adding to it! I’d push to speak to someone about this sooner rather than later. There ARE other medications that can be used if you can’t tolerate statins so keep the pressure on.
Just to add, the British Liver Trust are a good resource for all thing liver health. Because of another condition, my liver health needs to be monitored and it’s so far, so good. They have a helpline if you ever need it.
When I was put on Atorvastatin a couple of years ago, my ALT jumped from normal to around 70 (should be below 40) and it took a year to settle back down. GP told me they only start getting concerned when that particular enzyme goes into the hundreds (300+), which was a relief
Hi
Thank you for your reply, did you reduce your statins dosage , to get your enzymes back to normal
I didn't, as the levels settled back down after 6 months or so.
Hi. my husband is on 80mg of atorvastatin. After a few months of being on them his liver enzymes went high, he was sent for a liver ultrasound and that came back normal. His blood tests since have been normal. I think it would be worth trying to speak to your doctor or practice nurse for advice.
I was on 80mg then down to 40mg of Atorvastatin and my liver function tests came back abnormal. Our local tests do not include ALT or AST but my high result is for "Serum total bilirubin level". Similar to WorridOfOxford my doctor told me that he will only be concerned if it goes much much higher, but sent me for an ultrasound to check, the result was it is normal.
However saying that, it is something that you need to talk to your GP about so it can be monitored.
Is the 6 week wait to see a specific named doctor? If it is then just see anyone. Any doctor can adjust your dosage or even change the type of statin so it doesn't affect your liver. As soon as those results came back the practice should have contacted you. Try emailing the practice manager. It needs sorting much faster than 6 weeks
Hi
update for you I had a further liver test privately and went to see a cardiologist privately they have reduced my statins to 20g from 40g as my liver was fine prior to taking statins, however i have to say i did not get the impression they were worried i just said i am not having liver problems with everything else , especially as i have not had a HT or anything else
, i have a calcium score of 65 but I understand its normal for over 60s to have plaque , its just some of us know about it and some do not I am coming to the conclusion that my situation is not as bad as I though by reading your comments and online this is very very common , a Swedish survey of 10,000 people over 60 found that 42 per cent had plaque with no known heart disease , my cardiologist said its higher than that
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