I had my ALT and AST results - 70 for ast, 79 for alp. Doctor wasn't too worried. But the GGT results are 600. I drink heavily. He said I must stop for a month. The Ultrasound showed a fatty liver. He said at least it's not got further.
Any advice? I will stop for a month and check but how quickly will levels return?
Worried and thanks.
You will need to stop for longer than a month for your liver to heal. The liver readings (in your blood) will come down long before the damage (in your liver) will recover. The doc was right to say "at least its not got further" as the further the damage progresses the harder it is to heal. Treat this as your wake-up call. You only have one liver, you dont have another one in reserve, this one deserves as much TLC as you can give it. I suggest you log onto the British Liver Trust website and educate yourself in all the amazing multitude of things your liver does and think whether you could survive without all the things its been doing for you while you've been dousing it in toxins.
Thanks for your words of advice. Do you know much about the readings/levels or diagnosis?
Yes - a wake up call indeed.... 
The diagnosis is your drinking has elevated your GGT to such a level to indicate you have damaged your liver. The treatment is to removed the cause of the damage which is presumably the alcohol. If you don't feel you can stop drinking on your own, or you have issues that caused you to drink heavily that would benefit from talking therapy, then I suggest you seek all available support and advice to stop drinking.
I have 2 autoimmune liver diseases caused by my white blood cells attacking my liver cells and liver bile ducts. I cannot control what my body does to my liver (just slow it down with medication). You have a chance to reverse it by stopping drinking. Please take this chance. Xx
You are so right jtxx. I also have an autoimmune liver disease, which is controlled by medication that has unpleasant side effects. If there was anything I could do by diet alone that would put things right I would seize the opportunity. The liver is a very robust organ, and if damage is caught early it can return to full health. It will take longer than a month, but the results will be worth it. Good luck and good health.
As one who has had a liver transplant my advice is to stop drinking completely. I am an alcoholic (although I have not taken alcohol for over 5 years now) and believe me,you would not want to go through what I have. Without being alcohol free I would have stood no chance of a replacement liver. After being alcohol. free for 2 years I was placed on the transplant list and waited 18 months until my turn came. My operation lasted 10 hours and I was so ill afterwards that I was put into an induced coma for 2 weeks. This was followed by a week hallucinating. My recovery has been slow and arduous and physically I will never be the person I was. I now have periferal neuropathy and suffer with pain most of the time. Please take note of my story. I wish you the very best of good fortune in your jjourney forward.
hi paulyw-and welcome to this forum-aside from the other replies which are all valid I would add this as I was in a similar boat a year or two back. Check out my post on high GGT in search-my advice is to not go cold turkey if you've been drinking heavily for a long time. I would halve your consumption every week until your'e below 10 units a week and then stop and then have at least 2 months dry-let's say until xmas. That way you'll avoid any risk of PAWS which I suffered from when I stopped-it's not pleasant but passes. re GGT levels when I was tested I was 180 which actually rose for a period after I stopped drinking! After 3 months dry my levels were at 167 and never dropped below that-they may have if I stopped drinking completely. I think it depends on how long you've been drinking and how much....as the others say-treat this as a wakeup call. You'll certainly need to moderate-I'm surprised you don't have any symptoms at those levels. My liver tests always have been normal other than GGT.
keep us posted
Thanks for reply, briccolone.
I have tried tapering recently but it wasn't successful. I have been very heavily drinking before these tests. The overall levels for the liver were not bad - the doctor wasn't worried but wanted to see why they were slightly elevated (AST/ALT). Then he saw the GGT levels. The scan just showed some infilitration of fatty liver. The doctor said my liver must be strong.
Either way - I have stopped for 3 days and am on a diet of:
- raw vegetables and juices
- low fat protein
- tumeric tea (check it out - very good for liver and tastest great)
- milk thistle, vit B etc...
I am drinking a lot of juice and will be exercising.
I think I can quit for a period now until the liver repairs. I will have to be patient.
In a month I will go check the GGT levels again. Of course I am worried but I think at this stage if I stop completely for a month or two and eat really well then I should be able to undo this - I feel stupid for letting things get to this stage but I must now just care and I really hope things don't progress...
?
Pauly
ok good start mate-I used the 5:2 diet and it worked wonders...don't worry about fat-it's the sugar that's the killer-hence alcohol. You should start seeing improvements in 6 weeks-good luck
Thanks! 5:2. So how quickly did yours drop, and has the fatty liver cleared? Good news 
the symptoms dropped after 6 weeks-I actually developed an intolerance to alcohol for a while-about 3 months which was worrying. back to normal now. your liver can be way out of kilter before symptoms show-with me once my GGT had dropped to 167 I was asymptommatic despite the GGT being still high-I suspect I would need to stop drinking for years before it normalises. my personal goal is to get the fibro levels below 7 I if can
Out if interest. If you are still about.. (on the forum that is)
How are you doing now?
Hello-yep still here-not quite so active-not too bad. You?
Good to see
Did you ever get your GGT down to sub 100? and your fibro levels down?
Im in a situation where i had GGT of 232 (I did have a test mere days after a heavy party that isnt "normal".. maybe once a month) ALT was 66 and everything else were in normal ranges.
Worried doesnt come close to my thoughts right now.. I had a fatty liver a few years back that i thought was sorted but these recent tests scare me again.
-- Completely off the booze now. Trying the keto diet to get my carb intake super low. Gonna watch the sugars.
Currently in panic mode so trying to understand what others have been through.
Anyway super shocked at the quick reply to a 5 year old thread!
Much thanks
G
Yes I did actually-I got it down to 90 march last year after a good period of dryness. Haven't done any tests recently but I just need to avoid alcohol these days-sleep much better when I do. Also improves joint pain etc.
Wow thats super! Well done.
Good to know (for the most part) its all fixable if its not progressed too far.
I dont think i have any symptoms.. I get itchy hands and feet but ive had that for years (for life?? i guess dry skin)
The pain in my right side has always been put down to rib-inflammation (and i can "feel" the pain and rub it out.. if that makes sense?)
Hopefully, I , like you will be able to reverse this mess.
While I did used to drink quite heavily (year or so ago , and for MANY years..) probably 4/5 pints an evening.. I dont anymore. and stopping "shouldnt" be too much of a hassle.
I also dont drink much "pop" im a water drinker , no tea or coffee cant stand it. So hopefully should help me.
Sorry if im rambling.. I think talking/typing is helping ease my mind.
Cheers
G
well even if it has progressed...just staying off the hooch is the way to go for all sorts or reasons-not just the liver.
Indeed. Thanks
I hope you cope OK Paulyw. It's a frightening experience I am sure.
May I ask how many units of alcohol you were consuming in a typical day and/or week?
I trust you hold steadfast in your resolve.
Best Wishes////
A lot.... I mean every day. A lot of beers.... At least it hasn't been stronger stuff, I guess.
Day3 and so far so good - sleeping better. I will continue until my liver is better. I owe it.
useful for others if you state units...a lot for one person means something else to someone else.... i.e a bottle of wine is roughly 10 units or 5 pints of beer which everyday means about 60 units a week 3 times the recommended safe level. I was drinking the best part of a bottle of wine a day for years with some breaks.....
sure.
probably more like 7/8 pints for more me for a good 10 years with breaks every now and then.
OK. Well I am pleased with your resolve but consider that you don't just owe it to your liver that has carried you through life thus far but you also owe it to yourself, and those closest to you.
Best wishes.
Thanks. I agree with your sentiments.
ggt means how fast your liver is working 600 is pretty bad i was 375 got down to 85
sounds like this is your first scare,you'll come good,don't mean too be umm.....but alcoholics always count you might want too deal with your triggers ,fear and enthusiasm only take you so far maybe counselling.the first thing to do is buy yourself a juicer a green drink everyday no spinach too much iron not too many carrots too much d,beetroot good 1 a week ,kale, celery, brocolli,zucchini,chinese veg and leaves all go in eliminate anything processed only good fats avocado olive oil,only necessary meds plenty of water exercise and destress,no drinking for 3 months takes that long for the body to get rid of booze, then not only will you have low numbers you will feel great and have your life back.be aware of everything that goes in your body your liver deals with all of it' don't panic be kind to yourself your liver is VERY RESILIENT;you will come good.
great reply. Thanks. Triggers I agree with. I have been meditating on it all...
Have been eating beetroot and have juiced a bit. Interesting what you say on carrots & spinach.
How many juices were you doing? were you doing 2/3 day stretches?
1 a week beetroot? I've been eating it every day - avacodos yes - also
- tumeric tea!
- walnuts...
- milk thistle
- lots of fruit
- chicken, turkey, lots fish
- salads with every meal
need to step up the exercise.
But, hey - you are right. I will feel better. Its a good wake up call - I knew it was coming.
Thanks for the supportive words, bunny2be. I feel a lot better after 5 days of look after my liver. No desire to harm it anymore.
3 months... How did you come up with that timeline? I was thinking 6 weeks.... But however long it takes.
Pauly
sound like you want a quick result fine we all do have bloods done at 6 weeks will make you feel more in control but 3 months will show much clearer result that carrot might be vit a look it up anyway too much carrot not good or too much beetroot ginger in the juicer is good milkthistle i think is a waste of money buy green veg did a 3 day veg fast its ok not necessary though your friends will be impressed maybe some days without all that protein
Ok - update from me for those interested:
1. Stopped all drinking for 4 weeks
2. Changed diet - here is a sample: Salad with every meal, avacados, walnuts. No red meat. Lots of fish. Juices - beetroot, kale, celery etc.... Not every day but as 3/4 times a week. Lemon and ginger hot water every morning. Cumin Tea. Pur Tea. Milk Thistle. Viatmin b12...
The GGT has dropped from 690 to 140. AST is 42 from 70.
Am planning another month without alcohol. I think it is wise.
Will keep updating.
Thanks for all the advice. At least things are moving in the right direction.
What is the latest with you please?
I have not had a drink or cigarette for 6 yrs yet my ggt level is 600 I do have take different meds 4 things but I am so tired all the time I need to no if these numbers equate to feeling so tired if some one could shed a little light please
Hi, first I must admit I am blessed to be in good health amd I hope my question won't sound inappropriate considering many people have bigger issues.
I just got a GGT reading of 114. ALT and ALP were OK and I didn't get the AST. I drink 10 to 20 units of wine weekly, mostly over the weekend. I expect Rom past experience that my GGT will fall to about 60 if I stop the wine for 2-3 weeks. I might also have got a lower GGT had I not had wine the night before the test. But I wonder if I should seriously consider to reduce or stop the wine (I am 52). Thanks
Hi stick with the 14 units max per week as per guidelines hope all well
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