Terry's nails?: My nails are very pale... - British Liver Trust

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Terry's nails?

linzenilss22 profile image
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My nails are very pale with the red band on the top. I read cirrhosis can cause this. What in my bloodwork should I look for that would cause Terry's nails? I read it could be from low albumin but mine is normal is there any other causes?

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linzenilss22
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AyrshireK profile image
AyrshireK

Terry's Nails have been discussed on the forum previously and they are no longer used as a diagnostic indicator of liver ill health - in Terry's Nails the nail bed is near on white not just pale.

You seem to have convinced yourself that you have cirrhosis despite every test you've had coming back clear. You do need a sit down discussion with your doctor to see what he/she is thinking and like others have suggested take someone with you who can clearly listed to the answers you are getting.

I am not a medic just the wife and carer of a lovely hubby who has cirrhosis (auto-immune cause) - his was 100% confirmed by late stage symptoms (burst varices), deranged LFT's, jaundice, clubbed fingers, spider naevi and an ultrasound scan which showed dense, shrivelled and shrunken liver, even palpating the liver the doctors and student doctors could discern the damaged liver and increased spleen size.

The ultrasound picks up any abnormal portal venous flow as well so it is highly unlikely your ultrasounds would have missed cirrhosis.

You seem to be googling various symptoms (some of which would ONLY be present in very late stage cirrhosis) and convincing yourself that's what's wrong with you when every test you are having is saying otherwise.

Obviously you are exhibiting symptoms - though not necessarily of cirrhosis and these need to be ironed out.

I do wish you well.

Katie xx

linzenilss22 profile image
linzenilss22

Hello my nailed are near white. I just have so many symptoms and it scares me. My menstrual cycle hasn't come for 3 months and read that can be liver related I just feel like it all ties in.

AyrshireK profile image
AyrshireK in reply tolinzenilss22

What sort of doctor are you seeing? You need to go and see at the least a gastroenterologist. Take a list of every symptom you've experienced.

Avoid googling individual symptoms because you will convince yourself its something it might not be. We thought my hubby's condition was depression/stress related because it came to a head when he was dealing with some anxious times and it was only when he vomitted a huge amount of blood that we went to hospital and discovered what it really was.

Your bloods are normal which generally they wouldn't be with cirrhosis - my hubbies are only ever marginally out of range but they are out of range. Cirrhosis definitely shows up on ultrasound.

Something is obviously out of balance in your body just now causing these issues - I take it you are 100% not pregnant.

Someone needs to sit down and put the jigsaw of your various symptoms together and do a proper thorough examination. You need a full liver panel of bloods not just LFT's - LFT's don't give the full picture but a panel would show all sorts of different results - enzymes, hormones etc. etc. A fibroscan which is offered in some hospitals would show the density of the liver and give a grade of stiffness.

You are worrying yourself silly, some of your symptoms could even be being brought on by the stress of it all.

If you are not already seeing one please ask your GP for a referral to a gastroenterologist (hepatologists are few and far between and you might get all answers from a gastro) as I say someone needs to be looking at all your symptoms and putting the jigsaw together.

But as others have previously said though this could just be your abused liver and other organs grumbling over the battering they've taken and it might just take time to get back to a good place providing you've stopped drinking altogether and started following a more healthy lifestyle and diet. Your anxiety might be the thing which is actually creating some of these other symptoms.

I wish you all the best and hope you get some answers but do start looking after yourself. The anxiety is probably doing you more harm than everything else.

Katie :)

dooley1 profile image
dooley1 in reply tolinzenilss22

Have you been tested for iron overload? If you have very high Ferritin levels your periods would stop and have some similar symptoms.

But you do need to have a chat with your GP to analyse all your results together, hopefully all will be clear.

Good luck

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akshayv2

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