Scan clear?

[baffled2015]

Ive hashimotos underactive thyroid diagnosed in may 15. Due to other symptoms, including yellow stools my GP began testing my blood for liver enzymes which have consistently been high- ALT specifcally and keeps rising.

Had an upper Gastro scan (incl liver) on wednesday and they told me there was nothing significant to report.

My follow up appointment with GP is not until the 7th. Im not sure what the next step is-my stools are the same and ive developed some wickedly painful acid refux that woke me in the night.

My GP initially thought that it might be Auto Immune Hepititus due to the Hashimotos. But im not sure if the unsignificant scan has just confirmed this or not?

I know i need to wait for my GP but any thoughts are welcomed

[Hidden]

hi

all imho:

can you explain what the scan was? Its good news there wasnt obvious damage to your Liver, how ever I don't think your doctor can rule out Auto immune hepatitis from the scan. The Liver markers indicate damage occurring still, it just hasn't reached a level where they can see scarring yet. So I would assume that the doctor will still need to try and get to the bottom of the inflammation, so more tests will be needed.

[baffled2015 in reply to Hidden]

Hi raplh2014

It was an ultrasound

[AyrshireK in reply to baffled2015]

Hi Baffled2015, I am afraid that Ralph is correct on this, an ultrasound will not be able to rule in or out a diagnosis of AIH or anything else for that matter it will only show if there is damage to the liver, possibly highlight any inflammation and how all the other abdominal organs are doing.

In order to confirm a diagnosis of AIH doctors will have to run a lot more tests which include more blood tests especially some looking for specific antibodies, normally a liver biopsy and then a dose of steroids (normally prednisolone at a fairly high dose). AIH is usually diagnosed after ruling out everything else then seeing if the active inflammation does indeed respond to a hit of steroids.

As you say you already have one auto-immune condition so it isn't impossible that you have now developed AIH. There is a brilliant active online support group for AIH on Facebook and also on their own website/forum - the members are all either patients or carers and have a lot of knowledge from pre-diagnosis, to living with AIH (forever) to pre and post transplant patients. They are also backed by some of the top AIH boffins in the country who have actually provided some amazing talks and written materials for the group.

Pages are at:- facebook.com/groups/AIHorgUK/

& autoimmunehepatitis.org.uk/ .

Myself and a fair few other members of this community are on there too.

All the best, Katie x

[Hidden]

They prob need to do some more b.tests.there could potentially be lots of diff causes..my m in law had yellow stools ard docs thoight it might b her bile duct the larger one..but not!i i have yellow stools and have pbc so as i say lots of diff causes.good luck.cazer.

[briccolone]

cant help with the hashimotos but I certainly had similar symptoms but with a clear u/s-this was low level fatty liver which eventually cleared up with diet/abstinence..