Elevated LFT's but all other tests okay

[RedEarth]

Hi everyone

I'm new to this forum and to be honest feeling anxious about my continued elevated LFT's. I've had a fibroscan, MRI, ultrasound on my liver and other parts and all okay. The specialist doesn't want to rush into a liver biopsy due to the fact that it is an invasive procedure. Over the past 10 months, my LFT's go up and down; at the moment they are ALP 152, GGT 240 and ALT 58. My GGT has been higher in the 300's. They have also dropped to GGT 70's, and ALP/ALT normal. It's all really confusing and worrying. Should I be worried? I also had my gallbladder remove about 5 years ago. I was also very sick over Christmas, not sure what it was but no-one else was - it was like a major dose of the flu. I have never been a big drinker and haven't had a drop for the past 10 months. What on earth is wrong with me?! I'm normally really healthy and fit. And hey, I really appreciate that there is this forum - thank you. Christine

[freddie76]

Hi Christine

As your GGT is high please make sure you are tested for Alpha 1 Antitrypsin deficiency.

This is rarely tested for and little known about, but was the only reading out of sinc initially for my hubby and eventually they discovered it was due to Alpha 1. Not saying you have it but do make sure it is ruled out. It is a simple blood test.

What area are you in.

Good Luck

[RedEarth in reply to freddie76]

Hi there - thank you, I'll ask the specialist. I'm way over the ocean in NZ.

[bantam12]

Hi Christine, I have the same but my results have been doing it for 10 years, like you I have had all the tests including a biopsy and nothing found. Do you take meds for anything else ? as some can affect liver results.

[RedEarth in reply to bantam12]

Hi! Thanks for your reply. I'm not on any meds, never have been. So you go up and down as well? I guess I'm perhaps more worried than I should be as the first specialist I had told me that I very likely had PSC before I had had any tests. My new specialist is reserved about that, she says 'somewhat reassured by the normal testing/imaging to date' even though my LFT's kept bouncing around. She's going to test bloods again in 2-3 months and I will have another appointment with her in about 6 months. Glad I've found you. Do you feel well all the time? I find that I need to be a little careful about what I eat.

[bantam12 in reply to RedEarth]

My results do go up and down but not back into normal range, always above. I'm also a likely candidate for PSC because I have Ulcerative Colitis which is a risk factor but because all scans and biopsy were clear that was ruled out, although I'm not totally convinced !

I'm fairly well but I also have underactive thyroid so that's an ongoing issue. Have you had your thyroid function tested ? many with thyroid disease do have raised LFTs.

Just looked up my last results GGT 310, ALP 303, ALT 77.

x

[RedEarth in reply to bantam12]

Thanks so much and lovely to 'speak' with you. I think my thyroid has been checked but I'll ask. I'm booked in for the 'yuk' test to check for UC in a couple of weeks. Would love to keep checking in with you. You take care. x

[19581979]

Hi

Like you I am new to all of this. I knew I had cholesterol issues for a while but this month I got told I have nafld and cirrhosis. I'm going through a lot of tests and just learning to be patient. That's not a strong virtue of mine. I'm trying to love my body as much as I can by trying to watch what I eat. I need to exercise more but it isn't easy. From what I can gather from everyone these are two key ingredients we need to work on.

Take care and all the best.

Gx

[bantam12]

Good luck with the "yuk" test, make sure you get good sedation and pain relief.

I should have it done every few years but have managed to keep putting it off ! luckily my UC is in remission thanks to very low dose anti inflammatories, hope I'm not tempting fate saying that 😧

Do keep us posted on your journey, take care.

x

[GrittyReads]

Have they checked for AMAs (antimitochondrial antiboides) ? Combined with the lfts you quote it is used to diagnose PBC. I'm sure you will have already checked this, in fact AMAs often turn up in tests before lfts are checked, but thought I'd ask.

AMA-M2 is the sub-type linked to PBC. There is a 'PBC Foundation' website on Health Unlocked if you want to check more. PBC is not the scary condition it used to be - but I'm sure they would have checked for it already.

Hope you get sorted soon, take care.