I got a fibroscan done months ago and it showed that I had fibrosis of the liver which is chronic liver disease I’m assuming. My doctor was concerned because my blood liver enzymes were perfectly normal. So she demanded that o get an MRI done. My results came back normal. There were no ascites, fat or iron. And no morphological changes of liver chronic disease.
Question : I got a fibroscan done months... - British Liver Trust
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What were the circumstances that led you to having a fibroscan in the first place? Was that a doctors referral? Fibroscan can give false postives (elevated readings) dependant whether you've eaten and what food you've eaten or if you carry a little extra weight. They can also give readings in the cirrhosis range with just liver inflammation. I think i'd be trusting the MRI and good blood numbers - MRI is probably the best scan going for getting a picture of internal organs. Fibroscan just from reading on this site seems to be a guidance tool rather than an exact science - we certainly have member with both readings at both ends of the scale which turned out to be less than accurate.
Fingers crossed all remains positive for you.
Katie
I have a question. If you had signs of portal hypertension. And bloated stomach off an on. Wouldn’t your albumin be low. If that was a symptom. Can’t get any answers.
in reply to Chris884
I'm with AyrshireK lover, in that I'd trust MRI to flag any advanced disease. I've seen reports of alcoholic inflammation in particular pop fibroscan high, with a re-scan later in recovery substantially lower.
For Chris; I had alcoholic fatty liver bad back in 2010. Could swear I could feel my spleen popping in and out under my left rib cage when I would lean to the side & back. Ultrasound showed echogenic liver and portal vein at upper end of normal range. After I cleaned up my act for 7 years, an ASH Fibrosure last year showed F-0, NO fibrosis.
Albumin usually doesn't start to sag (low) until liver disease is pretty advanced, & you typically would have other labs chronically out of whack, spooky imaging and some symptoms of advanced disease. I've seen a lot of early stage cirrhosis with albumin still within normal range.
in reply to Chris884
Hi Chris
Where did he/she say portal hypertension or is ny view truncated?
Miles
🇧🇧
Chris884 in reply to
Nobody told me portal hypertension I was just asking. If I had some symptoms of that. Wouldn’t ct scan with contrast be able to see if I had cirrhosis. Ct came back saying liver/spleen appears normal.
Chris, as we've explained a few times now the scanning you've had should have highlighted whether or not you have cirrhosis and an enlarged spleen. An ultrasound would/should pick up adverse portal veinous flow - portal hypertension. As all appears normal on the liver front despite your earlier treated Hep C it would suggest your bloating and fluid build up stem from some other issue and perhaps not your liver.
Since none of us have skills to deduce what is wrong with you based on symptoms we can't provide the answers you so desperately need. The only people who could really help put your mind at ease or indeed find out what on earth is going on are medics and sadly only you can sort out what you can do to access appropriate health care.
I wish we could help more. Us Brits should rejoice at the service we receive from our National Health Service and realise how fortunate we are and how hard we should fight to maintain access to free at point of need health care. No one should be left in the situation you are with no access to health care and tests.
Wishing you the very best of luck,
Katie xx
I had the last ct with contrast back in 2013 at the emergency room. I told them my past. And all I hear on internet is that a emergency room doesn’t care unless you are dying. Then I read that off and on swelling could be portal hypertension. Then I read albumin would be Low if it’s causing the swelling. Just want to put mind at ease that if I did have cirrhosis that ct with contrast would have seen it. Thanks
It would have but you are now 5 years further on so who knows what is going on now. You really need up to date tests and imaging.
Well I went to family doctor may of last year. He did The liver functions test on a CBC every thing in normal range but what I have noticed from the beginning is that my platelets have always been 223 or 245 Never higher. But in normal range. Is that a normal platelet range for healthy person. The swelling I have had off and on was way before I even new I had the virus. But ct always says liver appears normal.
If thats 223,000 / 245,00 then that seems normal. My hubbies dropped below 20 (20,000) at one point and needed platelet transfusions prior to biopsies etc.
Yes 223,000 /245,000
Is that normal. And even had a inr ratio done it was 0.09
A normal platelet count ranges from 150,000 to 450,000 platelets per microliter of blood. Having more than 450,000 platelets is a condition called thrombocytosis; having less than 150,000 is known as thrombocytopenia. You get your platelet number from a routine blood test called a complete blood count (CBC).
Johns Hopkings Medicine page :- hopkinsmedicine.org/heart_v...
The reference range for prothrombin time depends on the analytical method used, but is usually around 12–13 seconds (results should always be interpreted using the reference range from the laboratory that performed the test), and the INR in absence of anticoagulation therapy is 0.8–1.2.
Hi
I have had a similar experience, recently had a second Fibroscan which showed a major deterioration. I am awaiting further tests but at the moment it seems that the firbroscan is
(hopefully) inaccurate
So one more thing. I had a ct scan abdominal with contrast . It says liver appears normal and spleen also normal. If I had portal hypertension wouldn’t the ct see that. It also says. Abdominal aorta arteries and branche vessels normal.
The problem is Chris your liver and everything all appeared normal on scans in 2013, this is irrelavent to your situation today. You are now 5 years down the line - things may possibly have changed and really you need some follow up. In the UK when someone has undergone Hep C treatment it is routine to continue having scans every 6 months because some of the treatments can increase occurrance of other issues.
I don't know what you can do to access proper medical help but you really need to, going round and round in circles asking the same question of us none medics is actually getting you nowhere other than frustrating you further.
Katie
This is Chris I haven’t talked to you in a about a month. Still haven’t got insurance to go back to doctor. But I noticed something else a few weeks ago when getting a haircut. I have a bald spot right behind my ear that the hair looks like it just fell out. If I was to have cirrhosis is that a symptom.
That isn't a symptom i've seen in hubby and it isn't listed as a symptom of cirrhosis on British Liver Trust page. Thinning of hair is possible and loss of male body hair due to hormonal issues brought about by cirrhosis yes but not lumps or clumps falling out.
Ok thanks just got me worried when I noticed it. Was the size of a fifty cent piece.
Was going to ask you. Some one told me to have ferritin checked. Would something on CBC point to ferritin being off. That’s one thing I have never seen on any of my labs
No, they'd have to order an iron panel to check your ferritin levels and they wouldn't really order that unless you'd got symptoms of iron overload or other things that were off.
What are the symptoms. And what would be off My hgb was 16.3 with normal range 16.5 It has been that way for years.
Extreme fatigue, joint pain and arthritis, erectile dysfunction in men, loss of periods in women, bronzed skin, raised liver enzymes, liver disease(cancer, cirhossis),irregular heartbeat, heart failure, heart attacks. That's just a few, not all symptoms and illnesses iron overload can cause, esp if untreated. Your haemoglobin level is sound, normal ranges for men are higher than women. Haemoglobin levels are not an indication of iron stored In your body and tissues(which does the damage), ferritin, transferrin saturation, total iron binding capacity indicate stored iron levels. Ferrritin can be raised sporadically in instances of inflammation though, hence the full iron panel done to get a better picture. I don't know what your symptoms are but my gp only tested my iron after I'd been diagnosed with a related disease, although if i could go back knowing what I know now I would have asked for an iron panel when my liver enzymes first came back raised.
My liver enzymes were ast was 34 Ranges were 11-38. Alt was 21. Ranges were 10-47. Total bilirubin was 0.7. Ranges were 0.2-1.6. So both are in normal range. So were saying my hgb was high ? Also thyroid was checked 4 years ago and was normal.
I wouldn't be worried about any of those levels Chris, did the Dr flag your haemoglobin as high? It doesn't look high to me but I can only suggest speaking to your gp if you're worried. Good luck to you.
No I was reading what you wrote and thought that’s what you said. My hgb was 16.3. Ranges are 11-16.5. But no was not flagged. Just worried I might have cirrhosis. I had ct scan with contrast back in 2013 says liver and spleen appears normal. Don’t know if you have read my other post. But I had hep c 10 years ago got treated and cured. Have only had ct scans done in the past. Every thing looks normal to them. But every time I get CBC I always have a little elevated wbc and neutrophils. And doctors just say bacterial infection some where. I have been checked for all of the hepatitis and all are negative. Just worried I have cirrhosis and they never saw it. All liver functions are always in normal range.
I'd take heart that everything looks good with your results Chris. If you're still worried though see the gp and ask for repeat bloods and a scan, especially if you've new symptoms.
Only thing worried about is bald patch that’s it.
Going to try and go to a doctor. But what side effects are you talking about from hep c treatment. Was never told that. My only concern right now is if I had portal hypertension from cirrhosis. Would ct with iv contrast see that when I had it done in 2013. At this moment the only problems I am having is worrying. Thanks
All scans then shows liver appears normal. Does that mean no cirrhosis or what. These people are in a hurry to run you out. They don’t want to really talk to you.
Well I would be thankul for some good news as well as the advice you’ve found on this forum
Got a question if I had high ferritin. What else would be off on a CBC. That’s the only thing I have never seen on labs
I'm afraid I can't make an informed comment-I'm not a doctor-others may know more
Doctors want you in and out they don’t care.
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