Hi I was concerned that my excessive alcohol consumption had caused damage to my liver but was too embarrassed to go to my doctor so did a home test kit.
My results showed that my total protein was in the high range (due to high globulin and albumin) but my bilirubin is low.
After researching I'm confused as it says that low total protein levels can be a result of liver disease but that high levels can indicate liver damage? And how can 2 be high and 1 low?
I've already decided to cut my drinking from a few days of bingeing to just a glass or 2 with dinner most eves but does anyone know if high protein is caused by alcohol or should I worry more if I had low protein?
Many thanks
J
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jamilagibson1987
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Do not be embarrassed and make the GP appointment immediately. It is not something to be embarrassed about and you should not be judged. Be very honest with your doctor and then they will look at the right areas. If you do find a judgemental doctor report them and get another.
You could have a word with the Liver Trust helpline.
It’s nothing to be embarrassed about. They will be able to give proper interpretation of your results and may be able to provide access to support groups who can assist with reducing your drinking.
Any reduction in alcohol intake is great but the levels you’re reducing to are still on the high side.
Make that doctors appointment 🙂
Hi jamilagibson1987
As our forum members have already said, please consider going to your GP. You should not feel embarrassed, your GP will be able to help you regarding your alcohol use and order the tests you may need.
The British Liver Trust would only advocate obtaining a liver blood test via the GP service or NHS . This way the blood test can be assured to be performed under clinical conditions and reported appropriately in an NHS lab then sent to the GP/specialist for clinical consideration. This process ensures that the doctors can assess the results and then order further investigations if necessary.
Here is a link to our publications on 'Alcohol and liver disease' and also 'Liver disease tests explained' that may be of use to read;
Hi thanks for all the replies there's a huge waiting list at my doctors always takes a month to be seen. I'm only bothered if high protein levels are caused by drinking? Xx mine were the higher end of the 'normal' range.
Clearly, you are concerned, so make the doctor appointment for a month out.
If your concern is that he will tell you to quit even the after meal drinks - so it goes. Most of the people on this site have had to quit drinking altogether too.
Better a longish wait to see the doctor and, hopefully, get better information than not get an appointment and find out later you should have.
Hi Mary, I used to think that quitting booze altogether was not an option and that’d I’d be a moderate drinker in future. There was no physical reason why I couldn’t have done so, i.e, no liver damage detected, but i was obviously alcohol dependent so moderation was never going to happen. In the end, it was at least 1000 times easier to just quit altogether.
As you say, he should just make the appointment and wait the four weeks.
Good advice above. I went to my GP (yes, I waited three weeks but it wasn’t super urgent) to ask about cutting down* alcohol. The GP was brilliant, and it was one my best decisions in recent years.
Your GP will arrange a Liver Function blood test done by a nurse, and if you ask in advance they’ll check cholesterol and sugar levels too. That’s a great service which would cost £100s if done privately.
* You might not want to hear this. I wasn’t a massive drinker and had regular breaks. However, alcohol had taken a hold on me, and I needed a drink every night to relax. If that sounds like you, I’m sorry to say you are alcohol dependent. It’s not your fault and all the more reason to see your GP. In my case, cutting down never worked. It was easier, surprisingly so, to just stop altogether. It just took a few years to reach that conclusion😀
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