Thinking I might have a liver disease.

[Keith1213]

I've been having pain in abdomen and back. I also am having random nose bleeds with blood clots in them, also I'm having cramps in my feet and hands. So..I went to the dr. And an ultrasound was done with bloodwork, the dr. Said I had a fatty liver and not to worry. I do not drink but am overweight.

[Keith1213]

Also, would a blood test and ultrasound be enough to detect chirrosis?

[Hidden in reply to Keith1213]

Yes and no. Early cirrhosis often is missed on ultrasound. Normal LFT tests can be misleading as they only show the livers current function not its state of damage. Many of us here with cirrhosis have normal LFT tests. My suggestion would be to get whats called ELF test. This blood test measures serum markers that will give an accurate diagnosis on the amount of fibrosis present if there is any.

If it is only in the stage of fatty liver without fibrosis than as American Democrat has said it can be fully reversed. In your case by changing your diet and losing weight. She is also right that doctors seem to fluff off the seriousness that fatty liver can be. If left untreated it can evolve to what called NASH. Where the fat starts to cause inflammation which in turn causes fibrosis (scarring).

Get the ELF test to put your mind at ease and again if it is fatty liver without fibrosis or it is cirrhosis, the treatment is the same. Healthy diet, exercise and maintain a healthy weight.

[Keith1213 in reply to Hidden]

Thank you

[AmericanDemocrat]

Hi, Keith - I cannot answer your question about the validity of blood tests and an ultrasound for diagnosing Cirrhosis. But I can tell you that I think your doctor (and most other doctors, too), is being too casual in telling you “not to worry about” having Fatty Liver. If left unaddressed, Fatty Liver can progress to NASH and then to Cirrhosis. You don’t want that. It has often been discussed in this forum that the current medical advice for people with Fatty Liver is too conservative. Doctors need to be stressing how essential it is to make the necessary changes now to return your Liver to health. Fatty Liver is completely reversible, but once you reach Cirrhosis, that will not be the case. You have an opportunity to take care of this problem now. Many people on this forum will support you as you try to lose weight and exercise, which are the best ways to reverse Fatty Liver. You’re lucky… You’re still at a point where your liver disease can be entirely eradicated. Best of luck to - you can do this!

[Keith1213 in reply to AmericanDemocrat]

Thanks for the reply