Confused

[Anjie24]

I have been drinking aa bit more than usual and have had a liver function test that came back as Gamma high, I checked with receptionist and she said it was 43!! What is a normal Gamma reading? I also take statins could this be part of it. I have been advised to cut down which I am trying to do, but I am going on holiday next week , would an extra week make any difference so I can get onto it fully when we return? I would appreciate any help or advice you can give me. Regards

[Hidden]

Hi and welcome,

Reference ranges for blood tests can vary between laboratories so it is important to see your own doctors to interpret your results and see if they are elevated.

GGT can be an indicator of alcohol use but there can also other medical reasons for elevation so please do discuss with your GP.

Here is a useful publication 'Liver disease tests explained' that you may want to read before seeing your GP

britishlivertrust.org.uk/wp...

Best wishes

Trust1

[Hidden]

Hi Angie

Normal GGT is 0 - 45 and if your 43 I would'nt be concerned at all unless other bloods are high, However I would recommend not drinking at all!

Take care

Love Trish

[Anjie24 in reply to Hidden]

Thanks for your replies. All the other blood tests were normal. I don’t need to drink but it is a big part of our social group but I can just have less x

[Hidden in reply to Anjie24]

Hi Angie

You did say your Gamma reading came back high?

Like the Liver Trust suggests I would discuss your concerns with your GP. Taking a move to cut down is a good start.

Without sounding condescending, I know all about social events because I'm very much a social person and so are my family and friends. However my health is more important to me now because my family and friends are not the ones who will have to deal with the medical health issues and possible future horrid pains like many others on here are fighting or suffering with constantly which you can read about if you have time to read more!

Please take care my friend and think about yourself and your future ahead and listen to your inner thoughts speaking to you .

Love Trish x

[ThreeSmiles in reply to Hidden]

Hi Trish

Do you really mean that your family/friends are not the ones that have to deal....? Yes obviously you have to but they will be impacted tremendously as well... I know you know that, I think maybe you have a wording error? What do I know.... 😁

Milo

[Hidden in reply to ThreeSmiles]

I agree that could happen 👎

Not well written I guess 👎😣

[Laura009 in reply to Anjie24]

You may say you'll have less now , bit once with your mates, knocking back the poison, you'll be joining in too. Good luck to you all !

[Laura009]

It would be unethical to advocate alcohol consumption on a liver health website/forum

[Popel]

Hi there . I’ve no idea what the normal ranges are however this must be your wake up call. Just wish I’d of took notice of mine and not been to hell and back with liver disease through drinking . Maybe I wouldn’t of ended up with having a liver transplant at forty nine but who knows. I’d been drinking all my adult life and when I had my first bleed and told to stop or I’ll die prematurely I did I never gradually cut down either I just stopped however I don’t know what you drink or how long you’ve been drinking but to post on a liver forum and mention alcohol you must be worried that your drinking too much. It’s your life at the end of the day so it’s up to you but if I’d of known the damage drinking actually does I’d of never touched a drop. Wish you well all the same. Sorry if I sound abrupt but I wouldn’t want anyone else to go through what myself and lots have to go through on here.paul

[ThreeSmiles in reply to Popel]

Absolutely spot on on all points Paul. I think I can safely say Snap, Snap, Snap.......... except that I was about 10 years older than you! Funny but I probably still am.....

And I bet like Anjie we were all (with cirrhosis by alcohol) mostly social drinkers as well. But when you have to stop you have to stop and if your friends can’t hack it then well, they’re not true friends.

Miles

[Popel in reply to ThreeSmiles]

I’m also assuming your still ten years older ? Lol Anjie isn’t ready by the sound of it to stop. Perhaps she doesn’t drink enough and her bloods are for something else other than liver damage. I can’t turn the clock back but I knew just like Anjie does by the sounds of it that drinking is damaging her health. However we’ve all been there and I knew by the symptoms before my bleeds what was going on . but so so stupidly carried on even though I wanted to stop I never did it was always I’ll put it off for another day. She will rue the day and look back thinking if only I’d of listened to people on this forum. Or maybe she’s thinking I don’t drink that much and they don’t know what they’re talking about. Well I’m afraid we do. But I wish her well and hope drinking isn’t damaging her liver.paul

[ThreeSmiles in reply to Popel]

Don’t we just Paul!

I was ditto you - head so far in the sand I was nearly in Australia.

I really wish I had found this forum about 5 years ago! I may have taken notice - well I hope I would have - I certainly wouldn’t now (too late was the cry) carry on drinking like the plonker I was then. But that’s the way it was for us both by the sound of it. ☹️👎🏻. Not that I’m saying you were a plonker of course!

Thing is we don’t want anyone in a similar situation to ours was to “rue the day” do we.....

Miles

[Popel in reply to ThreeSmiles]

Well I’ve had a liver transplant so I guess I qualify for the big plonker award also.😂😂

[ThreeSmiles in reply to Popel]

OK then - if you insist 😁

[Countrywalks in reply to Popel]

Well said no drink is worth all the suffering it can cause and no one can predict who will be the next victim this is a silent killer .

[Hidden]

Hi

I have Nash caused by meds from my Drs, I used to have the odd drink but my liver is damaged and I don't want to add to that by having the odd drink. Please take care of yourself Lynne

[Roy1955]

Think about this question.

What drink is it that's going to turn a working liver into a useless one?

It only takes one, but you dont know what one it will be.

Today's glass of wine at 7 o'clock could be the one that tips a liver that was coping into one thats a lifelong illness.

If your searching the internet for advice about drinking you almost certainly have a drink problem.

This time your probably ok, continue and you wont be!

[Xenom0rph]

Play this forward. How social do you think your social group will be when you're facing liver failure? Like many of the posters here I got my wake up call but by that point I was bright yellow and with a liver infection. Told that this could be it and any more.booze could very well kill me. I've just turned 40.

Is it worth it? I do understand your disappointment as almost every single thing I do or did involved drinking, including "business" meetings that were just a squad if us doing the bare minimum then hitting it hard. If only I could look back.

However, up to you!

[Hidden]

Anjie24 - I'm not clear what it is that you're confused about. You didn't say why you went to the doctor to get the LFT tests, but you do say that you've been drinking more, and you ask if one more week would make a difference.

"You don't need a weatherman to say which way the wind blows".

You decide.

We'll still be here knowing how bad liver failure is, if you need support and encouragement to stop harming yourself.

Best wishes

Phyllis