Hi im new and need answers

[allenandy]

I will be going for more blood tests this Friday. and should know the results a few days after.What questions and what is the next thing i should be asking for ?Also can the doctor print me off my results as i am bad at remembering things ?

[Kji378]

👋 Hello 🙂

Yes you can ask for a print off of the blood tests.

In regards to questions to ask, you have not said what results or diagnosis you were told/given in hospital. Unless I've missed something, (apologies in advance if that is the case).

You just wrote the below.

"I was taken into hospital for some other condition and my blood results that came back numbed me"

I hope you get some more answers or can say more about your time in hospital.

Take good care 😊

[allenandy in reply to Kji378]

Hi 🖐 Thankyou for replying.Sorry for being a bit loose with the info i was supposed to be told the results in the hospital but they just released me. The following day i went to my GP and there he just came out and said i had damage to my liver. After that it was a blur thats why i need a print out.Hopefully ill find out more Friday and will post the results.What i was asking was after the results come back what is the next course of action i should be seeking ?

Thanks again 👍

[AyrshireK in reply to allenandy]

There can be varying degrees of 'damage to your liver' so that's where you need to start.

Are the bloods showing that your liver is currently in the inflammation stage or is it showing that there is more advanced damage?

What could be the reason for your liver to be damaged?

Is it a lifestyle factor or an underlying other condition? - there are many things that cause liver disease from genetic, hereditory, virus, auto immune, drink, drugs, Non Alcohol Related Fatty Liver etc.

Are they doing to do scans, further tests etc.?

What symptoms/if any of liver disease are you experiencing?

What level of care is there going to be going forward?

The BLT has a page detailing the Patient Charter which highlights the levels of care you should expect and questions to ask your doctor.

britishlivertrust.org.uk/in...

Without knowing what they think they've found we can't really offer much more guidance at this stage.

Katie

[allenandy in reply to AyrshireK]

Hi Katie Thanks for the reply sorry im so vague. my damage will be drink related im not sure at what level yet but the GP said the liver would not repair itself the only course was to give up the alcohol which i have.

It just seems so strange as my yearly test last July did not pick any thing up.

i will let you know more this week after the results are back.

Also thanks i shall follow up the patients charter for further reading.

Thanks again

[Kji378 in reply to allenandy]

I understand 👍

May I ask why you had to go to hospital?

Well first off, you need to know what kind of liver damage it is. There's alsorts of 'damage' related to the liver.

It is the blood results specifically you want?

[allenandy in reply to Kji378]

Hi I was taken to hospital as i collapsed and hit my head out walking.

My damage will be drink related the severity according to the GP is unrepairable but i have hope. if i quit which i have. i was never a spirit drinker just a few pints after work type and it was the weak lager how wrong can you be.

Im after the blood results if that tells me the severity ? as my previous test did not raise any issues.

I will explore the site more and be more specific with my questions .

Thanks again

[Kji378 in reply to allenandy]

Good luck for Friday. Let us know how you get on.

If it helps...you're not the first and won't be the last, well done for posting. You are on the right track, well done for stopping the drinking. 😃

[allenandy in reply to Kji378]

Thank you its been a bit of a strange few days. normally i would run and hide behind alcohol not any more it is my worst enemy.As soon as i get the results after Friday i will post them 🤞Thank you again

[Kji378 in reply to allenandy]

I know the run and hide behind alcohol story too well. I used to use it to suppress and drown out what needed to be addressed in reality. It was a mask, like Max Factor makeup 😄

Stay positive, stay strong, you CAN do it. This is a really good place to have come and we'll done for posting. I was so scared, but then so relieved to find I was not alone.

Head up, shoulders back, chin up, deep breath and all that. You have one liver....look after it. Do not insult it anymore like I did. It sounds like you have time to adjust, so grab it by the horns and stick to your guns. If this means changing or dropping friends and they take offence, that's their problem. That's a major change I had to make. I still see them, but just less socially. I can be around them if they are drinking, it is will power. But it's the way they are after drinking. It gets boring.

Anyway whatever your strange few days have been I hope things get easier. Look after you first and foremost.

Take good care! 👍

[allenandy in reply to Kji378]

The story of my life..drink get woozy and totally not bothered with the worlds ill or problems they could wait and then id sleep..ready to go again. This was my life but not to be anymore i have been strong so far to stop and intend to stay that way..As you say head up etc i have to do this and beat this. and this now will be my biggest challenge i must win.

The support here is fantastic as i live on my own and have no family to confide in..i have been honest wth my friends and have not hid the truth they all know that i will need help and support.

Good luck and i wish you well with your journey and look forward to some more great advice and chat.

Take care too 👍

[Aotea2012]

Hi, Welcome. I’m assuming given you’ve posted on a liver forum that they’ve picked something up on liver blood tests and are now following those up with more specific tests. The BLT website offers some really good advice and gives a complete run down of the function of tests and what the results mean. So get your results printed off or I get mine online with my GP. This forum is good for advice and support, but obviously we’re not clinicians so can’t give you medical advice. Try to ask as many questions of your clinicians as you can, but if you’re anything like me, I remember an important question after I’ve finished the consultation so there’s no harm in asking where you can go if you want more information later.

[allenandy in reply to Aotea2012]

Hi 🖐Yes im having follow up checks blood testson Friday so i will post more info then.

Mine was self induced i drank and never thought i had a problem..how wrong was i.The GP said it was severe and would not repair itself. i have now stopped drinking and hopefully have stopped for good.

I will explore the site a bit more and post more specific questions if im struggling for answers.

Thanks again

[Lippy42]

Hi .my hubby the same he was told in oct if he kept drinking it would be the end so 9th Oct was his last drink he was drinking everyday after work for years so well done 👏 . Hopefully you will have more answers when you see the dr good luck 🙂

[allenandy in reply to Lippy42]

Hi and well done to your hubby it takes a lot of will power and strength. I hope i have some answers soon 🤞.Thank you for your support and time 😊

[AyrshireK in reply to allenandy]

The BLT page on Alcohol Related Liver Disease might help you make sense of discussions with doctor. britishlivertrust.org.uk/in...

[allenandy in reply to AyrshireK]

Thanks for the link. lots of info i need to go forward.. thank you 👍

[Kji378]

I will just quickly add there IS support other than AA or other alcohol related support groups...I DO NOT MEAN THAT THEY ARE OF NO USE, far from it. What I mean is that there is one to one support if you prefer, I decided to do that route before I came here, as I was ashamed and thought people would judge etc.

I had to find a few things out for myself, coincidences like picking up a leaflet, was a good one. Which took me onto one to one counselling but with an alternative side.

Do some investigating in your area and pick up every leaflet going.

You can do it, you will do it, believe in yourself most importantly.

Right I'll shut gob and wish you the best Monday this week! 😃

[allenandy in reply to Kji378]

Hi yes that is something i hope i can find round where i live. i will need to speak to someone one on one as i think they will be more sympathetic than my GP who was rather abrasive. I will definately search this out and let you know how i get on.The help and advive you offer is all so welcome so never stop giving advive i will listen and learn from all that you and others offer me and you all have all my thanks for that.😊👍

[Ruggerhead]

Hi , so heres a few takes, the blood tests will presumably be around the LFT's these are a mixture of things, ezymes that your liver produce when it is damaged, usually AST, ALT, or depending on location ie bilinary issues, etc ALP and GGT. But then other tests to see damaged or not if your liver is still working well in its production values ie Alburin etc etc. These will be the tests, next step would be some form of scan, be in MRI, CT, ultrasound or Fibrascan and after all that a possible biopsy. On the positive side if as you say that your problem is alcohol alone then most consultants would say that along the way that the liver can repair, unless your Dr has made a diagnosis of something far more damaging, but if that is just from blood tests it is unusual. Blood tests can be elevated even after a days drinking, so unless you have an indication of your liver stiffness then I cant see how it is not repairable. Also your take on not being a spirit drinker really has nothing to do with it, 10 pints of beer can be equivalent to a bottle of spirits, your liver just sees alcohol not type. Its like saying is it worse to have one glass of vodka or 15 pints of low content lager if you get my drift. The GP is right in that you need to stop drinking untill you know whats going on, but there are lots of reasons for a fatty liver, including NAFLD which as nothing to do with drink. So the questions you need to ask is. A what are the bloods saying, is it a massive spike in your AST, ALP, GGT etc. How is your liver functioning? then ask that you need a scan of somekind as bloods are not enough to diagnose stiffness, so ask when you can get one of those at least you will know what the situation is.

[allenandy in reply to Ruggerhead]

Hi Ruggerhead thank you for your time taking this message a lot for me to take in here but you have given me many pointers in which i can ask my GP some answers. than after may be able to be referred to a specialist who can help me through this.I under stand the alcohol thing and the amount my liver was having to deal with i think i was naive in thinking it was only spirit drinkers (or was hoping) if only i listened.

Once i get my results and a follow up appointment i will discuss the points you highlighted and ask for a follow up scan to determine what extent of damage there is and share the findings ( if that is ok )so i may be pointed in the right direction

Thanks for the advice in this post it will help me in hopefully getting the answers needed 👍

[Ruggerhead in reply to allenandy]

Hi ya, dont panic. A lot of people here actually know more than you think. I have spent hours, days weeks on Liver health and I am in fact going to become a fibrascan technician. So feel free to ask away any advice i can give you, heres a few things. The bloods are only an indicator of where your liver is that day, if you eat something they can change, if you drink something they can change. It is the patterns they look for, ie ALP is more sensitive to the liver than say AST, other patterns indicate possible issues in the billary tree, cholestaic issues. So you need to look at those patterns, for instance if you went heavy drinking your GGT might be through the roof, but only temporary. Also how your liver is working to produce what it should, bilirubin, alburin etc etc, ie even if its damaged it may still be doing its job, the liver can still function even at cirrosis. So a lot of healing you can do. The steps after that are as I say get a fibracsan if you can, as a CT or standrad ultrasound can miss stiffness, and if that is bad news then maybe you consider a biopsy which carries some risks. But you may be pleasantly surprised, my thoughts is that if you are asymptomatic you may have some fatty liver damage, even NASH, but even then a lot of Drs will say that you can get those numbers back, with a change in lifestyle. I have talked to many of the top consultants in this country and the US about the liver. maybe send on your blood results if your able to get them. But stay positive, lots you can do to repair damage, despite what you may think.. THIS IS A POSITIVE, YOU CAN CHANGE YOUR HABITS, be thankful you picked it up...

[allenandy in reply to Ruggerhead]

No panic here it is so good to know that people on here have the time the patience and the knowlede to offer very helpful advice everybody has been fantastic and i am in a more positive place than where i was at the beginning .I feel part of something that is now so important to me.I will definately ask about a fibrascan going forward and will post the blood results as soon as they are back

And i will be able to discuss a lot of your points with my GP hopefully this will give me the answers i need and to be able to push it on to a specialist.

Good luck in your career move to become a fibrascan technician i hope you have great success and happiness helping others.

Post the results soon take good care 👍

[Lils2019]

Hi and welcome to the forum.My husband has decompensated cirrhosis, he was actually admitted to hospital through a&e after vomiting a huge amount of blood, June 2020.

He had an emergency endoscopy to pinpoint the bleeding, and ended up in ICU.

Whilst in hospital, bloods and other tests were done, scans etc. His bloods were completely normal and not matching with the scans which showed an inflamed liver and enlarged spleen.

After 3 1/2 weeks he was discharged to the care of his GP, no follow ups, even though it was suspected he had liver issues.

He did however have abnormal l bloods in October that year so was referred back to the hospital.

It took months of tests, bloods, scans etc and finally a fibroscan in feb 2021 to diagnose and confirm what his consultant thought.

GP’s only know a little and do not specialise like consultants do, and to tell you that your liver will not repair itself was irresponsible unless any extensive testing has been done.

It took 10 months for a diagnosis. For my husband. They looked at his bloods over a period of 12 months to look at his baseline, and see if my improvement was going to be made, sadly his consultant didn’t think so in August 2021 so he was referred to QEB to be assessed for transplant as without intervention he wouldn’t improve.

So I guess what I’m saying is don’t rely on just blood results, if they are abnormal push for a referral to the liver team at your local hospital.

Good luck and take care x

[allenandy in reply to Lils2019]

Hi Lils thank you for your advice and for the welcome too.I hope things are easier for you now it sounds like have had a long journey to get the answers you needed.

Im going to try and see my GP again tomorrow before my blood tests and ask them to refer me to the liver specialist at the hospital so hopefully i can be seen by someone who can concentrate on myself and any issues that will arise from this.

l say my GP but i dont think i have been seen by the same one or spoken too either. and the last blood test phone call they were only interested in my vit D level and never mentioned any issues with liver or kidneys when asked.

I will push this through and let you know how i get on hopefully with success.

Thanks again and all the best.take care too 👍😊

[Readlots]

Hi, welcome to the forum. You’ve already had lots of sound advice. Just wanted to say that your GPs interest in vitamin D may not be as random as you think. Lots of us on here are prescribed vitamin D, there is a liver connection and it’s something a GP could prescribe.

Good luck, I hope your liver results turn around now you’ve stopped drinking.

When you see your doctor tell them up front that you’ve got lots of questions. Take your list with you. Take a notepad and pen to write the answers if you’re worried you’ll forget - I do all the time! Brain fog is also a liver thing. Or take someone with you - they will remember things that you forget and you can talk about it all afterwards (if Covid rules allow).

[allenandy in reply to Readlots]

Hi Readlots thank you for your reply.Now a week without drinking so maybe i am helping my cause.Also i will ask about the vit D as i have a one to one with a GP this morning.

Im a little nervous about this and i presume it is at this point i should be asking for a referal to a liver specialist.

I will also be taking the patient charter with me and going through that bit by bit.

I am wondering what are the best questions to ask as i will probably go in there and make a hash off it ?

Wish me luck as i am seeing them 10.50 today.

Good luck with your journey and take care 👍😊

[Hidden]

Hi allenandy, I see that you have received lots of support from other members - I hope your appointment goes well today - good luck! If it would help to talk through things further, our nurse led helpline is open from Monday to Friday 10am to 3pm on 0800 652 7330.Best wishes

Trust10

[allenandy in reply to Hidden]

Thank you Trust10 i will probably be on the phone straight away after my appointment. I am having a face to face with a GP. He has just phoned me thinking it is a telephone conversation so that hasnt started well. I have informed him i will be up the surgery for a one to one. I will definately ask to be referred now..Thanks for the advice and hopefully ill get some answers soon 👍😊

[Roy1955]

GP will want to see blood results then send you for an ultrasound scan.Combined the results MIGHT indicate liver damage.

If the do indicate damage then a referral to a specialist is the next step.

[allenandy in reply to Roy1955]

Thanks Roy1955 will ask him to do this am there now 👍😊

[Roy1955]

If the hospital Dr thought you fell because of being pie eyed the statement of causing irreversible damage might just be a warning.Get checked and good luck.

[allenandy in reply to Roy1955]

Hi Roy1955 just back from the GP will be having more blood tests and an ECG on Friday this was booked after last weeks episode. The doctor when pressed about diet has said i should eat food with a bit more sodium in as where i had my fall it came back as a low reading i asked if this could be more serious and he said this would need further tests which i am having. I pressed him about seeing a specialist if needed and this too was not an issue to him as he said that it was not serious enough for this.i did have abnormalitys but nothing that was of major concern to him.He said we should wat for the new blood tests to be done to and go from there.I pressed him one more time about the results but his anwer was if he thought it was a problem or that i had that he would have contacted me and let me know.

So all im presuming at the moment is that 1 wait for the new test results and 2 i have followed these up with a phone consultation the week after to discuss any problems.I am maybe a more positive place at the moment please share any concerns or please tell me if it sounds liked i have been fobbed off. I saw the same GP but this time he seemed to take an interest and as you say maybe the shot across the bows i have needed. Please add any concerns but i will wait on the new results when they arrive and go from there i will not take anything for granted yet. It has been a lonely week but hopefully better times 👍😊

[allenandy in reply to allenandy]

Also after a wonderful phone call to one of the Trust nurses i have been given some great information and advice and downloaded the Liver Disease Tests Explained which will help me when i ask my GP to explain them to me. So a big thank you to you today 👍😊

[Readlots]

Hi Allenandy, sorry I couldn’t reply to you earlier, mad day at work. It sounds like you got on well with your GP. Lots of reassurance and more tests lined up. It doesn’t sound like you were fobbed off at all. It sounds like the GP is doing the groundwork before deciding if a referral is necessary. Wait and see what your results are, then push for a referral if you still feel you need one after you’ve had another chat with the GP. You’re doing all the right things.

[allenandy in reply to Readlots]

Hi Readlots hope your day was good, Yes i had a much better day with the GP today he came across a lot more approachable and seemed to be able to answer my questions .So hopefully Fridays test results which i will be having a follow up the following Friday will hopefully provide some answers. So fingers crossed. I also forgot to mention that the Trust nurse as well as Roy1955 advised me to follow up the test results with an ultrasound after the results are back.Then as you say maybe at this point ask for a referral.

Thanks again for the advice it is all really appreciated and has given me so much more confidence in tackling this

🙂👍