Bloods

[Scousepets]

Hi, it's me again 🙂 As you no my partner was diagnosed with ascites, still waiting on seeing "Gastroenterology " it's been 2half months....but all his blood wrk has come bk Normal (LFTs)( "AFPs)...still no diuretics at this point...until Gastroenterology sees us...had a CT and waiting on results 😟 ..my question is are bloods reliable 🤔 as happy that they've come bk normal, but something must be causing ascites....just worried as lost weight, but eating normal, it's baffling...but he feels fine..and no alcohol at all completely abstained...Advice please.....Thankyou

[Hidden]

Morning. I’d be very concerned with the untreated ascites. Go to your GP and get a referral asap. Good luck.

[Richard-Allen]

The blood tests can paint a false picture I'm afraid and many GPs tend to rely too much on them (In my opinion). A damaged liver will continue to try and repair itself, no matter how damaged it becomes. Only when the liver has reached the End-stage will it struggle to work properly and carry out those 500 different functions.

A person can have cirrhosis of the liver and bad blood test results. Then, if the same blood test is repeated three months later, the blood results may have all returned to normal, but the liver remains heavily scarred. It’s then possible for someone to be told, “Oh, your liver’s working just fine”.

Some years ago, my wife was getting strange liver function blood tests. She rarely drinks alcohol, so that was ruled out. She’d also had her gallbladder removed some five years previously, so that wasn’t an issue. But, every six months or so, she’d get some bad blood scores on a liver function test and then a few weeks later, they’d all return to normal. This went on for more than three years. “Oh, it's probably just a reoccurring infection, nothing to worry about”. Finally, we got some answers.

Apparently, there had been some gallstones left behind when her gallbladder had been removed. Some of these little devils had found their way into the bile duct and become stuck. This was then stopping the flow of bile from the liver, which would then become backed up and start to become infected. Then, as if by magic, the stone would become dislodged and the bile could flow again. Everything was able to return to normal and the liver repaired any damage caused. Then, a few months later the stone would become stuck again and so on.

It took three years to finally identify these little leftover devils. Because the blood tests were just being treated as being a possible infection there was no followup procedure to look for a possible cause of these strange liver function tests.

Glad to hear no alcohol. This will make a great difference. As in most cases, the liver just needs time to repair the damage.

Good Luck

Richard

[Belleben in reply to Richard-Allen]

Hi, glad to hear your wife is now all sorted but can I ask when her ducts became blocked did she also get jaundice and high bilirubin??

[Richard-Allen in reply to Belleben]

No she didn't, the bilirubin didn't leak out so didn't get to travel elsewhere. But when she had these left over stones removed, they collected five in all. So it's just one of those things that can happen.

[Belleben in reply to Richard-Allen]

I have gallstones floating around but hospital just said going to leave them

[lonmallin50]

I got ascites feel good no beer for 15 months now, l in hospital waiting on drain surely they must have to give you some thing. It won't go away on its own l go to a and e to get some thing done it's so uncomfortable with itLon

[Scousepets in reply to lonmallin50]

He went bk to GP..GP said can't give you anything untill you see Gastroenterology..which is on 8th June...it's ridiculous, been going on 2half months...GP said coz we don't know what is causing the ASCITES we can't give you diuretics yet....I'm with you, its far to long😞

[Roy1955]

If the ascities has resolved he will lose weight.1 liter of retained water is 1 kilo.

Also quiting the amount of wine he was drinking is probably a reduction of 2000 calories a day!

[LemonMeringue15]

my ex was having ascites drained regularly and sometimes they were taking 15L of fluid from him. He told our daughter his bloods were normal the last time he spoke to her, now that could be purely wishful thinking on his part but honestly the biggest worrying indicator that the liver isn't functioning properly is the ascites. If the liver was working, there wouldn't be an accumulation of fluid in the body.I would be going to A and E and pushing for an urgent assessment. It isn't a situation that will improve without correct treatment and if the GP won't prescribe diuretics and he isn't due to he seen until the 8th, I don't see what other option you have.

[Scousepets in reply to LemonMeringue15]

Thankyou....The ascites isn't severe, its more moderate, but yes I agree x

[LemonMeringue15 in reply to Scousepets]

I'm not trying to be OTT about it, and I'm very much aware of how badly overwhelmed the NHS is obviously, I just want you to know that you have that as an option if no one else is helping him. Good luck x

[Scousepets in reply to LemonMeringue15]

Thankyou 💕

[kensimmons]

Ascites can be caused by other things like a bad heart or kidney problems. Ascites is not exclusive to liver disease.