Hello, so I’m new to all of this, but lately I’ve been living with constant stress and anxiety for living in the unknown state about my liver. A while back, I went in to the clinic for elevated liver enzymes of ALT 43 and discomfort in the abdomen area. Instead of seeing a hematologist, I was seen by a gastroenterologist who simply perfromed some other blood test on me and an ultrasound of my liver. The only thing that came out of it was I was informed I had “Significant grade 1 hepatic steatosis”. I am scared for what this could mean for me. If anyone could help shine some light on all of this it would truly be a great help. I’m worried im having feelings of pain in my right upper abdomen, under my rips thinking it’s NASH and if I should be concerned about my life from everything I’ve read about NASH being fatal with a 10 year lifespan.
24yrs old w/ a fatty liver: Hello, so I... - British Liver Trust
24yrs old w/ a fatty liver
Your ALT isn't elevated at 43 (well only just so perhaps on some lab scales). Doctors wouldn't usually get excited unless levels were three to four times above upper limit of normal.
Fatty liver is reversible in most cases. It can be caused by being over weight, poor diet and lack of exercise but there can be other contributory factors like certain other conditions linked to thyroid, diabetes etc. You don't have to be fat to have fatty liver.
If however you do have a sedentary lifestyle and perhaps do carry a little to much weight then getting into a more healthy lifestyle with a good healthy diet and exercise you can turn it around. Don't do Dr Google as it will send you barmy.
The British Liver Trust has an excellent page on NAFLD (Non Alcohol Related Fatty Liver Disease) or now renamed Metabolic Disfunction Associated Steatoic Liver Disease (MASLD) at :- britishlivertrust.org.uk/in...
They also have a downloadable leaflet about treating the condition at:- britishlivertrust.org.uk/do...
The majority of people with any sort of liver disease will only see a gastroenterologist - just because there are more of them and liver specialists are rarer. If you were to become more seriously poorly and your gastro felt they weren't able to furnish explanations or help then maybe you'd need to go and see a hepatology specialist so I wouldn't worry that you've 'only' seen a gastro. doctor.
You can turn this around as you've seen other people manage in recent days on the forum.
Katie
Thank you for all this information, it really helps. I’m still in the process of being seen by a gastroenterologist, but I will have to wait till next month, since I’m currently on travel. The doctor I saw was in Türkiye, so the language barrier played a big part. But I’m glad that you were able to shine some light on all of this for me. As long as my ALT and AST level are low, could that help rule out the progression of NAFLD or can it still progress and get worse even with low levels in my blood work?
Hey there I have fatty liver my numbers were much higher than yours double than what is considered normal.. But it wasn't even enough for any referral to anyone besides just seeing my regular GP. Have faith that the drs probably see this all of the time and have a fair idea what they're doing. It's easy to worry I know, My numbers have improved in the last year since diagnosis with some lifestyle changes.
What is your cholesterol like, fatty liver and high chlesterol are often linked and if you can get that under control either via meds or other ways your fatty lover is likely to improve.
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