What could be causing my elevated ALT, liver profile, blood results?

[Zubakuki]

I requested a vit D blood test and was given the form for a liver profile at the same time. No results from the vit D test yet but had to go back for a retest on the liver profile today. My ALT is elevated, 89u/L (7-35), all others are in normal range.

My doctor seems to always err on the side of over medication of levothyroxine, regardless of what is wrong! Can levothyroxine cause elevated ALT? If I am dropped to 100mcg it's slightly low, on 125mcg it is slightly high, but I feel no better on either, hence my request for vit D.

It is the second time this year I have had elevated ALT, the first retest showed a drop and so wasn't followed up. (I never did see the actual results though).

If not levothyroxine, what else could it be?

Many thanks in advance,

Donna (hypo)

[Moggie]

Sorry that nobody has answered your question yet. I have looked up the ALT test on this site and thought you might like a read as it tells you what could possible be cause your high ALT levels. Interestingly there is quite a range of possible causes from exercise to other midication you could be taking. Have a good read and make sure you click on all the blue boxes to get a full picture.

labtestsonline.org.uk/under...

Hope this helps in some way.

Moggie x

[Zubakuki in reply to Moggie]

Thank you, great website really helpful and easy to understand!

[merissa]

Hi my Alt is also raised, I don't feel it's related to medication as I am not on anything, as the thyroid effects, the kidneys, liver, heart, gut, to name a few. Possibility here that one of the other parameters of the thyroid is out of range, for example t3. X

[Zubakuki in reply to merissa]

I have recently been tested for t3 and it was within my labs normal ranges, that said I'm not so sure they understand that my normal isn't necessarily the same as their normal.

[Hidden]

I also have elevated liver enzymes, however nhs has failed to follow up so as usual did my own research. I think i read that it can be caused by toxicity eg mercury fillings

I had all my mercury removed and am injecting with vit c from time ot time to try and clear some of the mercury that will be lodged in my gut, thyroid, etc from 30 years of mercury leaching out of fillings

[Zubakuki in reply to Hidden]

Interesting to know, I'm sure this would be something my mum should be aware of, I didn't have my first fillings until being diagnosed hypo so am positive they're not mercury but my mum is also hypo and did have old fillings, having said that she has pretty much resigned herself to feeling awful all the time!

[Jackie]

Hi Basically no relation ship to liver function. However, elevated can be Ok but needs checking. Also can be Diabetes, autoimmune and hormonal. Make sure you have a blood test for this Vit D , hormonal is Endo and really complicated, a lot of docs do not understand it! .I have very low D, coincidence that I have very bad liver disease and of course, LFT bloods.I see a really top hepatologist, which is mostly where my Info is from.

I would any way ask for a vit D test, quite separately.

Best wishes,

Jackie

[Zubakuki in reply to Jackie]

Do you know how long vit d tests take to come back? Had mine done last week, still no results as yet! I am sure I read somewhere that having high alt, even in low amounts, slowly damages the liver and can lead to cirrhosis, is this wrong? Sorry for all the questions I'm really quite new to all this

[Jackie in reply to Zubakuki]

Sorry , just come out of hospital. Vit D tests nHS can take 3 weeks, they do so few that they save them up! Scandarlous! The liver is so good that it takes a lot to damage it. Make sure your Hb1 Ac ( diabetes) and cholesterol are OK. Should be done every year with thyroid disease, any way. If you start to go yellow, or vomit, or bad pain, ask for an ultra sound.

Jackie

[thevoice]

Gallbladder can cause increased ALT and AST

[Zubakuki in reply to thevoice]

Does that have symptoms? The only symptoms I have are the ones associated with hypo.

[Zubakuki]

Thank you, extremely useful information. I am seeing an endo in February will they do these tests?

[debjs]

I have elevated liver enzymes but can't remember if it was ALT or AST and can't currently find that blood result due to my efficient filing! Anyway when I last saw Dr Skinner he said he had seen it before and it settled once adequately treated. My GP regularly tests this along with my vit D and calcium levels.

[sirmot]

My liver enzymes - both ALT and AST have been increasing as I increase the T4/T3 combined thyroid medication I take. (currently on 125 mcg T4 and 25 mcg of T3). ALT has increased much more than AST, My thyroid test results are much better (T4 and T3 in normal range, but higher than before, and TSH suppressed, which I understand happens quite frequently) and I feel much better, but worried about the liver enzymes. I think that it must be because the liver is working harder to process the orally administered thyroid hormones. However, worried that if I continue on this dosage of thyroid medication the liver will be damaged. Anyone else with a similar problem or concern?

[clearcom0 in reply to sirmot]

Did you try going off the T4 and just doing multi-day T3 doses? I am very curious to try to distinguish if T3 vs T4 makes a difference in causing elevated liver enzymes.

[sirmot in reply to clearcom0]

No, but I have reduced the T3 since then and am currently trying with a slightly lower dose of T4 as well.  I will have liver enzymes checked in June.   Have you got a similar problem?