High Liver Tests

[Bossgirl]

Hi all, had my liver function tests done a couple of weeks ago because of my very high ferritin level. Ferritin is 322.2mcg/L (20-150) done by BH and LFTs done by my own doctor are ALT 212 IU/L (0-60), ALP 143 IU/L (46-116), GGT 55 IU/L (0-40). 1 am taking 75mcg levothyroxine and 17.5mcg liothyronine each day. I have read that Levo taken alone can cause high serum liver test levels and that to reduce them you come off T4 for a month or so then start taking T3 only and the levels can stay down. Does this suggest that I should be on T3 only? I wondered if I just came off T4 and increased T3 to compensate then my serum liver enzyme levels might reduce. I would not want to stop taking hormone for any length of time. Anyone got any thoughts on this?

[Clutter]

Bossgirl,

What does your GP say about the liver results?

I've never heard of Levothyroxine elevating liver enzymes. Where did you hear it?

[Bossgirl in reply to Clutter]

She's sending me for an ultrasonic screen and has ordered more blood tests. I feel she is eliminating all she can first before I have to see an expert.

I read a couple of papers from Japan on liver injury induced by levothyroxine - Kawakami T et al Intern Med 2007 and another by Ohmori M et al Endocr J. 1999. The patients might have been allergic or hypersensitive.

My Doc didn't seem to think Levo was the cause of the raised levels.

[humanbean]

Do you take any supplements/multi-vitamins which contain iron? If you do you need to stop them immediately.

There are quite a few different causes of high ferritin. Has your doctor carried out thorough iron testing as well as liver tests? Look at the table at the bottom of this link :

irondisorders.org/Websites/...

It is essential that your doctor correctly identifies cause and effect. For example, are your liver problems a cause of the high ferritin? Or is the high ferritin a cause of the liver damage?

Some links :

labtestsonline.org.uk/under...

labtestsonline.org.uk/under...

[Bossgirl in reply to humanbean]

I do not take any supplements containing iron and my Doctor is now testing me for hepatitis and a load of other things. She has contacted the hospital re an ultrasonic screen and according to results I believe she will make an appointment with a Liver expert. I have read the links and can see there are many things to consider. Thanks for your interest.

[humanbean in reply to Bossgirl]

Good luck, and I hope anything that is wrong is easy to fix or manage.