Liver labs: cause for concern...?

As I wrote in previous posts, I got my lab results back and some of them worry me slightly. One I forgot to mention was my liver labs. My doctor only asked for G.G.T and it came back slightly elevated: 39 UI/L (ref 9-36). It was 31 in April of this year.

Granted, I've been drinking more alcohol this summer than I usually do.

I have also been taking berberine for the past year in (a failed) attempt to lower by fasting blood sugar and insulin levels, and I have read that berberine can affect the liver.

My question: how worried should I be? I have been reading all sorts of horror stories this morning about people dying from liver cirrhosis...

Has anyone experienced this?

[bantam12]

A result like is nothing to worry about as it's barely over, if anything drastic was going on it would be in the 1000s. My liver enzymes have been way over range for over 10 years, GGT over 300 and ALP and others also in the many 100s but no cause have been found despite expetesive testing, scans and biopsies.

Liver results can be effected by many things and nothing at all, you could cut out alcohol and see if that returns an in range result.

[Hidden in reply to bantam12]

Thanks so much, I cannot tell you what a relief this is to me!!!

[Treepie]

My GGT is over 900 ,having an ultrasound next month. other tests a bit over .

[Hidden in reply to Treepie]

What does your doctor say?

[Treepie in reply to Hidden]

Not to worry over one test ,look at the whole .One at max the others over a bit though! Liver can heal itself, stop alcohol.

I think the main cause was chemo .Doc stopped one drug before final session as it damages the liver.

[Hidden in reply to Treepie]

OK, thanks! I have been taking berberine for quite some time and some articles claim it can affect the liver so should not be used long-term...more like 12 weeks and then discontinued for a few months. I've been using it for months on end....you're right, there could be many explanations and you should not get worked up over one out-of-range test.

[humanbean]

You might find this flowchart from the BMJ to be of some interest :

bmj.com/content/bmj/suppl/2...

[Hidden in reply to humanbean]

Thanks, HumanBean, that was very clear and easy to understand! Will print it and keep for future reference.