GGT and ALT are sometimes too high, sometimes they’re normal. Three scans have shown they’re are no liver abnormalities. No enlargement or fattiness but something is obviously wrong because it’s accompanied by tenderness in the liver region upon waking. As soon as I either intake a few sharp breaths or get up there’s no pain until the next morning, when it repeats
After posting my recent blood work, another member on the forum (two actually) pointed out an anomaly in my transferrin level in that it was contradictory in relation to my saturation and iron levels. They mentioned that transferrin was produced in the liver and perhaps I ought check my liver function tests. This alerted me to my known raised liver function levels and the fact that I read somewhere about the connection between thyroid and liver disease. My GP nor my endo have mentioned a link and instead send me for repeated liver scans
I’d be grateful to hear from anyone who knows about it or have themselves had a similar experience
Thank you
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Noelnoel
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I had over the range ALT levels when my thyroxine levels were elevated above range. At the same time it showed my free T4 levels were within range. From what I have observed the higher I push my free T4 the higher my ALT levels are.
Thyroid hormones have always been low and yet my liver enzymes high. At the moment thyroid levels are high and the liver situation is the same but thank you for your response
Hi Noelnoel I once had raised liver enzymes but it was whilst taking amitriptyline for nerve paid I also had tenderness in the liver region too they took me off this medication and the liver enzymes being raised went back to normal ! Just wondered if perhaps it could be any other medication that you take that’s causing it !
Hope you get to the bottom of it and I wish you better health
Sorry to read that you’re not getting answers from the doctors.
All I can say is that I have had consistently raised ggt regardless of thyroid levels for the past 10 plus years. Occasionally others levels raise too. I am monitored for it and actually this year I asked if I could cut my visits down. They never do anything apart from blood tests and scans. They always ask me if I drink/take paracetamol etc. I do but not regularly or excessively. I think they are waiting for nafld to occur. I believe their is more of a link if you are hyper rather than hypo really so they never really know what to do about me.
Hope this makes you feel that you’re not so alone wondering what’s going on with your liver and I wish you luck trying to get to the bottom of it.
Then they’ll treat it but I suppose they just don’t know what to do in the meantime. I’m still here and it’s been the same all these years. Makes you laugh really. So many people including myself struggle to get them to take you seriously and treat thyroid amongst other things and yet they monitor something that hasn’t changed for years??! Strange but true.
Ive had borderline liver function tests for year’s and have hashimoto’s. there is a link. Maybe google it as there’s probably some research somewhere on the link. Ive given up alcohol almost completely and that has helped.
Yes, HashiFedUp, being alcohol-free hasn’t helped even though I think alcohol must’ve aggravated it when drinking too much red wine to get me to sleep. Had raised enzymes for years but relatively recently the pain began
Thank you for getting in touch. I think the only thing to do for now, is my own research and to keep living healthily and maybe one day it’ll resolve completely
If liver function tests are abnormal, and ALT and ALP are consistently high, then a scan is the next step. As you have had three clear scans, you do not seem to have a current liver condition, as the scan result takes precedence. Sometimes levels can be raised due to illness or other medications. The pain you describe could be attributable to gallstones, as the liver itself has no pain receptors, and liver pain is experienced as referred pain in the shoulder or back. Pain felt directly in the liver area can be due to an enlarged liver pressing on the surrounding tissues, which you do not have, or issues in the gallbladder area. Just keep a note of how and when the pain occurs to mention to your GP .
Hello Noelnoel, Do you drink alcohol? Or could you have insulin resistance? I've had blood tests recently, and had to look up GGT levels to understand them. I don't drink any alcohol but I do have insulin resistance, which I'm working on at the moment. My GGT was somewhere in the middle, but I'm expecting it to improve. I'm pre diabetic, although my blood glucose levels have reduced a little due to low carb, more exercise.
Great news Helcaster, that your glucose levels are improving
I drink red wine occasionally but completely alcohol-free at the moment. I have a suspicion though that alcohol aggravated it. About 22 years ago I began to lose weight, I couldn’t sleep and became haggard, skinny, depressed, Ill-tempered and aggressive. GP told me I was menopausal and offered sedatives and HRT. I’m very anti-medication so struggled on but after about three years it all became too much and having tried it seemed, every natural remedy on the market - some helped a little - I discovered that red wine helped me get to sleep (unfortunately it didn’t keep me asleep), so that’s what I did, I drank lots every night
Knowing that it was a dangerous thing to be doing I eventually stopped but perhaps I aggravated an existing condition because liver twinges began in my youth, way before I ever touched alcohol
Hello, I've had desperate insomnia for almost 40 years. I have to say since I have more control over my blood glucose I'm sleeping a lot more. I take a short fast 10 minute walk after each meal, it's better than one long walk. I make sure I walk after dinner at night, don't eat after say 8/9pm, fast until 12pm the next day, has improved my sleep no end. I have interstitial cystitis, but I have noticed a reduction in toilet visits, and instead of 3 trips to the bathroom at night, I may just have one, so sleeping a lot more. Instead of being wired and having a second wind around 11.30pm I'm genuinely tired and want to go to bed. Before I was often up until 3am not being able to sleep. Lack of sleep increases your insulin resistance too. I've done quite a bit of research on all this because 4 weeks ago when I had my bloods done my blood pressure had increased to dangerously high levels. So I'm dealing with that too by using Lo Salt which has less sodium, increasing veggies and salads, some fruit, giving up carbs especially sugary breakfast cereal, I don't eat potatoes now, if I make chilli I'll have dark green cabbage, no rice of naan with homemade curries either. I don't eat any processed food, can't drink alcohol with my wonky bladder anyway, which in some ways has been a blessing. I've never been able to lose the weight of long term undiagnosed hypo even though now I'm on Liothyronine. What I have realised is you have to get your blood glucose down to reduce the release of insulin which can make you gain weight. Although it's been a slog, I've lost 11/2 stones in 2 months. My blood pressure has gone from 188/90 to 144/64, not quite there yet but in a month my blood pressure has dropped quite drastically. I've been looking at a lot of research saying most of us now have some insulin resistance, even before our blood glucose goes up, which can take decades of insulin resistance. I hope you find a solution, but I did read alcohol can really affect your GGT results, so can fatty liver. Try some really clean living for a few months and get retested if you can, see if it makes a difference. Keep pushing your doctor if you have to!
My liver enzymes have been high and very high for about 15 years, had all the tests, scans and biopsies numerous times and no cause found, I have no risk factors and never touch alcohol so my Gastro team put it down to "normal" for me 🤷♀️
I had the same problem and I don't drink alcohol. Here is a study with perhaps more info that you ever wanted! ☺️ academic.oup.com/qjmed/arti...
The problem has abated now that my TSH/T3/T4 levels are more balanced. But the liver enzymes will occasionally spike for no apparent reason and a month later the test shows they are normal again. To decrease the liver 'perturbation' as my doctor called it, I was given DELURSAN (250 mg) divided in two daily dosages. This is a bile salt - ursodeoxycholic acid or ursodiol. medicinenet.com/ursodiol/ar....
Thank you hafa. I too am hoping that now my thyroid levels are good, that gradually the enzymes will decline and my pain will subside. Will read the links with interest
I think you received a redirect notice that you are leaving this site and going to a new one. You can accept and go to the link, here it is again: medicinenet.com/ursodiol/ar...
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