Hi
I have had raised Alt and Ggt levels for the last 6 months.I had a scan of my liver and nothing abnormal found , I am taking levothyroxine at 100mcg per day for hypothyroidism and wonder if there is a connection between the liver and thyroid causing high liver enzyme readings? anyone else have similar?
I just went through this recently due to too much levothyroxine. I was on 300 levothyroxine and my ALT was 100. Then I went down to 200 levothyroxine and my ALT went down to 73. I also read that hyperthyroidism can cause your liver enzymes to rise. That's most likely what's happening to you.
Maybe it is yes. The levels rose when the thyroxine was increased but haven't gone back to normal . Do you have hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism?
Hypothyroidism
Welcome to the forum
Do you have recent test results you can add
Which brand of levothyroxine are you currently taking
Do you always get same brand levothyroxine at each prescription
Many people find different brands are not interchangeable
Bloods should be retested 6-8 weeks after each dose change or brand change in levothyroxine
For full Thyroid evaluation you need TSH, FT4 and FT3 plus both TPO and TG thyroid antibodies tested.
Very important to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12 at least once year minimum
About 90% of primary hypothyroidism is autoimmune thyroid disease, usually diagnosed by high thyroid antibodies
Autoimmune thyroid disease with goitre is Hashimoto’s
Autoimmune thyroid disease without goitre is Ord’s thyroiditis.
Both are autoimmune and generally called Hashimoto’s.
Do you have autoimmune thyroid disease
Low vitamin levels are extremely common when hypothyroid, especially with autoimmune thyroid disease (Hashimoto’s or Ord’s thyroiditis)
What vitamin supplements are you currently taking
20% of autoimmune thyroid patients never have high thyroid antibodies and ultrasound scan of thyroid can get diagnosis
In U.K. medics hardly ever refer to autoimmune thyroid disease as Hashimoto’s (or Ord’s thyroiditis)
Recommended on here that all thyroid blood tests early morning, ideally before 9am and last dose levothyroxine 24 hours before test
This gives highest TSH, lowest FT4 and most consistent results. (Patient to patient tip)
Private tests are available as NHS currently rarely tests Ft3 or all relevant vitamins
List of private testing options and money off codes
thyroiduk.org/getting-a-dia...
Medichecks Thyroid plus antibodies and vitamins
medichecks.com/products/adv...
Blue Horizon Thyroid Premium Gold includes antibodies, cortisol and vitamins
bluehorizonbloodtests.co.uk...
If you can get GP to test vitamins and antibodies then cheapest option for just TSH, FT4 and FT3
£29 (via NHS private service ) and 10% off down to £26.10 if go on thyroid uk for code
thyroiduk.org/getting-a-dia...
NHS easy postal kit vitamin D test £29 via
Link about thyroid blood tests
thyroiduk.org/getting-a-dia...
Link about Hashimoto’s
thyroiduk.org/hypothyroid-b...
Symptoms of hypothyroidism
Recent test results were ALT 47 GGT 74 thyroid within normal range. I had hashimotos over 30 years ago which stopped my thyroid working it was caused by a virus. Levothyroxine brand is accord.
Do you have the actual thyroid blood test results? The normal range is wide—and very often not very normal for an optimally treated person with hypothyroidism.
TSH 1.7
Wow, kudos to your GP for investigating. I got online access to my results last year and found in 2018:-
ALT 78 (0 -39)
ALP 153 (30 - 130)
GGT 76 (0 - 39)
I didn't get tested again for another 2 1/2 years by which time they were fine, and I don't know how long they were elevated for. I think the cause for this blip for me was coeliac.
"Celiac disease is a multisystemic disease and abnormal liver function tests are commonly seen in patients with it. All patients with unexplained elevations of liver enzymes should be screened for celiac disease, as nine percent of patients with ab- normal liver chemistries are diagnosed with celiac disease"cureceliacdisease.org/wp-co...
I also had much, much higher levels after a heart attack in 2012, which took 3 years to return within range. I had a scan then, which showed a lesion.
I had raised ALT some time ago. Changing to a low-carb diet and avoiding sugar as much as possible reduced my ALT from 42 (Range : 0 - 33) to 18 (1 - 33) in 8 months.
I think GGT can also be affected by a diet containing lots of sugar and carbs. It is also raised by alcohol.
Is there a link?
Is there a link between Avascular Necrosis and Hypothyroidism?
Is there a link between hypothyroidism and ectopics?
Hyperthyroidism, low B12, raised iron and ALT.
Could there be a link between Hypothyroidism and CFS?
