help - increased the T3 but my liver ALP has in... - Thyroid UK

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help - increased the T3 but my liver ALP has increased a lot - 163 (max is 104) and ALP 55 max 35

Chouchou1234 profile image
29 Replies

hi I’m on 25mcg T3

125 t4

T3 is 4.7 (4,1 to 6.8) 12 Hours after test

T4 15 - was 22 I don’t get it

So I’m still low

Severe pain upper right

Googled and shows hyper thyroid

Also fat gain on legs. It’s horrific the past 6 months

I also had all tests done for liver gallstones and all clear

Help please

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Chouchou1234 profile image
Chouchou1234
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29 Replies
jrbarnes profile image
jrbarnes

I had a strange situation years ago where my FT4 and Ft3 were all normal, my TSH was 3.7 but my Liver enzymes were elevated over range. It turned out that the actual levels of thyroxine in my body were too high. The only test that revealed this was the Total T4 or thyroxine test. I felt terrible at the time too. So the only medication that has ever elevated my liver enzymes is Levothyroxine.

Chouchou1234 profile image
Chouchou1234 in reply tojrbarnes

my TSH 0.01

My t4 was 15 )12 to 22

X

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator

What are your most recent vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12 levels

Chouchou1234 profile image
Chouchou1234 in reply toSlowDragon

vitaminD 101

Iron low 35

Folate good

B12 above at 797

I had increased ALP and ALT before about a year ago and had extensive tests (bloods and Hida and scans ultrasound . Found nothing

It was 130 a week before

So going up but digesting getting worse !

Chouchou1234 profile image
Chouchou1234 in reply toSlowDragon

thank you for replying I feel embarrassed asking but I’m worrying

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator

Do you currently split T3 as 2 or 3 smaller doses spread through the day?

2 doses - approx 12 hours apart

3 doses - approx 8 hours apart

Also might consider splitting your levothyroxine dose as 2 doses

Always get same brand levothyroxine at each prescription?

Are you on strictly gluten free/dairy free diet

Chouchou1234 profile image
Chouchou1234

4 doses 10 then 5 5 5

Thyroxine morning

Why would that make a difference?

Gluten free dairy free strict diet

Except bowl cereal yesterday didn’t realise was not gf till too late

Why would

Splitting help?

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator in reply toChouchou1234

Surprisingly quite a few members find it better to split levothyroxine

It’s perhaps worth experimenting

Trying initially 100mcg waking and 25mcg at bedtime

See how that is

Then after 6-8 weeks trying cutting 100mcg in half……so then trying 75mcg levothyroxine in morning and 50mcg at bedtime

Chouchou1234 profile image
Chouchou1234

ok thank you but why is my Alp raised when I raised my T3 or coincidence? X I read hyper thyroid but obviously not looking at my results I’m not

Bean101 profile image
Bean101 in reply toChouchou1234

I have the same problem with ALP(140) mine seems to go up with taking T3. I am only taking 75T4 and 15T3, still feeling hypo! I need both T3/4 as I have Dl01 and D102 genes. ALP has been high for years..

Nellies47 profile image
Nellies47 in reply toChouchou1234

Hi.I know you said you had liver blood tests. Do you know if they tested AMA, (antimitocondrial antibodies). It is specific for PBC, Primary billary cholangitis.

I have this and lfts were high. I also have hypothyroidism, they can go together.

Hookie01 profile image
Hookie01

I have recently been diagnosed with a fatty liver after having pain and bloating in right side just under the rib. Apparently very common in hyper and hypothyroid. Mine started after I had RAI for graves. I found taking lactose free levo helped and no drinking alcohol and I started to do the mediterranean diet. It has helped (though currently not doing so well with the build up to Christmas)Might be worth looking into, plenty of Facebook groups that have helped me if you are on Facebook.

Chouchou1234 profile image
Chouchou1234 in reply toHookie01

Thank you x

Had 2 ultrasound and all clear no fatty

Liver

Hida scan clear

No fatty liver x

Hi ALp could mean bone stuff so not sure

Thank you

Xx

terebol profile image
terebol in reply toHookie01

Whereas it is preferable to treat root causes, look into milk thistle for help w/the liver

helvella profile image
helvellaAdministrator in reply toterebol

Milk thistle could be a bad idea - have a read of this thread:

Silychristin, a Flavonolignan Derived From the Milk Thistle, Is a Potent Inhibitor of the Thyroid Hormone Transporter MCT8

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Chouchou1234 profile image
Chouchou1234 in reply tohelvella

any thoughts on NAC ?

I can’t afford the liposomal glutathione but have NAC solgar and colon therapist who is a nutritionist told me to take this and milk thistle. I have been taking high doses of milk thistle until last week . Just the alp is rising .

academic.oup.com/endo/artic...

I have NAC as it helps with liver ..

I found this article ..

is this relevant ?

Thank you

I got brushed off by doctors again and severe pain wirh no digestion

All previous tests showed nothing I t the liver area .

Thank you for all the replies

Bedbound again for past 3 days

helvella profile image
helvellaAdministrator in reply toChouchou1234

I'm sorry - I know it has been discussed many times here but I know little about it.

terebol profile image
terebol in reply tohelvella

thank you for the info!

MissDemeanour191 profile image
MissDemeanour191

I have annual private medical, which gives results that no way can get from GP. Last winter my liver enzymes were worringly high, but had been quite ill and had taken medication. This winter medical showed enzymes back to normal...strange!Also, have struggled with 'flabby' legs for years. Tried cellutite creams, vigorous brushing. Only thing I find work, depressingly! is swimming, speedwalking, and intermittent fasting.All makes me , yes, feel better, increases mood...but bloody knackered!

arTistapple profile image
arTistapple

Oh goodness I have just come to the conclusion that being hypothyroid (in my case) gives us all ‘unknowns’ until we know! I had a number of symptoms which dogged me for years before medication (including liver investigations - all clear) and I have picked up some new symptoms since embarking on medication. Have you been ill recently? Even constipation can cause pain that high up the gastro intestinal tract. Diverticulitis same, although usually felt lower down. Muscles cramping can give the impression of gall bladder dysfunction, be acute and chronic and pretty painful. Medication may be changing things in the body - hopefully for some improvement. The liver is very much associated with ‘metabolism’. Thyroid is a big metabolism problem. And cholesterol off course. My cholesterol has dropped 3.1 points for no other reason than my thyroxine - after years of docs trying to put me on statins. Honestly, how do you feel? If generally better that’s good BUT never be afraid of following things up if you are unsure.

Judithdalston profile image
Judithdalston

added a query, but for some reason it did not post! Did they definitely check your bile duct in ultrasound? I had pain in right under ribs, given antibiotics for a week, which unsurprisingly did nothing, then another GP tested bloods and found ( I think I remembering correctly from about 7 years ago) raised ALT/ALP, and I was going a bit yellow. An ultrasound saw it was blocked… procedure found sludge, rather than one big gallstone. All a thyroid disease side effect! Worth asking to see ultra sound checked little duct, not just huge liver.

susanmhall62 profile image
susanmhall62

I've had elevated Alkaline Phosphatase that my doctor claimed was due to being hyperthyroid even though thyroid labs were in range. I started taking Pure Encapsulations Silymarin (milk thistle) for liver detox and Alkaline Phosphatase dropped from 167 to 143. Range is 44-121 I/UL. I'll test again soon and see if it's in range.

AST and ALT are both in range @ 18.

Chouchou1234 profile image
Chouchou1234 in reply tosusanmhall62

Thank you !!

funny I take milk thistle and NAC and stopped for a week - Just read milk thistle lowers thyroid so stopped it balancing it out. Took milk thistle last night high dose and got a bowel movement - no idea if coincidence .

humanbean profile image
humanbean

This might be useful :

labtestsonline.org.uk/tests...

Vasiliki99 profile image
Vasiliki99

its

Vasiliki99 profile image
Vasiliki99

is very sad no hope for me ferritin, folate, liver enzymes still sure i got liver issues as had high bilirubin n high b12 - stopped T3 years ago doctors refused me 5mg told me so bad i wud just need sleepn i must have some other hystamine or mast cell or hormone as my bladder bad now pelvic pain etc

humanbean profile image
humanbean in reply toVasiliki99

You should create a new post and tell us your vitamin and mineral levels as well as your thyroid hormone levels. Optimising all of these will most likely have a good effect on the health of your liver.

radd profile image
radd

Chouchou1234,

Both untreated/mismanaged hypERthyrodiism and hypOthyroidism can cause elevated liver enzymes but also any large change in thyroid hormone levels. If you are not over medicated on T3 you may find enzymes normalise.

NAC is great as much cheaper and the precursor to glutathione. I take it too. 

helvella’s reply offered information about the risk of milk thistle altering thyroid hormone transporters so disabling the hormones ability to travel around your body. I’m an advocate of milk thistle but would never take large doses as you have stated twice in your post. Maybe try reducing a little 😊

Chouchou1234 profile image
Chouchou1234 in reply toradd

great thank you .

I was taking 400 x 3 a day milk thistle when do I take - I did stop taking for a week

My T3 dose was 4.7 12 hours after which is still low

I did have high levels liver last year before alp and alt that’s why I started it and it normalised

I think it’s bad today severe pain and nausea .

Exhausted of this daily daily nightmare

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