Liver test results

[Jamie1848]

Just wondering if someone can give me an idea of what my recent results mean and if this can be repaired:
ALT 131 GGT 79 AST 43. Are these figures indicative of serious damage or do they suggest that if I stop drinking my liver will recover?  Thanks  everyone

[WillinSD]

Hi Jamie, I'm not a doctor, but I developed some liver trouble with alcohol too and have done quite a bit of research.  

Your labs don't look too disturbing to me except for the ferritin.  I had high iron when I got sick and iron is associated with both chronic alcohol consumption and alcoholic liver disease.  

Your high ferritin might simply be due to inflammation, but an additional test called "transferrin saturation" would confirm whether your ferritin is due to high iron or inflammation.  

If you're feeling OK and not drinking, it should be alright to wait the 3 months, but I would want to get to the bottom of my iron issue now if possible. It is however very important you do follow up with this, as if your iron is high it can continue to cause problems for you even if you don't drink.  

If your iron is high, it's easy to fix.  A hematologist (blood specialist) would prescribe therapeutic phlebotomy, which is just like donating blood to lower iron.  You could even start lowering iron yourself by becoming a blood donor if you're healthy enough to donate.  

Fair warning...  The needle they use at the blood bank is a BIG one!  About the size of a pencil lead.  Still, this is the best fix for high iron.  The upper limit for the normal range for ferritin in lab results is quite high, about 300 for most labs, but ideally, ferritin should be below 100 for optimal health.  This is particularly true for "liver health" as the liver is where excess iron is stored in the body.  

Again, your ferritin may be high due to inflammation and not iron overload, but this is NOT something you should ignore for too long.  A full iron study or referral to a hematologist would get to the bottom of this very quickly and you could start working on this.  What ever you do, do not miss your follow up testing on this matter, and remember, when livers are inflamed, less ferritin (40 to 80 is optimal) is better than anything into the hundreds.  Ferritin of 150, 200 or even 250 may be in the normal range, but it is not particularly healthy.  

Good luck with this, and stay healthy!  

[Jamie1848]

Thanks very much -  I have received my recent tests ALT 157 AST 60 GGT 79 and also ferritin 454.  With noted in the reulsts the comment  " liver function test abnormalities. Elevated serum ferritin may be seen in inflammation, chronic liver disease, neoplasia, and iron overload, including ineffective erythropoiesis and genetic hemochromatosis".  Other results Bilirubin 10, ALP 36, Albumin 46, T.protein 77, eGFR >90, Cretinine 82, Urea 3.7, Bicarbonate 23, Choride 102, Potassium 4.5, Sodium 140.

I have strong feeling that my results are very related to alcohol misuse over many years.  The doctor has said very little but ordered more tests on LFT and ferritin in 3 months.  the only symptom I probably have is tiredness during the day.  Should I try and get a other tests?  If I stay off alcohol do you think my liver may get better or do these results indicate it's too late?

I really do appreciate you words - Thanks heaps

[NT77]

All pesticides, herbicides and fungicides also raise liver enzymes, as well as many pharmaceuticals taken on regular basis.

[pugdaddy]

Jamie, you are already doing the best thing possible.  Continue to avoid alcohol - and let us know the results of that next test -

[Jamie1848]

Thank you heaps for getting back to me.  I wasn't really having any symptoms, I had a blood test for another matter and after the results the doctor told me my liver results were a problem and ordered another test in two weeks (haven't as yet got the results back for that yet).  I do think I was drinking too much (basically 3/4 of a bottle of red wine and 4 stubbies 4 nights a week) and have done this for many years (20 yrs) -  I think I may have caused some damage, just hope by stopping drinking (as I have done now for 2+ weeks) it may get better.

[pugdaddy]

Jamie these three numbers alone indicate nothing more than an irritated liver...it could be any of a number of things, from a totally reversible fatty liver...or it could indicate a much more serious problem.  
This is way too little information -
What symptoms are you having?
And what does your doctor tell you??