enlarged liver, etc.

  Good Afternoon,
  I have an enlarged liver  that was discovered during a liver scan (they said it should be 11 and it is 17 so almost 50% enlarged). I have elevated liver enzymes too.  They did a liver biopsy and found fatty liver and have attributed all my symptoms to that condition.  I feel they are missing something and I want to know if fatty liver would explain why my liver is so enlarged, or if I shoud pursue more testing perhaps for autoimmune disorders?  Here is my story.  I started having pain in my right heel about three years ago, especially first thing in the morning and I limped when I got out of bed.  Then I started having severe back pain two years ago.  I had to take 4 advil at night just to sleep because of the pain.  I also become fatigued and lost motivation
  and interest in things I enjoyed, including sex.  I went to the doctor one year ago and she diagnosed depression and I went to a counselor. The doctor also took blood tests at this time.  My symptoms kept increasing and now I was having side pain, often intense, around the liver area.  I got a note from my doctor saying the blood tests showed elevated liver enzymes and that I should come back in three months for testing, which I did.  They did more tests, and the enzymes were slightly higher still.  I drink only moderately by the way.  At this point the doctor said I either have aids, cancer or hepatitis. She did more blood testing and said I don't have cancer or hepatitis.  I refused the aids test because I do not feel I am at risk.  I switched doctors and the new doctor referred me to a liver specialist.  She ordered the liver scan and found my liver to be enlarged as I described above.  She ran a few more tests such as anitsmoothmuscle, antitrypsin, and a couple of others.  She then did a biopsy and found the fatty liver and said that is the cause of all my symptoms.  I feel there is more to it because I am so different than I used to be and am just not myself.  I used to feel  very sharp mentally and I struggle to think clearly.  I am
  emotionally down and I have very little motivation although by nature I am highly motivated.  Now I just want to sleep.  I am overweight.  I was not so overweight when all these symptoms started and progressed but I have quit exercising because it causes side pain which is quite severe. Also, my feet hurt constantly, and I limp like an old lady when I get up
  in the morning and if I sit in one position for very long. My hands tingle and ache.  Sometimes my calves (the bone in front) have very strong wierd sensations like fire almost. I get frequent leg cramps, it started in the calf muscles and has increased to where even my thigh muscles want to cramp up.  This constant cramping happens at night when I lay down.  Also, the muscles throughout my body seem to twitch often and get smasms.  Also, if I eat too late at night, I wake up with a mouthful vomit.  I also have had that same experience occasionally during the day.  I am 41 years old and about 60 pounds overweight.  Do you think all these symptoms could be indicating an autoimmune disorder or that fatty liver would explain all this?
  Thanks!
_____________
Dear ireg,
Both fatty liver and autoimmune hpatitis involve the entire liver.  Therefore, a liver biopsy should be able to detect either condition if it is present.  The fatty liver was identified and there was no evidence for autoimmune hepatitis.  Fatty liver can explain, some of your symptoms, a big liver and increased liver tests.  the etiology of your fatty liver could be being overweight or the alcohol that you drink.
Some of your stymptoms are suggestive of depression and others of collagen vascular disease e.g. leg cramps, aching etc.  You should ask your doctor to arrange for an autoimmune screen to exclude some of these possibilities.
This informatrion is presented for educational purposes.  If you have specific questions, contact your personal physician.
HFHSM.D.-rf
*keywords: fatty liver
0.2