Liver enzyme tests show elevation

Hello, for the past 3 weeks I have an an ongoing bout of diarrhea.  Finally ended up in the ER and AST, ALT and ALK tests were run on a Thurday and were elevated.  Friday they did an ultra sound and I was told I had a fatty liver which I knew about since my galblader removal last year - but the surgeon said it was insignificant.  Friday the liver panel was rerun and the tests were almost normal.  (tests for Hep all negative) Monday saw a gastro doc and he reran the tests again and again levels were up as follows AST 61 ALT 210 ALK (phos) 175.  My diarrhea has finally resolved.  I am terrified that something is really wrong with my liver.  I do not drink and never have.  I am at an ideal weight although I have recently lost weight due to the stress of an on going divorce.  I dont exercise and I have to admit my diet is poor - basically because I am not hungry to to the stress.  I am currently taking Lorazapam for a panic disorder and estrodial as an estrogen replacement.   Occassionally I have to take a tylenol or demerol for a migraine headache.  One ER doc told me an intestional virus could cause the elevated liver test results but the ohter ER doc said that was not true.  I am confused and terrified.  Please any insight would be appreciated.  Thank you. - Allison

[Enoch Choi, MD]

A few weeks of diarrhea is concerning, and if it recurs, deserves looking more into with stool studies.  Liver enzymes should return to normal, and it they don't, the many reasons for possibly elevating them should be looked into.  There are very many reasons, and the more elevated the liver enzynes the more concerning they are. Mild elevations that return to normal can be from ingestions (drugs, supplements, viral infections) and still deserve looking into.  Ask your doctor if the tests don't normalize.

Enoch Choi, MD

[Lori707]

Ask your gastro doc if he thinks you may have colitis. Also ask him if he can take a stool test to detect any blood.

I'm not a doctor so please don't think you may have colitits. These are questions and test that I personally would ask of my doctor.