Elevated SGPT and SGOT...and he won't go back to DR.

[Tammy]

My husband was experiencing lower abodominal pain.  He went to the Dr., which is very rare for him to do.  The Dr. felt that his liver was enlarged (my husband is a heavey beer drinker) and he ordered a LFT.  The results SGPT 69...SGOT 114.
Now my husband will not go back for any further testing.  What can we expect in the future?  He has said that he is going to continue his drinking.  What can I as a wife do to help?  My husband just turned 35.  What is his life expectancy at this rate?  Thank you for any information.

[HFHSm.D.-Gastro-rf]

Dear Tammy,
It is impossible to provide any prognostic information. If your husband continues to drink, he will increase his chances of serious liver damage including cirrhosis, liver failure and death.  Although his liver tests are not significantly elevated, we know that there is a poor correlation between the extent of liver damage and the height of the liver test elevations.  In other words, people may have severe liver scarring but only slight elevations of the liver enzymes.

There are other explanations for the elvated liver tests besides the alcohol.  You should encourage your husband to learn what the cause for the elevated liver tests.  Ignoring the problem will not make it go away.

besat of luck

[Tammy]

Correction: SGOT was 148 not 114

[R]

Hi Tammi,

I'm sorry that your husband is giving you a difficult time about going back to the Dr.  That can be very frustrating.  

Here is some information I found for you from WebMD.  The normal range for SGPT is 0-48 (Your husbands SGPT is 69) and the normal range for SGOT is 0-42 Your husbands SGOT is 148).  I'm sure each lab has some sort of range that may be a bit different from the ranges above, but normally, they are pretty much in line with each other.

I have Chronic elevated LFT's.  I know from my experience that the levels you are talking about, while elevated, may not be of true clinical significance.  Having said that, the fact that your husband is a heavy beer drinker, this may be the cause of the elevations in his LFT's.  What does his Dr. say?  Is he seeing a GI Specialist or maybe even a Hepatologist (many times you will find a GI that is also a Hepatologist as it is in the same field).

Below, please find the information I found on WebMD regarding the above.  Good luck to both of you.

Robin

**Information from WebMD**

Liver Enzymes

SGOT (Serum Glutamic-Oxalocetic Transaminase - AST)

Serum Glutamic Oxalocetic Transaminase or AST is an enzyme found primarily in the liver, heart, kidney, pancreas, and muscles. Seen in tissue damage, especially heart and liver, this enzyme is normally elevated. Vitamin B deficiency and pregnancy are two instances where the enzyme may be decreased.

Normal Adult Range: 0 - 42 U/L Optimal Adult Reading: 21

Panels: Cardiac Marker, Liver Function

SGPT (Serum Glutamic-Pyruvic Transaminase - ALT)

Serum Glutamic Pyruvic Transaminase or ALT is an enzyme found primarily in the liver but also to a lesser degree, the heart and other tissues. It is useful in diagnosing liver function more so than SGOT levels. Decreased SGPT in combination with increased cholesterol levels is seen in cases of a congested liver. We also see increased levels in mononucleosis, alcoholism, liver damage, kidney infection, chemical pollutants or myocardial infarction.

Normal Adult Range: 0 - 48 U/L Optimal Adult Reading: 24

Panels: Liver Function

[s lopez]

I recently gave blood at a local clinic. They said my blood shows moderatley elevated levels of ALT. I have been taking the supplement Chromium Picolonate for over a year now. I rarely drink and dont smoke. Is the supplement the problem or the fact that I am a law enforcement officer coming into contact with numerous dieseases the problem?

[Joe]

I had elevated liver enzymes for years, even though I never drank or had Hepatitis.  After losing 20 lbs. from 200 to 180 the values went back to normal, along with my cholesterol.

Gook luck.

[chris]

Most likely, he doesn't want to see the doctor because
he is afraid of what will be said about his life expectancy
and is afraid that he will be told that if he doesn't stop
drinking he will be dead in X years. This is news that no heavy
drinker wants to hear.

Heavy drinkers are very loyal to their drug of choice and
suspicious of doctor's claims.They often feel a mixture
fear of what they will miss from drinking (perhaps loss of
contact with loyal drinking buddies), and anxiety
about life without drink.  A heavy drinker will not
get withdrawl symtoms as an alcaholic would, but stopping
will often make them deel a sense of loss or restlessness/boredom
which disappears when drinking is resumed after a few days
or weeks.

Drinking buddies will tend to downplay the seriousness of
the situation, and will give each other the worst possible advice; at the same time they think of themselves as real friends. Heavy drinkers often resent being challenged about
their habits.

If you can talk to him about what he would miss most, or
if he will admit it it fear most, perhaps that could be a start.
If he is unlikely to talk to you about it, is there anyone else
who would be more likely to be successful? If he could start to
think about this he might then be able to think about how
to cope without beer (or with significantly less beer) and perhaps even see the change in a positive light. Then he
wouldn't be so resentful of the idea of returning to the doctor for advice.

In the end, its his decision, and even if he loves you dearly, he
might still not be able to face up to the fact that his
heavy drinking may be having such a terrible effect on
the both of you or even want to talk about it at all.


Good luck to you both

Chris

[cherie]

I am searching for a Hepatologist in the Denver Boulder area. I was also a heavy drinker for many years. I have read and realize that I have many of the same symptoms as those people with liver disease and in putting these altogether I want to find a Dr. who will hear me. Please respond to ***@**** if anyone knows of a Dr. who can help me. Thanks, Cherie

[Amy]

Try going to some Alanon meetings. They will help you understand and cope with your alcoholic husband. And you will also find people who have had to cope with the medical, too. Remember, this is his problem and you need to start making a life of your own. You are worth more than someone else's misery.

[ACER COMP]

I am a 31 year old  and for the last couple of months (October and November)  had been drinking a lot with friends .....last month i went to the doctor and had complained about this abdominal pains that i am having and was told that i have heartburn so they gave me some tagamet to take .....but it did not work (maybe bec. I still continue drinking ) a week ago I went back to the doctor and told him that I still have the same pain this time he had me  take some blood test when the result came back (last week)  my SGPT test is like 98 and Cholesterol is also up and also my blood protein is up but my SGOT test is normal.... after we got the result back he had ordered me to repeat the SGPT test and it came back lower than before  this time it's 92 (maybe because I stopped drinking when I went to have my blood test the first time ) he call me up and told me that I should get out of the bottle  and stop eating fatty foods especially meat  (right after my doctor told me what elevated SGPT result mean I changed my diet right away "from being a meat lover to a vegetarian and also went to the refrigerator and threw all alcoholic drinks away) I will be taking  another SGPT test like a week from now and also gave me some Prilosec to take twice a day.........I don't know if Prilosec or Tagamet make your SGPT elevate or if it will make more damage to my liver  that's something that I am still researching on but I just want to post this information so to let everybody know that life is to precious to just flush it down with alcohol......I just hope that my liver recover from my stupidity .....