High liver enzymes

[Fatma]

I'm a 25 year old woman. my weight is 136 lb and 5,5" tall.
In June,6th of 2000, I delivered my baby normally and I had a postpartom hemorrage, right after delivery. Which needs to be fixed with a surgery two hours later. As s result of the hemorrage I needed a blood transfusion (4 units).
Two weeks later, June 25 of the same year I had a gallbladder surgery. After removing the gallblader, I had dirrhea for several months and finally my hasband urged me to consult the doctor.
My doctor ordered many blood test. everything was normal except for my liver function test, for I had a high enzymes. Then the doctor referred me to a specialist in the liver. Here are the results of the test that I have been doing till now:
July 2000
AST 98
ALT 82
ALP 378
February 2001
AST 171
ALT 251
ALT 251
August 2001
AST 83
ALT 137
ALP 197
February 2002
AST 88
ALT 87
ALP 194
GGT 73
Questions:
1)Do you think that the liver is recovering since the AST, ALT and ALP are getting better?
2)Why the GGT is elevated?
3) My father had cirrohsis of the liver and died 2 years ago at age 71. Is it heridetary?
4) Sometimes I have an empty feeling of the stomach. All of a sudden I feel very hangry and need to eat right away. What does that mean?
5) I had a liver biopsy and it was normal. the doctor couldn't find any cause for the elevation of my enzymes. He said it could be a viral hepatitis, but he didn't give me any medecine. Why?

[imkindly]

First, I am not a doctor. So this is just my opinion, ok?

Your Questions:

1)Do you think that the liver is recovering since the AST, ALT and ALP are getting better?
Probably, but that's not always true.
Enzymes usually reflect "active" damage. They don't always reflect damage already done.

2)Why the GGT is elevated?
GGT is very sensitive. Any little thing can elevate GGT. (Especially drugs or alcohol.) (Even over-the-counter drugs.)

3) My father had cirrohsis of the liver and died 2 years ago at age 71. Is it heridetary?
Cirrhosis can be caused by many different things.
A few Examples:
Alcohol or drugs---not hereditary
Viral hepatitis---probably not hereditary (rare)
Fatty Liver---not hereditary (but maybe you'd inheritate being susceptable?)
Hemochromatosis---Yes, hereditary

4) Sometimes I have an empty feeling of the stomach. All of a sudden I feel very hungry and need to eat right away. What does that mean?
I don't know. Maybe get your blood sugar checked.

5) I had a liver biopsy and it was normal. the doctor couldn't find any cause for the elevation of my enzymes. He said it could be a viral hepatitis, but he didn't give me any medecine. Why?
If the doctor used the word "Viral", tell him you want to be tested for Viral Hepatitis. (Blood test). You need to know.

Hope this helps a little.

[pikamom]

If it's viral, he didn't give you any medicine because there isn't any. My husband had severe mono last year at the age of 37, he became jaundiced and was very sick. He was so nauseated he couldn't eat, but the doctor said for his liver to recover he had to get nutrition so he tried to drink ensure. We were going to the doctor every other day to monitor the blood numbers and even went to the hospital, but everyone we saw said the same thing, it was a viral illness and there was no medicine for it. We just had to wait it out. He eventually completely recovered.

[Kiagirl98]

I would keep on the doctors.  I am having the same problems...that empty feeling has cause major weight gain here.  I also have elevated liver enzymes running almost exactly like yours in numbers.  My Dr thought for sure hepatitis, ran those first....did a xray, have an inflammed heart, EKG normal, bloodwork after bloodwork, he is now checking for those autoimmune diseases.  Upper GI just showed a hurnia.  I have had this since Oct 2001.  There must be a reason why you bled so much after the birth of you baby? Could it be linked to yourproblems now??  My peds for the girls said whatever it is they have is mimicing mono.  Both my oldest girls have elevated liver enzymes also.  No Fun, Hang tough and dont let the doctors shove it aside...those organs are too precious to lose!  God Bless! (Come on March 25th, my next dr. appointment, when I get my test results back) I also had my gallbladder removed right after having my first child.
That empty feeling, do you almost feel like youre gonna get sick if you dont eat? Almost like acid build up in your throat?

[imkindly]

Hi
If your husband had viral hepatitis, and completely recovered, I would guess that you mean Hepatitis A?
If a doctor told me that I had viral hepatitis, I would want to be tested and told which type it was, so that I'd know what to do next. (Just to make sure what I was dealing with.)
There are some treatments available for Hep B and Hep C.

[angel of mercy]

I have been to numerous dr.s and none have told me if toporol xl 100 could damage the liver or not..any help?

[pikamom]

My husband had mononucleosis. He became jaundiced from the viral illness that causes mono, it wasn't hepatitis. He was checked for all the hepatitis strains plus aids even though he had no reason to have aids. The doctors couldn't understand why he was so sick and even were worried about cancer. Mono can be a serious illness if you're older, just like chicken pox. Mostly school and college kids get it and they bounce right back. But yeah, you want to know what virus is affecting your liver.

[Marcy]

Hello!
I was reading some comments here and noticed you mentioned Toprol, I also take it for my BP and had elevated liver enzymes. Have you found out anymore about the possibility of it causing liver damage? Thanks!

[Fatma]

Oh my God!! You really described the empty feeling of the stomac exactely accurate. When I tried several times to describe it to my husband he never could imagine how it felt like. I'm puzzeled what could cause it. Though I have read that it could be a symptom of liver desease, no doctor could find out what kind of desease i have. As for gaining weight, I have started excercising and I don't want to think that I'm sick. Since I don't have any other symptoms, I try to enjoy life and be happy most of the time.
The bleeding after my delivery was caused (as the doctor said) by the failure of the uterus to contract and by a tear of the cervix; however everything was normal in the 6 week check up.
I feel sorry for you and your daughters to have the same problem without any clue of what's happening; do you think it's heredetary? I hope your enzymes will go down this time.
Enjoy life; it's worth living!!
Fatma.

[Kiagirl98]

Blood work came back for for all the heriditary diseases, ok.  Dr claims my symptoms may not be reaated to my liver.  i am going to see a Hep dr On April 4th and a gastro on the 8th...had CT Scan last wednesday without results yet.  I bet they are in, the dr office never likes to return phone calls.  So fusterating.

[Cabelo]

Hi Fatma,
Please check my message on GGT and hemochromatosis (HH). HH is a rare genetic hereditary disease and I was for about 6 years with high GGT levels until recently my doctor did some lab work that showed a possible HH. High liver enzimes may not necessarily mean something in your liver. A very detailed blood analysys may be certainly the best way - or at least a good way to begin - to check what is going on wrong with your body. And it may not be the liver.
Best of luck,

Cabelo