lesions on liver

[dakota1]

I am a 49 year old female. I have diabetes High blood pressure high tryclicerides fatty liver and now they have found 2 lesions on my liver in the upper lobe I had a case 4 years ago of pancreatitis. I do not drink or smoke. I eat fairly well and I exercise I am concerned about the lesions. They did a cat scan and found them. I am having a ultra sound on 9/26/03. They have not performed any blood tests for this, the doctor said it may be related to the fatty liver. My liver is enlarged I have upper abdominal pain and my stomach bloats very often. I have become worried since I got on the internet. I have 2 small children 8 and 9 I work full time as a Vice President of a large bank. I am very active. My endroconolgist said I have a metabollic syndrome. Mr tryclicerides have been as high as 4500 They are currently at 2000. I take insulin regular and nph, Tolanaze, glucaphage, tricor, lisinopril, atetenol, lasik, prilosec, I am trying very hard not to get depressed but I am concerned I love my family very much and I want to be healthy. What should my doctors be doing I have mor than one doctor and the one dealing with the liver is a gastronologist. Should I see a liver doctor. I am with Kaiser Permanete Northern Calif. Can you offer any advice. Thank you in advance.   Diana p.s. I take wellbrutin also.

[Kevin Pho, MD]

AS surgeon has commented below, there are a lot of lesions that can affect the liver.  The majority of them are benign.  Without further comment on what kind of lesion it is (? mass, ? cyst etc.), it is impossible to say what the next step would be.  

The ultrasound is the most appropriate step to further define the lesions.  If the lesion is found to be a mass, then further evaluation, including a biopsy may be indicated.  If the lesion is determined to be cystic or a benign tumor (hemangioma or hepatic adenoma), then possible removal can be discussed.  

If the lesion is fatty liver - then it may be related to alcohol intake or non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), which is primarily treate with weight loss.  

As you can see, there are plenty of possibilities.  I would take it one step at a time and follow-up with the ultrasound as the next reasonable step.  

Followup with your personal physician is essential.

This answer is not intended as and does not substitute for medical advice - the information presented is for patient education only. Please see your personal physician for further evaluation of your individual case.

Thanks,
Kevin, M.D.

[surgeon]

"lesion" is a very nonspecific term; basically it means "something." It's not at all rare to see "something" in a liver; cysts, for example, are very common, and completely harmless. The way to tell if the "something" is a cyst is by ultrasound. So your doctors are doing the appropriate thing. Reading about the possibilities without knowing would scare anyone. But, until you know more, the odds are BY FAR that it will turn out to be no big deal. Given your list of meds, labs, and problems, I'd guess you are overweight. I don't want to be presumptuous. But if you are, your best response to your fears for yourself and your family would be to find a way to exercize, eat right, and lose weight.

[dp2000]

If your triglycerides are high and you have diabetes you hopefully have eliminated refined flour and sugar from your diet.
Whole wheat bread is not a whole grain.  It still has alot of refined flour in it.  Eliminating flour and sugar and limiting fruit has been found to be effective in reducing triglycerides.

http://www.mercola.com/1998/archive/triglyceride_levels.htm

[melanie916]

A related discussion, should I be worried?? was started.

[selpam]

A related discussion, lesion was started.