liver enzyme level

[captain bill]

I was taking a colesteral medication called zocor. and went and had blood work done when the results came back the doctor told me that she thought i had hepititis. so they sent me to get a DNA done for hepititis it came back negative. I then went to have a liver and splean scan done it also came back inconclusive so they sent me for an abdominal ultrasound they couldnt see anything there either. now were trying a cat scan what if anything would it see that the other two test didnt very concerned please help.

[friloux]

I am in the exact same boat.
I have been taking Allopurinol, Viox and Colchicine for the Gout.
My AST and ALT levels have been rising for a while and I am very concerned about what is happening - doctors seem to be very unalarmed and yet I'm on full alert!  

Do you know what your AST and ALT levels were on your test?
It should be on the read out - if you don't know they will give you a copy.

Mine went from 20 - 25 to 110 - 290 - Wow what does that mean?
Best I could get is that I am considered moderately elevated and apparantely there are two levels above that but I still don't have a feel for exactly how bad this is.

I would suggest you get your numbers - read the fact sheet on the medication - turns out Allopurinol could be causing mine so I plan on looking for an alternative medication and hopefully that will help correct my levels.  Good Luck - I know exactly what you're feeling.

ps - nobody seems to overly concerned with 110 and 290 levels so I hope this is true - if anyone thinks differently please let me know.

[JestersDummy]

AST and ALT Levels in the 70s is only slightly elevated.
AST and ALT Levels in the 100s is Moderately elevated.
AST and ALT Levels in the 200s+ is Highly elevated.
AST and ALT Levels in the 1000s are only achieved in Hepatitis cases or acute injury to the liver.

Let me see if I can find the web site...

http://www.findarticles.com/cf_0/m3225/8_59/54567536/p2/article.jhtml?term=

"Various liver diseases are associated with typical ranges of AST and ALT levels (Figure 2). ALT levels often rise to several thousand units per liter in patients with acute viral hepatitis. The highest ALT levels-often more than 10,000 U per L-are usually found in patients with acute toxic injury subsequent to, for example, acetaminophen overdose or acute ischemic insult to the liver. AST and ALT levels usually fall rapidly after an acute insult."

quoted from the article...

Man, is that too technical or what? (Perhaps I am reading this wrong?) Anyway that article does have some good information outside of the AST and ALT levels.  In it you will find that there are many causes for different levels and that your numbers at any given level my constitute any number of reasons.  The best thing to do is have it checked out.  

It also states that whatever your level may be at, your current level does not necessarily equate or correlate with the amount of liver damage that you have.  In other words if I have very high levels it can simply mean that I have a problem with my liver, it is not a direct indicator of the amount of damage that I have.  For that matter slightly elevated levels are also an indicator of a problem, even though I may have severe liver damage.  Get it checked out, your piece of mind is well worth the hassle.

[btsmith]

A related discussion, ast levels and hepatitis c was started.