Can this be a sign of hepatitis ??

[Mac07]

Question?

I recently have been diagnosted with a gallbladder polyp. I was required to had some different blood tests.
My recently test shows this:

AST   32
ALT   71
ALP   86

Can this mean I have probably some type of hepatitis?

Thank's in advance for any info

[Jakied]

The hepatic panel measures your liver function by checking the ast/alt/bilirubin/protein etc levels.
It is not a hep c antibody test.

Let me ask you this?  Do you have a risk factor for hep b or c?

Hep B is mainly transmitted through unprotected sex with an infected person.

Hep C is mainly transmitted through blood transfusions (before 1992), organ transplant, drug use and rarely, sexual activity.

If you had an exposure for hep b or c, how long ago?  Just like Hiv, there is a window period for your immune system to make detectable antibodies which will 'show up' on the test.

Hep b has a window period averaging 60 days, with 180 days the outer limit.

Hep c has a window period of 14 days to 180 days , with and average of 50 days.

With antibody tests, the greater the number of days since exposure, the more accurate the result is.

I would recommend getting an antibody test for b and c at 1 month, 3 months and 6 months.

If the three month is neg, the 6 month test is probably not necessary but only for peace of mind.

That is what I think.

If you want to get tested, call 'request a test, 1888-732-2348 and ask for a hep panel for b and c.

[Mac07]

With the Hepatitis panel test. The one that will show me if I am reactive or non reactive be enough for a clear answer if I have or not Hep C ? Or do that test could not possibly show me really if I have it?? I am asking because I want to make the correct tests. I see that some people are showing something that is the HCV test. Are this one different from the Hep panel?

Thanks to all for the help and sorry for my ignorance on the subject.

[Jakied]

Only your Alt is out of range, normal is 0 to 50 or so.

Ast sbould be 0 to 40, so 32 is fine.

Alp has a normal range of up to 125 or so.

Elevated alt has MANY potential causes.  Don't assume you have hep.  Be honest with yourself about the risk factors and symptoms and get tested for peace of mind.

[Jakied]

Do you have symptoms of hep b and/or c?  fatigue is the most common.  Dark color in urine and light color in stool (just the opposite of what you should have), abdominal pain and joint pain are other symptoms.

If you want to get tested, call 'request a test' at 1888-732-2348.

it is good you don't illegal drugs now.  did you ever try that, even one time, long ago ?  you can be infected with hep c for MANY years and not know it.

[Mac07]

Thank you very much to all for the info.

Well I had one high risk sex encounter in the past. I don't drink alcohol and don't take drugs.
My worries right now is to have Hep C and contagiate my wife and children with it. Even I still taking some tests I am already feeling very guilty with the possibility of having Hep C.
I already had the vaccines for Hep B and A I think but that was like 6 or 7 years ago.

Thanks again for all the help

[Jakied]

Do you have a risk factor for hepatitis b or c?  Blood transfusion before 1992, organ transplant, high risk sex , drug use?

Hep b is a classic Std.  Hep c is not a Std.

If you want to get tested for hep, call request a test 1888-732-2348.

[joachim2007]

just to put it a bit more into context: in principal, your elvation is really very mild (i suspect only the ALT is out of range, AST looks like upper end of range, and ALP is totally in range) And the ALT is only doubled. So, it could very well be something transient and harmless. But yea, only the repeat tests, and doc consultation etc. will finally show.

[joachim2007]

hi,

when ignoring all the info about gallbladder polyp, i would say, yes, this could be a sign for hepatitis:

a rather mild elevation though, which can be caused by all kinds of things, starting from certain medications, alcohol intake, rather harmless viruses like CMV or EBV, but of course any of the better known Hepatic viruses (A-E), although for A,B,E it would look a bit too low, but one never knows without testing.

so in case you have not yet tested for Hep A-E, do it. Although the most important to test for are B, C because those are the ones that can be chronic and lead to real problems.

In any case, DEFINITELY make sure to seek a good doctor (ideally a hepatologist) to guide you through this. Don't stop bugging the doc until either there is an explanation found OR the elevations go back to normal. In the latter case, you should, for safetey's sake, do regularly blood tests for some time, to make sure that the levels REALLY went down.

And if no explanation is found AND the levels don't go down, the ultimate ration would be a liver biopsy. (But perhaps i am overdoing it. However, i say this, because the last thing you want to happen is to overlook something and get surprised in 5 or 10 years.  It happened to me, that's why i put so much emphasis on it).

However, perhaps it is all connected to the gallbladder issue anyway, but in any case, have the tests,  and have the situation sorted out by a COMPETENT liver/gastro doctor. Then you are on the safe side!

Joachim