Does High ALT

Quick info.  Week 17 of 48
1a
S/G both 1
Procrit @ 4 weeks
UND at 6 Weeks

I am 4 hrs away from my Specialist and only get to see him every 2 to 3 mos.  

Riba reduced at week 4 from 1200 down 1 pill a week to get HGB back,  to 600, then @ week 10 Back up to 800.  He has steadily refused to up to 1000 since even though HGB has been in the 13.7 range.


I was able change a late Dec appt and get one with my specialist yesterday instead (Had a free ride) yea!.  All went well "I think" Except both of my ALT and AST were high  
AST was 45
ALT was 92
He was concerned enough to order another PCR
Does this mean I could no longer be UND??   was due for another PCR anyway but he made it sound like TX could no longer be working???

[painterlady13]

OOPS Title should have read "Does High ALT mean I could no longer be UND?

[Kalio1]

Not necessarily. Some people's liver enzymes go up on tx. He shouldn't have said that! All that does is worry you!
A breakthrough is always possible, but try not to worry about it until you have a PCR showing that to be the case.

Hope you are hanging in there with sides.
wishing you a nice Holiday!

[Mister beagle bailey]

I agree with Kalio.  It doesn't mean your not UND, I know it's hard but try and wait till the PCR comes back and enjoy your Thanksgiving.

Beagle

[FlGuy]

My last alt (just last week) was beyond the high end of the range and I was absolutely undetectable at the time.

[GoofyDad]

The meds cause liver inflamation (inflammation). My LFTs dropped way down, then perked up a bit at about 8-12 weeks (ALT was right at the high threshold of normal). They have remained 'pert' ever since. I remain SVR and looking for pertness elsewhere in life. Others (I think Snook) also reported high LFTs through treatment.

Good luck~!

[sfbaygirl]

I believe I heard that the drugs can cause the ALTs to go up on tx. We can't assume anything about ALT/AST while on tx. Yes, we want them below 30's, but on tx it is not always the case.

[dodger01]

I have attached a link to give you some additonal information on ALT levels.

http://www.hivandhepatitis.com/2004icr/aasld/docs/hcv/121004_a.html

[GrandOak]

Elevated LFT's only mean that your liver is reacting to something.  The tx meds have been shown to sometimes have an impact on elevating LFT's.

I would go for the PCR to see if where VL is at.  Keep in mind that VL can fluctuate and if it is hovering near UND threshold that it does not mean that tx is no longer working, especially if VL is significantly below baseline.

Keep the faith on tx working as attitude can often times have an impact.

[painterlady13]

thank you all for your responses.
I kinda thought as much, regarding that it didn't mean I wasn't UND, from what I have read before. But he got me scared with the way he reacted.  Geeze I wish docs wouldn't worry ya for something that might be nothing.  And Rev you are right I will still worry But also after reading these responses it probably won't be as much.

[goldyn]

I was looking back the other day and found out my 12week pcr was unde and my alt was 22 ast was20, well after only a month they went up to 50 and 45, they stayed around 40 ish clear through my last one was my 48 wk pcr and it was alt 35 ast 30, i belive the tx along with hormonel ups and downs stress advil and other meds will make it rise so dont even worry until you have another one done......

[amommy]

My personal experience was that my liver enzymes were higher during tx than they ever were off tx.  And I am now SVR!  So, hopefully that pcr will confirm your good news that you are still UND.  I won't tell you not to worry, because I know that is impossible, but hopefully these personal accounts from people who have been there will ease your fears a little.  I'll be thinking of you and hoping for good results!

[cuteus]

the possibility exists that you were not getting enough riba for your wt, since you started at 1200, but a spike in the ALT is not enough to guess anything at all.  Only the PCR will tell. Hopefully it will be a sensitive qualitative PCR.

[painterlady13]

kind of confused after reading that as the way I read it was that my ALT should be going down and it started going up about week 10 of TX and now at week 17 it still is up. hmmmm???