Help me understand the test results

[grace12]

My husband has Hep C.  He just got his lab results back from primary care doctor. He is going to see a specialist in a week.

His AST is 352
    ALt is 338

I know the meaning of the enzymes but how back are these numbers.  He used to be a big drinker (alcoholic) until he found out about the HepC.

[Jakied]

your husband's alt/ast are very high.  He has stopped drinking which is good.  Alcohol and hep c mix as well as oil and water.  normal alt is 45 or 50. normal ast is 35 or so.

[grace12]

Because they are so elevated, does that have any indication of the progression of the damage on his liver.
Yes, alcohol is the worst possible thing.

[nygirl7]

When a liver cell dies, it releases an "enzyme".  So the more cell (liver) death, the higher the enzyme in correlation.  Something is killing his liver right now with those high numbers.

Hep can cause an elevation if the liver is being actively destroyed - but usually they aren't this high.

He needs to see a heptologist of GI to get a biopsy and see how much liver damage has been done.  It's the only way one can really know for sure how much damage has gone on and drinking with Hep is about the worse damn thing you can do.

by the time I got to the doc I was stage 3 and had no idea.

I wish I had quit drinking much earlier.  My liver enzymes were very high but only ink the 200s and I was on a lot of medication that would have raised them.

Good luck - make an appt immediately cause something is destroying his liver big time.

[honey11]

Grace,,,Yes the numbers are high but doesn't necessarily mean his liver is no good.  His liver could still be in good shape but only way you will know is to get him into a specialist.  Some people have high liver enzymes and have moderate liver damage but knowing that their high,,,,is the key to act now and get a biopsy.  Good Luck!