Aa
Liver Damage
I'm 45 and have just been diagnosed with chronic Hep C by a hepatologist. My liver function test showed ALT 198 and ASP 81 and Globulin 36. All other test results are in the normal range including the rest of the liver function test, full blood count, Fasting Glucose, U&E (including Cr), Cholesterol HDL LDL etc, and the Thyroid Function test. I have had an upper abdominal ultrasound ordered by my general doctor showing "the texture of liver and spleen is normal and no focial lesions have been shown within them" and the conclusion of the ultrasound was, no abnormality has been shown in the upper abdomen by ultrasound. I have since been sent for a CT Scan of my abdomen and pelvic region. I do not have the results back at this stage. I work full time and have no symptoms of "Hep C". I was wondering if from the tests I’ve had so far, does this indicate a healthy liver? My hepatologist said that the ultrasound which was normal really means nothing to him and a CT Scan would give him a better indication! I was wondering if the ultrasound showed a normal liver then does it indicate that I do not at this stage have liver damage.
Thank you.
Thank you.
i know ur feeling,Iam geno type1 and i have 2 million 420 thousand VL.. hope that isnt to high.. Iam still scared
"(yeah well excuse me, telling me not to worry is like saying to a two year old dont touch that!!!) "
YUP! *grin*
" So it's good to know i'm not alone but sad in a way as there is so many infected with this."
It's a really big club... But hey - I say we all have fun - cause heck... Yanno -we kinda deserve it.
Booyah!
Hugs to you,
Meki
YUP! *grin*
" So it's good to know i'm not alone but sad in a way as there is so many infected with this."
It's a really big club... But hey - I say we all have fun - cause heck... Yanno -we kinda deserve it.
Booyah!
Hugs to you,
Meki
Thanks Jim for that great info. I have a hepatologist who I've only met once and he seems very nice. He is the head of the Liver transplant team so that makes me feel better for some reason. I saw him on the 3 July and he sent me for a big blood test where they took about 18 virals of blood! Then for the CT Scan. He felt my liver and spleen during the appointment and said they both felt to be smooth and of normal size. He said I will see you at the end of August and told me not to worry!!!!! (yeah well excuse me, telling me not to worry is like saying to a two year old dont touch that!!!) so he said he wasnt in a hurry to see me again and said I would start treatment probally at the end of the year or early next year! So it's good to know i'm not alone but sad in a way as there is so many infected with this.
Thanks CS for that info and for your prediction..........I will let you know when I find out as it wont be till August...
Viral load and enzyme levels have nothing to do with liver damage. In fact, those with cirrhosis often have normal liver enzymes. As to viral load, it can fluctuate wildly without regard to liver damage.
Your ultrasound results sound good and at Cat Scan will give more information, but for more definitive information on liver damage you would want a needle biopsy -- or as an alternative a Fibroscan. Fibroscan is a non-evasive device currently in trial but I believe starting to become available in some select medical centers.
There are also some blood marker tests like "Fibrosure" that may also be helpful. Studies suggest Fibrosure accurate in the low and high range, but not the mid range.
A good liver specialist (hepatologist) should be able to guide you which test (or combination of tests/procedures) is right for you.
All the best,
-- Jim
Your ultrasound results sound good and at Cat Scan will give more information, but for more definitive information on liver damage you would want a needle biopsy -- or as an alternative a Fibroscan. Fibroscan is a non-evasive device currently in trial but I believe starting to become available in some select medical centers.
There are also some blood marker tests like "Fibrosure" that may also be helpful. Studies suggest Fibrosure accurate in the low and high range, but not the mid range.
A good liver specialist (hepatologist) should be able to guide you which test (or combination of tests/procedures) is right for you.
All the best,
-- Jim
I’ll use your test from April 2007. I have used my labs as the normal range and converted to US English for those used to seeing lab tests in
Conventional Units rather than SI units.
Heres a link if anyone is interested in blood test conversions.
http://www.unc.edu/~rowlett/units/scales/clinical_data.html
Units Normal CU
ALP 92 U/L 30-115 92 units/L
AST 81 U/L 5-40 81 units/L
ALT 198 U/L 5-40 198 units/L
GGT 28 U/L 5-65 28 units/L
Total protein 74 g/L 63-80 7.4 g/dL
Albumin 36 g/L 35-50 3.6 g/dL
Globulin 38 g/L 20-40 3.8 g/dL
Bilirubin Total 6 umol/L 3-20 0.35 mg/dL
Cholesterol 3.7 mmol/L 3.9-5.5 142.8 mg/dL
Triglyceride 0.8 mmol/L 0.6-2.0 70.8 mg/dL
TSH
(Thyrotropin) 2.29 mIU/L 0.3-5.0 2.29 mIU/L
Basically you appear normal. Apart from slightly low cholesterol and high ALTs not bad. I’ll go out on a limb here and say that your Genotype test will come back as a G3a.
I’ll tell you why after you get the result back.
All the best
CS
Conventional Units rather than SI units.
Heres a link if anyone is interested in blood test conversions.
http://www.unc.edu/~rowlett/units/scales/clinical_data.html
Units Normal CU
ALP 92 U/L 30-115 92 units/L
AST 81 U/L 5-40 81 units/L
ALT 198 U/L 5-40 198 units/L
GGT 28 U/L 5-65 28 units/L
Total protein 74 g/L 63-80 7.4 g/dL
Albumin 36 g/L 35-50 3.6 g/dL
Globulin 38 g/L 20-40 3.8 g/dL
Bilirubin Total 6 umol/L 3-20 0.35 mg/dL
Cholesterol 3.7 mmol/L 3.9-5.5 142.8 mg/dL
Triglyceride 0.8 mmol/L 0.6-2.0 70.8 mg/dL
TSH
(Thyrotropin) 2.29 mIU/L 0.3-5.0 2.29 mIU/L
Basically you appear normal. Apart from slightly low cholesterol and high ALTs not bad. I’ll go out on a limb here and say that your Genotype test will come back as a G3a.
I’ll tell you why after you get the result back.
All the best
CS
Dyslexic Mike (LOL) I'd never figured.
Its more like 1-2 in 100 in Aust & 2-3 in 100 in the US.
I think its actually higher cause Health Depts cant count.
The club is bigger than you thought.
CS
Its more like 1-2 in 100 in Aust & 2-3 in 100 in the US.
I think its actually higher cause Health Depts cant count.
The club is bigger than you thought.
CS
Me mum and dad got creative...
LOL!
I was supposed to be a Mike...
But I surprised the holy toledo out of them.
Meki
PS. Linda - those aren't horrible scores. But not great either. Find out your Genotype - and get your Viral Load (VL) with a PCR.
And you're very welcome. Don't feel like an outcast... Feel like you've joined a very wide ranging club. MOST people don't know they have HCV ---- and when they find out they feel isolated.. But I'd say that 1 in 1000 has HCV - and that's a pretty darn big club. LOL!
LOL!
I was supposed to be a Mike...
But I surprised the holy toledo out of them.
Meki
PS. Linda - those aren't horrible scores. But not great either. Find out your Genotype - and get your Viral Load (VL) with a PCR.
And you're very welcome. Don't feel like an outcast... Feel like you've joined a very wide ranging club. MOST people don't know they have HCV ---- and when they find out they feel isolated.. But I'd say that 1 in 1000 has HCV - and that's a pretty darn big club. LOL!
Ok CS here we go........
JANUARY 2005
ALT 33
AST 24
Bilirubin Total 15
APRIL 2007
ALT 198
AST 81
alp 92
albumin 36
globulin 38
ggt 28
Total protein 74
Cholesterol 3.7, hdl = 1.4, ldl = 1.9
Triglyceride 0.8
Bilirubin Total 6
Haemoglobin RCC 5.9
WCC 6.8
Platelets - says white cells and platelets appear normal
TSH 2.29
JUNE 2007
Bilirubin total 8
ALP 90
ggt 21
alt 193
ast 84
Protein total 71
albumin 35
Globulin 36
let me know what you think..........
JANUARY 2005
ALT 33
AST 24
Bilirubin Total 15
APRIL 2007
ALT 198
AST 81
alp 92
albumin 36
globulin 38
ggt 28
Total protein 74
Cholesterol 3.7, hdl = 1.4, ldl = 1.9
Triglyceride 0.8
Bilirubin Total 6
Haemoglobin RCC 5.9
WCC 6.8
Platelets - says white cells and platelets appear normal
TSH 2.29
JUNE 2007
Bilirubin total 8
ALP 90
ggt 21
alt 193
ast 84
Protein total 71
albumin 35
Globulin 36
let me know what you think..........
I am on the Gold Coast. Dont worry about feeling like an outcast, think most of us go thru that. As for the Blood test post both. No all of them though
Just ALT/AST Cholesterol Tryglyceride & Iron and these if high Bilirubin Albumin from LFT. Actually anything that is High or Low.
Might be an idea to post these from your FBC
Haemoglobin RCC WCC and platelets. Your TSH also but you already said its normal. Dont think i have missed any. On Tx there are a couple more to keep an eye on, but they will come up as low or high anyway.
Meki - Like your posts too. Got a way with words U do. Like the name too, wotz it from.
CS
Just ALT/AST Cholesterol Tryglyceride & Iron and these if high Bilirubin Albumin from LFT. Actually anything that is High or Low.
Might be an idea to post these from your FBC
Haemoglobin RCC WCC and platelets. Your TSH also but you already said its normal. Dont think i have missed any. On Tx there are a couple more to keep an eye on, but they will come up as low or high anyway.
Meki - Like your posts too. Got a way with words U do. Like the name too, wotz it from.
CS
Thanks so much you guys for replying to me. At the moment I feel like a total outcast and you have made me feel so welcome.
Yvonne - Thanks for your encouragement I surely need it at this stage as I'm pretty stressed at the moment. I got back to the doctor next month to find out what type and the viral load I have.
Meki thanks for all that info. I feel fine physically at the moment and this was such a massive shock to me and i'm still coming to terms with it. I've known for about 3 weeks.
Cocksparrow - WA here!. Did you mean the LFT results or the blood tests. Where abouts are you?
AGAIN .....Thanks for your replys everyone
Yvonne - Thanks for your encouragement I surely need it at this stage as I'm pretty stressed at the moment. I got back to the doctor next month to find out what type and the viral load I have.
Meki thanks for all that info. I feel fine physically at the moment and this was such a massive shock to me and i'm still coming to terms with it. I've known for about 3 weeks.
Cocksparrow - WA here!. Did you mean the LFT results or the blood tests. Where abouts are you?
AGAIN .....Thanks for your replys everyone
Nah --- Call it insomnia...
AND... CS your posts are super informative well done - and excellently written. Each person has their own perspective... Even if it is saying the same thing over and over... Different view points or different writing styles assist people much more than Blah blah blah blah... Yanno?
LOL!
Besides I like your name... LOL!
Meki
AND... CS your posts are super informative well done - and excellently written. Each person has their own perspective... Even if it is saying the same thing over and over... Different view points or different writing styles assist people much more than Blah blah blah blah... Yanno?
LOL!
Besides I like your name... LOL!
Meki
Geez if i had know about your posts i wouldnt have bothered, you pretty much covered everything. Dont you guys sleep?
CS
CS
" I was wondering if the ultrasound showed a normal liver then does it indicate that I do not at this stage have liver damage."
Most likely you do not ---- HOWEVER, that being said - an ultrasound is not exact for liver damage. You will probably need a biopsy - but a CT scan is non-invasive and can provide good information as well.
"I was wondering if from the tests I’ve had so far, does this indicate a healthy liver? "
Yes and no. You have HCV - which means your liver is functioning with a virus running through it. (Simple wording, sorry...)
But - you're not doing horrible on the AST ALTs and other things. I've seen much worse.
These things are indicators of a problem in the liver. But they do not indicate damage.
EVERYONE HERE has some excellent information from their perspectives. So hang on and hang out.
VIRAL load - as suggested by LadyWhy is a good indicator of how much of the virus your liver has.
I've seen folks with low viral loads and high liver damage - and others with high viral loads and no damage... And just about any variation. Yet --- it is my belief that normally - a high AST/ALT and high Viral load will usually mean more damage --- and that the virus is actively damaging things.
The liver is the only organ that actually replenishes itself. It basically grows back. So - there is good hope if you catch it early enough.
A lot of people are symptom free up until the very last moments. And then they slide massively downhill.
Or some people just associate the symptoms with getting older - and discount them.
(aches in the joints, muscles, fatigue, memory impairment, etc. etc.)
We're all learning together - so feel free to learn with us.
You'll need to know these things:
YOUR GENOTYPE
YOUR VIRAL LOAD (PCR)
WHAT THE STANDARD OF CARE FOR TREATMENT in your country
HOW MUCH DAMAGE HAS BEEN DONE TO YOUR LIVER at this point
Then you can decide to treat or not - depending on your feelings and your doctor's advice.
Research information - find out as much as you can about your liver and what it really does for you.
Welcome to the forum!
And it's lovely to meet you.
Meki
Most likely you do not ---- HOWEVER, that being said - an ultrasound is not exact for liver damage. You will probably need a biopsy - but a CT scan is non-invasive and can provide good information as well.
"I was wondering if from the tests I’ve had so far, does this indicate a healthy liver? "
Yes and no. You have HCV - which means your liver is functioning with a virus running through it. (Simple wording, sorry...)
But - you're not doing horrible on the AST ALTs and other things. I've seen much worse.
These things are indicators of a problem in the liver. But they do not indicate damage.
EVERYONE HERE has some excellent information from their perspectives. So hang on and hang out.
VIRAL load - as suggested by LadyWhy is a good indicator of how much of the virus your liver has.
I've seen folks with low viral loads and high liver damage - and others with high viral loads and no damage... And just about any variation. Yet --- it is my belief that normally - a high AST/ALT and high Viral load will usually mean more damage --- and that the virus is actively damaging things.
The liver is the only organ that actually replenishes itself. It basically grows back. So - there is good hope if you catch it early enough.
A lot of people are symptom free up until the very last moments. And then they slide massively downhill.
Or some people just associate the symptoms with getting older - and discount them.
(aches in the joints, muscles, fatigue, memory impairment, etc. etc.)
We're all learning together - so feel free to learn with us.
You'll need to know these things:
YOUR GENOTYPE
YOUR VIRAL LOAD (PCR)
WHAT THE STANDARD OF CARE FOR TREATMENT in your country
HOW MUCH DAMAGE HAS BEEN DONE TO YOUR LIVER at this point
Then you can decide to treat or not - depending on your feelings and your doctor's advice.
Research information - find out as much as you can about your liver and what it really does for you.
Welcome to the forum!
And it's lovely to meet you.
Meki
I am also from OZ. First what genotype are you?
Without seeing your blood test results, what you describe seems fairly normal. You can post them if like. I can convert SI (mmols) to Conventional Units for you.
Your ALTs are a bit high but mine have been higher.
ALT/AST are enzymes that are released into the blood because of Injury to the liver. However they are not a good marker of how much damage has been done. Its more like a way of telling that damage is being done, just not how much. UltraSounds don’t tell the complete picture either. The only way to tell for sure is by having a biopsy done.
If you have any questions just ask. You will learn heaps here
CS
Without seeing your blood test results, what you describe seems fairly normal. You can post them if like. I can convert SI (mmols) to Conventional Units for you.
Your ALTs are a bit high but mine have been higher.
ALT/AST are enzymes that are released into the blood because of Injury to the liver. However they are not a good marker of how much damage has been done. Its more like a way of telling that damage is being done, just not how much. UltraSounds don’t tell the complete picture either. The only way to tell for sure is by having a biopsy done.
If you have any questions just ask. You will learn heaps here
CS
The only conclusive way that I have heard of is... doing a liver biopsy to find out what or if there is liver disease or damage. Is your Hep Dr...using the term acute (meaning you've had it for around 6 mos). or chronic (you've had it for years.?) There is another blood test that should be done and it is called a PCR. Then you will find out how high your viral load is. The high ALT and ASP indicate there is some problem with your liver presently..but again if you are in th acute stage...it's most likely there is no liver damage. Hep C is usually aslow progressing disease. Sorry, I just read your 2nd post...so that would mean chronic. Just get the PCR and biopsy done and that way people here on the forum can help and advise and support whatever you and you Dr. thinks is best for you. The ultrasound sure came back exellent...mine didn't..so if I were you...I would be grateful. Linda...let's take this one step at a time..and you will gain alot of info. here and I just want to welcome you and please keep me informed. I am really not the person to talk with regarding medical jargon at this point...I'm still finding my way around...but it being so late..and noone else around...I wanted you to know your'e not alone. Try to get some rest and I'll be lookin out for your posts.
Yvonne
Yvonne
Have an Answer?
You are reading content posted in the Hepatitis C Community
Learn about this treatable virus.
Getting tested for this viral infection.
3 key steps to getting on treatment.
4 steps to getting on therapy.
What you need to know about Hep C drugs.
How the drugs might affect you.
These tips may up your chances of a cure.
A list of national and international resources and hotlines to help connect you to needed health and medical services.
Herpes sores blister, then burst, scab and heal.
Herpes spreads by oral, vaginal and anal sex.
STIs are the most common cause of genital sores.
Condoms are the most effective way to prevent HIV and STDs.
PrEP is used by people with high risk to prevent HIV infection.
