ALT/AST Levels Increasing during TX and other questions

[OkieJim]

Hi,
Hate to use a thread but shoot I'm bummin' and need some re-assurance. PA just called with first part of my 12 week PCR.  ALT/AST have been increasing. They are not way out but have been increasing for last month and a half. Are the liver panel increases OK? My V/L should be in at the end of this week. One day at a time but shoot. I'm a 2B did shot #13 last Friday.

[Revenire]

Hi Jim,

Yep, they fluctuate during tx. Mine did the same thing.

Scott

[AK - Hepper]

Okie, mine shot all the way up to 312/156 at week 30, this after I tested clear at week 24. I think we are ok as long as the bilirubin doesn't go up, too. Are you on any other meds besides the interferon/riba? My doctor wasn't as enthusiastic as he was at week 24, said the only guy he saw this happen to had a relapse, but heck, you could have normal enzymes and relapse too, so who knows. GI-PA said this is a side sometimes, and doesn't affect your outcome, and I remember one of the oldies that was here when I found this site said hers went haywire too and she is a SVR. I just decided I wasn't gonna worry about it, can't really do anything for it anyway. Just keep taking the nasty ol' medicine and wait see what happens.

[OkieJim]

Thanks you guys. I kinda thought so I know I had read some earlier post regarding this. I was just in a bad place today when the PA called and told me the news and imediatly came here since her and my GI weren't sure of what it meant they had not seen this on other patients. I feel better now for the VL hoping to dance.

AK - Hepper
At the time just Prilosec with my combo. Now Neupogen again and syntroid(sp) my thyroid levels have increased? Not sure about this yet but I know the thyroid things are controlable. Oh also have me on 180mg of alegra, guess I finally decided to react to the interferon. Got a real bad hives breakout on my upper chest and neck.

[nurse12hr]

If it helps, my hubbies went way up too, and he is a SVR.  They believe now the increase is from fatty liver disease.  At the time they fed us a line about how "the liver is fighting the virus and that is why the enzymes are going up".  

But now with the increases lasting more than a year after finishing tx, we are left with fatty liver disease as our working dx.

[giddyup]

Hi Oakie, I just had my 12 week test drawn yesterday. This is so crazy with the anxiety and all. smoken weed  like crazy-he he he.
Just thought I'd wish you yhe best and let you know others are out there waiting for the dang results also.I hope this sh23t works!

[AK - Hepper]

someone asked the Dr. about this today at the hepatitisneighborhood open forum chat. This is what he said:

JorgeLHerreraMD
Don't worry too much about the enzymes if your viral count is negative. In about 15% of people, the interferon itself causes the liver enzymes to stay up, it will normalize after the interferon is stops, in others, specially if the initial biopsy showed fatty liver, the fatty liver is responsible for the elevated enzymes. As long as the viral count is negative, stay on treatment.