labs

Question

just got labs back. I have a viral load of 4.6 mil down from 32 mil only a month ago, Also alt and ast up from low 90s and mid 80s to 273 and 160. The question the same blood drawn on the same day, one vial lft test the other fibrosure, alt's different on each. one says 273 the other is 340. How can that be? Good news is fibrosure is no fibrosis but .89 for necro activity score. Any opinions why there is such a change so quick? God, I can't wait to get off the roller coaster, it's like a mind game.

Fathom500 · Answer

I would bet that it is the ALT that is causing the severe activity score. I Googled them as well. Did not gain much useful info except that apolipo A-1 is related to HDL cholestrol. 

Bilirunin and GGT are common lfts.

Good luck with your search. If you want to get lft's done relativly cheap without going through your Dr let me know and I'll send you a couple of links to online test ordering sites. And long as there is a Labcorp near by you can get this done. I may do mine once a month for awhile.

roscoe1 · Answer

Here's my #"s
alpha 2's are 237 
hapto's  are  75
apolipo A-1 is 171
total bili is  .2
ggt is 42
alt is 340, this is the one thats over 100 points higher than the liver panel. Fibrosis score .13, no fibrosis and activity score is .89 severe activity. This has never been this high before, alt either. The more I think about it, enzymes rise because of the virus. If you have a high load and it falls rapidly looks like it would strain the liver and cause those enzymes to rise. However this virus is an up and down thing. Can't wait till tx. Let me know how your biopsy goes. Im gonna google these fibrosure test markers seperatly and see just what they measure. Talk with you soon.

Fathom500 · Answer

Not sure how the lfts react to the bodies immune response. That would be a good question for Hepatitis Researcher. I have not seen him on the board for awhile though. I have not treated. I just got my genotype and vl today. Biopsy is tommorow. As for my other #s my Alt is was in the low 50's but since I lost about 15 pounds thay have gone down to the low 30s. Ast has lowered as well. For the fibrosure my #s where:

Alpha 2 Macroglobulins 74 Low
Haptoglobin                  110
Apolipoprotien               84 Low
Bilirubin                        .2
GGT                             24
Alt                                39

my bilirubin has been .5 or .6 on every other test I have done, biliruben can be lowered if the serum sample is exposed to light. The girl who took my sample wrapped tape around the vial. If you have any more FS tests done make sure they are aware of that.

roscoe1 · Answer

Hey, I got the orders from the doctor and took them in. I just have such issues with this. It matters to me and they act as if its nothing. Even the viral load. I know they fluctuate but from 32mil to 4mil in a month. I am going to get them done one more time before I go to my first boce trial appt. so I can check them against the ones they may run for the trial. I wonder if lfts go up as your body fights off the virus naturally and once it gets back to the average normal the lfts start sneaking back down. Herd of such? How was your other numbers? Have you ever been treated? I don't have my tests in front of me but when I get home tonight I will send you the numbers exact.

Fathom500 · Answer

Yes. A 100 point difference is really odd. Did a doctor order these test for you? Or did you order them online? I called Labcorp about my Fibrosure and they told me to talk to my Dr. I told them I ordered the test online and they told me to take the report to a Dr for any explinations I needed. I hope you have better luck with them.

Fathom

roscoe1 · Answer

Hi, checked tests. They have same range and were done at same lab on same date. That is another one of the reasons I doubt this lab. I had a cryo test ran. There are steps to this test that have to be followed . The lab tech blew the first one. Back to lfts and fibrosure, I just cant figure how alt on one is over 100 points higher than the next. I can't seem to get a answer. I will be calling labcorp either tonight, maybe tuesday. Hope I get a definitive reason.  in good health.  ps--- your fibrosure score is good. let us know what the biopsy reveals.  R1

Fathom500 · Answer

Hi roscoe,

   I have questionable Fibrosure results as well.  I believe it is because the testing is done at 2 different labs. And even though the blood was drawn at the same time, the test may have been done days apart. 

Do you have the actual test report from Labcorp?

I'm trying to figure this out myself because the results from the Fibrosure components are very different then my usual results. I am having a biopsy on Friday so i guess that will put to rest my distrust of the Fibrosure result.

I had my test done over the holidays and it took much longer then it should have to get the results. Also the Apha 2 Microglobulin component of the test came out below the normal range. My Bilirubin was much lower then usual as well. I have a feeling Labcorp dropped the ball somehow.

My score was .04 for fibrosis (none) and .15 for activity (none). I find that result hard to believe after 20+ years of having the virus. I have put away a few beers over the past 20 years as well.

Anyway if you have the report, look at the very bottom. It will tell you the location of the lab the test was performed at. I know different labs will give different results sometime even if they use the same reference ranges.

Also look near the top of the report and you will see a take taken, next to that will be a date checked in. For most tests done locally they are the same day. My fibrosure was not check in until 4 days after the blood was drawn.

Also, can you post all your #s from the report? Just the 6 components will do.

Regards
Fathom

roscoe1 · Answer

the labs were drawn exactly at the same time and tests ranges were the same. I guess I am doubting the lab. I've been using labcorp but the past few months things havn't gone smooth. I'll keep researching. thanks anyway.

fretboard · Answer

May help a little bit, if you look real closely at two tests, especially on ALT and AST that are for the same things and if they are made by two different companies, then they will have different ranges.  Another question is were they almost around the same time, was one right after drinking coffee and the other not, I don't know just kinda reaching now. lol As far as your VL changing so much within 1 month could be for all kinds of reasons that could be very simple.  Were you on any meds at all, vitamins?  I admit that is a drastic jump, mine has never done that that I can remember, mine has gone from 12 million and the next week gone to 14 million, but that's not much.  Is your most normal VL range closer to the 4 million or to the 32 million.  Another thing that will knock your VL outta whack is herbs, do you take any alternative while you are waiting to tx?  good luck

roscoe1 · Answer

there are a couple questions, one was the difference in the alt readings on the same blood taken the same day. I had several different tests ran and the alt results were significantly different. the question was how does this happen or why? no I am not on tx, i will be soon. the other question about the viral load changing from 32mil to 4mil in such a short period of time.