FATTY LIVER-( what an "ugly" name for something!)

[Ihatepalps2]

hi! I am totally new to Liver issues! ( I dont have hepatitis or anything like that)
Surprised I would ever post here about ME! But..I am 48 yr old female..been having URQ achiness very mild for quite a while now. Off and on. Nothing to really even talk about...Dr didnt say anything unusual after my physical exam in March....but been having episodes, at random, of feeling really nauseated...then add a day of intense diarhea and gassiness...followed by a day of resting my stomach and then eating bland. This pattern has been repeated about, oh, 8 times since spring. So, not a whole lot..but it does not seem to be related to what I eat. Weird, huh? I thought so..so I went to my Dr in April. Had Uppr Right Quad Ultrasound..everything came back normal. So..I forgot about it. Just this past week, had a day where I was really sick, probably the gassiest and most miserable day Ive had. Was in with diarhea probably 20 times. The next day, I went back to my Dr. She said since Ultrasound was already done, and she was reluctant to just blame Irritable Bowel, she scheduled CT scan. Did tons of bloodwork before the scan.

This is what my CT result letter looked like:


Dr. reviewed the results of your CT scan and this does not explain the diarrhea. It does show a fatty liver. She is recommending that you follow a low fat diet as you are and avoid Dairy products.  You will need to see Gastroenterologist for consult.

So---Im thinking..Fatty Liver??? I had never heard of it, but went right to the Mayo clinic and WebMD websites...so ihave some good info there.

Then I pulled up my blood work from the day before the scan...and...it all looks great to me..is this a good blood report for liver?

TOTAL PROTEIN 7.9
ALBUMIN 4.0
BILIRUBIN, TOTAL 0.7
ALK PHOSPHATASE 67
ALT 33  
AST 31

I didnt see anything there outside the normal ranges? So....why do I have fatty liver? Can you have it without "bad Labs"??
( I had mistakenly posted this in the Hepatitus forum..so am putting it here too)


I JUST found this out late yesterday, so I will be calling for a Gastroenterologist consult on Monday, and I know he will answer these questions...but I thought I would post here and see what anybody thought. I wonder, would an ULTRASOUND show fatty liver?? Thats a BIG question of mine...why didnt they see it in April?

I am overweight, but have been on life changing diet since Aug 15....strict with no red meat, all veg, no sat fat...just chicken, fish, turkey... its working, that, and exercise...so I think Ive already took steps to change things...but...how
"SCARY" is fatty liver? Life threatening?

ANY info would help alot. Thanks!

[craigchome]

I would agree with you, it could have been phrased differently.

A further point though is that obesity in the USA is fast becoming the #1 cause of cirrhosis due to both poor and excessive diet.

raig

[mikesimon]

Your statement: "Fatty liver is an early stage of cirrhosis" is misleading and potentially unjustifiably alarming,

Most of the cases of "Simple Fatty Liver Disease" are not harmful.

"This accumulation of fat in liver cells is not the same as the fat cells (adipocytes) that constitute our body fat. Fatty liver is a harmless (benign) condition, which means that it, by itself, does not cause any significant liver damage.

The next stage and degree of severity in the NAFLD spectrum is NASH.

Fortunately, only a fraction of patients with simple fatty liver will develop NASH.

As mentioned, NASH involves the accumulation of fat in the liver cells as well as inflammation of the liver. The inflammatory cells can destroy the liver cells (hepatocellular necrosis). In the terms "steatohepatitis" and "steatonecrosis", steato refers to fatty infiltration, hepatitis refers to inflammation in the liver, and necrosis refers to destroyed liver cells. Strong evidence suggests that NASH, in contrast to simple fatty liver, is not a harmless condition. This means that NASH can ultimately lead to scarring of the liver (fibrosis) and then irreversible, advanced scarring (cirrhosis). Cirrhosis that is caused by NASH is the last and most severe stage in the NAFLD spectrum...."
See: http://www.medicinenet.com/fatty_liver/page2.htm

I basically agree with the rest of your post - just not the suggestion that Fatty Liver Disease necessarily leads to cirrhosis. I guess you could argue that if, in fact, the patient becomes cirrhotic, we could describe the fat in the liver cells as the first stage of the cirrhosis. I think you implied a bit more in your initial statement and made it appear as though Fatty Liver left unchecked will definitely lead to cirrhosis.

Mike

[craigchome]

Fatty liver is an early stage of cirrhosis. Surprisingly, a fatty liver doesn’t necessarily come from eating a fatty diet. Fatty liver disease is indeed the build-up of fat in the liver cells, but it can be a condition that is a result of excessive alcohol intake.

Fatty liver may be associated with or may lead to liver inflammation. This can cause scarring and hardening of the liver.

Fatty liver disease can be reversed with a change in the way you live. If the condition is related to excessive alcohol intake, then speak to your doctor about treatment and alcohol control. You can reduce or eliminate drinking with proper medication and support. If your condition is related to obesity, then you must make a commitment to significant lifestyle changes.

It’s easier than you might think to make these changes. A dietician can help you develop the proper menu with the right balance of fat, fibre, and protein. Increasing the level of your physical activity is very important as well. A simple ten minute walk twice a day can drastically improve your condition. You can also do activities that you find enjoyable like walking your dog, gardening or swimming. As you feel better and better, you can increase the time duration and intensity of your exercise routine.

A liver biopsy is the only certain way of confirming fatty liver disease.

Fatty liver disease is cureable - so do it! Failure to take action can lead to cirrhosis and that is not a place you want to go to!