what might cause false liver function tests?

[katheryna]

What might cause elevated liver function tests? Do certain foods, exercise or no exercise, medications cause significant elevations or changes. And how "high" is high? The doctor wants me to do LFTs every three months and each time the levels are marked "high" but she assures me that even tho they are going up, there is little or no concern because they are still within the normed "high" Somehow, this doesn't make sense to me. I thought if they were marked "high" by LabCorp it meant we should do something differently, thus my question. Thanks for any help you can give, Katheryna

[Myown]

In my state you need a script from the doctor. What I mean about "pushing" for the test is when you tell the doctor that you have read that hepatitus can cause elevated enzymes and you want to be tested for hep A, B and C,,,,,your doc might say "oh, you don't have that.".......thats what alot of our doctors said,,,,,so by pushing I mean , look very seriously at your doc and say, sorry doc, but I want to put my mind at ease. I need you to do a hepatitus panel......thats what I did and so did so many others that have hepc. Its unfortunate that PCP's know very little about hepatitus.

God forbid you should have it, find a teaching Hospital, that is where you will find "Hepatologists," liver specialists, they deal with hepc all the time and you need someone who is very experienced when dealing with this disease.

Yes insurance will cover the test. I am on treatment now. My insurance pays for all the meds and I only have a 15 co pay to see my Hepatologist.

If God forbid you do have it, try not to panic because many people get cured with the treatment. The treatment is doable. Sometimes makes you feel fatigued and other days you are fine. I go in and out of depression, but some people take Ad's to get through that. I am trying to avoid that.

I hope to see a post saying you are fine after the tests are back.
good luck,
MO

[katheryna]

Thanks for the comments. How does one "push" for a test? Can you just call a lab and have it done? Does insurance pay? Kat

[Myown]

If AST and ALT is high or even slightly elevated get a hepatitus panel - check for hep A, B and C. You may not have hepatitus, but you must rule that out.

Yes exercise or meds can elevate them, but there is nothing to getting the blood test and the doctor should do this for you. You may have to insist on getting tested for hepatitus because many people such as myself had to insist because we don't fit the "profile" of what some doctors think a person with hepatitus looks like. It is no longer just the drug addict that has hep C. Hepatitus C is an Epidemic and the word needs to get out there because the doctors are not testing people when they should such as in your case with elevated enzymes.

Everyone is at risk and should be tested. I have hep c and I had dental work done. I made the doctor aware that I have hep c, but God forbid someone didn't steralize an instrument properly after it being used on me, ya know?  So get tested and spread the word. Tell all your friends to get tested. Nail Salons are another concern, many ways many people could have been exposed.

Good luck.