Do I have liver disease?

[kmz123]

I went to the doctor with complaints of dizziness, some nausea
and unusual vaginal bleeding.  The bleeding has since subsided
and the only symptoms I have now are fatique, light colored
stools and dizziness.  My lft, ultrasound and CT scan were all
negative.  Do you suspect liver disease?

[muckman_1999]

Kalio,

You passion is obvious but the reason you are frustrating is for comments like this.

"The big money goes into the CT scan costs I guess but a CT scan isn't the best tool for liver evaluation and in my view is a waste of money unless there was a specific reason, a suspected growth or something."

While it is true that the Ct is not the gold standard for the liver it is not a waste of money.  You are not a doctor and you are misleading the original poster in your argument with Linda.  Would not the Cat see an enlarged or shrunken liver?  Would not the cat detect an enlarged spleen, another problem with cirrhosis?  Would not the Cat scan detect free fluid in the ab(ascites)?

Using your logic, the original poster should not believe any tests that show a normal liver, including a biopsy, because they can biopsy the wrong part of the liver. I agree she should have a comprehesnive evaluation,that is fine, but at some point we have to trust the tests and the doctors, and live as healthy as possible day by day.  There is really no other choice.

[Linda J]

<<I had my liver "evaluated" and it cost one fraction of that . I don't want people to be scared away from having their livers checked out thinking it is very expensive, it normally isn't.

That is just not true. The bloodwork for specific liver tests can be very costly. It is the genral liver panel that runs about $200-$300. It also depends on the part of the country you live in.

<< I had the tests you mentioned too, ANA and AFP tests can be done with a blood draw so I don't get the enormous costs you paid.

yes, so? Lots of tests done with a blood draw are expensive. Many labs don't do these specialized liver tests and they have to be sent out. Mine were done in California and I live in Chicago.

<< Who am I to judge? You put it out there and I responded, this is a forum that is what is done here.
I am far from a pessimist but it is important people understand there can be liver problems with NO symptoms and for some reason that fact bothers you.


doesn't bother me in the least. There are lots of diseases that have no symptoms. All you can do is get tested, trust your doc and go from there. It sounds like Kathleen is already doing that.


<<I'd think you'd be happy your cyst was resolved

I had a partial hysterectomy to "resolve" it. Guess I should be dancing in the aisles over that, huh?

<<and your liver was fine, I have had lumps taken out and they turned out to be nothing,

so have I, but I am sure you can understand it is an unsettling experience.


<<I hope the same is true of you. Maybe you should be evaualuted for anxiety, that can cause symptoms too.

Thanks for the kind words @@. I won't be responding to you further either.

Again to Kathleen, it sounds like she is getting evaluated and I wish her all the best.

Linda J

[Linda J]

You have issues. I know exactly what my tests cost and between the EXTENSIVE bloodwork and my scan it was $3000. Do you want an itemized bill? I was checked for everything including hemacromatosis, alphafetaprotein, ANA, mitochondrial issues and all the hepatitis possibilities. These tests ate not done in a regular liver panel. My doctor is one of the best and was trained at the Cleveland Clinic.

If you could read and comprehend you will see my responses did not start out about me. I responded several times directly to kathleen and her symptoms... until you began to argue the points I was making. I still maintain, her symptoms could be caused by lots of different things, other than liver. The doctor on the forum seems to agree with that. 'Nuff said.

Kathleen, best of luck and I hope you get to the bottom of your health problems.

Linda J.

[Liver test]

One year ago neg for hep. What other blodd test can they do to see that i have a liver problem. My symptoms only got worse after i took all the medication. I looked those mediactions up those are not good at all for the liver. Did they give me cirrhosis alone , no. I think they did because my liver was already damaged. Why do you get dry mouth with liver problems.
The way i look at it is when you drink alot you get dry mouth in the morning because you have done damage to your liver. Your liver than recovers. I think i have dry mouth all the time because my liver no longer can recover on its own. Does that make sense. I also sweat all the time. Is their a reason for that.
Thanks.

[Kalio1]

I respect the doctor here but he, as you, seemed to ignore her symptoms too and I think she needs to be evaluated further and be checked for hepatits as I stated in the beginning, "unlikely" or not means nothing to Kathleen because she still has symptoms and many docs do NOT test for hepatitis,my enzymes were "fine" too but I still eventualLy found out it was hepatitis. Many medical conditions can be "unlikely" but they still happen! She needs a diagnosis and should be further evaluated. The initial question was not about YOU or your troubles in the last year at all, it was about Kathleen, so I am not sure why your health has anything to do with it, you didn't post a question. You don't know anything about my health troubles either because my health issues are not relevant here only Kathleen's are.
I think it takes a lot less that what you stated initially which was " I spent 3,000 to have my liver evaluated" and that seems very high to me, now it seems you aren't sure how much you spent, now you have said it costs 2,300 in one instance, and 2,00 in another instance so even you dont seem to know how much you paid. I had my liver "evaluated" and it cost one fraction of that . I don't want people to be scared away from having their livers checked out thinking it is very expensive, it normally isn't. I had the tests you mentioned too, ANA and AFP tests can be done with a blood draw so I don't get the enormous costs you paid. Who am I to judge? You put it out there and I responded, this is a forum that is what is done here.
I am far from a pessimist but it is important people understand there can be liver problems with NO symptoms and for some reason that fact bothers you. This whole thing wasn't about YOU so don't try to make it about you and your health, if you want to discuss something post a question but don't take up Katheen's thread with your health issues.Kathleen is the one who is suffering with undiagnosed symptoms.
I'd think you'd be happy your cyst was resolved and your liver was fine, I have had lumps taken out and they turned out to be nothing, I hope the same is true of you. Maybe you should be evaualuted for anxiety, that can cause symptoms too.
So far you have accused me of "diagnosing" someone online and called me names. I think you need to be more careful of the things you say to people. I won't respond to you again you seem to want to argue for no reason.

[Liver test]

Thanks i got tested last year for hep that was neg. I have done a lot of research myself. I just dont have baisic symptoms i have symptoms that are unbearable. Doctors just wont listen and they downplay most of the symptoms. The severe drymouth is one that they all cant explain. I know its a symptom but they say its not. Going  to the bathroom all the time. Again they say its nothing. Lost alot of weight but on the scale in dosent show that much weight loss. I explain to them that because my body is retaining water and im gaining weight that way. But my body is half the size. If i take meds my eyes get yellow. my hope is a hepatoligist will know exaxctly what im talking about. I bloat up all the time. My weight goes up and down 5 to 10 pds a day from the bloating.