Fatty Liver Questions

[Patrick J.]

Has anyone been told they have Fatty Liver? If so, based on what tests? Do you have any symptoms, such as URQ pain or discomfort, itching, bloated feelings, etc.? Thanks, Patrick

[Ruby187]

A related discussion, fatty liver was started.

[georgie439]

I also have had URQ pain for years, just had gallbladder out 3 days ago. I'm interested in the herbs/vitamins your taking.  I used to take milk thistle and will begin again, what is  choline,inositol and magnesium for???

[gibby31]

i HAVE BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH FATTY LIVER BOTH THROUGH A CAT SCAN AS WELL AS A LIVER BIOPSY.  I EXPIERIENCE SYPTOMS SUCH AS MILD ITCHING(MOSTLY AT NIGHT) i HAVE HAD A DECREASED APPETITE AND LOST 20 LBS.  i ALSO HAVE SLIGHTLY YELLOW EYES WITH MY BILLIRUBIN BEING UP SLIGHTLY 1.5 ON A 1.2 TOP RANGE.  I ALSO EXPIERIENCE GI PROBLEMS.  MY FINGER NAILS AND TOE NAILS ARE ALSO SLIGHTLY YELLOW.  tHOSE OF YOU WHO UNDERSTAND LIVER DISEASE ARE PROBABLY CONTEMPLATING CIRROSIS IN MY CASE,  i HAVE AS WELL.  i HAVE SEEN NUMEROUS DOCTORS THE LAST BEING THE DIRECTOR OF TRANSPLANTS AT MAYO CLINIC.  wITH THE BIOPSY SAYING TO CIRROSIS OFR FIBROSIS THEY ALL BELIEVE IT IS JUST A FATTY LIVER.  THE ONLY ELEVATED ENZYMES HAVE BEEN MY ALT AND BILLIRUBIN.  i AM SCARED AND HAVE SUSPECTED THE BIOPSY MAY HAVE NOT HIT THE CORRECT PART OF MY LIVER WHERE MORE DAMAGE HAS OCCURRED.
aNY COMMENTS FOR A FRUSTRATED FEARFUL PERSON?

[pjcag]

I had elevated enzymes and slightly elevated bilirubin. The UR pain that moved around and have the feeling something is under my ribs, etc. After ultrasounds, and finally a liver biopsy I was diagnosed with NASH...fatty liver with inflammation. My doctor is treating very agressively. I take 1200 units of vit e daily and 6 250mg of URSO which is thought to slow progression down. They think mine is from cholesterol medication I've taken for so long or possibly hereditery. I am about 20lbs overweight but not obese, etc. I take benydryl for the itching...it helps but of course does make you sleepy. The URQ and itching is better since the URSO. Ask your dr.

[Patrick J.]

The GGT blood test is usually elevated by alcohol. Have this tested. It can also be elevated with liver problems, but then the Alk Phos is also usually elevated.

[Niscoti]

I have been suffering form URQ pain for 1 1/2 years since getting my gall bladder removed.  I've lost 40 pounds from several bouts of diarrhea lasting weeks.  After many tests, all my docs came back with so far is fatty liver, and possibly pancreatitis.  I am scheduled for an MRCP later this week.  Here's the problem; my GP looks at me as if I were an alcoholic.  I drink a glass or two of red wine and maybe one beer per week, and always socially.  What I've found is that alcoholism is the #1 cause, but being obese, and rapid weight loss can lead to fatty liver as well as pancreatic disorders.  My rapid weight loss led to wild heart arrythmias, and with my chest pain under my rib cage, now radiating up my back and neck, I ended up a captive of the Cardio unit of the hospital while they ruled out heart disease.  With the obvious weight loss since the GB surgery, why won't my doctors take this seriously?

I got absolutely no help in the real problem, which I believe to be the way my body forms bile and stones in the biliary ducts.  kFor example, I read that spinach and other foods in high oxalic acid can cause bile to crystalize, especially with an enzymatic reaction with cheese.  Bingo!  I'm of Greek ancestry and Spanakopita is staple at my house.  Could my diet be causing all this misery?  I have given up on conventional medicine for the time being and started taking magnesium, choline, inositol and milk thistle.  I have gained back 4 pound in 2 weeks.  No more diarrhea or pain, and I feel better than I have in months, but I don't want to be my own diagnostician.  Frankly, I don't trust naturopaths ever since one misdiagnosed my son's pneumonia as a food allergy. Any thought on responsive conventional medicine?  I want more than suspicious looks out of my baffled doctors.  By the way, is there a blood test that can proove I'm not a drinker?

[roxnsox]

The only officially recognised treatment for fatty liver is weight loss (low fat diet).   I'm glad to hear that Vitamin E treatment has been tried with good results.  That's great!

[joana]

I kept having elevated liver enzymes, they did an ultra sound and decided I had a fatty liver. The doctor said I could have a
biopsy done to see for sure if it was fatty tissue or start taking 800iu of vitamin E, which would help to dissolve the fat in my liver. He said there was no other treatment for it. After taking the vitamin E for a while my liver enzymes were normal again.

[Summer2002]

Hi there: my mother has fatty liver. I heard her complaining of the itchy but we never paid attention. She has all those symptoms, also she has diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol that usually remain high, high triglicerides, and there is a special test that is positive, I can't remember right now. I read somewhere what kind of treatment doctors usually do,, I also would like to know more about it. Lately I am hearing many people with this condition including younger than my mother. She is already 67.

[Patrick J.]

My symptoms come & go. I get a dull ache in my URQ that moves around. I also get bloating & a full feeling after eating a little. I get itching. That bothers me alot because I worry it would take more than Fatty Liver to do that. I had my GB out 15 years ago & wonder if the pain could be adhesions.

[mama8]

I have recently been diagnosed with fatty liver.  My symptoms started with a slight bloating, then progressed to feeling like a balloon was blown up under my right rib cage and severe bloating.  Some of the time I look like I am 3-4 months pregnant.  They did an ultrasound which showed some abnormalities in the liver, then a CT scan which showed a "fatty liver".  I have read that a definite diagnosis can only be made through a liver biopsy, but yet my diagnosis was made.  Unfortunately, they stopped there and said that was "it".  No treatment, no nothing.  I was so bloated last night that it made me miserable.  I am getting a referral to a GI doctor today and will see what they say.  A fatty liver, in and of itself, is not considered a disease, according to my research.  I also have diabetes, which puts me at a much higher risk to develop a fatty liver.  What are your symptoms?