Good luck; let us know what you discover tomorrow at your appointment. You might consider asking for copies of all labs and procedures, as well as copies of clinical notes if generated.
Take notes yourself, and maybe take a friend along to provide a second set of ears. The doctor will likely cover a lot of ground and it's hard to digest and retain everything discussed.
Congratulations on your sobriety as well,
--Bill
My Lichen Planus has been a big concern. Loss of appetite...believe me I love food.
I am 35 and I did drink heavily for 9 years but quit 4 yrs ago. I will know the facts tomorrow. I believe my worries r getting the best of me. Thanks for your time!
My Lichen Planus has been a big concern. Loss of appetite...believe me I love food.
I am 35 and I did drink heavily for 9 years but quit 4 yrs ago. I will know the facts tomorrow. I believe my worries r getting the best of me. Thanks for your time!
You’ll need to go over your concerns with your doctor; nothing will replace his/her knowledge and expertise. The article I linked above:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cirrhosis#Signs_and_symptoms
has more data than any of us could possibly offer in this venue. My very unprofessional perspective is that it’s highly unlikely you have cirrhosis based on the limited data you’ve given. Cirrhotic patients almost universally have platelet values <100,000 u/L. Liver enzymes are typically elevated; again, your doctor will help you plan a course of action.
What led you to believe you might have cirrhosis?
How old are you?
How long might you have had chronic HCV?
Do you drink alcoholically?
I'm not going to speak for Bill but he and Hector have both told you to consult your doctor.
We are not pros. There's more to diagnosis than looking at a few numbers and none of us here are doctors.
I can tell you when I had cirrhosis my AST, ALT and Plts were elevated. Yours are in normal range.
Thanks Bill. So what is your spin on my values above: AST 14 Alt 12 plateletes 168 and normal bilirubin?
Curiouslady1 had lichen planus. She has been MIA for some reason or unless she is on here and we don't realize it. You might want to go to her profile and read it.
Have a great day!
Jules
AYour hepatologist should be able to diagnose cirrhosis based on relatively common lab results. A review of liver function panel, complete blood count (platelets) and a comprehensive metabolic panel (bilirubin, albumin etc.) are usually sufficient to identify cirrhotic involvement. These biochemical markers cannot distinguish between various levels of fibrosis; this requires a biopsy or other diagnostic tools.
Often frank cirrhosis will yield physical clues such as edema, asterixis, confusion, malnutrition and other symptoms:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cirrhosis#Signs_and_symptoms
Commonly, cirrhotic patients will have elevated liver enzymes but not exclusively.
Good luck-
--Bill
Is it common for your liver function test to be normal in Cirrosis. Key word is common as I know it's possible. Just bc its possible doesn't make it common....ya know. I have an appt with a hepathologist tomorrow who does liver transplants. Will she be able to get an indication as to wether I'm cirrotic based on examination only tommorow. I don't mean to sound ignorant!
"what r the odds of having cirrhosis if my AST is 14, ALT is 12, plateletes are 168 and bilirubin within normal limits?"
I am not a doctor. Only a gastro or hepatologist should give you a diagnosis regarding liver disease not a layman. Liver disease can be fatal, not something you want to guess at.
With that understood my opinion is....
1. According to your platelet count you could not have portal hypertension and have that many platelets. Portal hypertension is created when the liver is scared which mean cirrhosis. This platelet counts drop at some time when a patient is cirrhotic.
2.Your ALT and AST levels don't even indicate anything injuring your liver cells.
3. Bilirubin does rise until End-Stage Liver Disease when patients have the complications of cirrhosis Class B of Child-Pugh score.
So there is little data her to draw any educated guess.
Talk to your hep C doctor to get the facts.
Good luck!
Hector
I'm not Hector but I've had cirrhosis and those numbers indicate a healthy liver, not an ailing one.
Yes LP is a documented extrahepatic manifestation(albeit rarely) of HCV.
I have it slightly myself that flares up from time to time .
As far as having chirrosis....I don't even think Hector would be able to answer what the odds are of that(even with his knowlege on the subject) with the little info. you have provided.
Do you have HCV?
Best..
Will