Aa
Liver damage and vitamin absorption
Hi folks!
I see a lot of new names since I've been in here! I am now 3 years post-tx and still SVR. When I had my biopsy done in 2007, I was a 3a with grade 1 inflammation, stage 1 fibrosis. What I was wondering is if anyone knows how accurate those biopsies are? Even though my liver enzymes are currently fantastic (AST 15, ALT 16) I think my liver may not be processing vitamins and minerals vary well. I'm concerned that the scarring was worse than first thought and it is making my liver not work as good as it should. Since treatment, I have had thyroid troubles, and have been deficient in vitamin B, K-2, D, calcium, potassium, and am now possibly low in zinc and vitamin A (becoming night blind). I eat healthy, avoid gluten (wheat), and take good supplements to keep the above levels up. Any input? ~MM
I see a lot of new names since I've been in here! I am now 3 years post-tx and still SVR. When I had my biopsy done in 2007, I was a 3a with grade 1 inflammation, stage 1 fibrosis. What I was wondering is if anyone knows how accurate those biopsies are? Even though my liver enzymes are currently fantastic (AST 15, ALT 16) I think my liver may not be processing vitamins and minerals vary well. I'm concerned that the scarring was worse than first thought and it is making my liver not work as good as it should. Since treatment, I have had thyroid troubles, and have been deficient in vitamin B, K-2, D, calcium, potassium, and am now possibly low in zinc and vitamin A (becoming night blind). I eat healthy, avoid gluten (wheat), and take good supplements to keep the above levels up. Any input? ~MM
Thanks for the info. I will add that test to my "want/needs" list when I go in. Thanks for taking the time to let me know that. :0)
I can tell this appointment is going to be a long one...my list just keeps getting longer and longer. Hoping I don't get intimidated by the white coat and stand up for myself. This process is a little intimidating at times.
J
I can tell this appointment is going to be a long one...my list just keeps getting longer and longer. Hoping I don't get intimidated by the white coat and stand up for myself. This process is a little intimidating at times.
J
The best thing you can do is get checked for thyroid antibodies before you treat. The Interferon is what ramps up your immune system, and if you already have autoimmune thyroiditis (Hashimotos), you have a greater chance of your immune system viewing your thyroid as "the enemy" and launching an attack on it.
The "up" side -if you do develop thyroiditis, there are medications to control the racing heart and pounding blood pressure until the inflammation dies down. -Its temporary. If the effects are bad and go unchecked, it accelerates the hemolytic anemia and can end your treatment prematurely. Most thyroids recover within 6 months. Mine didn't because I had something else going on.
So, no, other than using the interferon dose based on weight, I don't think there is anything else you can do...~MM
The "up" side -if you do develop thyroiditis, there are medications to control the racing heart and pounding blood pressure until the inflammation dies down. -Its temporary. If the effects are bad and go unchecked, it accelerates the hemolytic anemia and can end your treatment prematurely. Most thyroids recover within 6 months. Mine didn't because I had something else going on.
So, no, other than using the interferon dose based on weight, I don't think there is anything else you can do...~MM
Hi Melinda,
I've heard many people complain of thyroid problems after tx
and some had it before tx.
All my best Melinda
Elaine
I've heard many people complain of thyroid problems after tx
and some had it before tx.
All my best Melinda
Elaine
Hi MM,
Hashimoto's is the same one I have. I have a nodule on my thyroid and the endo keeps an eye on that to make sure it's not getting ominous so I get an ultrasound at regular but not frequent intervals. Other than that...pretty routine stuff. Pill a day, check my numbers compared to my dosage every six months.
I have joint pain also - noticeable. Arthritis is what my doc says although some joint pain is associated with Hashimoto's also. Not rheumatoid arthritis, which is an auto-immune disease like Hashimoto's. I was tested for RA and it came back negative so this is run of the mill arthritis. Painful to be sure but not an auto-immune brand. I'd say I would have gotten this anyway but I never had a whisper of this prior to treatment and it's bloody painful some days since.
Interesting article:
http://thyroid.about.com/cs/hypothyroidism/a/hashivshypo.htm
Hashimoto's is the same one I have. I have a nodule on my thyroid and the endo keeps an eye on that to make sure it's not getting ominous so I get an ultrasound at regular but not frequent intervals. Other than that...pretty routine stuff. Pill a day, check my numbers compared to my dosage every six months.
I have joint pain also - noticeable. Arthritis is what my doc says although some joint pain is associated with Hashimoto's also. Not rheumatoid arthritis, which is an auto-immune disease like Hashimoto's. I was tested for RA and it came back negative so this is run of the mill arthritis. Painful to be sure but not an auto-immune brand. I'd say I would have gotten this anyway but I never had a whisper of this prior to treatment and it's bloody painful some days since.
Interesting article:
http://thyroid.about.com/cs/hypothyroidism/a/hashivshypo.htm
Hi Trish,
Oh, yeah. -And howdy. I now have Hashimotos thyroiditis -a type of autoimmune hypothyroidism that slowly nibbles away at the thyroid until it dies. It is very possible I had this before treatment and it is why the treatment affected my thyroid so strongly. Very annoying but still better than having Hep C! I've also developed a sensitivity to wheat gluten. It makes my joints swell up and hurt -so I'm on a gluten-free diet too. It's like my immune system never quite calmed back down after txing. Again, annoying, but still worth having a happy liver! How are you doing? ~MM
Oh, yeah. -And howdy. I now have Hashimotos thyroiditis -a type of autoimmune hypothyroidism that slowly nibbles away at the thyroid until it dies. It is very possible I had this before treatment and it is why the treatment affected my thyroid so strongly. Very annoying but still better than having Hep C! I've also developed a sensitivity to wheat gluten. It makes my joints swell up and hurt -so I'm on a gluten-free diet too. It's like my immune system never quite calmed back down after txing. Again, annoying, but still worth having a happy liver! How are you doing? ~MM
I recall you had thyroid issues as a result of treatment but that they subsequently went away. Have they resurfaced?
Thanks for the reassurance! I have not had any of the advanced damage issues and my liver labs have optimal for at least 3 years - I've been chasing zebras trying to figure out why I can't seem to keep levels of particular vitamins and minerals up without heavy supplementation. My thyroid issue may be part to blame but I haven't been able to pin down much else to explain why.
Goofy Dad -I understand what you are saying and I have known plenty of "snake oil" type Drs who do not know what they are talking about. I am fortunate in the Naturopath I have found as he is learned in traditional and naturopathic medicine and he uses the same labs as other Drs do for his testing. My original low labs came from my GP who blew them off. (One of the reasons for change!) Since last fall my Naturopath has found and fixed multiple issues that my endo, a cardiologist, and my GP could not. ~MM
Goofy Dad -I understand what you are saying and I have known plenty of "snake oil" type Drs who do not know what they are talking about. I am fortunate in the Naturopath I have found as he is learned in traditional and naturopathic medicine and he uses the same labs as other Drs do for his testing. My original low labs came from my GP who blew them off. (One of the reasons for change!) Since last fall my Naturopath has found and fixed multiple issues that my endo, a cardiologist, and my GP could not. ~MM
First, a stage 1 diagnosis wouldn't have been given if you had advanced stage 4. You would of have had ascites, varices or other various complications of cirrhosis. It is only when the liver is unable to perform its functions that problems appear with processing foods and their nutrients.
Also some of the vitamins and minerals you mention are not processed through the liver. So there can be no correlation between whatever level of liver fibrosis you had and absorption of these vitamins and minerals. (vitamin B and potassium are water soluble, so they are processed by the kidneys not the liver). If your liver was unable to function properly liver blood tests would not be within norms. You would have to have stage 4 liver disease before a damaged liver couldn't process vitamin A or have problems with an electrolyte such as potassium.
So I wouldn't worry about any relationship with the minimal liver disease you had.
Good luck!
hectorsf
Also some of the vitamins and minerals you mention are not processed through the liver. So there can be no correlation between whatever level of liver fibrosis you had and absorption of these vitamins and minerals. (vitamin B and potassium are water soluble, so they are processed by the kidneys not the liver). If your liver was unable to function properly liver blood tests would not be within norms. You would have to have stage 4 liver disease before a damaged liver couldn't process vitamin A or have problems with an electrolyte such as potassium.
So I wouldn't worry about any relationship with the minimal liver disease you had.
Good luck!
hectorsf
FWIW, I took my kid to a natuopath for a condition a few years back. She tested for a zillion things - had to fedex the blood draws off somewhere special. The results were not unlike what you report - low here, low there. When the regular pediatrician - who's a good commonsense Dr - saw the results she pretty much scoffed. My gut told me to go with her on it.
Not to say this has any bearing on your situation - but the low vitamin report sure sounds familiar.
Not to say this has any bearing on your situation - but the low vitamin report sure sounds familiar.
Hi all!
Thanks for your input. Last summer I decided to see a Naturopath as my GP Dr kept "dropping the ball". He was the one who discovered the low vitamins, poor calcium absorption, and the thyroid issue. As far as I know, I'd never had issues with these prior to treatment and it seems the one thing they all have in common is the liver is where stuff is broken down and reconfigured for body use. I am currently on several supplements 10,000 units of vitamin D/day (took 6 months to get it up to a low reading) and thyroid meds. I can't explain the absorption discrepancy as I eat healthy, take supplements, and my liver has behaved itself very well.
I think the eye thing may partially be denial about the aging process. I am not doing it gracefully! LOL I was able to be seen by my eye Dr today, and my vision has changed quite a bit since my last exam -but I'm not night blind. (Bifocals are in my future...sigh.) I was told I have the faintest of cataracts forming. Oh yay. Puh. I do not like this aging thing at all. :P ~MM
Thanks for your input. Last summer I decided to see a Naturopath as my GP Dr kept "dropping the ball". He was the one who discovered the low vitamins, poor calcium absorption, and the thyroid issue. As far as I know, I'd never had issues with these prior to treatment and it seems the one thing they all have in common is the liver is where stuff is broken down and reconfigured for body use. I am currently on several supplements 10,000 units of vitamin D/day (took 6 months to get it up to a low reading) and thyroid meds. I can't explain the absorption discrepancy as I eat healthy, take supplements, and my liver has behaved itself very well.
I think the eye thing may partially be denial about the aging process. I am not doing it gracefully! LOL I was able to be seen by my eye Dr today, and my vision has changed quite a bit since my last exam -but I'm not night blind. (Bifocals are in my future...sigh.) I was told I have the faintest of cataracts forming. Oh yay. Puh. I do not like this aging thing at all. :P ~MM
Hello MM - It doesn't strike me that you have liver problems that should be of concern. How were you tested to make the detemination of these vitamin defficiencies?
As eyesight deteriorates with age, night vision is affected. At night, the aperture of the eye must open to let more light in - thus the focal length of the lens is shortened - reducing the ability of your eyes to compensate for focus issues. It's like a camera, where the the lower the fstop setting, the less stuff shows as being in focus in the image.
As eyesight deteriorates with age, night vision is affected. At night, the aperture of the eye must open to let more light in - thus the focal length of the lens is shortened - reducing the ability of your eyes to compensate for focus issues. It's like a camera, where the the lower the fstop setting, the less stuff shows as being in focus in the image.
With any medical test, there is a margin of error. I would think that even if yours was off a stage or even two, though highly unlikely, the three year SVR under your belt may be leading to some reversal of damage. And your LFT's are enviable!!!
Are you currently on any thyroid medication? The only input I have on the supps is that with a low Vit. D, you often need an RX dose to get it back up into the normal limits. I had to take a 50,000 IU capsule each week for a month and still only boosted mine into the low minimum range. Since then, I've been on 2000 IU per day. Have another test coming up in June to see where I stand 6 months later.
Are you currently on any thyroid medication? The only input I have on the supps is that with a low Vit. D, you often need an RX dose to get it back up into the normal limits. I had to take a 50,000 IU capsule each week for a month and still only boosted mine into the low minimum range. Since then, I've been on 2000 IU per day. Have another test coming up in June to see where I stand 6 months later.
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