anxiously awaiting

[me799]

last month i had a routine blood check and was told my AST level was 192 and my ALT was 357, the Dr. informed me my liver was damaged and suggested a second test for hepatic function along with hepatitis A, B and C blood testing. the results indicated AST had gone down to 50 and ALT down to 60, but hepatitis C antibodies were present.  Between the first and second test I cut out the tylenol and ibuprofen i had been taking for muscle and joint pain after reading about hepatotoxicity, i believe cuting the medine out may have had  a positive effect on my AST and ALT levels. I am now awaiting anxiously for the results of the third test to see if i have a current HCV infection. Hopefully it was only an acute infection and have not become chronic. Will the test be able to indicate that?

[me799]

thank you for your feedback.  still waiting for results :(

[nygirl7]

While tylenol and ibuprofen can cause higher enzymes - first you need to understand what it is, whenever a liver cell dies it releases an enzyme so the higher the number the more liver ddamage is CURRENTLY being done.

This does not mean if your numbers are lowering that you didn't already do an awful lot of damage, especially with hepc because hep C really raises up those numbers.

Chances are with numbers THAT high I'd imagine you do have hepc.  You should work on arranging a biopsy to see what liver damage your do or don't have and then start deciding (after the viral load comes back neg or pos) what to do.

Good luck with everything.

[meki]

Actually - hopefully your doctor has requested a PCR test. Or a VIRAL LOAD test.

If you have a viral load - then you have active HCV.

If you do not have a viral load - yet have the antibodies present - you were at one time infected and spontaneously cleared.

Much luck - either way.

Yes - medications can change ALT/AST levels.

Meki
Ps. anyone - please correct me if I'm wrong.