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tn13
23-04-23, 04:44
Really hate that I'm back here. Can't believe it's been 12 years since I first ended up here, but glad this place is still around. :wub:

I went to the doctor in mid-March with some low-level anxiety about my heart, the sort that comes and goes and that I can usually put to bed. He checked me out and my heart is fine (I had 122/80 blood pressure even while panicking in the doctor's office, which is shocking). He sent me for bloodwork just because I hadn't had it in a while.

It came back all good except for my ALT liver enzyme was slightly high (60 when the range goes to 40). He said this is due to weight. I am quite heavy and have been for the past decade (thank you, Cipralex). I didn't have the best diet and didn't exercise. He said it's not a huge deal and will normalize with weight loss.

So I was okay with that until I started researching fatty liver and I am PANICKING. While fatty liver is incredibly common and basically anyone who is obese has it and it stays benign, it can progress to liver damage in some people with no way to predict who those people will be, and there are scary stories all over the internet. I'm terrified I have progressed to cirrhosis because I've had this for so long (some mild fatty areas were noted on an ultrasound I had 10 years ago for another reason, but again, nobody really cared).

I'm now seriously losing weight for the first time. I used to eat crap all the time, like multiple desserts in a day, and I've cut out added sugar other than once or twice a week. I'm counting calories. I'm eating more fruit and veg. I'm trying to move more, which is hard because I work from home. I've lost 17 pounds since February and have about 25 to go until I'm where I was at before the antidepressants; it would be ideal to lose more as I was already overweight back then.

But I'm so anxious every day now. I'm scared because I've also been on Cymbalta for a long time and that can mess with your liver (doctor said the elevation is not high enough to indicate that it's from the drug and that the benefits outweigh the risks).

I just wish I'd lost the weight ten years ago. Does anyone else have this, is there any way to calm myself down about this??

BlueIris
23-04-23, 05:32
Don't know for sure, but at my weight I'd be surprised if I didn't have it.

I'd treat it like any other HA scare, accept the fear and wait it out.

nomorepanic
23-04-23, 10:29
I have had a fatty liver for years and it hasn't progressed into anything and I don't even think about it. Mine is due to weight as well.

Darksky
23-04-23, 11:13
Anyone can have a fatty liver. My eldest son has one, which was found incidentally. He eats a healthy diet, is not overweight and is a total gym rat. He doesn’t even think about it. You say yourself you were fine with it until you started googling. That’s your problem much more than your liver.

tn13
23-04-23, 23:19
Thanks everyone. I know this is super common and usually doesn't do anything, but I think of these off cases where someone develops liver damage. I've been good with my health anxiety for many years (other than a small flare-up when COVID happened, but I think that happened even to normal people!) and struggling because I'm now in my 30s and feel like I can't just say I'm too young for anything to happen to now. I start therapy again this week, hope it works. I've been having horrible morning anxiety this time and it's awful, it used to be the opposite where I was okay in the morning and would get bad at night!

tn13
11-07-23, 23:20
I wanted to send a quick update here - I had my bloods done again, just got back the result and my liver enzyme level is down to 23!! Right in the middle of the normal range and better than it was 10 years ago! I have lost 35 pounds this year and cut back on sweets, and that seems to have resolved it. What an amazing organ the liver is! Just wanted to post for those who might also be worried about an elevated liver test.