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Thread: liver panic

  1. #1

    liver panic

    hello, anyone got any advice for a worrier with this story...

    1) woke up after a night out with back pain
    2) over course of three days pain spread to ribs and upper back. phoned NHS direct and went to hospital asap.
    3) given diclofenac and paracetamol and told my rib cartilage was inflamed.
    4) went to see gp and given advice to stop dic because it was giving me bad heartburn & advides to change to ibuprofen and paracetamol
    5) Pain improved 90% but still get tightness in chest and rib pains in random areas. And symptoms suggestive of IBS. Cramps, industrial stength farting, lots of bowel movements.
    6) Liver function tests showed slightly raised ALT and repeated this week. Rest of tests (ESR,CRP, autoabs, Ca) fine.
    7) Feel essentially fine apart from some IBS symptoms & rib 'twinges' every so often. And I get sleepy earlier at nights than I used to. No aches suggestive of liver pain.

    I was checked out in hospital last year for testicle pain and kidney area discomfort but nothing found.

    Very worried about ALT though. Being repeated this week with gamma GT. Don't have the sort of lifestyle that would put me at risk of Hepatitis. I think 99% of the symptoms are attributable to stress & what that brings. Anyone got any advice ?????

  2. #2

    Re: liver panic

    can I just add, appetite fine, energy levels fine etc etc.

  3. #3

    Re: liver panic

    I have checked all three drugs and they can all raise ALT transiently, paracetamol especially in someone who never takes it. I was drinking alcohol (not excessively) throughout the course. Will this raise ALT ????

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Apr 2003
    Location
    , , United Kingdom.
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    Re: liver panic

    Hi there

    Did you have a read of the Liver Function page on the website atall - that may help a bit?
    __________________
    Nicola

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  5. #5
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    , , USA.
    Posts
    282

    Re: liver panic

    ALT and AST can be poor indicators of the absolute level of damage to the liver. Someone whose enzyme levels have been raised for only a few months is likely to be in better shape that someone whose levels have been raised for years – even if the former has higher counts than the latter. A person with cirrhosis from hepatitis C can have normal ALT and AST counts.

    Excessive alcohol habits can also drive ALT GGT levels up.

    To get a clear picture, its best to have regular tests every three to six months and plot the results over time.

    As for the pain, it was very likely a condition known as costochondritis, which is an inflammation of the cartilage that connects the rib cage. It can be quite painful and is usually treated with anti-inflammatory agents until resolved and may take as much as 8 to 12 weeks before symptoms finally abate.
    __________________
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