Question: Hi! I'm femail, 40 years old that have got elevated ALT because of starting take Valproate. I took it for over 2,5 month and the ALT was normal(0,79) all the time, doctor then raised the dosage to final/end dosage and less then two weeks later I took bloodtest again. My ALT had then been raised to 7,1(Sweden). I stoped taking Valproat right away and three days later ALT was 5,75, three days later again I had 5,09(I think it's around 250(a bit lower)in the way you count it). I'm feeling well, was a little bit tired last week and the week before. The levels had gone up in less then two weeks, so I haven't gone with it for a long time. Do the levels usually decrease faster if they have not been elevated for a long time? How long time do you think it will take? Today I'm purifying the liver with a one day program and I have also start taking Chlorella yesterday, can not take milk thistle because of interaction with the other medicin that I was suppose to change to Valproat. I'm in a quite boring situation. I'm going to celebrate Christmas and new year with my family in India and would really like to take some beer(I do only drink a couple/and only beer if I drink). I hope this is nothing to worry about at that time(not now) as my levels are always normal and when it also seemes like they are going down quite fast. Thank you in advance! Best regards XXXX, Sweden

Hi again! Can you help me with how to recalculate Swedish ALT levels to International and vise-versa? It should have been great to know how to count if I would like to make a ALT test in India. I nerver got any good explenation why it went this way. Is it because of interaction between primidone and Valproat(enzyme induced) or is just some people alergic against/to Valproate? Does it help to drink much water? What can I do to help the values decrease faster? Is it good to drink acerbic/acetic water? There must be something to do? Medication for it? I have been walkink very fast every working day since I got the bad answer but the other day I read that exercise instead can increase high liver values? I'm really greatfull for all tips. It's not feeling good to go to a foreign country for a long time with this. Thank you once again! Regards XXXX

Thank you so much for your answer! As I can see, we use catalytic activity to scale the SI-unit(cat = mol/s) in Sweden. Dosen't tell me much. But maybe you do understand. The International standard use non catalytic SI unit and scales enzymes/L bloodplasma I think? The range of the later one is in Sweden 4-45, that because of that Sweden did raise the upper normal level because to many people had higher than normal. So almost everyone had to high levels.. Otherwise I now have the range usel in India and that's god enough for me:) I can buy Liv52 on the internet on Swedish sites. I have been looking at it segertal times. But now I'm soon leaving to India and hopefully kan buy it there without prescription? Than you once again! XXXX

Thanks a LOT! i have one last question that I forgot to ask you about. What do you think of taking Milk thistle agains elevated ALT? Do you have any experience? And as I wrote, I have it at home but did read at a site that there was an interaction with Primidone(increased metabolism of primidone(fenobarbital). Do you really think it's anything to worry about? I would really like to use them, if I can. Thanks for all god advice, it has really been helpful to "talk" to you. I have been feeling very alone in this issue and it's. Wish you a XXXXXXX Christmas and a Happy New Year! - and all the best. XXXX

I'm Reading and reading...and now found out that Acetylcystein is very good for the liver to protect and normalize it. Is this true? I have a lot of Acetylcystein at home. My P doc wrote it out to me in the summer against depression. I took 250mg x 5 twice a day. Today I'm going to take bloodtest again to check ALT. Will get the answer in the afternoon. Sorry for writing again :( Sincere XXXX

I Do not take Acetylcystein now. Stopped taking it in the end of september. Just Telling you if you thought that I was taking it now, I don't XXXX

Hi again! :) Here comes my bloodtest resaults: 4 dec ALT was 284. Took my last dosage if Valproat the 6 of december. 9 dec ALT was 230 12 dec ALT was 204 And Today 16 dec my ALT was 160 So if I start counting dåfrom the day After I took may last dosage with Valproate ALT has gone down 124 in nine day. What I don't understand is why it's sometimes go down much fast another time slower? What Do you think? I will take one more bloodtest on tuesday before I'm going India, leaving at friday. Best regards! XXXX

Edit: By the way, in Sweden you can buy Acetylcystein without a recipie :)

Great! My neurologist just called me, she had seen that I had been taken a bloodtest today. She was so happy! :) thinking it was SO good resaults. The ASAT had also gone down to the half(much lower than ALT, I don't know much about ASAT). We are going to Mumbai and Goa(Candolim, Baga and Palolem). Going to stay in Mumbai just for three nights. Some shopping and culture. I'm praying and will also keep doing it! Thank you so very much! If you knew how tankfull I am for your answers!! Take care! XXXX

Very kind of you!! I will remember :) it's always more intresting to be with the "locals" than with the tourists. Learn the culture, the people and so on. We use to hang a lot with the people from the country we visit, i gives a lot! Of course I will not mention it! Fredly if you! Thank you ones again for everything!! I let you now how the bloodtest went on tuesday. Have a great time!

Hi! :) Today I'm not happy with the resault:( from 160 to 148 in three days :( Tomorrow I'm leaving to India. Do you think that I shall continue with Milk Thistle and Chlorella? As you alredy know I'm taking a anticonvulant with the active ingredient Primidone that are mostly methabolise to phenobarbital in the liver. So just wonder if it's ok to take Milk thistle. How long will i usually take until they do any different/the work? I told you that I had ALT 284 the 4:th of december. I didn't, she had told me wrong. I had 306. I have been very stressad this week, not feeling well because of that and had been sad now and then. I'm probably most stressed over the ALT. Can stress make the process to slow down? I was really hoping to get a huge different in my ALT today. We "talked" aboute drinking alkohol in the beginning. I have now read that there are actually very few people that get high ALT levels of alcohol. Around 10-25%. As you probably already has understand, I like to drink some beer(not working days, nerver ever). And I am going to take some in the evenings when I'm away. I am also going to take ALT tests in India, of course. I usually drink tons of water when it's warm. I eat as you shall and I am swimming a lot. What more can I do to make this as good as possible! Tips/advice? Yes I Do know that alkohol is no good but I am going on a vacation/holiday. I did spoke to a nurse about my "can not drink alcohol" issue. I told her that going on holiday with not the posibility to take any alcohol was for me like not have a holiday. She told me: Of course you shall drink, but drink with responsibility. Follow your heart, go with your feelings! And then the told me: of course, your ALT will/can go up a bit. But when you are comming home again it will go down in some weeks, so Wait for a while with taking bloodtest. I'm not an alcoholic, and my liver has always worked fine before. To have rased ALT levels for a while, can it really be SO dangerous? I mean, look at alcoholics that goes with superhigh ALT almost all their life and feeling quite well... I think it's ruff and sad to hear so many frightening words about it. Can you understand me in my situation? If I instead should had been at home, I had not bother about it at all. Hope everything is really find with you! Best regards XXXX

Thank you for all!!! I'm very greatfull for all good answers! It has been given me so much! I will leav the thread open in case of if I have something to ask you aboute when I'm away. Have a lovely Christmas and New Year! :)) I'm so glad that I found just you.