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Suggest Treatment For Elevated Liver Enzymes
Question: I have elevated liver enzymes of 358. I am not a drinker and have had a negative biopsy for hepatitis and a fatty liver. My GI discussed possibly being an issue with the bile duct. that was when my levels were at 171 about a year ago. is it possible to recovery from this and get my liver back to normal if it is the bile duct? Also, what will he do to determine if it is the bile duct from where I had my gallbladder removed when I had gallstones?
Brief Answer:
Detailed below.
Detailed Answer:
Hello!
Thank you for the query.
Bile duct obstruction or a stone in bile ducts can give elevated AST, ALT and GGTP levels. Depending of the complete or partial obstruction of this ducts you should have jaundice which gives yellow skin, dark urine, whitish stool. Abdominal pain can be also present similar to gallstones pain.
If the bile duct contains a stone, after removing it your liver enzymes should get back to normal. To diagnose this issue, ERCP procedure is necessary. This kind of test is done with endoscopy. The endoscopic camera is put through your mouth to duodenum. Small catheter is inserted to the bile ducts and a contrast applied. It can show any obstruction in bile ducts. It is also possible to remove the stones with this method.
Hope this will help. Feel free to ask further questions.
Regards.
Detailed below.
Detailed Answer:
Hello!
Thank you for the query.
Bile duct obstruction or a stone in bile ducts can give elevated AST, ALT and GGTP levels. Depending of the complete or partial obstruction of this ducts you should have jaundice which gives yellow skin, dark urine, whitish stool. Abdominal pain can be also present similar to gallstones pain.
If the bile duct contains a stone, after removing it your liver enzymes should get back to normal. To diagnose this issue, ERCP procedure is necessary. This kind of test is done with endoscopy. The endoscopic camera is put through your mouth to duodenum. Small catheter is inserted to the bile ducts and a contrast applied. It can show any obstruction in bile ducts. It is also possible to remove the stones with this method.
Hope this will help. Feel free to ask further questions.
Regards.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
My numbers are 358 currently and were 171 about a year ago. I have side pain sometimes when I take meds and other times out of the blue. My skin isn't yellow yet thankfully. What would the recovery time from something like this be?
Brief Answer:
.
Detailed Answer:
If its a stone in the bile ducts, it should take from one to 3 months for the liver to get back to normal.
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Detailed Answer:
If its a stone in the bile ducts, it should take from one to 3 months for the liver to get back to normal.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
What is the recovery time from the procedure? Also with this level of enzymes how much damage has been done to my liver? And what is your thought about it being an issue with the bile duct since other tests have shown negative? Thanks again!
Brief Answer:
.
Detailed Answer:
Recovery time from this procedure (ERCP) is very short (usually a day or two). It is a minimal invasive procedure.
Your liver enzymes are only slightly elevated so the liver damage is minimal. When there is a significant liver problem this enzymes are around 1000 or even higher.
Sometimes bile ducts issues are hard to diagnose even with abdominal CT. So this is still a possibility. Other possible reasons of elevated liver enzymes can be fatty liver, diet (spicy foods intake, fatty foods intake), painkillers intake, alcohol intake. I assume that viral liver issues were ruled out with mentioned biopsy. I also assume that abdominal CT was done so the liver tumors are also not the case.
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Detailed Answer:
Recovery time from this procedure (ERCP) is very short (usually a day or two). It is a minimal invasive procedure.
Your liver enzymes are only slightly elevated so the liver damage is minimal. When there is a significant liver problem this enzymes are around 1000 or even higher.
Sometimes bile ducts issues are hard to diagnose even with abdominal CT. So this is still a possibility. Other possible reasons of elevated liver enzymes can be fatty liver, diet (spicy foods intake, fatty foods intake), painkillers intake, alcohol intake. I assume that viral liver issues were ruled out with mentioned biopsy. I also assume that abdominal CT was done so the liver tumors are also not the case.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Thank you, yes. They ruled out the Fatty Liver, hepatitus, and tumors. I do take pain killers. Hydrocodone 10/325 no more than 4 a day and Tramadol, 50mg I take 4 or 6 a day. My diet, I try to eat more protein than fat, but eat a balanced diet. My GI didn't think the elevation was due to the pain killers with that dosage. What is your thought?
Brief Answer:
..
Detailed Answer:
Your GI is right. Such dosage should not cause liver enzymes elevation. In general from mentioned medicines, only Acethaminophen (Hydrocodone 10/325 contains it) can cause liver enzymes elevation, but the dosages should be much higher than 4x325mgs a day. So this seems not to be the case.
..
Detailed Answer:
Your GI is right. Such dosage should not cause liver enzymes elevation. In general from mentioned medicines, only Acethaminophen (Hydrocodone 10/325 contains it) can cause liver enzymes elevation, but the dosages should be much higher than 4x325mgs a day. So this seems not to be the case.
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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