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What Does High ALT SGBT Indicate?
Question: Hello,
For the past 4 days, I have had pelvic/mid/upper right-sided abdominal and mid back pain. No fever, not feeling sick, no urinary changes, just the abdominal/back pain that feels mildly achey and comes and goes. I saw my Family Doctor yesterday who gave me a thorough exam including a pelvic exam. She believed it's either musculoskeletal or a kidney stone. I had bloodwork done and today received the following results:
1) Comp Metabolic Panel = all normal except ALT SGBT was marked high at 38. It says 0-32 IU/L is normal.
2) CBC Platelet, No Diff = normal.
3) Lipid panel = normal.
My questions:
1) What does my high ALT SGBT mean? My doctor now wants to schedule an abdominal ultrasound, but I cannot get ahold of her to understand her concerns and am scared.
2) In 2012 I had similar pain and saw a Gastroenterologist and underwent 2 abdominal ultrasounds, HIDA scan, an abdominal MRI, and 2 rounds of bloodwork. All were normal. The MRI showed "extensive stool retention in right colon" which became my diagnosis related to IBS. I looked at my 2012 bloodwork results which were performed at different labs and have different reference ranges. Given the following historical bloodwork results, is my 38 really considered abnormal?
April 2012: 35 IU/L (normal reference range=0-40)
November 2012: 36 U/L (normal reference range=0-65)
Yesterday May 2014: 38 IU/L (normal reference range=0-32)
3) Do you agree that an abdominal ultrasound is a good idea?
4) Would you suggest any additional tests or bloodwork?
Thank you very much for your time.
For the past 4 days, I have had pelvic/mid/upper right-sided abdominal and mid back pain. No fever, not feeling sick, no urinary changes, just the abdominal/back pain that feels mildly achey and comes and goes. I saw my Family Doctor yesterday who gave me a thorough exam including a pelvic exam. She believed it's either musculoskeletal or a kidney stone. I had bloodwork done and today received the following results:
1) Comp Metabolic Panel = all normal except ALT SGBT was marked high at 38. It says 0-32 IU/L is normal.
2) CBC Platelet, No Diff = normal.
3) Lipid panel = normal.
My questions:
1) What does my high ALT SGBT mean? My doctor now wants to schedule an abdominal ultrasound, but I cannot get ahold of her to understand her concerns and am scared.
2) In 2012 I had similar pain and saw a Gastroenterologist and underwent 2 abdominal ultrasounds, HIDA scan, an abdominal MRI, and 2 rounds of bloodwork. All were normal. The MRI showed "extensive stool retention in right colon" which became my diagnosis related to IBS. I looked at my 2012 bloodwork results which were performed at different labs and have different reference ranges. Given the following historical bloodwork results, is my 38 really considered abnormal?
April 2012: 35 IU/L (normal reference range=0-40)
November 2012: 36 U/L (normal reference range=0-65)
Yesterday May 2014: 38 IU/L (normal reference range=0-32)
3) Do you agree that an abdominal ultrasound is a good idea?
4) Would you suggest any additional tests or bloodwork?
Thank you very much for your time.
Brief Answer:
Abdominal-Pelvic-Back Pain
Detailed Answer:
Hello.Delighted to be able to help.
About your questions:
1.-ALT 38 is not significant.Normal values are between 0-30.
2.-ALT 38 is considered normal.ALT above 60 with elevation de other liver enzymes should be considered but only ALT 38 is not significant.
3.-Abdomen ultrasound is a good idea.Abdominal-Pelvic pain radiating to back;kidney stone or urinary tract pathology is the first diagnosis to consider.Besides,abdomen ultrasound no has adverse effects.
4.-I think it is recommended to make a urinalysis(with a sample of your urine, your doctor obtains result in minutes).Presence of leukocytes or erythrocytes in urine suggests kidney stone-urinary tract pathology.
I Hope I have answered your query. If you have any further questions, I will be happy to help.If you do not have any clarifications, please don’t forget to evaluate my answer.I wish you good health.
Abdominal-Pelvic-Back Pain
Detailed Answer:
Hello.Delighted to be able to help.
About your questions:
1.-ALT 38 is not significant.Normal values are between 0-30.
2.-ALT 38 is considered normal.ALT above 60 with elevation de other liver enzymes should be considered but only ALT 38 is not significant.
3.-Abdomen ultrasound is a good idea.Abdominal-Pelvic pain radiating to back;kidney stone or urinary tract pathology is the first diagnosis to consider.Besides,abdomen ultrasound no has adverse effects.
4.-I think it is recommended to make a urinalysis(with a sample of your urine, your doctor obtains result in minutes).Presence of leukocytes or erythrocytes in urine suggests kidney stone-urinary tract pathology.
I Hope I have answered your query. If you have any further questions, I will be happy to help.If you do not have any clarifications, please don’t forget to evaluate my answer.I wish you good health.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Yogesh D
I had an abdominal ultrasound this morning which was normal. My urinalysis from yesterday was also normal.
1) Is there anything specific I should do to try to lower my ALT?
2) Should I get follow-up bloodwork and when?
3) These are the medications that I take. Could any of them be the cause of my elevated ALT?
-I started taking Zoloft 50mg in XXXXXXX 2014.
-I take 0.5mg Ativan two or three times per week as needed for anxiety
-I have been taking one 12-hr Claritin daily for seasonal allergies
-I was sick with a bad virus (coughing, sore throat, etc) from April 28-May 9 during which time I took a lot of zinc, elderberry syrup, vitamin C, cough drops, and ibuprofen
Thank you!
1) Is there anything specific I should do to try to lower my ALT?
2) Should I get follow-up bloodwork and when?
3) These are the medications that I take. Could any of them be the cause of my elevated ALT?
-I started taking Zoloft 50mg in XXXXXXX 2014.
-I take 0.5mg Ativan two or three times per week as needed for anxiety
-I have been taking one 12-hr Claritin daily for seasonal allergies
-I was sick with a bad virus (coughing, sore throat, etc) from April 28-May 9 during which time I took a lot of zinc, elderberry syrup, vitamin C, cough drops, and ibuprofen
Thank you!
Brief Answer:
Some dietary and life style change recommended.
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Delighted to be able to help. About your questions:
1.To lower your ALT value, I recommend you avoid intake of fatty foods and alcohol and practice moderate physical exercise (walking 30 minutes 3-4 days per week).
2.-I would repeat the ALT test in 6 months time. .
3.-It is possible that this slight elevation of ALT is related with the intake of Sertraline and Lorazepam. However, as I said, the elevation of ALT is not significant. You can continue taking these drugs. Avoiding fatty foods and alcohol and practicing moderate physical exercise; surely in 6 months ALT value will be below 30. No reason to be worried.
I Hope I have answered your query. If you have any further questions, I will be happy to help.If you do not have any clarifications, please don’t forget to evaluate my answer.I wish you good health.
Some dietary and life style change recommended.
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Delighted to be able to help. About your questions:
1.To lower your ALT value, I recommend you avoid intake of fatty foods and alcohol and practice moderate physical exercise (walking 30 minutes 3-4 days per week).
2.-I would repeat the ALT test in 6 months time. .
3.-It is possible that this slight elevation of ALT is related with the intake of Sertraline and Lorazepam. However, as I said, the elevation of ALT is not significant. You can continue taking these drugs. Avoiding fatty foods and alcohol and practicing moderate physical exercise; surely in 6 months ALT value will be below 30. No reason to be worried.
I Hope I have answered your query. If you have any further questions, I will be happy to help.If you do not have any clarifications, please don’t forget to evaluate my answer.I wish you good health.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Prasad
Thank you for your help. Two last questions...
1) Does my ALT 38 raise any concerns that I could have hepatitis? I've been reading online and am scared that it sounds like hepatitis can cause raised liver enzymes. Again I do not feel sick at all, no jaundice, no fevers, just the pain. All other bloodwork was normal except for ALT 38. Does this sound like chronic Hepatitis A,B,C,D?
2) The ultrasound tech pushed pretty hard during my exam which I understand can be necessary to see the organs. Could the ultrasound tech have injured my abdominal aorta? I feel silly asking but the area is a little sore now and I just saw a photo online that this area contains the aorta. I told the tech it hurt during the exam and he said he was trying to move the gas bubbles out of the way.
1) Does my ALT 38 raise any concerns that I could have hepatitis? I've been reading online and am scared that it sounds like hepatitis can cause raised liver enzymes. Again I do not feel sick at all, no jaundice, no fevers, just the pain. All other bloodwork was normal except for ALT 38. Does this sound like chronic Hepatitis A,B,C,D?
2) The ultrasound tech pushed pretty hard during my exam which I understand can be necessary to see the organs. Could the ultrasound tech have injured my abdominal aorta? I feel silly asking but the area is a little sore now and I just saw a photo online that this area contains the aorta. I told the tech it hurt during the exam and he said he was trying to move the gas bubbles out of the way.
Brief Answer:
ALT
Detailed Answer:
Hello.
Delighted to be able to help. About your questions:
1.-Values of liver enzymes in acute hepatitis multiply a minimum of 10 times normal (ALT above 300).Chronic hepatitis C occurs in patients who have suffered acute hepatitis C,infected by parenteral (blood transfusion, drug addicts who use syringes, accidental puncture in professional health). If you are not in these risk groups, it is unlikely this diagnosis.Besides,you have not had characteristic symptoms such as fatigue, jaundice...
2.-It is unlikely-impossible, lesions in the aorta artery by pressure of transducer of ultrasound.
You should not be worried .Avoid alcohol and fatty foods, practicing physical exercise and repeat blood tests for measurement of ALT at 6 months.
Surely in 6 months value of ALT will be below 30.
I Hope I have answered your query. If you have any further questions, I will be happy to help.If you do not have any clarifications, please don’t forget to evaluate my answer.I wish you good health.
ALT
Detailed Answer:
Hello.
Delighted to be able to help. About your questions:
1.-Values of liver enzymes in acute hepatitis multiply a minimum of 10 times normal (ALT above 300).Chronic hepatitis C occurs in patients who have suffered acute hepatitis C,infected by parenteral (blood transfusion, drug addicts who use syringes, accidental puncture in professional health). If you are not in these risk groups, it is unlikely this diagnosis.Besides,you have not had characteristic symptoms such as fatigue, jaundice...
2.-It is unlikely-impossible, lesions in the aorta artery by pressure of transducer of ultrasound.
You should not be worried .Avoid alcohol and fatty foods, practicing physical exercise and repeat blood tests for measurement of ALT at 6 months.
Surely in 6 months value of ALT will be below 30.
I Hope I have answered your query. If you have any further questions, I will be happy to help.If you do not have any clarifications, please don’t forget to evaluate my answer.I wish you good health.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Vinay Bhardwaj
Thank you. My primary physician told me to stop taking all medications except my Zoloft and to repeat my bloodwork in 2 weeks. What are your thoughts?
Specifically:
1) With my ALT 38, is it safe to continue taking Claritin one time per day for my seasonal allergies?
2) In addition, I developed a vaginal yeast infection today (which I am prone to from staying in a wet bathing suit too long). I normally use the prescription topical cream called Terazol 7 (Terconazole) for my yeast infections. Is that safe to use with my ALT 38?
My doctor's office is now closed for the weekend, so I thank you for your help.
Specifically:
1) With my ALT 38, is it safe to continue taking Claritin one time per day for my seasonal allergies?
2) In addition, I developed a vaginal yeast infection today (which I am prone to from staying in a wet bathing suit too long). I normally use the prescription topical cream called Terazol 7 (Terconazole) for my yeast infections. Is that safe to use with my ALT 38?
My doctor's office is now closed for the weekend, so I thank you for your help.
Brief Answer:
ALT
Detailed Answer:
Hello.
Delighted to be able to help. About your questions:
1.-It is safe to continue taking Loratadine one time per day with ALT 38, no problem.
2.-It is safe apply in vagina Terconazole twice a day for your yeast infection with ALT 38.
I remain at your disposal for any doubt or question during the weekend.
I wish you good health.
ALT
Detailed Answer:
Hello.
Delighted to be able to help. About your questions:
1.-It is safe to continue taking Loratadine one time per day with ALT 38, no problem.
2.-It is safe apply in vagina Terconazole twice a day for your yeast infection with ALT 38.
I remain at your disposal for any doubt or question during the weekend.
I wish you good health.
Note: For more detailed guidance, please consult an Internal Medicine Specialist, with your latest reports. Click here..
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Vinay Bhardwaj
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