leanabeana

Hey all. I just got back some lab results and my liver numbers are worse than ever. My glucose and inflammation levels are also higher than ever.

I know it takes time, but it's a bummer.

Has anyone else had worse liver numbers after they quit drinking?

Stayingsassy

I think NALD is actually a bigger issue than cirrhosis in the general population: it's not just alcohol that causes liver injury. In order to improve those numbers it helps to lose liver fat, and that takes more attention to diet.

Of course with my insanity through alcohol I thought that since my liver was cleared with diet (going low carb and paleo burns liver fat) I could drink all I wanted and I'd be in the clear! Of course that isn't the case and I'd have ended up with cirrhosis at some point.

Hope things improve for you on the health front.

leanabeana

I definitely need to lose weight and all the sugar I've been eating since getting sober is not helping!

SickInLove

What were your numbers if you don't mind sharing? Only asking because I have mine online from the past 2 years so I can maybe give you some positivity about how much they can change

Stayingsassy

Ugh so hard to quit sugar without drinking! I do ok for a couple days and then cave. Just do the best you can.

leanabeana

I don't mind! AST is 45 and ALT is 55.

ScottFromWI

It certainly can take time leana, and getting your weight/diet under control can help a lot too. Glad you are working with a doctor on this....listen to what help they might offer.

chiaroscuro8

Leana, those number are not absurdly high but definitely require no alcohol consumption to lower. Get another check up in 3 weeks and let us know where you're at Happy Healing

leanabeana

Thanks all! Problem is I take meds for bipolar disorder and arthritis which puts a burden on my already burdened liver. I'm sure the alcohol was the primary culprit however.

leanabeana

I know I also really need to lose weight. The sugar binging needs to stop! Sugar is hard on the liver too.

DarklingSong

Leana, I just wanted to offer my support. My health has been pretty poor since quitting and it has at times really gotten me down. It feels really unfair (I know thats my self-pity talking). I have been reminding myself that drinking won't improve things for me!!
I have a friend on meds for bipolar and they often have erratic liver function tests. They don't drink at all......just saying, lots of reasons for the numbers to be off.
Best wishes.

CansOfOld

For perspective, I just pulled up my online results, I had AST: 44 / ALT 91 on 3/27/17 and then one after one month of sobriety: AST: 22 / ALT: 51 on 4/27/17.

The numbers dropped, big time.

I was so happy that I started drinking again. But I quit again on 6/26/17 and am now 103 days strong and feeling great. I haven’t had any additional blood work since 4/27 ... I wonder what the numbers are now.

Keep in mind — everyone is different and all bodies react differently and there’s a thousand variables in between to go with. It’s just some perspective.

Done4today

My liver numbers dropped the first 60 days then went back up the next 8 months. But I gained about 20 pounds from eating disgusting amounts of ice cream. The next 6 months I stopped eating so much sugar and ice cream. Doing cardio work at least 3 times a week my numbers are now in the normal range. I will be getting my next set of results next month. I am hoping for them to be within normal range.

Try to increase exercise along with whatever your doctor says. Also ask your doctor about homeopathic remedies, there are a few that help fatty livers. good luck

bullmas

Hello leanabeana
How is your GT? My AST ALT is a little high, However I'm out on GT also (according to my Doctor) GT is often elevated in those who use alcohol
it may take a few weeks B/4 stabilizing as well)
Cheers


Normal range of GT is 5- 35 U/L

FBL

It sometimes takes time for the numbers to shake out. Most of us spent YEARS taxing our organs, so it makes sense that they take awhile to recover.

leanabeana

I've never had my GT tested. I'll ask about it next time.

Last time I was tested was about a month after I quit drinking and my liver numbers were normal.

However, I recently replaced Ibuprofen with Tylenol to manage pain from arthritis. Tylenol is way harder on the liver than Ibuprofen. I stopped the Ibuprofen because my kidney function was borderline low. I also take Tramadol which is metabolized by the liver. Seems that pain meds are bad for one or the other. I guess I will just have to start tolerating the pain without meds if I want my organs to bounce back.

SoberCAH

Keep us posted as to your progress on this.

My enzymes were elevated upon my admission to treatment (they never told me the numbers, and they wouldn't have meant anything to me anyway), and they receded to a healthy level after a few months.

I'll bet your start moving in a positive direction.

Congratulations on the great progress with your sobriety that you have achieved and, by all means, keep up the good work.

We're glad you're with us and participating.

leanabeana

Thanks SoberCAH! So happy to be here getting support for things like this.

I believe that taking 4 Tylenols a day is just as bad as drinking heavily but I don't know what the equivalencies are. I need to take a pain management class and get off of these toxic drugs.

corriec

Just wondering, Leana; does your liver hurt? Mine does, and I wonder why nobody mentions it? Or am I alone in this?

BullDog777

my liver tests didn't start to improve until i was clean for a good 6 months. it took 15 or 16 months to get my liver back to normal levels.