Low Liver Function
Behind the Red Door
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2010
Posts: 181
Low Liver Function
I wasn't sure exactly where this should go, so if there is a more appropriate forum, please move...
I spoke with my daughter last night, and she got results back from some bloodwork she had done. She told me the results indicate low liver function. What exactly does that mean, and can it "heal"?
I spoke with my daughter last night, and she got results back from some bloodwork she had done. She told me the results indicate low liver function. What exactly does that mean, and can it "heal"?
Member
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Eastern Time Zone
Posts: 1,011
I only type medical reports, but i'll share what I can here.
You really need more information on how somebody came about with that diagnosis. She probably had some kind of standard blood test looking for lots of things like iron levels (for anemia), white count (for infection), and a couple of tests for the liver (AST/ALT or SGOT/SGPT). It's the tests anybody would have done during a yearly physical.
Anyway, like the previous poster, the liver is pretty remarkable and can heal on its own with just some changes in diet.
I would think the livers of many heavy drug/alcohol users would show abnormal levels on blood testing. But just stopping the substances and replacing it with a good diet is enough.
Again, i'm not a doctor. This is just my humble and limited experience. If it was something serious, the people at the rehab would have made an appointment for your daughter to see a specialist.
You really need more information on how somebody came about with that diagnosis. She probably had some kind of standard blood test looking for lots of things like iron levels (for anemia), white count (for infection), and a couple of tests for the liver (AST/ALT or SGOT/SGPT). It's the tests anybody would have done during a yearly physical.
Anyway, like the previous poster, the liver is pretty remarkable and can heal on its own with just some changes in diet.
I would think the livers of many heavy drug/alcohol users would show abnormal levels on blood testing. But just stopping the substances and replacing it with a good diet is enough.
Again, i'm not a doctor. This is just my humble and limited experience. If it was something serious, the people at the rehab would have made an appointment for your daughter to see a specialist.
Sunny Side Up
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Sth Australia
Posts: 3,802
You can have low liver function for years. Alcoholism is a progressive disease and depending on how long, how much intake there has been, mixed with any kind of of drugs or low food intake, it can be at different stages of diagnosis.
Some believe that the liver will continue to repair itself - if you stop drinking for a while or start eating healthy enough. Depending on what the damage has been so far, its best that your daughter has a specialist look at her. Bad liver damage does cause death as the liver can not cope anymore causing other organs to shut down aswell.
Just my experience!
Some believe that the liver will continue to repair itself - if you stop drinking for a while or start eating healthy enough. Depending on what the damage has been so far, its best that your daughter has a specialist look at her. Bad liver damage does cause death as the liver can not cope anymore causing other organs to shut down aswell.
Just my experience!
Member
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Posts: 611
Alcohol would increase liver functions and raise the number on the AST/ALT or SGOT/SGPT results. The numbers would only go down if there was liver failure and if that was the case in your daughter's results she would still be in the hospital.
I would ask her to meet with her doctor to discuss the results as some people run slightly out of range on the labs with no big concerns needing to be addressed.
I would ask her to meet with her doctor to discuss the results as some people run slightly out of range on the labs with no big concerns needing to be addressed.
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