KG77

So after years of heavy drinking all my labs always came back normal. Have had liver function checked several times over the last few years and always perfect #s. (Which always allowed me to lie to myself. "See? How bad can it be? My liver's fine".) Well....Here are my last 3 ALT and AST levels.

ALT:
1/3/18 = 17
3/2/18 = 46
4/6/18 = 107

AST:
1/3/18 = 18
3/2/18 = 27
4/6/18 = 55

So almost 60 days sober and NOW my levels are rising? It figures. 🙄

Dee74

Hi KG

Theres a million reasons for those things rising ranging from simple infections on up.
Staying sober gives you every chance of bringing those numbers back down

D

KG77

I know ☺ I'll be on the phone with the CD doc tomorrow (results just came in tonight) and I suppose it's a good time to see my primary care doc... I should probably get everything else checked out too. It's been a few years. Time to start taking care of myself again.
Funny thing, that's what I've been doing... or so I thought. Taking vitamins, eating better for the last couple months than I have been for a long while, and, obviously not drinking.
Now My body decides to revolt. 😅😅 like I said, it figures 🤔🤔🙄

time2shineagain

Will you have them checked again down the track? Might just need a bit more time for things to stabilise, and like Dee said, there are so many variables. Congrats on your sober time

KG77

Yes. I imagine she will have me check again in 2-4 weeks to see if they come back to normal, if not im sure i'll be off for further testing. I'll be watching this closely. I'm interested to see if we can figure out what gives. But what I won't be doing is drinking. Didn't think i needed another reason to stay sober ... the universe apparently does not agree.

Thank you!! Itll be 60 days Thursday, and I still feel really good, but a little nervous now. 😁

Newmee2018

Have any gallbladder pain? My numbers were always up when I had stones and even after having it removed when I had an illness or what not. Hang in there.

KG77

Not so far, but ill be watching for that. I'll be fine. (I hope 😅😅 ) I just thought it was a little ironic 😉

Dee74

I've been sober for over a decade.
Last time but one I had a blood test my liver numbers were up - 3 months later they weren't.

Might have been a infection or a virus my Doc reckoned.

D.

Rar

Yeah, I imagine that it is concerning to you and it's good that you're going to get it checked out. My enzymes were elevated a couple of years ago. I remained alcohol free for a while after they went down with a period of sobriety, then went right back to drinking again. Why were you having liver function tests every month?

I understand your anxiety, but it's great that you're not drinking. Keep us posted.

By the way, 60 days is spectacular!

Nonsensical

This seems similar to the reason I almost never get on the scale to weigh myself. I've been going to the gym at least 4 days a week for 9 months and keeping a food journal for 6 months. I feel loads better. Lots of energy. Moods are much better, too.

I'd be in a good mood some mornings, and then I'd get on a scale. If it didn't say what it was SUPPOSED to say I'd immediately be in a bad mood. My brain would be like screw it, why do I even bother? Let's go eat a large pizza with extra mac and cheese on it!

Then I'd have to coach myself into a good mood again.

One day I realized - I'm not doing this extra work to get the scale's approval. The scale just makes me forget about all the reasons I am doing this. It makes me forget all the positive benefits I am enjoying. So - I quit getting on the scale. It's not measuring my true success.

I'm not suggesting you don't get your liver function checked, but you didn't quit drinking for your AST, did you?

entropy1964

Ask your dr about taking Milkthistle. It is a supplement that is very well tested and seems to help support healthy liver function. Also if you eat a diet that is high in sugar and processed carbs you may want to look at that. I have seen people who's number go up after quitting because they started to eat a garbage diet. Clean up the diet and the liver functions better.

wastedpotential

If your taking a basic multi vitamin that might not be helping. Multis generally have cheap/bad forms of the vitamins, in too high of doses and generally have quite a bit of stuff that you don't need. ie. iron for men, copper for anybody, most copper in vitamins is inorganic and terrible for you, organic copper which we need we generally have enough of anyway.

August252015

IME, continuing sobriety has been the answer for my physical issues (except for my recent back injury, ha! At least I got it from a fall in yoga not drunk down stairs )....I have given it some time between tests- my original done right away then about 90-100 days later....most recently when tests were done to make sure it wasn't kidney stones or such causing my back problem.

Learning self-care, having faith that things were better sober no matter what, and knowing what I had to deal with- the facts of my health- has been so important. Time takes time- I spent a long time damaging my body, so it has taken awhile to heal, yet a short time compared to the time I spent drinking.

Keep going, and good on you for seeing your drs.