I just did some routine blood work with my Dr. and he called the other day to tell me that he wants to re-test because I had an "elevated liver function". I have been getting routine blood work for over a year now between my weight loss and kidney stones and this is the first time there has been anything that wasn't "perfect". I go in tomorrow for another blood test so I guess I will just have to wait out the results. Has anyone else had a result like this?

I wouldn't think anything of it as I have never felt better physically in my life - run 5 miles a day, do weight training, and bike riding (in fact after I had the blood draw last time I rode 35 miles on my bike up a mountain and back). The troubling thing is that from what I have read, the early stages of many liver disorders have no symptoms at all.

I am not one who usually stresses about these things as I keep them to my self most of the time, I feel kind of silly even talking about it, but in the back of my mind I am a little concerned. To me this seems so trivial after reading what some people who post in the couch are dealing with, but I just needed to get it off my chest.

Thanks.

It's probably because your liver is getting so super tough it's ganging up against your other organs and taking over.

**disclosure** I'm only pre-med right now and this answer is not what I'd use on any test or a diagnosis that I'd ever give to a patient.

Thanks Ang, I needed a laugh this morning! I don't specifically target my liver in any of my workouts - honest

Seriously though, I don't drink anymore and never did drink to excess. If you totaled all of the drinks I have had in my life it would probably equal about 3 cases of beer or less. I don't take pain medication or anti-inflammatory drugs at all - even Tylenol. The only meds I take are Hydrochlorothiazide and a potassium supplement to try to keep more kidney stones from forming. I am hoping for a false positive result last time.

That potassium supplement could be causing the tests to be funky. Make sure you tell your doc you are taking them, and any other vitamin or mineral supplements.

Last October I was really sick and my bloodwork showed "elevated liver levels"...they then tested me for all types of hepatitis and what not and nothing ever came from it...now they just keep an eye on it when I go in for my 6 mo. visits.
But Nanwa is right...the supplements could have something to do with it.

The potassium supplement and the other medication are actually the reason for most of the blood tests - to make sure things don't get too far out of whack. If it's not a false positive, I am hoping that a change in meds or dosage will be all I need to get things back in line.

I did have what I am 99% sure was a kidney stone that sent me to the ER a week or so prior to the blood test. The ER could not find the stone on a cat scan (they never saw the last one I had either) so they brushed it off as a "muscle strain". I am wondering if that may have had anything to do with it. They also gave me a shot for pain that was also an anti-inflammatory now that I think about it, but it wouldn't still be showing up two weeks later would it?

I am going in to see the kidney doc for my 6 month check up next week, I am going to ask him about the meds I am taking. I read the precautions on the Hydrochlorothiazide and it says to "Avoid strenuous physical activity in hot weather and to not get overheated." This was not so much a problem when these meds were first prescribed a few years ago, but now I do engage in strenuous physical activity every day. Maybe this has something to do with it?

I'm not sure about liver function tests, but I've also had abnormal lab results recently, been retested, same results. Next week they're doing a different type of test to see if they can figure out what's going on.

Anyway, I'm saying this because there's a possibility that food and/or beverages may be causing the elevated results. In my case, they said to avoid bananas and walnuts (among other things) for at least a week prior to the next test. I would ask the doc if something other than medications might be influencing your results.

I wouldn't worry too much just yet. Elevated tests once are not cause for alarm - just retesting and monitoring.

No, an injected pain medication from weeks ago would not be causing elevated liver enzymes. A million things can cause the values to be elevated, though. The potassium and the hydrochlorothiazide can both goof up your liver and pancreatic enzymes if you become dehydrated, even a little bit. Having been on hydrochlorothiazide for many years, I know for a fact that this alone can elevate your values, because mine were up on two occasions. They monitored it for a while, diagnosed me as mildly dehydrated, and I learned to drink an extra 2 glasses of water per day, even if not the slightest bit thirsty, even if not warm outside, even if not exercising. That did the trick for me.

Incidentally, we never found that the HCTh helped me at all with my kidney stones, and I hated the side effects, so I went off of it and made some dietary changes and added yet another glass of water (for a grand total of 11 8-oz. glasses a day) and cranberry juice to my routine, which seems to decrease the frequency and severity of stones, but I still get them.

Gee, isn't it fun getting older. Hope this turns out to be a false report. I just got off the phone for my pre-op tommorrow for the kidney stones and now they tell me based on my history I may not be a candidate for general anesthetic, but may have to have an epideral. I don't really want to be awake.
Keep us informed, you are in my prayers.

I had this happen about 6 years ago or so. They tested for hepatitis since I had recently gotten a new tattoo and then I went to the hospital for a liver function test where they injected some dye and watched my body work to make sure everything was ok. Everything was.

It's funny what even common medicines can do. My mother is 82 and has macular degeneration, although she is still able to do anything and even drives. Her doctor prescribed a special vitamin for the eyes and she was to take 2 a day. Recently, she's been having bouts of diarrhea with no known cause and it was starting to scare her. She was talking to my niece (a pharmacist) and found out she is taking too much vitamin C and that's what's causing it. Once she stopped taking the vitamins everything was back to normal.

Another thought, Thomas - do you drink grapefruit juice? It can affect the potency of medications. Not sure if that could affect the enzyme levels, but I reckon it's possible. If you do drink grapefruit juice or eat grapefruit, I'd lay off for a few days before the test, and if the levels are back down, that might be it! Talk to your doc and see if this is a possibility, maybe?

Just make your liver get out of the elevator, that should fix it.

HYUCK HYUCK.....

Don't worry too much. I have had 4 blood tests this year because they suspected cancer. I didn't but the omniponent "THEY" did. Anyway, last one was fine. Could be allergies or the lab equipment is calibrated correctly. If the first lab test was processed on site, they might send the second to a reference lab with more sophisticated equipment to try and get a more reliable picture. I have been through the cancer thing three separate times as an adult and I am lucky to say it was all a mistake. Blood sat too long before testing, allergies, no explanation, the list is virtually endless.

From personal experience, I had the same issue. In fact, they went so far as to scare the [censored] out of me and do a biopsy of my liver to find out if it was cancer, etc. Turned out I just had fat on my liver and it wasn't anything to be concerned with above and beyond my continued weight loss.

Had my blood draw this morning and aside from the terror I felt when I read the guy's nametag as the needle was going in, realized that my bank had tried to repossess his car several times, and that I was wearing my casual Friday bank polo everything went fine. I guess I will hear something in a week or so.

It's times like this when you aren't proud to be flaunting your bank name and logo. Hope everything turns out good. Thoughts and prayers for good results.

tooooo funny (NOT) tj!

tooooo funny (NOT) tj! That could REALLY test your levels!

about 10 years (age 35) ago i got rejected for a life insurance policy because i had elevated liver enzymes. i was tested for cancer, hepatitus, the whole works. i drank a gallon of red dye/coolaid and had an mri. even the old stool sample (isn't this great reading?) i saw a gastro specialist who said i was just simply outside the bell curve of what is considered normal.


after about 4 years of testing every 6 months, my numbers finally came within acceptable limits for insurance. jump to today. i had a physical this summer and everything was within the normal range.

my guess (i'm not a doctor, but stayed at a holiday inn last night) is that it is probably genetic and is something i may face again later in life.

i hope everything works out for you.

I saw my kidney doc last week and asked him about the blood test (he received a copy even though my general doctor ordered the test). He looked at the results and said "Everything looks good, your one liver enzyme is a little high, nothing to worry about."

I did find out that it was my AST level and it was 92. Apparently, this enzyme is not just created by the liver but some other organs (including the kidney) and your muscles. I did have a run in with a kidney stone about that time, and the info I read said that strenuous exercise can case that enzyme to be higher than normal. Either one of those is a possibility, I still have not heard my results from the last test.

We'll keep sending positive thoughts your way, TJ...

I just got the results from the last blood test, stable but still elevated. I have to be retested on Friday morning.....