Here's my history. Moderate Pancolitis, been in remission since diagnosed 4 years ago. I have had upper right quadrant pain for about 2 to 3 years. I have had lot's of tests blood work and ultrasounds done which have been normal, up until my last blood work which was completed 3 weeks ago. It showed elevated ALT of 87 but everything else normal. My GI told me he's not worried and he will follow up with me in 6 months.

I can't shake the feeling that somethings wrong. I haven't drank in a close to a month and I still get the dull pain on my right side. It comes and goes but seems to be worse when I have heartburn. Do I push my GI or Primary doctor to do more tests or do I just trust him and follow up in 6 months?

I once had a slightly elevated ALT years ago (way before I got UC) and I didn't even find out about it until my follow up appointment 6 months later. The doctor just shrugged it off and said "oh you probably went out drinking the night before" (I almost never drink...)

I also had an elevated ALT before that from minocycline (antibiotics), which I then had to stop taking. At that time my enzymes were around 350. Went back to normal within a month.

For comparison, hepatitis patients have can values in the thousands.

poopydoop said...
I once had a slightly elevated ALT years ago (way before I got UC) and I didn't even find out about it until my follow up appointment 6 months later. The doctor just shrugged it off and said "oh you probably went out drinking the night before" (I almost never drink...)

I use to take the entire day off for my GI appointments so I'd drink the night before since I wasn't working the next day, I found out that it was messing with my blood work and now I don't drink the night before.

If more liver enzymes were increased and there was a specific ratio, then that would be an issue of concern. Were you drinking close to the time of the test?

Mine started to climb over the period of a year plus. It was suspect that I had PSC, but I refused ERCP and liver biopsy. I was put on URSOdiol, and enzymes lowered. So, a plus.

10 years later, I had an MRCP (mri) and still not conclusive. My GI did an AMA blood test, and eventually confirmed I have Primary Biliary Cholangitis (PBC). So it was a good decision that I was put on URSO anyway many years previous. I'm now with a hepatologist.

Your doc will do another panel test...I would push the 3 month mark for your own sanity.

q

Thanks everyone yes same test. Just wearing on me mentally with the RUQ pain as well. And yes I drank heavy for a week but had a week off of no drinking before taking the blood test.

At lunch I made a decision I am going to just trust my doctor and move on with my life. I haven't drank for a month and I going to continue to at least moderate. I have also been eating better and fasting. If in 6 months things still look bad, I will push for more testing. For now I am going to live, while trying to be healthy.

I used to have little high ALT and doctor wasn't concerned. He did do ultrasound just to be sure. But I am also on 6mp and have fatty liver. He said if it is too high then it should be of concerned.

I had hyperparathyroidism and ALT was alway over 100 until I got parathyroidectomy. But even with that high, they didn't think high enough to be concerned. But keep watching.