Comments | strawberry_snow: 781 : Liver, Japan, L.A., Catmares

strawberry_snow

781 : Liver, Japan, L.A., Catmares

Jun 03, 2008 13:17

01.liver
02.japan+LA
03.catmares

00.random
Argentine Children Murder Baby
O_O

01.liverSo, I get monthly blood tests. On my last regularly scheduled test, my ALT levels were a little too high, so the next week, I had another blood test done to see if it had been a fluke. Still too high. So I stopped taking my medication and went to take another ( Read more... )

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almightysim June 3 2008, 22:00:04 UTC

I'm a dunce when it comes to medical terms, please explain what ALT is. I assume since it's a blood test that it's a blood enzyme or something like that.

strawberry_snow June 3 2008, 22:02:44 UTC

Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT)

An alanine aminotransferase (ALT) test measures the amount of this enzyme in the blood. ALT is found mainly in the liver, but also in smaller amounts in the kidneys, heart, muscles, and pancreas. ALT formerly was called serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase (SGPT).

ALT is measured to see if the liver is damaged or diseased. Low levels of ALT are normally found in the blood. However, when the liver is damaged or diseased, it releases ALT into the bloodstream, which makes ALT levels go up. Most increases in ALT levels are caused by liver damage.

The ALT test is often done along with other tests that check for liver damage, including aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and bilirubin. Both ALT and AST levels are reliable tests for liver damage.

almightysim June 4 2008, 00:21:15 UTC

Hah, I was right on the enzyme thing. Good to know Biology 101 wasn't a total waste of my time. =)

Just make sure to let people know when you hear back from them, you got me wondering now what it'll mean.

strawberry_snow June 4 2008, 00:46:24 UTC

Well, I heard back from them, and my ALT levels are still too high even though I've been off-meds. So now I need to go to a regular doctor and have them check out my liver. =\ WTF! What's wrong with my liver?! I don't even drink alcohol, what kind of toxins are going through it?!

almightysim June 4 2008, 01:16:55 UTC

Well, ignoring the astronomically small chance of a triple false-positive, and the possibility that the ALT levels are a fluke, not sure. You'll just have to wait and see.

strawberry_snow June 4 2008, 01:21:10 UTC

I suppose so. =\ At least they're not high enough to be hep-C or anything. ^_^;;;

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