Liver

Question: What could elevated liver enzymes mean in a newborn besides liver disease? My 2 1/2 month old son has had elevated liver enzymes since birth. We saw a liver specialist today and he said he doesn't think it's any kind of liver disease, but could be other things. Only he didn't explain what the other things are.

Answer: A liver specialist would be a hepatologist. (A gastroenterologist deals with the entire digestive system) It may not be a liver problem but could be a biliary problem. The liver makes bile that flows through tube like structures, known as ducts, under the liver to the gallbladder and then to the intestines. The bile helps emulsify the fats we eat so they can be digested. These problems comes to mind: Biliary atresia where bile ducts are absent or injured, causing bile to back up into the liver. Congenital Biliary cysts, or cystic fibrosis. However, in some cases, some patients have elevation of these enzyme levels and it is normal for them. There are different hereditary liver diseases, but you said it wasn't the liver...however, here is a listing of some of them: ***Hemochromatosis (abnormal iron accumulation ) ***Wilson's disease (abnormal copper accumulation in the liver). *** Alpha1-antitrypsin deficiency which is the absence of this specific enzyme in the liver ***Galctosemia is a rare genetic disorder that hampers the body's ability to process the sugar galactose. Fructuse intolerance ***Polyphyria ***Urea cycle defects (ornithine carbomoyltransferase deficiency) ***Glycogen storage disease where there is an inability to properly utilize sugar. ....Amino acid disorders[tyrosinemia), ---Bile acid disorders ....Carbohydrate disorders (eg fructose intolerance, galactosemia,) ....Lipid disorders (abetalipoproteinemia) Inherited diseases interfere with the way the liver produces, processes and stores enzymes, proteins, metals, and other substances. ....Phenylketonuria is a rare condition in which a baby is born without the ability to properly break down an amino acid called phenylalanine. It is inherited...both parents have to pass on the gene. The liver enzymes are made by the liver cells. The one liver enzyme would naturally be elevated and that is the Alkaline phosphatase...since the child is growing and this is elevated because of the growth of the bones. The doctor is probably also looking at the liver functions tests ( Bilirubin, Albumin, INR, Pt, Ptt) and also the viral tests for hepatitis A,B,C,etc. To look up these tests and the liver enzymes (ALT, AST, GGT, and Alkaline Phosphatase), here is a link to click on: http://www.labtestsonline.org Don't be afraid to ask questions to your son's doctor...you are paying him for his advice, diagnosis, and time. He may not know, without testing being done, exactly what the problem is off hand. When he gets the results of all testing back...he will then be able to give you more information and a possible diagnosis. I will tell you that he is probably having more blood testing done and will compare it to the first set...as blood testing is not always 100% accurate and many things can affect these tests. I hope this information has been of help to you. Best wishes

Question: What can feeding too much liver do to a dog? I have been giving my dog lots of pure liver treats everyday. Does liver have lots of iron? What kind of effects can eating too much liver have on a dog or person @Joh good answer!

Answer: Liver is an essential part of any raw diet and the general guide when raw feeding is to feed either about 5% of the total diet or about once a week. Liver is high in vitamin A which is fat soluble so gets stored in the body. Too much may lead to toxicity but as you can see you would need to feed quite a bit each day. Unless you're feeding seal or walrus liver anyway (see the link below) Beef liver Possibly dangerous amounts for a golden retriever eating this food daily for 2 months:300 g (=2/3 lb)

Question: Is it good for your liver to drink alcohol? I know that too much alcohol does harm to the liver, but my cousin said that a little bit of alcohol is actually good because it "trains" the liver for when you get older and have to face illnesses. He also said that never-drinking alcohol could actually be bad because your liver's not getting "practice." I hope you get the jist. Is he right?

Answer: i'm not sure if your cousin may just be 'guessing' that this is the case as it may seem sensible. a thought that comes to my mind would be alcohol is bad for and therefore weakens the liver. but that is just my guess, i'm not an expert. i do hear a glass of wine a day is good for you. research this on google for deeper explanations.

Question: How does a liver transplant work if the donor is still alive? I watched this documentary where the father was donating his liver to his son. How is this possible, do they extract pieces, can you live without a liver?

Answer: I believe the living donor can spare up to 60% of his/her liver to the recipient. Each person will grow back their missing portion in about 6 weeks. It's an amazing organ.

Question: What can damage the liver apart from drinking too much alcohol? A lot of people know that drinking too much alcohol can damage the liver. What else can damage the liver? Taking too much of certain medications, contracting hepatitis of all kinds... Anything else? Thanks.

Answer: Anything that goes through it.

Question: How soon can the liver recover after prolongued heavy drinking? I've heard that the liver can regenerate itself so as to, in effect, cancel the effects of alcohol abuse providing someone abstains for long enough to allow the liver to actually do that. Is this correct and, if so, how long would this process take?

Answer: Not if you have Cirrhosis of the liver...but yes the liver can recover to a certain extent depending on the amount of damage.

Question: What's the difference between liver pain and right chest pain? I feel pain around my right chest. Would that be liver pain? What's the different or major difference between liver pain and chest pain?

Answer: If the pain comes after eating, I'd say it's more likely a gallbladder issue and not a liver issue. This is definitely something to speak to your PCP about or a gastroenterologist if you have one already. A HIDA scan w/ CCK was the ONLY test that showed the disease and they ran several on me (including a gallbladder ultrasound w/ cck) Good luck! ***************** Gallstones - Symptoms The most common symptom of gallstones is pain in the stomach area or in the upper right part of the belly, under the ribs. The pain may: * Develop suddenly in the center of the upper belly (epigastric area) and spread to the right upper back or shoulder blade area. It is usually hard to get comfortable; moving around does not make the pain go away. * Prevent you from taking normal or deep breaths. * Last 15 minutes to 24 hours. Continuous pain for 1 to 5 hours is common. * Begin at night and be severe enough to wake you. * Occur after meals. Gallstone pain can cause vomiting, which may relieve some of the belly (abdominal) pain and pressure. Pain that occurs with a fever, nausea, and vomiting or loss of appetite may be a sign of inflammation or infection of the gallbladder (acute cholecystitis). Symptoms that may mean that a gallstone is blocking the common bile duct include: * Yellowing of the skin and the white part of the eyes (jaundice). * Dark urine. * Light-colored stools. * A fever and chills. There are many other conditions that cause similar symptoms, including heartburn, pain caused by a heart attack, and liver problems. Stomach flu (gastroenteritis) and food poisoning also can cause symptoms similar to gallstones. Diarrhea and vomiting occur with the flu and food poisoning, but the pain tends to come and go rather than be constant. Also, pain with these conditions may be felt all over the belly, rather than in one spot. Belly pain that comes and goes (rather than being constant) and that occurs with nausea and vomiting and possibly a mild fever is more likely to be caused by stomach flu or food poisoning than by gallstones. This is especially true if others around you are sick with similar symptoms.

Question: What does it mean when my liver enzymes are elevated and how could it affect my health? I had blood work done four months ago and my liver enzymes were elevated. I had my blood tested again this week and they are saying my liver enzymes are still elevated. What could be doing his to me and how is it going to affect my health in the future.

Answer: This link will tell you, from a professional, why your liver enzymes may be elevated: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/elevated-liver-enzymes/HQ01011 The liver enzymes are known as the ALT and AST. There is also other tests that show how the liver functions, known as Bilirubin, INR, and Albumin and Alka Phos. http://www.labtestsonline.org Since you said they are stating it is the liver enzymes. The ALT is mainly made in the liver. The AST is not only made in the liver but other organs as well. That is why the doctors look first at the ALT level. When the cells of the liver become damaged, these enzymes are released into the blood and picked up on your blood test. If this is definitely the liver causing this elevation, it will usually start out as inflammation. Inflammation can be controlled and go away with medication. If the inflammation is not treated, then the cells of the liver can die and this is known as cirrhosis. http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/cirrhosis/ Knowing your past medical history and seeing your lab work and other tests results and also knowing your family history would tell the doctor much more whether he should suspect liver disease. There are many different causes of this disease as you will see in the link I posted for cirrhosis. There are things a patient, who has a liver problem, can do now to try to prevent any further damage that may be causes: Avoid alcohol beverages, stay away from chemicals, be around only healthy people, inform the doctor of every medication you are taking which includes over the counter meds and herb and any medications prescribed by other doctors. Why? Alcohol, in some people is very toxic to the liver...liver damage can be caused by mixing drugs with alcohol also. Being exposed to harsh chemicals...like carbon tetrachloride can cause liver damage. If your body is trying to heal, it is best to protect yourself from others who may pass on to you another illness and make your body weaker. Almost every medication that enters your body, no matter how it is taken, goes through the liver to be broken down....and some medications have warnings that they can cause damage to the liver. The doctor has to weigh the pros and cons of using the medication. It is well known that many NSAID med (pain medication brought over the counter) carry this warning on the box. If this is liver damage, the doctor may do further testing. This would include more blood work, ultrasound, Ct scan. The very best test for liver evaluation is the liver biopsy. The best doctor to be with is a Hepatologist. I hope this information is of some help to you. If you do find out it is liver disease...here is a site to look at. This is a book written by a hepatologist and is the very first book I read. You can read articles free on line from this book. http://liverdisease.com/ Best wishes

Question: What is the relationship between the liver and the duodenum? What is the relationship between the liver and the duodenum? I know that bile is deposited into the duodenum where bile salts emulsify fats so that pancreatic lipase can digest it in the pancreatic juice, but that is from the gall bladder, not the liver. Any help?

Answer: bile is produced in the liver, then stored in the gall bladder prior to entering the duodenum.

Question: What causes elevated liver enzymes in an otherwise healthy person? My mother (early 60s) walks every day, eats in moderation, drinks occasionally, and does not smoke. Her blood test came back for elevated liver enzymes, which is very concerning, since she seems very healthy.

Answer: No one blood testing is 100% accurate...it takes more than one to be sure. The liver enzymes are a hint that there may be liver cell damage. However, The ALT enzyme is the most specific to the liver diagnosis, since it is mostly made in the liver...the other enzymes are made in the liver but also, in about the same quantities, in other organs. It takes more blood tests to truly confirm it is a liver problem. These tests include the liver functions tests (Bilirubin, INR, Albumin, Pt, PTT) which shows how well the cells of the liver are able to perform the functions to keep the body well and also the viral testing to see if a virus is using the liver cells to replicate itself (like Hepatitis A,B,C,etc). Patients who have liver disease, will not know they have it. The liver is very quiet about damage done to it, until the cells start to die off and the functions deteriorate. They may appear tired or sometimes have flu like symptoms...this could be mistaken for other medical ills. Some of the things that can cause liver damage that doesn't involve alcohol is: medication toxification chemical exposure hereditary conditions autoimmune disease fatty liver disease biliary obstruction/malformation/infection cancer or tumors/cysts cardiac problems parasitic infections viral infections and there are others. Some of these liver enzymes can be elevated if you have trouble with the bones or if there is a biliary problem, have heart problems, or have exercised alot before the testing. If her enzymes stay elevated...they may examine her to see if they can feel if the liver is enlarged. If the cells of the liver are damaged, the immune system of the body responds and causes inflammation in the liver which causes the liver to enlarge in size. If this happens to be the case, they may do an ultrasound or Ct scan to look at the liver. She should be referred to a gastroenterologist or hepatologist if they see an enlargement or tumors or if the blood isn't flowing well through the liver. It is difficult to wait for the next blood tests results...but, at times, they will return to normal. In some people, elevated levels are their normal for them. Hope things work out that she doesn't have any problems. Best wishes.

Question: How does a liver-selective glucocorticoid antagonist work? How to they make it so that the glucocorticoid antagonist only goes to the liver? Could the same thing be done in the brain? If so, how?

Answer: In this case, they conjugated a bile acid (the top molecule) to a synthetic glucocorticoid (the bottom molecule), which keeps the drug in the biliary tract and keeps most of it out of the bloodstream, where it would cause adrenal affects. http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/jm0400045 DK

Question: Seeking info regarding the liver. How much liver can the body safely function on? If someone had part of their liver removed, where would the scar be (if any) and can the body actually function on half a liver? Does it grow back? Myth or fiction? Can you have half your liver removed with keyhole surgery? May seem queer, but these questions i would love the answer to for peace of mind. Or, any websites i can visit to give me the answers to these questions.

Answer: The body can function with up to 80% of the liver cut out. It also will grow back in about a year, not sure about the keyhole...but I had a friend with liver cancer...she had 80% removed and its all grown back cancer free....

Question: What causes elevated liver enzymes in dogs? My dog (less than 2 yrs old) has elevated liver enzymes and is on Sam-E to lower them as well as some pain medication.

Answer: A complete systemic imbalance. You can mess around with expensive blood tests, etc. and your vet will only be guessing at what the problem is. First thing you should do is to feed your dog a species appropriate raw diet. Dogs are carnivores. Commercial dog food does a lot of damage to their system, because they were not designed to eat grains and fillers -- that's what 70% of dog food is. Check out the files/research at the Yahoo Group Raw Meaty Bones. Raw fed dogs avoid preventable health problems like pancreatitis, diabetes, bladder stones, impacted anal glands, ear infections, periodontal disease, allergies, hot spots, skin problems and even cancer. There are plenty of sick dogs that recovered wonderful health after their owners stopped feeding the equivalent of doggie junk food. It's as bad as us eating at McD's every day (Supersize Me). Vaccination can be another source of serious adverse reactions leading to health problems. These reactions can happen months/years after a shot. Another great Yahoo Group is Truth about Vaccines. Anyone who owns a dog owes it to themselves and the dog to keep abreast of the independent research that is being/has been done and not rely on the money-motivated claims of the veterinary/pet food industry.

Question: What do the liver and pancreas use to produce enzymes and bile for chemical digestion? Hi, I'm doing a biology packet for homework, and my book nor the internet says what the liver and pancreas use to produce enzymes and bile for chemical digestion. Please tell me if you know the answer to this question. Please help, it's due on Monday.

Answer: bile- main content is cholesterol. also contain bilirubin which is derived from the heme portion of phagocytosed RBC. electrolytes, water, phospholipids. enzymes- made out of proteins. thru transcription and translation

Question: What type of liver disease or kidney disease makes people smell from sweat? Just asking, cuz I know a person whos has liver illness, and smell from the liver damage. and how can you make the liver better, do u have to change your diet? she only 16, she had it since she was a lil kid, i dont think she was drinking.

Answer: stop boozing... .

Question: What are the effects of prolonged hydrocodone use on the liver? One of my friends has been addicted for several years, but decided to detox this past weekend (say a prayer that he won't relapse). He said that he could have had liver and heart problems if he would have kept taking them. What actually happens to the liver as a result of hydrocodone use? How does the person know they have liver problems as a result of the hydrocodone use?

Answer: It's the acetaminophen used with the hydrocodone that does the real damage. Unless your friend has a source for pharmacy compounded pure hydrocodone. And there are plenty of people who have died in their 20's from liver failure due to recreational addiction to pain killers containing hydrocodone.