To be really scared?

[SalemSaberhagen]

I need to have an operation in the next few weeks, and went for my pre med last week.

I've just received a phone call from my doctor telling me my results are back and my liver results are abnormally raised. They want me back in for further blood tests and checks asap, I can't make tomorrow so he has told me I HAVE to attend Thursday.

I'm really scared - what could it be?

My mum has had problems with gallstones for years (very severe case). It always shows up in liver funciton tests (gamma GT or something like that). She had gallstones for years before getting any pain from them.

I suppose it is what people automatically think of when they think liver...I probably would have wondered if I wasn't teetotal!

Everyone has really helped alleviate my fears, thank you.

Not accusing, Draylon, and not medically trained but personal experience has taught me that elevated liver enzymes can be linked to drinking.

I wasn't accusing - it's the medical pathway. The doctors will do the same - first rule out alcohol, and then look at medical causes.

Alcohol is the first question because if the OP had been drinking heavily, she'd need to detox before the operation, and potentially before any further testing.

Next they look at dietary causes and then medical causes.

It's hard to forget the "Correct" order once you've learnt it!

No harm meant, OP, I hope you didn't infer any. Best of luck for Thursday.

'Next they look at dietary causes and then medical causes.'

They actually now look at obesity/weight just as much as alcohol use because it's becoming a very, very common cause of liver issues.

Would a BMI of 26 cause liver issues do you think?

No offence taken anchor

Overweight can, as can meds, infection, gallstones you don't know about (yes, it happens), all sorts. But people automatically think, 'You're an alcoholic.' Which is truly sad and erroneous. There are many causes. It's the same with lung cancer. Approximately 40% of those affected are not smokers and many, many have never smoked.

Someone I know had a similar situation, but it turned out to be fatty liver disease, so nothing a better diet won't solve. Hopefully it won't be anything serious, try not to worry.

I was diagnosed with being in denial about alcoholism when I had elevated liver function test results many, many years ago. The diagnosis was based on my 'ethnicity', according to the doctor (everyone knows what sots the Irish are ). I was incredibly upset as you can imagine, especially as I had told him all about my mother having gallstones at age 32 and my (surgeon) FIL's unofficial diagnosis of gallstones and the fact that I was either pregnant or breastfeeding for the previous two years straight. The doctor wasn't going to do any further tests - I could either take the 'diagnosis' or leave it. So I insisted on an ultrasound to check for gallstones, and he smiled patronisingly and said 'ok, if it will help', and sure enough there were dozens of stones clearly visible. Things may have changed since then OP, but if your doctor says you need to take your drinking problem seriously, please seek a second opinion.

That is utterly vile, math. My grandmother was rudely asked how long she had smoked, surely she smoked. She had never smoked anything in her life. Biopsy revealed she had a form of lung cancer not related to smoking.

some medications can cause problems with the liver functions along with some medical conditions, i have mine checked regularly because of these 2 reasons

I had stones, too. They were caused by my BMI being close to 30 and I was clinically obese. Things are much better now I exercise frequently and lost weight. I'll never be the weight I was when I was 25, but I'm much fitter now.

Even elevated blood pressure and BP tablets can cause liver and kidney issues. But gallstones is one and they only hurt when they escape in my experience - and boy do they on a scale of 1 to 10 labour is about 8 and gallstones 100 so you defo know about it. He may just want to put the tests through before anything else happens and knows they need a certain processing time

Even elevated blood pressure and BP tablets can cause liver and kidney issues. But gallstones is one and they only hurt when they escape in my experience - and boy do they on a scale of 1 to 10 labour is about 8 and gallstones 100 so you defo know about it. He may just want to put the tests through before anything else happens and knows they need a certain processing time