A new thread for being scared about my liver

[FrannyandZooey]

Quick recap:

have been having pins and needles, lots. Had a blood test on Monday and it has come back that I have elevated liver enzymes. One of the causes of this is liver damage. I am an ex-drinker and am worried this is the problem.

This is the latest bit: when they took the blood my arm went completely bonkers and swelled up, now is covered in BIG purple bruises. It looks like I have bled internally quite a lot where the blood was taken.

MIL who is visiting today, is also alcoholic. Has cirrhosis. Asked me what is wrong with my arm and said "oh when I have to have blood taken I have to tell them about my liver damage, because I would bleed a lot".

I am starting to worry again

Do you have a consultant? Could you give him a call (OK, poss on Monday)? Or try NHS Direct?

I am going to see the doctor again on Monday, I think. Have been told (after blood test results) to come back again in 8 weeks

I feel fine, that's the thing, I don't feel ill or tired or anything. I feel pretty healthy, except for the pins and needles

worrying won't help though

have you seen the gp since the results and asked for more information

No

only got the results on Fri Zippi

I will go on Monday but I am worried NOW

and when I said to the recep "I shall come back and see the doctor about it again" she said "NO come back in 8 weeks" !

isn't it quite a long time since you gave up alcohol until you experienced the symptoms?

Yes

absolutely

plus had liver function test done 3 years ago and was fine

so it is just a co-incidence, you think?

do they know how thick your blood is?

dh says it sounds like they messed up your blood test. he has had a couple of tests liek this, but its usually because the person taking blood has messed up slightly. he has had one needle site cause a bruise that was all the way round his arm and going up wards.

Franny, possibly the dr. will repeat the liver function blood test in 8 weeks to compare results. The fact that you are well and feel in good health is good. If you have no other bruising, maybe your blood vessel was traumatised badly and bled into the surrounding tissues.

What was the original blood test for? What do you imagine the pins and needles are a symptom of?

I think it is quite common to have bruising related to blood being taken..I have (but then that is not necessarily a consolation)

I don't know much have you looked at the over trust site?

have you introduced anything to your diet or supplements?

have you been ill?

liver trust site

possibly not a good idea to meddle at this stage but have you tried milk thistle (I've read about it never used it)

earlgrey, I thought the test was for anaemia and B12 but I guess they have done a whole load of tests at the same time. I don't know what's causing the pins and needles and I would like to find out...preferably before 8 weeks time

misdee and jalopy, that is reassuring. I had presumed the doctor just screwed up taking the blood, but what my MIL said shook me up a bit. Misdee I don't know how thick my blood is - I don't really know what that means, sorry!

Zippi I have not had any illness of note...few colds etc....no supplements or new foods, no

Thanks all for kind words and advice

Not much to add I'm afraid, just thought it might be worth adding that I've seen my SIL's arm dramatically 'bruised' looking in the past when she's had blood taken, she felt it was a bit of a 'bodged' test which made her bruise etc. So it sounds like this is fairly common and may have nothing at all to do with liver damage. Of course it's understandable that what your MIL said would make you worry

I would also think it has to be a huge good sign that 3 yrs ago your liver function was fine.

Are your pins and needles usually in the same limb or not? Could they not be a sign of a trapped nerve or something like that?

Sorry to hear about your worries. This probably doesn't help at all, but a friend of mine had a blood test last October and it came back with elevated liver enzymes. She was very worried by this and had various other blood tests and found out in january that she had Glandular fever. Apparently it can cause you to have elevated liver enzymes. I would have thought that if you had a liver function test 3 years ago and that was fine then you'd be ok now.

Have no advice F&Z but hope everythings ok.

Just to reiterate that I have looked as though someone has clobbered my elbow with a meat tenderiser after a basic blood test sometimes Franny, I think it is very common to experience this.
Wishing you all the best for your appointment on Monday

Thank you all

I also thought at first that it was just a bodged test, especially as she had already cacked up the other arm and given up

SSU the pins and needles is in both hands and both feet, sometimes extending quite far up my arms and legs

I am kind of worried about it in a not having anything better to think about way

best wishes with the liver investigations. just to add - I've once had a blood test cock-up resulting in hideous bruising (think they called it an egg), and my gran would regularly have this sort of bruising after tests etc(and had no liver problems).

Thank you Fio

dp is saying the same

you all understand though, as an ex-drinker, when anyone mentions "liver" I just go a bit wobbly

Cheers MTS

yes well hope you get your mind put at rest and if it is something which needs further investigation then do you have health insurance and remember that you are always entitled to get a second opinion

I'm sure it can't be alcohol after this amount of time as the liver is supposed to be a resilient organ

Hi Franny, I didn't realise that this was the background on the pins and needles. My arm always bruises terribly when they take blood, if that is any consolation.
I agree with another poster who said if your liver function test was okay 3 years ago, then its unlikely that it would be a problem now due to past drinking.
Drinking and liver damage is a strange thing, some people can drink tons and tons and get normal results (my Mum for eg) and others are more vulnerable.
When I had liver problems in my pregnancy, I had itchy hands and feet not pins and needles, but maybe slightly hot and cold feeling. Is your wee any darker than usual, poo lighter? Skin yellower?
I do remember being given vitamin K to help me clot better when I had it, but of course cholostasis in pregnancy is probably different from liver damage due to alcohol.
You are pretty young to have damage as well, depending on when you gave up and how long for and how much you drank.
Hope that things work out okay

"Is your wee any darker than usual, poo lighter? Skin yellower?"

Nope.

I did drink for a long old time but as you say I appear to have got away with it. Oh I do hope I have got away with it