Type 2 and your Liver

[arlenecarol]

I don't even know how to ask the right question...
basically, i guess what i want to know is how much does
diabetes affect the liver? my Liver Function Levels are too
high (AST 53 and ALT 62)...I'm not sure why this is happening, it's much higher than levels in June!!!

...does it have more to do with my diabetes or with the gall stones that i'm really not wanting to undergo surgery for and am trying to control the symptoms - maybe it's both? how does one go about lowering AST and ALT? can it be done without medicine? ... with just diet?

the kid brother of a very good family friend died last week at the age of 55...he had diabetes that he didn't care for properly - he died in his sleep probably of cardiac arrest.

it sort of shook me up...

[princesslinda]

Hi Arlene: So sorry to hear about your family friend who died suddenly.

Regarding your liver, I had elevated LFTs when first diagnosed. Doc said many overweight and diabetic people have fatty livers which can cause the liver enzymes to elevate. On my 3 month check, these had came back to normal. There are also certain meds that can cause elevated LFTs, and gallbladder problems can elevate them as well.

If you've had an abdominal u/s or CT(which you probably did to find the gallstones), they will usually look at the liver as well to see if there are any masses or fatty infiltrate noted.

Both my co-worker and my brother-in-law have had their gallbladders removed in the past 2 months...both laparoscopically, and both did well from the surgery. Interestingly, both are T2 diabetics as well.

[arlenecarol]

Hi Linda,

I should learn to check Google first!! found just about everything I needed to know to answer my own question at this URL:
Dr. Murray Natural Living | Articles: Siliphost (http://www.doctormurray.com/articles/silybin.htm)

seems that NSAIDS and my gall bladder could be the cause. which means that i better prepare myself for surgery. not too crazy about the idea, but more worried about complications from a dysfunctional liver!!

Guess i should go back to see my Internist. Boy, I hate all of this...

Other than that, I think I'm doing okay with my B/Gs...I'll find out when i get checked again.

How's everyone else doing here? Have we had any 'break-throughs'??? is there a cure right around the corner (i know, what fairy tale did i wake up in?).

i want to believe that we can find a cure though, within the next 10 years. What do you all think?

[Axiom]

The three most sommon causes of these elevated liver enzymes are , fatty liver, gallstone,hepatitis. Fatty liver is resolved with lecithin granules,gallstones are resolved by(google hulda clark gall blader liver flush).Indeed they were going to remove my gall bladder 4 stones the flush got rid of two the other two are asymptomatic, lecithin will emulsify the fat steaks in the liver and make them available for normal body function. This is just personal subjective experience.

[mike9876]

Diabetics have a higher risk of developing fatty liver, but some people develope fatty liver and there is known none cause why. Did you drink high amounts of booze when you were young, because that will cause fatty liver. A diet high in fat can also cause fatty liver. The good news is metformin is meant to help with fatty liver.

How do I get hold lecithin to get rid of my fatty liver from a mis-spent youth. But since I hardly drink anymore my enzymes are only 1 point from normal. I am hoping with a better diet and no booze it will resolve itself

[Nita]

Some medications affect liver function. Statins are known to with some people. I have had elevated enzymes several times in the past. I could not take statins for example.

I had my gall bladder removed mid way through my 20 years of diabetes. Started out on glucatrol then insulin. My AST and ALT are normal now. My only problem is with the ALK PHOS indicative of primary biliary cirrhosis. This is a bile duct disease.

Hope you find the reason....

Nita

[Axiom]

mike9876 has exceeded their stored private messages quota and can not accept further messages until they clear some space.
Soy lecithin health food store,yellow granules.Supplement used to aid the digetsion of fat.

[Harold]

Arlene,

Sorry meant to respond to this sooner and forgot. Those levels are not so high as to be worried about them. They do bear keeping an eye on them. It could be a new medication or even something your eating or drinking. Sometimes the test is done when the liver is repairing itself and you get slightly elevated readings. Wanting to do something proactive about it I would recommend Maximum Milk Thistle. Even heppers with stage 3 disease see improvement with it. Like i said yours was only slightly elevated my ALT ran over 200 for a year and a half before I figured out what was causing it.