Elevated liver enzymes

Are you on any other medications? My father in-law takes Lyrica and neurotin and is tested often. Dawn

Maybe just plain old high cholesterol is the culprit. My mom has elevated liver enzymes and she has high cholesterol. She takes lipitor, that gives her cramping in the legs and irritates her neuropathy (diabetic) Cure one thing, wreck another! At 41, I have finally figured out life is difficult and just a crap shoot! Sorry, didn’t mean to be so dismal!!!! Dawn 😮

Caryn,

Tylenol can affect the liver. Are you premedicated with it before each infusion? Also I believe that a way to test for possible blood clots is through liver function tests. I’m not exactly sure on that though.

I don’t think that IVIG affects the liver. IVIG containing sucrose *may* cause kidney failure though.

I hope you get good results back from your ultrasound.

Kelly

[B]IVIG with sucrose should never be given to a diabetic it will damage and shut down their kidneys in a rapid manner.This is the one thing that I learned about IVIG because we had to be careful with Frank because he was a diabetic, so no sucrose based IVIG for him. As far as kidney damage to someone without diabetes that is probably very rare.

Elavated liver enzymes can be from a variety of things and if I’m not mistaken one of the things can be from auto-immune hepatitis. High blood pressure meds are another “Big” culprit.[/B]

into your system, the first filter for the body in dealing with the wastes of this is your liver…that’s why docs’ always do the CMP -metabolic panel to see if it’s affecting that all important liver. If you read the information about any IVIG brand you’ll find statements that indicate it can affect it. They just don’t say which numbers mite change. For most folks they don’t change much. If your numbers change a lot or suddenly, it could be a time to sit down and re-think with your neuro and other doctors what medications you’re on, even supplements and how the each affect one another.

I’ve had infusions for over 2 years and some of my #’s are up, others down…I’m on a lot of other meds for other things as well tho. My docs’ aren’t concerned, just curious now as numbers that should be hi aren’t and low aren’t what each would view as normal for each single condition and med. Soo I blame the combination of meds.. and, as long as nothing suddenly changes, I don’t worry! Don’t we all have enough to worry about?

Who knows, maybe we’re doing something right and don’t know it?

Hi Caryn,

I developed Autoimmune Hepatitis post-CIDP, it’s something you should talk to your primary care Dr. about and see if it is a possibility.

Jerimy

VERY USEFUL to get these two docs to talk to each other about this concern – why? because they BOTH are looking after you but from very different perspectives…Therefore as your ‘other’ doc is concerned it’s because he is familiar of all the issues of IVIG. Print out the prescribing info of the brand you use and HILIGHT the ‘hepatic-function’ issues and also the side effects, common and rare…Point out to him that the neuro isn’t concerened and that you appreciate his being alert and concerned. The docs will talk to each other, get on similar if not same pages and YOU will benefit. What’s to lose? I see you getting great benefit from all this and your docs appreciating that you are well informed about all this complicating treatment can mean. Count your blessings for such good docs!

I’m interested about the brand of IVIG you are on, I was on a saline based one, [mostly Gammagard] and now I am on a sucrose based one [Gammunex] and for ME I’m finding far fewer side effects [headaches, diahrea etc.] That’s what makes each of us different. I am not diabetic or pre-diabetic that I know of, only prone to hypoglycemia on occasion…which causes similar s/e’s to diabetes but different.
It seems that: Not only is diagnosing our problems, in all it’s forms a demon, but, treating it as well. I think WE are INTERESTING! And, if Docs aren’t interested..then they are the dull ones! Good thoughts!

BTW, tho they don’t tell you, they DO screen for AIDS and Hepatitis right off-from the start…IF it were a positive in any way, they have to tell you. But, reassure yourself, get copies of all your tests…then not only do you know, but, you’ve got all the other good stuff as well to look at and, be confused about!

Caryn,
I noticed that you mentioned wine. I had decided that wine was good for
you and had it every evening with dinner. Before I knew it my slightly raised
liver count was raised even more so. I quit drinking the wine, and there was a better report. My elevated liver count is from Imuran, and evidently the wine made it worse. Try laying off alcaholic beverages and see what happens.
Mary Ann

Caryn – for three years my pcp has been chasing my “slightly elevated” liver enzymes. It was discovered in the lab work that was done at the time I was diagnosed with CIDP. I had been taking a low dose of lipitor for a couple years before this, with no indication of even “slightly elevated” numbers in regular, periodic lab work to follow my cholesterol counts. I started IVIG in August ’04 after several rounds of PP. I have gotten IVIg every 28 days since then, usually at 2G/k formula. Also take Cellcept. Also take meds for high blood pressure which developed during the 18 months I took prednisone.

My liver enzymes have remained “slightly elevated” all along, and since my local neuro, my teaching university neuro, my infusion center oncologist all said “…hmmm, slightly elevated liver enzymes – we’ll watch that….” nothing was ever done until my pcp decided it was a challenge. I had also been taken off tylenol – 2 extra strength at bedtime every night for 2 years.

Last fall the doctor took me off lipitor for 2 months and noticed a “slight improvement”, he then kept me off for another 4 months. Had a lipid profile in March and numbers were sky-high, but liver numbers were again “slightly improved”. I then went on crestor – another statin – and six weeks later my cholesterol was down 87 points and my liver function and numbers are NORMAL. Who knows why after all this time?

I really think that the amount and combination of drugs and treatments that CIDP (patients? victims?) folks have to deal with, changes so many chemical balances in our bodies that things get out of whack. And your liver is first to tell you. Even “slightly elevated” can’t be good for extended lengths of time.

I hope you and your doctor are able to find the source of your “slightly elevated” liver enzymes – everything is “slightly”, so give it some “slight persistance”! Bonney