What’s been especially lovely is not having to get up and rush anywhere. Isabella, of course, still insists on waking me up between 4 and 4:30 a.m., but without the usual morning scramble—deciding what to wear, prepping for the day—it’s felt like a small luxury. I’ve still gone to Planet Fitness, but my trainer has been under the weather this week, so I’ve kept it simple and just walked on the treadmill. Hopefully, he’s back tomorrow so we can return to our regular sessions.
In other news, some of you may remember that my doctor referred me to a gastroenterologist, but the earliest appointment I could get was in November. I asked to be put on the cancellation waitlist, though I was warned I was near the bottom and not to get my hopes up.
Well, surprise! On Tuesday morning, they called and asked if I could come in that afternoon. I was there by 1 p.m.
I’m really glad I got to see him. This liver issue has been weighing on my mind. He explained all the different potential causes for the scarring shown on my ultrasound and liver elastography. But here’s the good news: he doesn’t believe the test results are accurate. The techs who performed the exam apparently had difficulty getting proper measurements, and he said liver elastography isn’t always reliable—especially since my bloodwork has never shown any major liver issues. Some numbers have been mildly elevated now and then, but nothing alarming.
He said there are two more accurate ways to assess liver damage: a liver MRI or a biopsy. I’ve had an MRI before (of my brain, no less), and he assured me this one would be much easier. As for the biopsy—he said it’s more involved and, frankly, about as unpleasant as it sounds. It’s usually a last resort.
He ran a few blood tests, checking for Hepatitis A and a genetic condition called hemochromatosis (which causes iron overload). The results came back clear—perfect iron levels and an unexpected bonus: I apparently have immunity to Hep A. I’m not sure how, but I missed his call and got that info from a voicemail.
His overall impression was reassuring. With my recent weight loss and commitment to healthier habits—eating better, regular gym visits—he believes the liver scarring may heal on its own. That sounds like good news to me.
Now it’s time to get ready for work. Wishing everyone a good day—and if you're on vacation too, I hope it’s as restful as mine has been.
I almost forgot the Isabella Pic of the Week. Even she knows she's pretty and can't stop looking at herself.
Were your AST and ALT normal?
ReplyDeleteRB, my AST is always good. My ALT has been slightly above normal twice in the last 3 years. My PCP and my gastroenterologist said that the elevation was not a significant increase and has gone down the next time I was tested.
DeleteI understand exercise can cause them to go up
DeleteIf your liver blood tests were normal, then why does the doctor think you have NAFLD?
DeleteInteresting on the HEP-A immunity. When my doctor found I was immune, he basically said "Oh you probably just thought you had a bad flu/stomach virus at one point, but it was HEP-A." So maybe that's how it was for you. Glad for the good specialist's report!
ReplyDeleteJosé me alegro mucho por todas las buenas noticias sobre tu estado de salud. Te envío un abrazo.
ReplyDeleteÁngel
Archie, it’s because it’s shown up on two ultrasounds and a CT scan. What they are concerned about is how bad the scarring is. My gastroenteritis says the scaring can’t be bad with the number ms that show up in my blood tests. When they ran blood tests while I was in the hospital, the numbers were really bad, but my regular doctor thinks that’s because I was so sick. When he check the numbers with a new blood test a week later, they were back to normal.
ReplyDelete