PANIC PANIC - LIVER FUNCTION TESTS

[jj]

Hi All,

I'm absolutely petrified this afternoon, have gotten myself into a right state. I had LFTs performed about 18 months ago and the results were all within normal limits. However since then, I've been knocking back anywhere between 80-140 units of alcohol per week. Last week, I drank all day Tues (about 3 bottles of wine) and took 100mg of baclofen which made me horrifically ill - so much so that my GP paid me a home visit on Wed evening - I knew he was coming out to assess me for hepatitis. He said I had a bad bout of gastritis or "wine flu" as he referred to it. Anyway, I'm not bloated or yellow (and have been AF since last Tues eve) but I did have my bloods checked last Thurs and now have to wait until Fri to get the results. I am sooo scared that I have done some major damage to my liver and will have to go to hospital over Christmas.

Can anyone please please help to make me feel any better???

Thanks,

jj

[greeneyes]

PANIC PANIC - LIVER FUNCTION TESTS

Well jj, I'm not sure I can do that and maybe that's a good thing. Being scared shitless sometimes serves a purpose. The liver can make a come-back IF you stop drinking. Are you ready to do that? If not, there is the distinct possibility you will kill your liver as well as yourself. There are things you can do for your liver health, but the most important is to stop drinking. Hoping for the best here!

[rubywillow]

PANIC PANIC - LIVER FUNCTION TESTS

jj, chances are your levels will be high, but if you STOP now, drink lots of water, rest, your body will begin to heal itself and your levels will begin to normalize. Whatever happens, listen to your doctor. AND, let the scare be the end to the damage and the beginning of a healthier you. The body is a wondrous thing, treat it kindly.
Rubes

[Cindi]

PANIC PANIC - LIVER FUNCTION TESTS

I have worked in the Medical Field for 10 years-Ironic since I know the health problems involved w/ alcohol-The good news is that the Liver is very resilent but you have to stop drinking-it's got to get it's bearings back and probaly will never be 100% but it can repair some of the damage drinking may have caused

[Cathy40]

PANIC PANIC - LIVER FUNCTION TESTS

hi jj. Your levels will probably be fairly high from the test you had done on the Thursday, after your bender earlier in the week. Stay off alcohol, drink loads and loads of water, increase your protein intake, take Thiamine (Vit B) tablets, and you could try Milk Thistle too. Then ask for a liver screen again in about 6 weeks. There should be a difference in the levels. Keep doing all this, and get a liver screen done approx every 2 months. You will be able to see the difference. It will probably never reach 'normal' levels again...but the damage can be limited.
Mind yourself.
Cathy

[tassimo]

PANIC PANIC - LIVER FUNCTION TESTS

Hi JJ..I was in the same panic as you are in..back in August. On my 42nd birthday my doctor told me I would be dead in 5 years if I didn't stop drinking. I had a high liver test result and she sent me for an ultrasound. Before all this I was in complete denial about what alcohol was doing to my body. I thought I was only hurting myself, but letting my health deteriorate the way it was was certainly hurting my husband and children. The ultrasound showed an enlarged, fatty liver. Not good news but REVERSIBLE news. But I know that in order to reverse it will require willpower and determination. Are you there yet? Was this rock bottom for you? Because it was for me. I want to see my children grow up and be present for them. I have also added tons of exercise and a much better diet to help with the fatty liver (which is also caused by weight gain, in my case, both AL and overweight issues contributed,,,) So...commit to getting better and you probably can be. It won't be easy but you can do it!

[jessie]

PANIC PANIC - LIVER FUNCTION TESTS

the al demon

Hi jj,
Like you I'm battling the AL demon - lately I'm having 8-12 units a day - way too many. I think I'll start using Antabuse again - that is all that seems to keep me in check - willpower gets me nowhere.

Intense sympathy and good luck.

[Determinator]

PANIC PANIC - LIVER FUNCTION TESTS

JJ I'm not sure this will make you feel much better but I've made myself so very ill with binge drinking that I was completely sure I'd die, and probably came close. Wow, still horrifies me to type that. at any rate....with total abstinence and a decent diet you can heal up as I, and many others here have done. There are many things you can do to help your liver but none of them work if you're still drinking, so thats the key. and congrats on being AF! sometimes we need a life threatening scare to put things in perspective. I guess that must means you and I are both really hard headed

[looking for peace]

PANIC PANIC - LIVER FUNCTION TESTS

JJ, I agree with what everyone here said. You liver function tests this time may be high because of the very recent bender. I had liver function tests about 2 years ago that turned out normal. However during that time I cut back on daily drinking for about 1 year and a half before that. Maybe drinking 3-4 days a week and not to excess all 3-4 days. So, what did I do after I got the good result? I used that info as a lisence to drink daily. I figured I was ok.. yippie! So, I thought I can just drink all the time, I'm not hurting myself. I almost feel like I did better not knowing.

However, that is just burying my head in the sand. I am slowly getting back on track. This time I must say, I greatly increased my l glutamine dosage and it's really made an impact. I used to take about 1500mg per day. I now bought the powder and take about 3500mg three times a day on an empty stomach. There are alot of threads on l-glut. I think they are in the tools section in moderation, if I'm not mistaken. Good luck, keep up healthy habits!

[looking for peace]

PANIC PANIC - LIVER FUNCTION TESTS

I was mistaken about the l glutamine thread... I found this posted in the holistic healing section under "the benefits of l glutamine". I've just recently re-joined and am finding it hard getting used to the large amount of sections and threads.....



There is a lot of information on the board about L-glut but after doing an advanced search found that I had to go through 100+ posts to get the information I was looking for.

Here is a brief explanation on the benefits of L-Glut. Please add to it.....

BENEFITS OF THE AMINO ACID L-GLUTAMINE

Physicians with an allopathic approach generally have their favorite armamentarium of medicines with which they are comfortable & achieving predictable results. Likewise holistic physicians have their favorite supplements which work to achieve desired benefits.

In my medical practice , L- Glutamine in one of the most frequently prescribed supplements. This is not surprising since the importance of Glutamine is demonstrated by the fact that it is the most abundant amino acid in circulation . The total body Glutamine levels are in the range of 100,000 mg. In a healthy person, the concentration of Glutamine in the blood is 3-4 times greater than all other amino acids. It is actively transported, & metabolized in nearly all tissue. Glutamine is a major fuel source & therefor energy source for the entire body. It is particularly concentrated in the brain, skeletal muscles, gut lining, lungs, heart, kidneys, & liver where it has multiple & critical functions.

During years of ordering blood tests to determine amino acid status, Glutamine is one of the amino acids most usually below normal. In fact in my patient population of those with either chronic illness or mood & cognitive symptoms it is rare to see normal levels. Amino Acid testing may be obtained from Great Smokies Diagnostic lab at New name - same great company or from Doctors Data Lab at http://www.doctorsdata.com as well as other labs.

WHERE CAN YOU GET L-GLUTAMINE?

We primarily obtain Glutamine from the conversion of Glutamic Acid from food, though some Glutamine is also in food. The average amount of Glutamine ingested daily in a health diet is from 5,000-8,000 mg. Those foods with the highest content are pork, poultry, eggs, & dairy proteins, wheat germ, oats & avocados. Or you can get it as a free form amino acid supplement.

Much of the dietary Glutamine is derived from the salt form of Glutamic Acid ( Glutamate). This converts to Glutamine with the action of the enzyme Glutamine Synthetase. Proper functioning of this enzyme requires adequate presence of pyridoxal-5-phosphate ( the active form of vitamin B6), manganese, & other vitamin/mineral co-factors. If these are not present in sufficient quantities there can be a Glutamine deficiency even in the presence of adequate dietary protein. Glutamate also converts to GABA. Glutamine can conversely convert back to Glutamate & to GABA with the help of the enzyme Glutaminase. They all can convert among themselves as needed & depending upon the presence of adequate enzymes & co-factors.

GLUTAMINE IMPROVES BRAIN FUNCTIONING

Glutamine, Glutamate, & GABA are all neurotransmitters which means they are chemical messengers in the brain without which the brain could not function. GABA is a calming neurotransmitter, Glutamate is a stimulating neurotransmitter, while Glutamine is a modulator of the inhibitory & excitatory activity of the other two.

Glutamine is highly concentrated in the brain , being 10-15 times more concentrated in the cerebro-spinal fluid than in the blood. It is an important fuel for the brain, & can provide adequate energy in the absence of glucose (the other major brain fuel). For this reason it is helpful with focus, concentration, memory, intellectual performance, alertness, attentiveness, improving mood, & eliminating brain fog & cloudiness. It is one of the first nutrients I prescribe when any of these symptoms are present.

In animal studies an inhibitor of the synthesis of Glutamine produced convulsions, & Alzheimer?s or senile dementia-type changes in the brain.

Research suggests Glutamine may protect the brain cells in situations of decreased oxygen supply. It also helps in the brain to detoxify ammonia.

Those prone to mania need to be careful with high doses of Glutamine for it can trigger mania, as can any antidepressant substance.

STABILIZES BLOOD SUGAR & DECREASES ALCOHOL CRAVINGS

Glutamine does this by several mechanisms. When the blood sugar is low, Glutamine suppresses insulin to stop the further decline of the sugar levels. It also stimulates glycogen (a stored form of glucose) to be released to help increase the blood sugar to normal levels.

Further, Glutamine is a glycogenic amino acid which means it can convert to sugar for energy production, a process called gluconeogenesis. It is the most important such substance.
These blood sugar stabilizing effects may partially explain why it decreases alcohol cravings, as well as sugar cravings. In studies with alcoholics, 2000-3000 mg 3 times daily decreased the desire to drink, decreased anxiety, & improved sleep. It works best given between meals. Has been used for this purpose in daily doses from 6000-15,000 mg in 3 divided doses. Use upon arising, mid-morning & mid-afternoon between meals.

Giving Glutamine to rats decreased their voluntary alcohol consumption by 34%. When the Glutamine was stopped, their alcohol consumption returned to baseline levels.

Additionally, Glutamine supports pancreatic growth & function, increases the production of pancreatic enzymes, increases pancreatic weight, DNA, & protein content. This would also stabilize blood sugar & indirectly improve overall nutritional status..

MAINTAINS HEALTH /FUNCTIONING OF THE LINING OF THE GUT

Glutamine increases the growth & absorptive capacity & is the main fuel source for the cells lining the intestinal tract. It is critical for the maintenance of proper gut metabolism, structure & function. The cells lining the small intestines consume Glutamine at a voracious rate, using up to 30% of the circulatory pool. Glutamine deficiency results in hypoplasia of the intestinal absorptive lining & dysfunction of the intestinal immune system. It helps maintain normal Secretory IgA an immune substance in the gut.

Studies show that Glutamine helps promote healing of impaired gut mucosa , such as with ulcers, ulcerative colitis, & Crohn?s Disease. It enhances bowel function when there has been partial removal of the intestines & improves overall survival in gut originated severe infection.

Certain bacteria, fungi, & parasites can also impair the intestinal lining disrupting the optimal intestinal barrier functioning, & causing increased intestinal permeability ( the leaky gut syndrome). With increased permeability there can be increased allergy reactions to foods, & increased predisposition to autoimmune problems.

Also, the bacteria which live in the GI tract can cross the disrupted mucosal barrier to infect other organs in a process called bacterial translocation, so Glutamine can help prevent this serious process.

IMPORTANT FOR MUSCLE FUNCTION & METABOLISM

The intracellular concentration of Glutamine in muscle is a regulator of muscle protein synthesis or muscle building & supports muscle glycogen accumulation. When there is Glutamine depletion, there is a breakdown in muscle. Studies indicate Glutamine counteracts steroid-induced muscle atrophy.

Skeletal muscle is the largest organ in the body accounting for approximately 30-40% of total body mass. A 150 pound male would ideally have about 60, 000 mg of Glutamine in these muscles. Free stores of Glutamine in muscles exceed those of any other amino acids( alanine & glycine are the other major muscle amino acids).

Surgical & injury trauma , infections, burns, stress, cancer, acidosis, & most major illnesses dramatically deplete & alter the production & interorgan flow of Glutamine causing movement of Glutamine out of the muscle , altering intestinal Glutamine metabolism, & also decreasing Glutamine blood levels. Under these circumstances the net Glutamine consumption exceeds the production & there is a decrease in muscle protein synthesis. This contributes to the muscle wasting in severe illness & trauma. Research has shown a statistically significant correlation between survival in severely infected patients & the muscle intracellular Glutamine concentration. Supplying Glutamine helps the metabolic processes associated with recovery.

HELPS WITH WOUND HEALING

The cells of connective tissue in the body use Glutamine for protein & nucleic acid synthesis & also for 30% of energy needs. These cells are called fibroblasts . Glutamine is required for their proliferation & is therefore critical in wound metabolism & healing.

HELPS MAINTAIN ACID/ALKALINE BALANCE

This is done by the production & metabolism of Glutamine in the kidneys. The more severe the acidosis is as in uncontrolled diabetes, starvation, kidneys disorders, decreased oxygen in the body, fluid & electrolyte loss , the greater the rate of Glutamine metabolism in the kidneys. When controlling acidosis the kidneys consume enormous amounts of Glutamine & deplete muscle & other stores . In acidotic conditions there is low Glutamine, low alanine & an increased production of ammonia.

In studies 2000 mg Glutamine produced a quick increase in plasma bicarbonate( which elevates alkaline reserve) & an increase in growth hormone.

IS CRITICAL IN PROTEIN METABOLISM

Glutamine is used in the liver & kidney to make urea & ammonia which are normal breakdown products of protein, which are then excreted. Glutamine participates in the detoxification of the ammonia.

Excessive Glutamine can elevate rather than decrease ammonia levels, as it should do. Such excessive dose would be in the range of 40,000 mg for a 150 pound person-way above any recommended amount.

GLUTAMINE & CANCER

In the area of tumor growth, the evidence is unclear. Glutamine is highly used by rapidly dividing cells such as blood cells, & those in the GI Tract & cancer cells. It provides the nitrogen precursor for the synthesis of purines & pyramidines essential to cell reproduction & division. So whether Glutamine enrichment in amounts required to maintain normal metabolic balance will accelerate tumor growth is not well known.

Research has provided varying information. One research report suggested Glutamine aggravated muscle tumor( sarcoma) but this was not found in research on fibrosarcoma. Other reports indicated Glutamine not only was beneficial for the patient with the tumor, but did not stimulate tumor growth. It may very well depend upon the type of the tumor.

The fear is that since the immune cells require Glutamine for proper functioning & since an illness such as cancer depletes the body of Glutamine, such depletion will impair immune function & interfere with the body fighting the cancer & associated infections-if Glutamine is not given.

Cancer bearing rats were able to maintain normal immune function when given Alanine-Glutamine enriched nutrition without increasing tumor size. According to Rifat Latifi M.D. in ?Amino Acids In Critical Care & Cancer? the general consensus is ?that an increased uptake of Glutamine by tumor cells does not necessarily result in an increase in tumor size & the absence of accelerated tumor growth may have been due to the maintenance of cell mediated immune reactions of the host?

As if this weren?t definitive enough, animal studies showed Glutamine enhanced the selectivity of antitumor drugs. It did so by helping to protect normal cells from the chemotherapy while making the tumor cells more sensitive to the chemo. Further, when Glutamine was given to patients undergoing abdominal or pelvic radiation therapy it protected the intestinal mucosa from injury, accelerated the healing of the radiated bowel & modulated the long term consequences of radiation.

So if you have cancer consult with your doctor whether or not Glutamine supplementation would be wise in your type of cancer.

MISCELLANEOUS BENEFITS

? Glutamine is important for the synthesis of glutathione( an essential anti-oxidant) in the liver.
? Adequate Glutamine helps to protect the lungs from toxic insult.
? Glutamine is needed for RNA (Genetic messenger material) synthesis
? Essential for the synthesis of Vitamin B3 .

TOXICITY

Studies using high dose Glutamine have failed to demonstrate toxicity. However Glutamine should be avoided in cases of acute liver failure & kidney failure.

DOSAGE

As with any free form amino acid, Glutamine should always be taken with pyridoxal-5-phosphate which regulates the absorption, metabolism & conversion of all amino acids.
The usual dose recommended in my practice is 4000-5000 mg anywhere from 1-3 times daily between meals & not later than 3pm.
__________________
"The person who says it cannot be done should not interrupt the person doing it"
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[Rusty]

PANIC PANIC - LIVER FUNCTION TESTS

JJ,

I understand your panic about the Liver Panel Tests being elevated. I had gone on quite a hard-liquor binge for several days before my LPT and the results were off the charts. Not wanting to embarrass myself in front of my doctor again, I quit drinking altogether for one week after the next LPT about a month later and my levels were normal. I got some medical advice from an internist who said that alcohol stays in your system for about 6 days after your last drink. I was determined to prove to my kind and compassionate doctor that I could really do it on my own....because before then, I didn't have any confidence in myself that I could. After that week that I had been AF, I lost 5 pounds in that week and felt better about myself then I had in 2 years.

I quit drinking on my own and suffered no withdrawal symptoms and like you, I had been primarily a wine drinker.

Here's the method I use to keep from drinking: I tell myself, and it's the truth, "If I start drinking, I will accomplish absolutely NOTHING today because alcohol takes away my motivation to do ANYTHING. The second part of this method that works is that I don't want to have to lie about what I did during the day when my family asks what I did with my wonderful days off from work. I don't want to have to say, "I got drunk and did nothing."

I used to kid myself and tell myself that alcohol didn't depress me, just other people. What a crock! I know if I can get through those first two days of cravings....I can get through anything.

Good luck and I'm here for you.

Rusty

[Rusty]

PANIC PANIC - LIVER FUNCTION TESTS

Oopss....JJ, I need to correct my reply-sorry!

JJ,

I meant to say that I quit drinking for a week BEFORE my LPT and my results came out normal because a doctor clued me in that alcohol will stay in your system up to 6 days after your last drink.

Sorry about that!

Rusty

[Rusty]

PANIC PANIC - LIVER FUNCTION TESTS

Oopss....JJ, I need to correct my reply-sorry!

JJ,

I meant to say that I quit drinking for a week BEFORE my LPT and my results came out normal because a doctor clued me in that alcohol will stay in your system up to 6 days after your last drink.

Sorry about that!

Rusty