can anyone tell me about elevated liver enzymes???

Question

i'm 28 weeks pregnant, and my liver enzymes are really high! they are up to 577 and they should be between 14-51. the doctors really are not telling me anything. but i think thats pretty high........ if anyone can tell me something would be great. thank you!

Answer 1

A laboratory report of elevated liver enzymes is common. It doesn't indicate a specific disease. However, it may be due to a liver disorder, even if you don't have any symptoms of liver problems. To determine the underlying cause of elevated liver enzymes, your doctor may recommend further testing.

Liver enzymes help maintain a variety of chemical and metabolic processes that occur in the liver. Normally, only very small amounts of these enzymes are present in your blood.

Common causes of elevated liver enzymes include:

Medications, such as certain nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, cholesterol-lowering medications, antibiotics and anti-seizure medications

Drinking too much alcohol

Obesity

Diabetes

Elevated triglycerides

Infection, such as viral hepatitis and mononucleosis

Autoimmune disorders of the liver and bile ducts, such as autoimmune hepatitis and primary sclerosing cholangitis and primary biliary cirrhosis

Metabolic liver disease, such as hemochromatosis and Wilson's disease

Excessive use of certain herbal supplements, such as kava, comfrey, pennyroyal and skullcap

Tumors of the liver or bile ducts

Treatment of elevated liver enzymes depends on the underlying cause. It is important to tell your doctor about any nutritional or herbal supplements you are taking.

Answer 2

I don't know which liver enzyme was high or why your doctor decided to check them. You might wish to call to talk to his/her nurse and explain your concerns and questions. The nurse may be able to help you or discuss it with the doctor and call you back. To send you home this concerned was not their intention. The nurse can explain if this is a common event for a pregnancy, if they had a concern because of discomfort and nausea (as in a gallstone getting in the bile duct) or there is a problem that they thought they explained to your satisfaction, but did not. The only person that knows the answer for YOU is the person that ordered the test. They are responsible to explain that to you but you are responsible to tell them that you need more info.

Answer 3

Generally means underlying liver condition.

Could be either:
infection: ie, viral hepatitis
autoimmune disorder of the liver
something like Wilson's disease
tumors of the liver/bile ducts.