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[EarthNSky <erthnsky AT bellsouth.net>]

Wendy wrote:
> Bev, What liver abnormalities are you experiencing?

Since when??  :)

It probably started a long time ago when I played with chemicals like
carbon tetrachloride and methylene chloride everyday at work,  but
reversed when I moved up here and got away from it.  I do believe I have
some underlying damage from all those toxic chemicals, though.  I was
diagnosed with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis AKA fatty liver back in 2003
after taking RA drugs like methotrexate for over a year and a half.  I
also took steroids and hydroxychloroquinine during that time as well as
heavy doses of NSAIDS for pain.  All cause this type of liver damage.
Since 2003, I have pretty consistently had elevated ALT enzymes.
Different labs consider the top of the spec at different places, but to
give you an idea, if the top of the spec is 30, I'd be scoring 40's, if
the top of the spec is 57, I'd register in the upper 60's.  There have
been times when I fell in the normal ranges, but it was always at the
upper end of normal, right at the borderline.

I have my bloodwork done quarterly, and I'd say 75% of the time, my ALT
is high. Last May, my ALT was 60 (40 is the top of the spec), but it
dropped to 50 by August.  It was still 50 last week.  Because it has not
dropped back into near normal in the last year, they are worried more
than usual.  Enbrel is generally considered 'safe' for fatty liver
patients, but I wonder about that.  My AST is always dead center of the
range normal.

Off and on since 2003, I have had BUN/Creatinine anomalies.  In May of
this year, *ratio* was high, but it has been low in the past.  Most
recently, my BUN was normal, my creatinine was low, making the ratio
high yet again.  It seems to fluctuate with the wind.

At the hospital last week, in addition to my ALT being 50 and my BUN
low, I also had a bilirubin of 5.3, technically had jaundice but it was
mild in that you had to have the right light, the right angle, etc.
(Direct 0.6, Indirect 4.1)

Since 2002, I have had borderline anemia...hematocrit and hemoglobin is
always just a bit low, around 30 and 11 respectively.  I had hoped that
would improve when I stopped smoking, but it has not.  In fact, if
anything, all of my bloodwork is more screwy since I quit.
The last time my cholesterol was checked was in Sept of 2006, and it was
201..HDL 30, LDL 131, triglycerides 735
In Jan of 2005, cholesterol was 182, triglycerides were 985.

From the age of about 15 to my late thirties, I had severe
hypothyroidism (Hashimoto's) that was not under control/stable.  For
about the last 8 years, my thyroid hormones have fallen within normal
limits for the most part due to medication changes that I discussed in
another email.  I know that high triglycerides can be a result of
hypothyroidism, but I don't know if that instantly reverses when the
thyroid is stabilized or not.  I don't know how, if at all, my high
triglycerides are related to my thyroid, but I know they are related to
the liver problem.  Fatty liver is fatty because of trigs on the surface.

It should go without saying, but I am not an alcoholic.  I drink maybe 1
or 2 drinks *a year* -(a glass of wine or a beer).  I am overweight, but
not obese-now.  My BMI is 27.6 or something like that, but it has been
higher.

In my own head, I attribute these problems to thyroid/metabolic issues,
toxin exposure(both chemicals and drugs), and possibly a genetic
component (birthfather had a bad liver, too)


A triglyceride drop from
> 700+ to 274 is very good.  But if this was a sudden drop, unexpected,
>  I would also raise an eyebrow.  Something has changed, or there were
>  extenuating circumstances that gave you that 700 number.

Probably both.  I wonder if my liver is holding onto the trigs for some
reason and not releasing them as it has been.


 If you want to
> lower your cholesterol numbers, let me give you some dietary 
> suggestions.
>
> Avoid red meat and pork.  Steak, hamburger and chops are your enemy. 
> If you want meats, eat fish and occasionally poultry.

About the only red meat I eat now is venison.  I haven't had a hamburger
since early August.  I do eat a good deal of pork, chicken, and fish.  I
eat more fish than anyone I know...


> Think high-fiber.  Toss refined grains out the window.  Eat whole 
> grains.

Right.  I may try to eliminate wheat soon-depends on which diet I try first.


> Eat fruit and veggies.  As many raw as you desire.

I'm starting to really crave them, so I know I need them.


> Take a good multi-vitamin with an additional 500mg C and 400mg E. The
> additional V's can be varied depending on your diet.

I have some good vitamins, but I can never remember to take them. I take
so many pills that I don't want to take some huge vitamin at the same
time, so I tell myself I will take it later, but then later comes and I
have forgotten.  Since I am going off some of my meds, I will try harder
to remember the vitamins after I finish these sulfa drugs.


> Take 500mg of TMG, trimethylglycine daily.  I buy TMG from 
> thevitaminshoppe.com in 1g tablets and chop them in half.  This is 
> the best source of TMG I have found.  Crush the tablet.  TMG is taken
>  up in the upper GI tract, so if you allow it to pass the lower tract
>  in tablet form, it will do little good.  Depending on your liver 
> abnormalities, I would also suggest a wine cooler or beer taken with 
> it about twice a week.

I'm not familiar with TMG..doubt I will be drinking that regularly..



BTW, if your imbibe
> in the foul poteen, TMG will prevent fatty liver build-up and 
> cirrhosis.

N/A...I already have the fatty liver.  Knowing what you know now, do you
still recommend the TMG?


> Oh, and don't worry too much about dairy fat as long as it is not in 
> excess.

No, I eat a lot of milk and cheese Wen.  It is my weakness.  If I would
cut out that fat source, I'd probably have a cholesterol of 120.

> Good luck, Wendy (who studied metabolic chemistry as a hobby...Oh, 
> gawd! What a geek!  lol)

Jeez, you really are a sicko...  ;)  Go back to stained glass... that's
a hobby!

Bev, who isn't much of a 'Bevinator' these days..always tired, but still
fighting back...


--
"The world is my country, all mankind are my
 brethren, and to do good is my religion."
 Thomas Paine (1737 - 1809)