Q. One year back the doctors did a skin
test for my husband, and the reading they found was 10. He had taken BCG
in chilhood. So the doctors advised him to take preventive medicine for
TB since the reading said he was exposed. After a week they took a blood
sample of him and it was found that the count of the liver enzymes were
very high. So they immediately stopped that and started doing blood test
every month. First they said it might be Hepatitis A, and after sometime
they said that he might be suffering from Hepatitis E. But they did not
give him any medicine. They said for liver problem they would not
recommend any medicine. We started giving him low fat, low protein diet
etc. After few months the count reduced. Again last month when his blood
test was done, they found he is having cholesterol problem (high LDL
& low HDL) and the liver count has increased. These are like:
ALT:155 units Alk Phosphatase:137 units Now they do not know why this has
happened. They might be doing liver CT scan etc. Can you please suggest
me what I should do in this situation? I am concerned since I am afraid
that some his liver has been damaged. He does not take alcohol and does
not smoke.
A. I understand your dilemma, but you would realize that the information
you have sent is not in a form that I can offer advice. I would like to
make some queries and comments as follows:
1. TB test: I do not know why this test was done in the first place. Did
your husband have fever then? And did he continue to have it when the
preventive medicine for TB (what that means exactly should also be included
in your email)? Ordinarily positive skin test has no meaning and does not
need treatment. So the decison to treat might have been taken due to some
other reasons I do not know.
2. I presume that he has continuously been having high enzyme levels, in
which case I would want to see a date wise chart. If so, the
possibilities are TB medicine itself, hepatitis B and hepatitis C. Have
these possibilities been considered. It would help if I get an access to
a case summary that your doctor could prepare and let you have for
despatch to us.
3. It would help to know where exactly are you geographically located to
assess what kind of medical facilities you might be offered. I would
await to hear more about your husband's condition which is important to
settle quickly.
Q. My blood group is A+, can I donate
my liver or can doctors help me regenerate the liver inside my body
by taking out some portion of it? Will that help me with my problem? Is
it not going to help the other person who would be receiving some portion
of my liver?
A. No you cannot donate. Unrelated donation is illegal.
What is the
treatment for fatty liver?
Q. I am a 46y old male (weight 105 kg)
hypertensive. A few days back I had a cancer health check up which
included a surgical and medical examination plus certain tests. The whole
abdomen and pelvis sonography accidently revealed fatty infiltration
of the liver. Four years ago I had psoriasis and had taken
Methotrixin for several weeks after which I was cured. I have fullness of
stomach, gas and acidity problem. Kindly enlighten me about the
treatment. Rest of the reports are normal. I walk briskly for 50 minutes
daily and do dieting. I am non-alcoholic and non diabetic. Can you
suggest some treatment/precautions to control the fatty liver and also
whether it can lead to any complications in future?
A. A fatty liver can be due to lot of causes but in your case it
probably is
related to your weight. The methotrexate that you had for your psoriasis
is
not cause of the fatty liver now. Fat is stored in the body in obvious
places
but also goes to the liver.
The treatment in your case would be to lose weight as there are no
tablets
that will help this situation. Your question about the complications is
an
interesting one and is still under much debate. It used to be thought
that
it would have no consequences for the future but nowadays it is felt that
it
may be damaging and in an extreme case may eventually lead to cirrhosis.
The
best thing that you could do is to continue your exercising but also to
make
a firm attempt to lose weight.