I have been on oral abx for 15 months and mepron for 6 weeks - 3 of those at 1/2 dose. I think mepron has thrown me over the edge with my liver enzymes.
ALT 564 normal 10-35 AST 254 normal 8-39
My regular doctor wants me in his office on Thursday to run more tests and wants me to go off some meds. I said we need to talk to the LLMD so my regular doctor is calling him. I fly down to see my LLMD at the end of this month. We were going to start IV at the end of this summer but not sure that will happen now - we may have to wait until later.
I've been on tons of liver support, prescribed by LLMD and ND and others that I've been taking off and on for years so I think I am full of bacteria AND abx are hard on the liver.
Anyone have thier numbers go down quickly and stay down even after going back on abx? I wonder how likely it is that I'll continue to have problems with the liver while on mepron?
Cactus - you there? Are your numbers good now?
Anybody have any great ideas on liver support besides the usual - lipotropic agents, NAC, glycine, homeopathics, vitamins etc..
Thanks for any advice.
Oh, I'm also on nystatin, zith and doxy.
Terry
Posted by Sammi (Member # 110) on :
Hi Terry. I believe that Lyme disease can cause elevated liver enzymes. I have had them before also but not when treating Babesiosis.
Do you take Milk Thistle? If your liver is healthy, this is beneficial. Since I started taking it, my enzymes have never been elevated again.
Mine returned to normal after a couple of weeks. I hope yours will too!
Posted by TerryK (Member # 8552) on :
Thanks Sammi, Yes, I agree, I think lyme and some of the co-infections can cause elevated liver enzymes. My doctor has been mystified for years about my liver enzymes going up and down for no apparent reason. I'm pretty sure this much elevation is related to abx though I could be wrong.
I was taking an extract of milk thistle for awhile and I read that it may affect mepron levels so I wouldn't want to take it with mepron. I might want to get back on it once I'm off mepron in order to let my liver heal quickly so thanks for reminding me about it.
Thanks for your response.
Terry
Posted by tailz (Member # 10014) on :
Mine went through the roof after only one week of IV Rocephin. I had to stop all meds for 3 weeks. I think they are still okay ever since.
Try a gallbladder/liver cleanse though. I passed light green ovular thingers when I did one of these:
I personally had problems with milk thistle. Don't know what it was.
Eat foods high in sulphur like spinach, cabbage, brussel sprouts, onions - which will stimulate bile. Beets are good for detox, too.
Hot baking soda baths to the point where you sweat profusely will help give your liver a breather, too.
Have you been having problems with multiple chemical sensitivities??? This went along with my liver problems.
Posted by TerryK (Member # 8552) on :
Thanks tailz!
You are the only other person besides myself that has mentioned toxicity as a cause for MCS. I mentioned this to my doctor and he didn't say much so I assumed it was just me. Yes, I have noticed it. Muscle testing also kept indicating that I needed more detox and my husband and I just found something else to try a few days ago, a small amount of iodine. I've actually been feeling so much better since I started it a few days ago.
Good to know that your levels came back down after a few weeks. I really don't want to go off any of my treatment but I suppose I'll have to.
Thanks for your tips!
Terry
Posted by tailz (Member # 10014) on :
Terry, you might want to PUSH your doctor to test you for MALARIA.
I just did, and it came back 'equivocal'! - neither positive nor negative. I have to have it redrawn this week. Remember, some of these parasites spend part of their life cycle in the liver.
I made my doctor test me because I have all the symptoms of malaria, but I test negative for babs.
I also have needed to avoid all high iron foods to keep my symptoms at bay. I wonder if that's why it is equivocal, and not positive yet.
By the way, I have never traveled outside of the US, so if I do have malaria, we're in trouble.
My multiple chemical sensitivities though were so severe - I could not breathe in anything toxic whatsoever - even briefly.
I have not tried iodine. I did try kelp though, and I felt sick on that, but I think there are other things in kelp - like iron maybe? Not sure.
Doctors should be aware that MCS indicates severe liver toxicity. I had to figure that out myself though.
Posted by tailz (Member # 10014) on :
Found this, too - if you scroll to the 'Thyroid Disease and Liver Health' section, iodine is mentioned...
My thyroid is only working on 5 of 8 cylinders, I was recently told. My blood sugar was also up. Something to consider.
Posted by TerryK (Member # 8552) on :
Thanks tailz, I couldn't find much else about iodine and the liver but it is generally accepted that iodine detoxes the toxic halides fluoride and bromide. Also, I read something about it being used for detox of lead which my tests show is high. We tested the liver problem is due to toxins and I trust that is probably the reason for me specifically.
I'm off all abx and mepron for now. I see a good CRA muscle tester next week and my LLMD early the next week. Hopefully the liver enzymes will go down and I'll be back on treatment and be able to keep them down.
Terry
Posted by savebabe (Member # 9847) on :
Glutathione by wellness pharmacy. This is a great for detoxing but has to be ordered by your doc.
Posted by TerryK (Member # 8552) on :
Thanks savebabe, I used the compounded lotion years ago and was considering the shots but never did get them. I'll ask my LLMD about it when I see him on the 30th.
Terry
Posted by cbb (Member # 788) on :
TerryK, Thanks for asking this question. Have you had your liver checked this week? Was wondering how your numbers are doing.
My experience is almost identical to yours. After 6 weeks of Mepron, other abx, and nutritional supplements - my liver enzymes were almost exactly like yours.
My LLMD stopped my abx (but not Bicillin IM shots)and I'm hoping to get my numbers down. Timewise - I have no idea what to expect. After 1 week, my numbers had dropped, but just slightly. I had been expecting (& hoping for) major improvement.
Also heard about another person on Mepron who had liver numbers go sky high.
This is a new experience & I have a lot to learn about liver test results. If anyone else can offer suggestions and give info about experiences, would appreciate it very much!! Also thanks to those who have shared info with TerryK.
Posted by TerryK (Member # 8552) on :
cbb, Thanks for posting about your experience. I just had my liver enzymes tested again yesterday but won't know the results until Monday. I see my LLMD on Monday and will know more then.
I've been on many things for liver support the whole time I've been on abx and mepron so it's disappointing that this has happened. I'll post again when I know more.
I hope yours return to normal quickly.
Terry
Posted by cbb (Member # 788) on :
Terry, How are you doing? Are your numbers coming down?
I had another liver test on July 30th. My numbers have come down significantly, but still not where they need to be.
Hope you're improving!!
Posted by cbb (Member # 788) on :
Terry, Concerned about your situation and hope your numbers are improving significantly.
Just got my test results from this week's testing. I'm very pleased with results, but still need to improve some more.
Look forward to hearing from you.
Posted by TerryK (Member # 8552) on :
Sorry cbb, didn't see your previous query. My numbers went down to about 1/2 of what they were by last week. Just had another test today but won't know the results until next Monday.
I had smooth muscle antibody come up positive but haven't talked to my doctor about that yet. It's called f-actin. It was 3X's the high normal. From what I've been told the liver, gall bladder and pancreas scan came out normal but haven't talked to doctor about that yet either.
My doctor does not think it is mepron that caused the problem but I'll know more when I talk to him again.
My herbalist/muscle tester thinks that the smooth muscle antibody elevation is related to viruses that have been activated as a result of lyme treatment. She thinks they are viruses that my immune system is having a hard time dealing with because they are stealth viruses. She states that the immune system is destroying good tissue because it knows there is something there but can't find the viruses.
cbb - glad your numbers have come down so much. Did you have your f-actin measured? If so, was it normal? Terry
Posted by cbb (Member # 788) on :
Terry, Sorry I've taken so long to respond. VERY hectic day!!!
No, I have not had f-actin measured. Right now, doing routine blood work every week. E-mails and phone calls have kept me in touch with LLMD's office in NY.
Second appt with LLMD is in 5 weeks.
So glad your numbers went down to about half of the last time. My test results did the same thing, too. I'm glad to know I'm progressing about same as you. I really don't know what to expect week to week.
Do you know what the usual time frame is for getting the numbers down?
Keep up the improvement and I'll try to do the same.
![[Frown]](frown.gif)
I see a good CRA muscle tester next week and my LLMD early the next week. Hopefully the liver enzymes will go down and I'll be back on treatment and be able to keep them down.