Summer3
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 35286
posted
I just started treatment and already am having elevated liver enzymes. Other than going off antibiotics and taking milk thistle, is there any other way to lower them?
Has anyone here ever had a problem lowering them or a complication with their liver that was permanent?
posted
I'm sure others will chime in on this. But, Detoxing is the key to keeping your liver levels down.
Some ideas:
Epson salt baths ALA Drinking TONS of water (some say with lemon) ANd of course MILK THISTLE
My liver enzymes were high the first time I was tested also. When I encorporated Milk thistle and water with lemon on occasion I was able to bring down my levels to a normal range.
If you are using milk thistle... I wonder if you have considered increasing the dose?
-------------------- 10/10 EIA 1.4+, 41 (IGG), 23 (IGM) Bitten over 20 years ago. Currently not treating, looking for a Dr who will work with my insurance lol.
More muscular, cognitive, nerve issues than joints. Facial droop and blurred vision. Posts: 323 | From Michigan | Registered: Apr 2011
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Carol in PA
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 5338
posted
You can take supplements that will provide the things the liver needs to make glutathione.
posted
My husband is on his 3rd IV drug due to elevated liver enzymes. He was also on tons of supplements. He decided to experiment on his own (i don't advise it) and stopped all the supplements for 1 1/2 weeks. He was taking Zithromax IV for 6 days when he had his blood work done. Liver enzymes waaaayyyy down. Telling us its some combination of the supplements. He sees his llmd this morning and is going to tell him about this find. Hes not a good LLMD and we are getting ready to change anyway. But we couldn't figure out why his enzymes also rose with each drug. Good luck
Posts: 305 | From United States | Registered: Nov 2011
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gmb
Unregistered
posted
Ginger also helps the liver and kidneys, and has other benefits.
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posted
Ok ok ok, enough with take this or take that!!!!
I AM THE PERSON TO TALK TO........TRUST ME
After 3 months of starting my Lyme treatment protocol. Which included: Ceftin, Tindamax, Zithromax, and Artimisinin. I went into COMPLETE liver failure. I'm talkin, I was sent to a Hepatologist via LLMD. The hepatologist was even talking about a liver transplant at one point in time. And I COMPLETELY FLIPPED OUT. I realize my case is most likely SUPER RARE but please don't take liver problems for granted.
When my liver enzymes first starting going up my LLMD told me to stop everything and take MILK THISTLE, so I did. My liver only got worse. Then he told me to get something called MED CAPS DPO, so I did. An my liver enzymes only got worse, therefore, I was sent to a hepatologist. At this point my liver had gotten SO BAD that I was literally feeling like I was drunk all the time.
My hepatologist then took me off EVERYTHING. Including any and all supplements and vitamins. The only thing I honestly could take was my Thyroid pill because I also have Hashimotos Hypothyroid Disease. Anyhow, my hepatologist also told me to NOT TAKE ANYTHING until my liver got better. My liver took A LONG time to rejuvinate. It took six months until my hepatologist would release me. And he warned me to be SUPER careful in the future. I had drug induced Hepatitis. This is nothing to mess around with. If your liver enzymes keep getting worse you need to STOP EVERYTHING. I believe if I would have taken anything else I probably would not be here right now. Sometimes your body just needs a break. And it is obvious that some of us just can't tolerate drugs like others. So please be careful with the elevated liver enzymes and please take my information into consideration.
Posts: 151 | From california | Registered: Dec 2009
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posted
So a similar question was asked about 4 to 6 weeks ago. You might want to go to the search and look up Liver enzymes.
I had a similar problem about a month into ABX. My right side hurt and my blood test showed elevated liver enzymes. They were about twice as high as top of the normal range. So not too serious but needed attention. My LLMD took me off ABX for two weeks and then I tested fine. I also started doing Castor Oil packs once a day for an hour while watching TV for 5 days during that time.
I then read here that I should add Milk Thistle and did so. 5 months later they got high enzymes readings again even though I was taking Milk Thistle so I again did about a week of castor oil. It worked well again.
I kept reading posts of people using the Castor Oil packs and their success and it has work well for me. So now I usually do them once a month for about three days. I am doing a Liver Gallbladder cleanse this weekend so that should assist my liver as well.
Another post talked about talking 2 to 3 day breaks every 4 to 6 weeks to give the body a rest from the ABX. I would ask your doc about that. I spoke to my doc about that today and he said go ahead and go off ABX until after the cleanse. Obviously this is for my situation but might be something to talk with your doc about.
All the Best, MattH
Posts: 607 | From Houston Texas | Registered: Mar 2011
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manybites
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 33750
posted
Ironicly some of us have liver enzymes before they start the treatment.
I did make my husband to do a liver flush several times and his liver enzymes lowered due to getting some of the stones out.
I also was told by a well known LLMD that bartonella can create fatty liver and is the cause of it.
I know my husband had bartonella.So did I but his liver enzymes increased .My liver hurted but I did liver flushes in the begining as I did not knew about lyme and coinfections.
drainage is important.Dr W put my son on a combo like this when he treated my son in Germany for lyme.It was a must he said.
I am glad Scoot included them in his notes from the last conference.
I had severe liver pain due to babesia treatment.The moment I started the BIG 3 I felt the diference.I also added MUNDIPUR and immidiatly my liver was releasing the toxins.
So the homepathic above will help you for the liver as well besides milk thisle.
Posts: 1379 | From disable | Registered: Aug 2011
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steve1906
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 16206
posted
Here's some info on (good & bad food) for the liver...
What you eat and how well you take care of yourself CAN affect how well your Liver works. Therefore it�s important that you choose foods that will help maintain and support your Liver. Good nutrition can also help to rebuild some damaged Liver cells and help the Liver form new cells.
The Liver has two detoxification pathways called Phase One and Phase Two. The work of each of these phases requires specific vitamins and minerals. These vitamins and minerals in turn need other nutrients called phytochemicals and amino acids to help them. The Liver has a big job to do and as you will see, it requires a team effort.
During Phase One, which changes a toxic chemical to one that is less harmful, free radicals are formed. Free radicals are unstable particles that react with the body and damage the body�s cells. If too many free radicals are made, they can hurt the Liver cells. In order to get rid of or reduce these free radicals, our bodies need foods with a lot of antioxidants and phytochemicals. The antioxidants beta carotene, vitamins C and E, and selenium and many different phytochemicals are found in fruits, vegetables and whole grains. One of the most important antioxidants is an amino acid called glutathione. Glutathione is made by the body and is also found in some foods. The B vitamins including folic acid are also very important in this Phase One process.
During Phase Two the Liver adds a substance to the now less harmful chemical to make it water soluble. It can then be moved out of the body in urine or . During this Phase Two process, foods rich in sulphur compounds are needed. Some of the foods with a lot of sulphur compounds are (you knowthe kind, they smell when you cook them) cabbage, brussel sprouts, and broccoli.
Following are some more foods that have the nutrients needed to help Phase One and Phase Two work as well as they can:
Foods to Help Phase One Detoxification
Beets contain antioxidants such as beta-carotene, other carotenoids and healing flavonoids. Antioxidants help to limit the damage caused by free radicals, thus they have a healing and cleansing effect on the Liver; beets also have folic acid which is necessary for Phase One detoxification.
Broccoli contains B vitamins and vitamin C both of which help Phase One detoxification; it also is a source of folic acid.
Brown Rice provides B vitamins and the antioxidant selenium.
Carrots contain beta-carotene and other carotenoids that help to protect the Liver.
Eggs supply B vitamins.
Garlic has selenium and glutathione, both of which act as antioxidants.
Spinach provides folic acid and other B vitamins.
Tomatoes have vitamins C and E which are both needed for Phase One detoxification. They are also a good source of the antioxidant lycopene.
Wheatgerm contains selenium and vitamin E and is an excellent source of phytochemicals.
Melons and peppers are good sources of vitamin C.
Tomatillos, papaya, plantains, carambola and guava are good sources of the antioxidants beta-carotene and vitamin C.
Foods to Help Phase Two Detoxification
Broccoli contains natural sulfur compounds which are needed to enhance Phase Two detoxification.
Cabbage like broccoli, contains natural sulfur compounds.
Eggs contain methionine, a sulfur-containing compound needed for detoxification.
Brazil Nuts contain selenium, an antioxidant needed for detoxification.
Garlic has methionine which is needed for detoxification; also contains glutathione, a powerful antioxidant.
Onions have sulfur compounds which are important in both detoxification pathways; also a source of glutathione.
Asparagus and Watermelon are rich, natural sources of glutathione which is important for Liver detoxification.
Papaya and Avocado help the body to produce glutathione.
Mushrooms have a lot of glutamic acid which is needed to produce glutathione and help with Liver detoxification.
Foods for the General Health of the Liver
Soy Beans contain lecithin which helps the Liver break down fats and helps reduce high cholesterol levels; lecithin also helps maintain healthy membranes around Liver cells.
Cayenne Pepper contains many phytochemicals including beta-carotene and lutein and is rich in certain B vitamins as well as vitamins C and E. It also aids in digestion.
Lemon is a bitter, acidic food which is helpful for general cleansing of the body.
Walnuts are a source of arginine which helps the Liver detoxify ammonia, a waste product in the body; they are also a rich source of glutathione and omega-3 fatty acids. Wheatgerm has arginine and essential fatty acids.
Caraway Seeds contain many flavanoids and carotenoids which act as antioxidants. Caraway is helpful in Liver and gallbladder disease and helps produce glutathione in the body.
Note: The foods listed above benefit the Liver and they also have many other advantages that are not described.
General Tips for Foods that are Especially Good for the Liver
Eat plenty of fresh fruits and lightly cooked vegetables especially dark green, leafy vegetables and orange, yellow, purple, and red colored fruits and vegetables�they contain living enzymes, fiber, vitamin C, natural antibiotic substances, and anti-cancer phytonutrients.
Eat foods that are rich in glutathione or help to produce glutathione in the body. Asparagus, watermelon, broccoli and boldo are good sources of glutathione while papayas and avocados are foods that help the body to produce glutathione.
Bitter foods like dandelion greens, mustard greens, bitter melon, Romaine lettuce and broccoli raabe can help in cleansing the Liver.
Herbs like dill, caraway seeds, garlic, onions, boldo, turmeric and cayenne are easy to use in cooking and can help protect the Liver.
Green tea has immune-boosting properties and contains less caffeine than coffee.
Drink lots of water (6�12 cups per day) because it helps the kidneys to get rid of the toxins that the Liver has broken down.
Omega-3 fats are very helpful. These fats are found in cold water fish such as salmon, tuna, mackerel, sardines and halibut. Other good sources are ground flaxseeds, flaxseed oil and walnuts.
Nuts, seeds, and avocados are good food sources of polyunsaturated fats and monounsaturated fats that are less harmful to the Liver than saturated fats.
Foods that can Make the Liver Work Harder
Saturated fats are harder for the Liver to process. Limit high fat meats like sausage, bacon, salami, hot dogs and high fat dairy products like whole milk, ice cream and cheese, which contain saturated fats.
Other foods to limit that have a lot of saturated fat are french fries and high fat snack foods like potato chips, Doritos and Cheese Doodles.
Limit processed foods like white bread, white rice, cakes, cookies, donuts and candy. Add whole grains like whole grain breads and cereals, brown rice, quinoa and barley to your diet.
Limit caffeine to 2-3 cups/day. Caffeine is broken down by the Liver and may make it more difficult to cleanse the Liver. Coffee, tea and most sodas contain a lot of caffeine.
Eat light meals more frequently. Eating a light evening meal can help to reduce the Liver�s work during the healing hours of sleep.
Things to Avoid
Avoid alcohol. Alcohol is known to be a powerful toxin that will damage the Liver. Recreational drugs can also be stressful to the Liver.
Limit, as much as possible, chemicals such as food colorings, flavorings and preservatives as well as toxins such as insecticides and pesticides because these substances make the Liver work harder.
Avoid multi-vitamins that contain iron - Iron is stored in the Liver and supplementing with iron may increase the risk of iron toxicity. ________________________________________
-------------------- Everything I say is just my opinion! Posts: 3529 | From Massachusetts Boston Area | Registered: Jul 2008
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Summer3
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 35286
posted
Thanks for this post Steve! The funny thing was that I was craving a lot of these foods for the last few months. Especially garlic, onion, lemon water and brocolli. I was eating/drinking them every night in large quantities and my enzymes still shot up. I wonder what they would be if I hadn't eaten these foods.
So if I understand this correctly, glutathione should help to lower the enzymes?
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