Aniek
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 5374
posted
Has anybody had liver problems during Lyme treatment? If so, can you explain your experience and if the liver damage appeared to be from Lyme, another coinfection, or treatment?
For background, I've been dealing with upper right abdominal pain referring to my shoulder and hand. We thought it was gallbladder, but all the gallbladder tests (ultrasounds and HIDA scans) were negative.
There were some abnormalities in my liver that appeared on my MRI. From what I gather, it's inflammation. One half of my liver is larger than it was one year ago. No cirrhosis and no masses.
I go in for a liver biopsy on Friday to see what it is. I'm hoping to get a sample sent to MDL or Igenix.
Thanks all, Aniek
-------------------- "When there is pain, there are no words." - Toni Morrison Posts: 4711 | From Washington, DC | Registered: Mar 2004
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posted
Had some liver trouble in connection with mepron. Had to stop this med for a while. Don't know if there was any enlargement, kinda doubt it.
What is your status re babesia?
Have you checked in Dr. Blewiss' paper....he covered a wide range of lyme symptoms. Might want to look and see what he said about liver involvement.
Pubmed listed 71 articles when I searched for the term liver +lyme. Here is one of them:
Gastroenterol Clin Biol. 2001 Feb;25(2):193-6.Click here to read Links [Hepatic disorders related to Lyme disease. Study of two cases and a review of the literature] [Article in French]
* Dadamessi I, * Brazier F, * Smail A, * Delcenserie R, * Dupas JL, * Capron JP.
Service d'Hepato-Gastroenterologie, CHU, Hopital Nord, Amiens. [email protected]
We report two cases of Lyme disease, revealed by hepatic damage in a 71- and a 59-year old man. In the first case, the disease was revealed by febrile jaundice whereas, in the second case, results of liver tests showed cytolytic and cholestatic abnormalities with fever. Lyme disease is a zoonosis due to infection by Borrelia burdorferi transmitted by ticks. The multiple phases of the disease explain the polymorphism of the clinical manifestations. Usually, extrahepatic symptoms are first observed, including neurological tropisms of Borrelia burdorferi. On the contrary, hepatic impairment due to Lyme disease is rare, often asymptomatic and with biological manifestations only.
PMID: 11319444 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
Posts: 8430 | From Not available | Registered: Oct 2000
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randibear
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 11290
posted
I have constant upper pain under both ribs, however, all tests come back normal. It's worse at night. Scares me to death...
-------------------- do not look back when the only course is forward Posts: 12262 | From texas | Registered: Mar 2007
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Aniek
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 5374
posted
Thank you. I've never done Mepron. I've had equivocal WA-1 test through Quest before, no other babesia ever positive.
My LLMD did an artemesia, plaquenil and Ketek combo for Babesia. I think she would have tried Mepron, but then I started have these GI issues.
I don't think it's the Ketek, because I've been of Ketek for 18 months. My liver enzymes are normal too. They were slightly elevated once, I think on Ketek, so I stopped. But it's been over a year of normal levels.
I haven't done any research yet. I've been extremely fatigued for a few weeks, and just don't have it in me right now.
-------------------- "When there is pain, there are no words." - Toni Morrison Posts: 4711 | From Washington, DC | Registered: Mar 2004
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Jill E.
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Member # 9121
posted
As I've posted many times, I had severe liver damage from Ketek. My liver enzymes kept skyrocketing even once I was off Ketek. I have since read or heard it can do that from the Ketek. Yet you have been off it so long, that doesn't sound like the cause.
I had a liver biopsy. Be sure to talk to the pathologist BEFORE the biopsy because MDL and IGeneX have very specific requirements for the specimen. Unfortunately, my pathologist stained my specimen and neither MDL and IGeneX could accept it.
When Ketek damaged my liver, I had severe inflammation and cell death. My hepatologist wanted to put me on steroids for the inflammation but of course I said no, Lyme patients can't do that. So just be prepared to explain that.
I was able to do the biopsy without any sedation. I didn't want to stress my liver any more than it already was. The biopsy was no biggie thank goodness although I was sore for a few weeks if I lifted my right arm.
Bartonella is another nasty one in terms of the liver. Have you been treated for that?
Please feel free to PM me if you have questions.
Take care, Jill
-------------------- If laughter is the best medicine, why hasn't stand-up comedy cured me? Posts: 1773 | From San Diego | Registered: Apr 2006
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Aniek
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 5374
posted
Jill,
Thank you. I had the biopsy on Friday. I had severe pain afterwards, which kind of confirms for me it is my liver causing my problems. The pain referred right up to my shoulder, which scared them into thinking I was bleading. Luckily, I wasn't.
They put the sample right in the container MDL sent and I had it shipped out to MDL. So I know they didn't do anything to it.
Hopefully there will be some answers...
-------------------- "When there is pain, there are no words." - Toni Morrison Posts: 4711 | From Washington, DC | Registered: Mar 2004
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posted
Milk thistle (silymarine) has protected my liver very well through long years of abx. It has been shown in studies that it protects the liver and helps repair liver damage.
-------------------- Against institutionalized bread-eating! Lyme should be legally forbidden! Posts: 14 | From Germany | Registered: Mar 2007
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randibear
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 11290
posted
i am on milk thistle plus andrew lessman's liver support (you can get it on HSN).
I, also, have pain under both ribs. Keeps me awake at night. And like you, it scares me to death.
Sometimes I think I'll just worry myself to death if the lyme doesn't get me..........
-------------------- do not look back when the only course is forward Posts: 12262 | From texas | Registered: Mar 2007
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Vanilla
Unregistered
posted
Yes I have had liver problems from meds (ABX and Babs meds) and no it does not show up in my liver panels. My acupuncturist and my Tibetan doctor can tell from my pulses when they are diagnosing me. I would if you are into it go to a good acupuncturist and have them pay attention to your gall bladder as well when they take your pulses.
Do not take milk thistle if you are on Mepron or Malarone.
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Aniek
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Member # 5374
posted
Thank you all. My liver is actually enlarged, it shows on an MRI. That is why I had the biopsy. I appreciate the input, but for now I'm waiting to hear those results before I go to any other practitioners.
I am on milk thistle, although I haven't been throughout treatment. I've also been of abx for 4-5 months.
The biopsy will be able to tell if it is drug toxicity.
-------------------- "When there is pain, there are no words." - Toni Morrison Posts: 4711 | From Washington, DC | Registered: Mar 2004
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liz28
Unregistered
posted
I do have those symptoms from taking ketek and omnicef. When funds are low, I take milk thistle and NAC. Otherwise, the product that has helped is Dr. Zhang's Hepa Formula 2. But it's pricey. www.hepapro.com
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Aniek
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Member # 5374
posted
The biopsy was negative. No clear infections, no drug toxicity, no known reason. The MDL tests were also negative.
The biopsy did show that my liver is congested. The GI doc didn't tell me that, but my LLMD told me.
One of the blood tests my LLMD ran showed I have a propensity to clotting. I'm not at home right now, so I don't have the test result in front of me.
She said that could be the reason, if the blood is too thick to draing properly from the liver. She is also following up with my GI doc to make sure the MRI would have caught a clot in the liver.
My GI doc did refer me a liver specialist. That appointment is in a couple weeks.
-------------------- "When there is pain, there are no words." - Toni Morrison Posts: 4711 | From Washington, DC | Registered: Mar 2004
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ByronSBell 2007
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posted
I do weekly Glutathione IV's and they keep my liver in GREAT shape, doc said my liver was better than the average human's liver and I have a ton of neurotoxins
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posted
Tylenol (acetominiphin s.i.c.?) causes liver damage at recommended doses. I am amazed that so called drs. are still prescribing it, and that it still appears on almost every shelf over-the-counter.
About 2 years ago, I showed liver damage in a routine blood test. Taking Lortab (500mg Tylenol + opiate) for pain was the culprit. Of course, I had to figure this out on my own just as in every other facet of my 12 years of misdiagnosis.
Just as I hope to see drs. answer for the misdiagnosis of Lyme, I long for the day when the drs. (and drug companies) are questioned for prescribing Tylenol when all evidence said that Tylenol was damaging livers at recommended doses.
Posts: 175 | From Colorado | Registered: Feb 2007
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I too have had pain in my liver area for about a year now. It was really bad for some time.......this was while I was still searching for what was wrong....
all my doctor knew was that my liver wasn't detoxing.....it was toxic.....
She'd always say-- you have a DETOXING ISSUE!!!
I also take Milk Thistle....it's great. A doctor introduced me to, Ultra Thistle, it is supposed to be
10x more absorbable, by being bound to phosphatidylcholine (from soy) on a molecular level....
The pains are hardly here anyone.... I know I'm making progress, and I can handle car fumes more.....
I did the lemon, garlic, & olive oil mixture (Liver FLush) followed by a cup of tea first thing in the morning for months....
(make sure you brush your teeth after-lemon will eat your teeth)
the lemon makes the liver squeeze & release the toxins, the garlic dis-infects and kills, and the olive oil pushes the toxins out....
it helped me....you can google it and read more about it.....
I'm still working on my liver, but I feel I've peeled some layers off....smile
Mahalos~ Fawne
-------------------- Energy flows where attention goes~ Posts: 302 | From Kauai | Registered: May 2007
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Aniek
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 5374
posted
I've got my blood test results here. My Alpha-2-Macroglobulin is high and Protrhombin antibodies (IGM) are high. My doctor's notes say positive antiphospholipids.
Fawne- Thanks. Unfortunately, I'm allergic to soy and sensitive to lemon, so both your suggestions are out for me.
I have considered trying the liver flush with lime instead of lemon. Maybe when I'm done with finals next week.
-------------------- "When there is pain, there are no words." - Toni Morrison Posts: 4711 | From Washington, DC | Registered: Mar 2004
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