High ALT

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pilgrimchris
pilgrimchris Member Posts: 27
edited 9. Jan 2017, 06:11 in Chat to our Helpline Team archive
Help, just been told to stop the meth as had a blood test with ALT at 680 today! Normally my results are ok now I'm on 15mg (kept getting 60-80 results every time I tried a higher dose for more than a couple of months)
Doc said not to take my dose this weekend and call consultant on Monday but I'm really concerned now

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  • stickywicket
    stickywicket Member Posts: 27,710
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    The Helpline team can't always answer posts at the weekend but yoi are clearly and understandably anxious about this so I just thought I'd let you know that, although it's never happened to me, it's a fairly regular occurrence on here.

    People are usually told to lay off their meds until the liver has recovered. Then they might be re-started on them or on a different DMARD.

    It must be very scary but that's the value of our regular blood tests. They highlight problems early on before any lasting damage can be done. I'd say keep calm and do as requested. I hope the next lot of bloods are better.
    If at first you don't succeed, then skydiving definitely isn't for you.
    Steven Wright
  • pilgrimchris
    pilgrimchris Member Posts: 27
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    Thanks stickwicket. It's happened to me several times before but never at the lower dose and never anywhere near so high a level.
    I had a ultrasound earlier in the year which also showed polyps of my gallbladder which I was told were not a problem but it's always in the back of my mind
    Thanks again
  • helpline_team
    helpline_team Posts: 3,487
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    Dear Pilgrimchris,

    Thanks for your post to Helplines. I'm sorry to hear that your test result is a concern. The point about the blood monitoring that's done with DMARDS is that these procedures have existed for a long time to keep people safe. Drugs such as methotrexate are processed by the liver and if the liver is becoming inflamed, the blood test picks that up and the drug is stopped. Over time the liver regenerates. The medical team will assess a safe next stage, often to re-introduce the drug, or to discuss treatment options if needed.

    Methotrexate has been used in this way for a long time and these blood tests do help to avoid long-term problems, but if you would like you are very welcome to ring our helpline for a chat.

    If you'd like some medical reassurance, then that's more a role for the rheumatology specialist nurse.

    I do hope this has been helpful.

    kind regards

    Guy
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