My liver enzymes are elevated?

[Hiraeth 515]

I recently went to the doctor because I was having horrible flu-like symptoms. They never officially diagnosed me with anything, and just said it was a viral infection (I guess that's what I get for going to an Urgent Care). They took 3 vials of blood and called me a few days later, and told me that my liver enzymes are elevated. That makes me think that I have fatty liver disease. My liver enzymes were normal when I weighed 255. Now that I've lost 60 pounds, my liver enzymes are elevated? So it can't be fatty liver disease, can it? I don't even drink often (I very rarely drink). The nurse ran a panel on my blood for Hepatitis and found Hepatitis B antigens in the panel. She asked if I had ever been vaccinated for Hep B; and I was when I was 16. So, she said that the blood panel is just showing that I'm immune to Hep B. (Thank God) When she mentioned it, I panicked and was confused because I know I was vaccinated. Plus, I'm not even sexually active and I don't have tattoos, lol. So, I'm glad she told me that a blood panel can detect a past vaccination. *whew* So, now that Hepatitis is out of the equation, what could be happening?

Well... As I'm writing this, I just Googled causes of fatty liver disease, and it said that rapid weight loss and malnutrition can cause it. Great.
I feel like I'm eating enough, sometimes too much. I've lost 60 pounds in 4 months (I lost 21 pounds in my first 2 weeks post-op). I'm taking my Multivitamins, getting in my Protein, exercising (walking at least 2 miles a day), and I feel mostly fine except for a few odd symptoms...

- I've been having slight cramps in my lower abdomen and lower back (kinda feels like period cramps, but I'm several days away from my period).

- I'm peeing a lot more than I was a few days ago and my urine smells like stale coffee (and I'm not drinking coffee).

- My urine is bright yellow/orange first thing in the morning, but turns clear when I pee during the day.
- They did a urinalysis and didn't detect a UTI, but instead detected dehydration. (I've been drinking fluids.)

I'm probably worried over nothing. Has anyone had this problem, or does anyone know what might be happening? I've made an appointment to see my primary doctor in January, but I just want some peace of mind until then.

[heidikat72 935]

yep it is quite common with rapid weight loss especially with women. the liver enzymes initially go up before coming back down. For some reason, men tend to skip the increase and just have their liver panel come down.

let your surgeon and primary doc know so they can monitor it - you should be getting blood work drawn every couple of months the first year post op anyway and then annually thereafter. So they'll be able to keep an eye on it. Mine on paper looks like it is way above range, but both my primary and surgeon say it would have to be a lot higher than it is for them to even start to be concerned. But it is something that will be checked with each blood panel.

[Hiraeth 515]

yep it is quite common with rapid weight loss especially with women. the liver enzymes initially go up before coming back down. For some reason, men tend to skip the increase and just have their liver panel come down.

let your surgeon and primary doc know so they can monitor it - you should be getting blood work drawn every couple of months the first year post op anyway and then annually thereafter. So they'll be able to keep an eye on it. Mine on paper looks like it is way above range, but both my primary and surgeon say it would have to be a lot higher than it is for them to even start to be concerned. But it is something that will be checked with each blood panel.

Thanks so much for your reply! It's just so odd that they're going up now, and were normal when I was at my heaviest weight. My body is confusing, lol.

[Montana Gal 448]

Mine went up at about 6 months, we repeated the test in 6 weeks and it was back to normal. It has stayed normal ever since.

[Nymea 87]

It can also depend on which enzyme(s) are elevated. Some of them are specific only to the liver while others are found in other tissues too (like the bowel) and can reflect trauma such as surgery.

[Hiraeth 515]

It can also depend on which enzyme(s) are elevated. Some of them are specific only to the liver while others are found in other tissues too (like the bowel) and can reflect trauma such as surgery.

I wish the doctor had told me which ones. That's what I get for going to Urgent Care, lol. They thought it was alarming enough to check for Hepatitis, so I don't know what that indicates. I don't have Hepatitis, by the way. She did see Hep B antigens, but only because I had the vaccine.

[Nymea 87]

I only know this stuff because I am a nurse and do a lot of reading about new research so don't feel too bad.

[Hiraeth 515]

I only know this stuff because I am a nurse and do a lot of reading about new research so don't feel too bad.

Thank you so much for your reply. I hope it's just because my body is healing.