medical help via google

[Barewolf]

I am writing this from Hospital bed. I was told my Gamma GT levels were above 450 when the norm is 0-50. Trouble is i cant seem to find out the medical seriousness of this, IE: what complications will i sufer. How high does gamma levels go before serious complications occur?

Ive tried google but cant find any tables or charts. Can anyone help? Im limited to what i am allowed to look for on the premier system.

[gazzae]

Originally Posted by Barewolf

I am writing this from Hospital bed. I was told my Gamma GT levels were above 450 when the norm is 0-50. Trouble is i cant seem to find out the medical seriousness of this, IE: what complications will i sufer. How high does gamma levels go before serious complications occur?

Ive tried google but cant find any tables or charts. Can anyone help? Im limited to what i am allowed to look for on the premier system.

Er if you are in hospital why not ask a doctor?

[Barewolf]

Originally Posted by gazzae

Er if you are in hospital why not ask a doctor?

because they wont tell me anything except not to worry

[Alanmelon]

This test is used to detect diseases of the liver, bile ducts, and kidney; and to differentiate liver or bile duct (hepatobiliary) disorders from bone disease.

Greater-than-normal levels may indicate:

* Congestive heart failure
* Cholestasis (congestion of the bile ducts)
* Cirrhosis
* Hepatic (liver) ischemia (blood deficiency)
* Hepatic (liver) necrosis (tissue death)
* Hepatic tumor
* Hepatitis
* Hepatotoxic drugs

From http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/e...cle/003458.htm

[Chris]

... which will be why they're not giving further details at the moment. It can't be helpful to be talking about some of the serious-sounding stuff on that list when it may be nothing of the sort.

They will wait until they have further information to assist in the diagnosis and then I'm sure they will explain things fully.

[Barewolf]

hmmm ok thanks

[Chris]

Originally Posted by Barewolf

hmmm ok thanks

Mate you really don't want to be using the internet for self-diagnosis while you're lying in a hospital bed! Mental wellbeing is important for good health. They won't give you details until they are reasonably sure what you have. They certainly won't want to scare you unnecessarily with talk of blood deficiency or tissue death until they have good reason to think that's what it is.

Let them get on with their job, and you get on with yours - which is relaxing and getting well.

[Acathla]

Gamma gt stands for gamma-glutamyltransferase which is a liver enzyme in the blood level that is elevated with excessive alcohol consumption (The liver breaks down and clears alcohol from the body and this enzyme is involved in the process).

The rate of gamma gt decline within the blood after stopping drinking varies between individuals. Usually it declines to normal levels in the absence of alcohol consumption after three months. There is no medicine, unfortunately, that can speed up the cleansing of the liver.

As for as I can tell, a high Gamma gt can also prevent you getting a driving license.

Alcohol isn't the only reason you can have high Gamma gt however (as I don't want to comment on your personal life). It can be raised by certain drugs, particularly those used to treat epilepsy.

--

As to not freak you out or anything, bear in mind that if gamma GT is raised but all other liver tests are normal, the result is usually of no consequence and suggests you may have inherited a naturally high level. There will be a good reason they aren't saying anything until all test have been completed and results returned.

[Stuart]

Originally Posted by Chris T

Mate you really don't want to be using the internet for self-diagnosis while you're lying in a hospital bed! Mental wellbeing is important for good health. They won't give you details until they are reasonably sure what you have. They certainly won't want to scare you unnecessarily with talk of blood deficiency or tissue death until they have good reason to think that's what it is.

Let them get on with their job, and you get on with yours - which is relaxing and getting well.

I'll back that up. The problem with looking medical things up anywhere (not just on the net) is that you only have part of the data needed for a diagnosis. This means you might read that your symptoms match up with those of condition X (which is fatal), or condition Y (which is treatable). In my experience, most people (me included) would convince themselves they have condition X.

The doctor may have access to more data, and will have more experience in diagnosis than you. He or she will also be able to call for more tests if needed.

Let them do the diagoisis, and suggest any possible remedy.

[lauzjp]

aw, you poor thing... hope you get better soon. just relax and enjoy being taken care of!

ps. If they see what you have been trying to do on the internet, they'll take away your access

[dilligaf1701]

I made the mistake of looking up the second op on my eyes that I have coming up -Oh how I wish I hadn't

Best leave it alone.

[Jules]

Hope you are better soon BW, best advice I can give you to sit it out and wait for the docs to give you the answers

[Salu]

Originally Posted by Chris T

Mate you really don't want to be using the internet for self-diagnosis while you're lying in a hospital bed! Mental wellbeing is important for good health. They won't give you details until they are reasonably sure what you have. They certainly won't want to scare you unnecessarily with talk of blood deficiency or tissue death until they have good reason to think that's what it is.

Let them get on with their job, and you get on with yours - which is relaxing and getting well.

I really think this is the best advice for the moment. It's very frustrating not knowing anything but I’m sure when they know the cause they will talk to you. Different patients want different levels of information so don’t be afraid to ask questions as the Dr will not know if you want a detailed breakdown or a rough guide.

Originally Posted by Acathla

Gamma gt stands for gamma-glutamyltransferase which is a liver enzyme in the blood level that is elevated with excessive alcohol consumption (The liver breaks down and clears alcohol from the body and this enzyme is involved in the process).

The rate of gamma gt decline within the blood after stopping drinking varies between individuals. Usually it declines to normal levels in the absence of alcohol consumption after three months. There is no medicine, unfortunately, that can speed up the cleansing of the liver.

As for as I can tell, a high Gamma gt can also prevent you getting a driving license.

Alcohol isn't the only reason you can have high Gamma gt however (as I don't want to comment on your personal life). It can be raised by certain drugs, particularly those used to treat epilepsy.

--

As to not freak you out or anything, bear in mind that if gamma GT is raised but all other liver tests are normal, the result is usually of no consequence and suggests you may have inherited a naturally high level. There will be a good reason they aren't saying anything until all test have been completed and results returned.

A raised GGT can point to many things other than alcohol consumption and drug toxicity. The problem with it is its lack of specificity. It's not diagnostic on its own. The bigger picture needs to be assessed.

Also a raised GGT will not prevent you getting a driving licence nor cause you to lose it. The level of GGT may be measured when an application for a licence reinstatement is made following a serious drink driving disqualification though.

[LSainsbury]

Originally Posted by Stuart C

I'll back that up. The problem with looking medical things up anywhere (not just on the net) is that you only have part of the data needed for a diagnosis. This means you might read that your symptoms match up with those of condition X (which is fatal), or condition Y (which is treatable). In my experience, most people (me included) would convince themselves they have condition X.

Excatly....this morning on GMTV, Fiona informed me that I might have meningitis...thanks Fiona - what a nice way to start the morning.

[joglynne]

Hope you get some good news and feel better soon. Not knowing is the hardest thing to put up with when you're stuck in Hospital, especially if it's the dreaded Hospital I think. Forever to get there by bus and nowhere to park in a car.

Don't worry, I live miles away and shan't be popping up with grapes. Just memories of hospital trips in my younger days.
Jo