Beware of Fatty Liver diagnosis..... Here is my story
etxgal
Posts: 11 Member
First, I am new to the group and although "fatty liver" doesn't necessarily describe my issue, the group is the closest one I could find about liver issues.
I am currently 42 and was a healthy 120-130's back in my high school/college days. In my early/mid 20's when I started working and having a more sedentary lifestyle and on-the-go eating habits, I started gaining about 10 lbs a year until eventually I was 80-100 lbs overweight. Needless to say the health issues began. It started with being gestational diabetic with my pregnancy at age 25, then went to PCOS (which made me insulin resistent), then in my early 30's my liver enzymes started being elevated. For all of 10 years multiple doctors took the wait and see approach and labeled me as non-alcoholic fatty liver due to my weight and carrying the majority of it in my belly area.
Finally 2 years ago, a new gastroenterologist (when I had gone in for continual stomach issues that I have been dealing with for 20 years - IBS or whatever) brought up my history of elevated liver enzymes and the length I had had them. He ordered genetic liver testing (all were negative), as well as an ultrasound of my abdomen (which showed an EXTREMELY enlarged liver and spleen). This prompted a trip to a liver specialist and a liver biopsy. The liver doctor also thought I had fatty liver (again biased I think because of my weight) and thought it would be no big deal. WRONG! My biopsy showed advanced fibrosis and stage 3-4 cirrohsis. I was told that this was probably auto-immune as I had very little fat in my liver (less than 5%) and that due to the function of my liver that a transplant was very possible in my lifetime. I am now on immune suppressants to try to keep my body from further damaging my liver and hope to keep transplant away for as long as I can.
Just as an after note.....I have some additional auto-immunity issues as well as Type 2 diabetes that were all found around the same time frame (2 years ago).
I say this not to scare any of you, but to make you aware that "fatty liver" could be something a lot worse.......so please be proactive with your health, your test results and your bodies. Yes, loosing any extra weight will help in any medical diagnosis and to prolong your life.....but being informed and asking additional questions can't hurt either.
I am currently 42 and was a healthy 120-130's back in my high school/college days. In my early/mid 20's when I started working and having a more sedentary lifestyle and on-the-go eating habits, I started gaining about 10 lbs a year until eventually I was 80-100 lbs overweight. Needless to say the health issues began. It started with being gestational diabetic with my pregnancy at age 25, then went to PCOS (which made me insulin resistent), then in my early 30's my liver enzymes started being elevated. For all of 10 years multiple doctors took the wait and see approach and labeled me as non-alcoholic fatty liver due to my weight and carrying the majority of it in my belly area.
Finally 2 years ago, a new gastroenterologist (when I had gone in for continual stomach issues that I have been dealing with for 20 years - IBS or whatever) brought up my history of elevated liver enzymes and the length I had had them. He ordered genetic liver testing (all were negative), as well as an ultrasound of my abdomen (which showed an EXTREMELY enlarged liver and spleen). This prompted a trip to a liver specialist and a liver biopsy. The liver doctor also thought I had fatty liver (again biased I think because of my weight) and thought it would be no big deal. WRONG! My biopsy showed advanced fibrosis and stage 3-4 cirrohsis. I was told that this was probably auto-immune as I had very little fat in my liver (less than 5%) and that due to the function of my liver that a transplant was very possible in my lifetime. I am now on immune suppressants to try to keep my body from further damaging my liver and hope to keep transplant away for as long as I can.
Just as an after note.....I have some additional auto-immunity issues as well as Type 2 diabetes that were all found around the same time frame (2 years ago).
I say this not to scare any of you, but to make you aware that "fatty liver" could be something a lot worse.......so please be proactive with your health, your test results and your bodies. Yes, loosing any extra weight will help in any medical diagnosis and to prolong your life.....but being informed and asking additional questions can't hurt either.
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