High Liver Enzymes

[dana-g]

My last bloodwork showed that I had elevated liver enzymes (pre my celiac disease diagnosis) and I've since read that that is actually one of the signs of celiac disease. I'm having more bloodwork done next week and I'm hoping it will be normal...but I'm wondering if anyone out there has had a similar experience. I'm concerned because I know liver disease is one of the lovely bonus gifts we are at risk for as celiacs and I wasn't diagnosed celiac disease til I had suffered for most of my 46 years. On the up side, it led us to test our kids, and our 11-year old daughter turned out to have celiac disease, and she's doing well on the diet and feels great! So we nipped that timebomb in the bud! Any insights would be helpful since I am fairly freaking out, which is uncharacteristic for me, but I think the magnitude of this disease is finally hitting me. It ain't no Richard Simmon's Deal-a-Meal! Thanks you guys.

[lauderdalehawk44]

I actually passed out in school one day and in the ER they drew blood whole nine yards and the only thing they found was high liver enzymes. Few months later i was always having stomach pain so went to a new doctor did cat scan and blood work and blood work came back as me showing celiac sprue in the blood. I asked him about my liver enzymes and he said that he was not 100% sure but it could have been the celiac disease all along. Don't know if that helps lol

[lauderdalehawk44]

p.s. good to hear your daughter is doing good. After i was diagnosed my aunt had my cousin tested and found she has it as well and she's about your daughters age so good thing for both of them

[dana-g]

Thanks! That definately helps...sounds like you had a time of it, though. Hope you are doing well, too. This is one sneaky disease.

[debimashni]

I was actually diagnosed with Celiac Disease after I was admitted to the hospital with liver enzymes (ALT & AST) in the 800s....normal is under 45. My doctors are not sure if the elevation was from the Celiac Disease, or caused by one of the immunosuppressant meds I take for Behcet's Disease (another autoimmune disease), or even from a virus. Luckily, my husband is a nurse practitioner so he draws my labs on a regular basis. I also have urine dipsticks that check for bilirubin in my urine that I use if I notice my urine is dark. Last time I used one and found moderate levels of bilirubin, my husband checked my labs and sure enough, my liver enzymes were elevated again. I just switched to a new immunosuppressant drug to see if my meds caused the problem.

[Alison]

Yes, high liver enzymes are related to celiac disease -- this has been confirmed to me by doctors who know about celiac. Mine were high, as were several celiacs that I have talked to. The numbers fell into the normal range once going gluten-free.