Re: blood tests

Gwen Love wrote:
Harv, I disagree If the med is doing a number on his liver, that's when he needs to be taking Milk Thistle.
Gwen

I'd like to see a peer reviewed study that shows that milk thistle has a beneficial effect on the liver and is not simply masking problems by lowering enzyme levels... If it is the latter, it isn't preventing liver injury it's masking the damage which can lead to problems getting out of hand. Right now, I've seen no studies indicating either way, but then again, I haven't been looking exceptionally hard.

Cheers,

Ari



"Harvey R. Stone" <none@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message news:jxYaf.9883$q%.2740@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Well said and the way it is.... If it were me,,, I would ask my RD for different medicine and taking milk thistle might be a bad idea if the medicine is doing a number on your liver.
Harv
"Paul T. Holland" <pholland@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message news:436BEF74.F13C39D7@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

hi david

you write 'just taking diclofenic'..you should be aware that this drug does
have a statistical chance of causing renal injury

from the patient info ***:

Hepatic Effects

Elevations of one or more liver tests may occur during diclofenac therapy.
These laboratory abnormalities may progress, may remain unchanged, or may be
transient with continued therapy. Borderline elevations (i.e., less than 3
times the ULN [=the Upper Limit of the Normal range]), or greater elevations
of transaminases occurred in about 15% of diclofenac-treated patients. Of
the hepatic enzymes, ALT (SGPT) is the one recommended for the monitoring of
liver injury.

In clinical trials, meaningful elevations (i.e., more than 3 times the ULN)
of AST (SGOT) (ALT was not measured in all studies) occurred in about 2% of
approximately 5,700 patients at some time during Voltaren treatment. In a
large, open, controlled trial, meaningful elevations of ALT and/or AST
occurred in about 4% of 3,700 patients treated for 2-6 months, including
marked elevations (i.e., more than 8 times the ULN) in about 1 % of the
3,700 patients. In that open-label study, a higher incidence of borderline
(less than 3 times the ULN), moderate (3-8 times the ULN), and marked (>8
times the ULN) elevations of ALT or AST was observed in patients receiving
diclofenac when compared to other NSAIDs. Transaminase elevations were seen
more frequently in patients with osteoarthritis than in those with
rheumatoid arthritis (see ADVERSE REACTIONS).

In addition to enzyme elevations seen in clinical trials, postmarketing
surveillance has found rare cases of severe hepatic reactions, including
liver necrosis, jaundice, and fulminant fatal hepatitis with and without
jaundice. Some of these rare reported cases underwent liver transplantation.

Physicians should measure transaminases periodically in patients receiving
long-term therapy with diclofenac, because severe hepatotoxicity may develop
without a prodrome of distinguishing symptoms. The optimum times for making
the first and subsequent transaminase measurements are not known. In the
largest U.S. trial (open-label) that involved 3,700 patients monitored first
at 8 weeks and 1,200 patients monitored again at 24 weeks, almost all
meaningful elevations in transaminases were detected before patients became
symptomatic. In 42 of the 51 patients in all trials who developed marked
transaminase elevations, abnormal tests occurred during the first 2 months
of therapy with diclofenac. Postmarketing experience has shown severe
hepatic reactions can occur at any time during treatment with diclofenac.
Cases of drug-induced hepatotoxicity have been reported in the first month,
and in some cases, the first two months of therapy. Based on these
experiences, transaminases should be monitored within 4 to 8 weeks after
initiating treatment with diclofenac (see
PRECAUTIONS
-Laboratory Tests). As with other NSAIDs, if abnormal liver tests persist or
worsen, if clinical signs and/or symptoms consistent with liver disease
develop, or if systemic manifestations occur (e.g., eosinophilia, rash,
etc.), diclofenac should be discontinued immediately.

To minimize the possibility that hepatic injury will become severe between
transaminase measurements, physicians should inform patients of the warning
signs and symptoms of hepatotoxicity (e.g., nausea, fatigue, lethargy,
pruritus, jaundice, right upper quadrant tenderness, and "flu-like"
symptoms), and the appropriate action patients should take if these signs
and symptoms appear.

david dunbar wrote:


 I just got the results from my latest blood tests and my ALT [liver
enzymes] are high .The  AST and Alk are within range and all the other
measurements are fine.I have PA and am just taking  diclofenic.Any ideas
from you folks?







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