Alkaline Phosphatase

Inspired2013
Inspired2013 Member Posts: 45
in Colorectal Cancer #1

For anyone who has had a liver resection, how long did it take for your liver enzymes to return to normal? I had 20% of my liver removed back in July and my liver enzymes still haven’t returned to normal, especially the levels of alkaline phosphatase. Since surgery, they haven’t been under 300 and a couple times it’s been above 400. I’ll also mention my CEA was over 300 just before surgery and since then has been under 3. I’ve also had two liver abscesses and a pleural effusion since surgery. Could those be messing with my liver enzyme numbers?

Comments

  • Butt
    Butt Member Posts: 352 Member
    #2

    If you are not currently on chemo there are a few very good liver supplements that theoretically speaking should help with a liver and enzymes. I had 60 % of liver removed. Not sure when enzymes went back to normal but I think 4 weeks or so. They didn t really care about measuring them for a while after I was released from the hospital. Like we got it done, so we are moving on. I started a mop up chemo a month later that when they did a blood test.

  • beaumontdave
    beaumontdave Member Posts: 1,289 Member
    #3
    Had two resections on the

    Had two resections on the liver, but the docs never indicated a problem with enzymes. The second surgery brought a pleural effusion that had to be drained twice, but all the numbers were within the norms. I suppose large enough abcesses could bump the numbers around, but I don't know. Your CEA is great and that's the number I watched first and most.

    .........................................................Dave

  • Nazareth
    Nazareth Member Posts: 88 Member
    #4
    My Alk phos went to 400

    My Alk phos went to 400 during my treatment for cancer- and my alt and ast went high too- I didn't have liver problems, or surgery for liver- but docs are tryign to figure out why they went high- They 'think' it might be due to gall stones of all things- not sure why the cancer treatment and surgery would have caused issues in gall bladder to cause alk phos, alt and ast to go high- but apparently that's what happened evidently- at they think it is=- my surgery for colon cancer was a year ago- my levels have dropped some- but still high, alk phos was 240 last tiem it was checked- alt and ast have drpped some- your CEA is good- great actually- might wanna just check with dog about possible gall stones causing high alk phos level- probably it isn't due to that- but i guess gall stones are quite common- so might be worth a check- I guess when smaller stones get stcuk in duct, it can throw off alk phos numbers-

  • Ruthmomto4
    Ruthmomto4 Member Posts: 708 Member
    #5
    I know way more about this

    than anyone should, my husband has had two liver resections, and currently is have bile duct blockage/stent issues. So the Alp is my nemesis and it raises for all kinds of reasons. Infection is DEFINETLEY one of them. It can take months for it to return to normal but any trending down is good. After every resection it went back normal within weeks. However obstructions, infections, medications all make that number and the ALT & AST rise signifigantly. If it’s an obstruction it usually causes your bilirubin to rise as well. 300 isn’t awful believe it or not, we have gone into 800-900’s. The abscesses are most definitely the cause. 

  • Nazareth
    Nazareth Member Posts: 88 Member
    #6
    yeah, there are numerous

    yeah, there are numerous reasons for those numbers to all rise- and liek you say- trending downwards is always a good sign- My gastro doc wanted me to get gall bladder taken out because of the numbers- but my surgeon didn't want to do the surgery only as last resort because of all the scars i have already- so they both decided it best ot 'wait and see' and sure enough the numbers started goign down a few months after my cancer surgery- My gastor did mention infection too- but no tests supported that- not sure if cancer meds caused the high numbers- coulda been i suppose? but yeah- it coudl be a nubmer of htings-

Discussion Boards