Ammonia levels and liver disease
Common Questions and Answers about Ammonia levels and liver disease
ammonia
37 yo male, diagnosed with End Stage Liver Disease. Cirrhosis and hepatic cellular disease secondary to the cirrhosis. My labs according to my Dr are usually close to perfect, yet my ammonia level does fluctuate up and down. I am on Lactolose (sp?) I was a heavy drinker, and went in to renal and hepatic shut down. I was told that my liver looked like someone rubbed it with glass sand paper.
THIS IS THE INFO I HAVE BEEN GIVEN CONCERNING AMMONIA LEVELS. NORMAL IS 80 AND UNDER. MY AMMONIA HAS BECOME ELEVATED AS HIGH AS 800. WHEN MY AMMONIA BECOMES ELEVATED, ENCEPHALOPATHY SETS IN. THIS CAUSES ME TO BECOME CONFUSED, DISORIENTED, AND UNSTEADY ON MY FEET. THIS IS USUALLY THE POINT WHERE I END UP IN THE HOSPITAL.
This is the Hep C Forum. While we talk about high ammonia levels, it is in conjunction with Hep C and the liver problems from there. yOu might want to make sure the Dr did a Hep C Antibody these to make sure she doesn't have it then go to the list of Communities ( touch Communities at the top of the thread) and find the health and wellness site for more assistance.
Good luck and Blessings to you both.
You father has End-Stage Liver Disease (ESLD) which the the final phase of liver disease. Since his liver is failing it effects many of his other body systems as well so it is a very complicated process that entails many variables. Plus each person is unique in how the disease progresses during its final stages. As you say, "unpredictable". Near the end his condition can change dramatically in a day I'm afraid.
s in the hospital now, and they found his ammonia levels at 200. It comes and goes, but it seems that when he is the best is when he takes lactulose, and hopefully they'll raise his dose of it, because it just seems to be getting worse. The drug however, seems to really help him, ask the doctors about it.
d hate to give you incorrect information. It seems to me though that if indeed your mother has high ammonia levels that she has massive liver damage. I don't know what strange delirium she is in or what they are "in on" but maybe they are just trying to make her happy and pacify her?
Sorry I can't personally help you I am sure one of the more scientific fellows in here will come on and help.
Anyone have elevated ammonia levels? Are you having any symptoms and at what level did your symptoms start? I just had my first ammonia screening done and the level came back 119, with less than 47 being the reference range. I'm not having any symptoms. This seems to be the story of my life. All of my labs are going whacky and I'm still feeling fine. I'm afraid one of these days it's all going to hit and I'll be a mess.
then really shouldnt be hepatic encephalopathy frankly.
The only value that is not within norms is ammonia. Only in the final stage of liver disease does ammonia levels become an issue from liver disease. Higher than norm ammonia levels can be caused by many illnesses besides liver disease. -
Congestive heart failure
Gastrointestinal bleeding - usually in the upper GI tract
Genetic diseases of the urea cycle
Hyperthermia
Leukemia
Liver failure
Muscle exertion
Your previous doctor treated you for 29 weeks and you never became undetectable?
A family member has Hep C, Cirrhosis, and late stage liver cancer. Today he was found at his home, incoherent. He's now in a coma (Hepatic encephalopathy?). I just want straight answers on his chance of waking up again, and the likelihood of brain damage (and severity) if he does? As of now he's still resting, occasionally opening his eyes by reflex.
There is no answer to your question. Each episode of HE is different in each person and each person's liver disease and its complications are different from anyones elses liver disease and is constantly changing.
His doctors are the ones to direct your questions to. They are caring for him and monitoring him. They are assess is condition daily. They are the ones who decide he is healthy and stable enough to leave the hospital.
Some people with Stage 4 (cirrhosis) can develop excess accumulation of ammonia due to compromised liver function, which can in turn cause confusion and disorientation. Damage to the liver caused by hep c can lead to too much ammonia in the blood which then affects the brain, a condition called encephalopathy.
I have a question, my mother passed away a couple of days ago and all I can think of was her last days at the hospital, my question is, when a person that is awaiting a liver transplant and has many other problems that are going bad and her ammonia levels keeps rising and out of a sudden they can't respond back to any questions, can they understand what you are saying to them?
Although removal of ammonia appears to be important in the treatment of hepatic encephalopathy, the relationship between ammonia levels and the pathogenesis of the disease has yet to be confirmed. On the other hand, an elevated ammonia level above 250 μmol/L in an individual with fulminant hepatic failure is a key issue and bodes for an extremely poor prognosis.
ve been reading and been told, one of the functions of the liver is to regulate the amount of glucose, protein and fats that enter the bloodstream. It also processes vitamins and minerals. Like Iron. My iron is elevated so this dietician also said to limit red meats. Guess that has the most iron in it. And there are two kinds of iron. Seems like the animal iron sources, like red meat, are the ones to avoid.
Fatty liver due to alcoholism is called Alcoholic fatty liver disease and the other one is Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, which is due to obesity, diabetes and high triglyceride levels. Only if fatty liver disease advances a person can develop cirrhosis .The process can stop and, in some cases, reverse on its own without specific therapy. Lifestyle changes may be helpful. You should refrain from taking alcohol, as this will cause further injury to the liver.
Recommended
