Even if your doctor approves eating, you should not drink alcohol the night before the test. The blood test should not be too taxing and you should be able to drive yourself home after the test. However, if you’d prefer not to drive after the test, ask someone to drop you off for the test and pick you up.
Medication like oral corticosteroids and ones made to lower your cholesterol can affect the results of the test. Iron supplements and herbal supplements can also skew the results. Your doctor may suggest that you abstain from taking medication 1-2 days before the test to avoid skewing the results. Do not stop taking medication unless your doctor suggests that you do this.
If you are uncomfortable with needles, try distracting yourself by chatting with the doctor or nurse. You can also avoid looking at the needle directly so you are less nervous.
The needle will leave a small wound at the injection site that should scab over within a few days. If the wound becomes very red, inflamed, or is not scabbing over, go see your doctor.
They will also run a panel on your blood sample to determine if you have a low amount of protein in your blood, such as globulin and albumin. Low levels of these proteins can indicate you have liver damage or your liver is not functioning properly. High levels of these enzymes and low protein levels may also indicate you have a liver issue like hepatitis or cirrhosis. These conditions are often caused by chronic alcohol consumption.
Bile duct issues can also cause your skin and eyes to appear yellow or jaundiced. In some cases, your urine may appear very dark.
Your doctor may also monitor your liver function over a period of several weeks and do another blood test to confirm your diagnosis.
The biopsy is then sent to the lab for analysis. The results of the biopsy will help your doctor determine your diagnosis in more detail.
If you are overweight, your doctor may suggest you lose weight by doing daily exercise and maintain a healthy weight as part of your recovery plan. People who have central obesity, meaning they mostly gain weight around their abdomen, also gain weight around their internal organs, including the liver. This can lead to “fatty liver” disease and abnormal liver blood tests. Weight loss will alleviate your symptoms. Keep in mind cirrhosis is a progressive disease that will only get worse if you do not make lifestyle and diet changes. You will need to maintain these changes for the remainder of your life to prevent further damage to your liver.
The type of medication you receive will depend on whether you have acute or chronic liver disease and if you also have bile duct issues. You will likely need to take medication along with making lifestyle and diet changes to treat your liver issue effectively.
Your doctor should outline this procedure in detail for you so you are aware of the risks and possible side effects. You will need to take medication to help your new liver regenerate and function well. You will also need to spend 4-6 weeks recovering and check in regularly with your doctor to ensure your new liver is working properly.
