3 ms·
And then there is non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). I am not fat, I've always been thin and my cholesterol is bang on perfect, my blood pressure 120/8
by dhughes 13y ago
And then there is non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).
I am not fat, I've always been thin and my cholesterol is bang on perfect, my blood pressure 120/80 or better. Although I've slacked off the gym for about four years I'm pretty active at work.
Anyway out of the blue I am diagnosed with fatty liver: it hurts, I can feel it. Know how people with fatty liver die? Heart attack or stroke, fatty liver significantly increases the chances of either or both.
My grandfather died at age 52 of a heart attack, his daughter my aunt died of a stroke after multiple heart attacks age 70-ish and her brother my uncle also died of a heart attack at age 52 same as his father. Their brother my uncle had a quadruple bypass in his late 50s.
I'm beginning to wonder if people with a family history of heart disease really have NAFLD.
- pw 13y agoI have this too but didn't realize it was a risk-factor for anything? What exactly do you feel and where?
- dhughes 13y agoI have a dull ache in my right side, back under shoulder blade and lower right abdomen. It's not painful just an annoying constant ache. Sometimes pins and needles on my back over my shoulder blade. From what I understand most people with NAFLD feel nothing, some people who develop scarring (cirrhosis) and even cancer don't feel anything. The liver is weird, at least it can regenerate from a lot of abuse.
- carbocation 13y agoNAFLD is usually caused by obesity. However, it is also a common finding in those with ApoB defects. People with these defects have a curious phenotype: normal or even fantastic lipid levels but with NAFLD/NASH. Essentially, the defective ApoB doesn't get secreted from the liver so serum cholesterol levels look good, but the liver becomes fatty as it cannot export TG and cholesterol. Certainly not trying to diagnose your familial disorder over the Internet, but taking a trip to a good lipid clinic might be something worth considering if you wanted to be aggressive in the pursuit of a diagnosis. (Which, again, might not be what I'm talking about above.)
- dhughes 13y ago> normal or even fantastic lipid levels At work a nurse comes in and we can get tested for high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes. I go and each time even up until my NAFLD my numbers practically perfect. Maybe I do have some ApoB protein trouble. Although I doubt there is a lipid clinic anywhere in Canada for me to go to. Thanks anyway.
- carbocation 13y agoActually Canada has fantastic lipid clinics. (Disclosure: lipoproteins were the focus of my research and I collaborated with these folks.) Rob Hegele is a big name in lipids and his clinic is in Southwest Ontario, I believe.
- dhughes 13y agoI'm in the Maritimes and things are so well at my job so no go for travel, but maybe I'll mention it to my doctor. Thanks.