Info on liver disease - (for pre-op lurkers too)

[Guest guest]

Not too long ago there was a thread (I think it was on) one of these lists

about elevated liver enzymes or some such test results, and someone had

mentioned that her doc told her it's not uncommon for " our " results in that

area to always run high after gastric bypass.

Interestingly, I came across an article today in the latest issue of Dr.

Weil's health newsletter, about NASH: non-alcoholic steatohepatitis,

which is becoming more common due to the epidemic increase in obesity. Liver

cells become enlarged and filled with fat, and eventually, inflammation

develops. It can advance to more serious problems, such as liver fibrosis and

cirrhosis, which cause irreversible scarring and loss of liver tissue. While

the underlying cause is unclear, some researchers think insulin resistance

may be the initial trigger: when there's too much glucose in the blood, more

fat forms and is deposited in the liver. @@

Symptoms are generally vague or nonspecific, such as fatigue, a lack of

energy, or upper abdominal pain from an enlarged liver. A physician might put

these signs together with other key indicators--such as being overweight,

insulin resistance, and elevated liver enzyme tests. A liver biopsy, however,

is needed to donfirm a diagnosis of NASH.

Slimming down can help, but rapid weight loss (for example, WITH WEIGHT-LOSS

SURGERY) (caps are mine) can worsen liver disease. %% Substitutes should be

sought for liver-damaging drugs such as estrogens, corticosteroids, and

tamoxifen. Milk thistle ## encourages the regeneration of liver cells and

reduces inflammation. Some Chinese herbs, such as schizandra, promote liver

healing, as do herbal formulas for hepatitis C from Dr. Qingcai Zhang, a

physician who specializes in hepatitis and sold by the HepaPro Corporation

(; <A HREF= " www.hepapro.com) " >www.hepapro.com)</A>.

Notes from C.A.

@@ From all that I have read and experienced, this insulin resistance goes

hand in hand with overweight, and I have even come to wonder which comes

first: overweight or insulin resistance. One sure thing: insulin resistance

causes a LOT of problems in our bodies. Just one more reason for staying the

heck away from sugars and simple (non-complex) carbs.

%% Maybe there's a tie-in here for those elevated liver enzyme lab results

that many post-ops get??

## Which many on these lists already know about

----------------------

Carol A

[Guest guest]

Not too long ago there was a thread (I think it was on) one of these lists

about elevated liver enzymes or some such test results, and someone had

mentioned that her doc told her it's not uncommon for " our " results in that

area to always run high after gastric bypass.

Interestingly, I came across an article today in the latest issue of Dr.

Weil's health newsletter, about NASH: non-alcoholic steatohepatitis,

which is becoming more common due to the epidemic increase in obesity. Liver

cells become enlarged and filled with fat, and eventually, inflammation

develops. It can advance to more serious problems, such as liver fibrosis and

cirrhosis, which cause irreversible scarring and loss of liver tissue. While

the underlying cause is unclear, some researchers think insulin resistance

may be the initial trigger: when there's too much glucose in the blood, more

fat forms and is deposited in the liver. @@

Symptoms are generally vague or nonspecific, such as fatigue, a lack of

energy, or upper abdominal pain from an enlarged liver. A physician might put

these signs together with other key indicators--such as being overweight,

insulin resistance, and elevated liver enzyme tests. A liver biopsy, however,

is needed to donfirm a diagnosis of NASH.

Slimming down can help, but rapid weight loss (for example, WITH WEIGHT-LOSS

SURGERY) (caps are mine) can worsen liver disease. %% Substitutes should be

sought for liver-damaging drugs such as estrogens, corticosteroids, and

tamoxifen. Milk thistle ## encourages the regeneration of liver cells and

reduces inflammation. Some Chinese herbs, such as schizandra, promote liver

healing, as do herbal formulas for hepatitis C from Dr. Qingcai Zhang, a

physician who specializes in hepatitis and sold by the HepaPro Corporation

(; <A HREF= " www.hepapro.com) " >www.hepapro.com)</A>.

Notes from C.A.

@@ From all that I have read and experienced, this insulin resistance goes

hand in hand with overweight, and I have even come to wonder which comes

first: overweight or insulin resistance. One sure thing: insulin resistance

causes a LOT of problems in our bodies. Just one more reason for staying the

heck away from sugars and simple (non-complex) carbs.

%% Maybe there's a tie-in here for those elevated liver enzyme lab results

that many post-ops get??

## Which many on these lists already know about

----------------------

Carol A

[Guest guest]

--On Tuesday, March 25, 2003 10:25 PM +0000 Graduate-OSSG

wrote:

> Interestingly, I came across an article today in the latest issue of Dr.

> Weil's health newsletter, about NASH: non-alcoholic

> steatohepatitis,

Carol, I am a lurker on the grad list, and I realize it is against the

rules to email you privately, but I just had to ask where you get Dr.

Weil's newsletter - is it a mailing or an email one? I get a daily and

weekly bulletin from him, but nothing this in-depth. I'd be really

interested in receiving it.

I have started taking milk thistle again after hearing so much about liver

problems post-op. I took it prior to my surgery to help my liver deal with

the anethesia and medications, and I think it helped me recover more

quickly. I figure it couldn't hurt and will probably help - there is a lot

of evidence out there that it definitely contributes to liver health.

Thanks for the info and I hope you don't mind that I emailed you about it.

Sally

298 (BMI 49)/-110/188

Goal: 150

lap RNY 7/10/02

Dr. Quinlin/Pittsburgh

[Guest guest]

--On Tuesday, March 25, 2003 10:25 PM +0000 Graduate-OSSG

wrote:

> Interestingly, I came across an article today in the latest issue of Dr.

> Weil's health newsletter, about NASH: non-alcoholic

> steatohepatitis,

Carol, I am a lurker on the grad list, and I realize it is against the

rules to email you privately, but I just had to ask where you get Dr.

Weil's newsletter - is it a mailing or an email one? I get a daily and

weekly bulletin from him, but nothing this in-depth. I'd be really

interested in receiving it.

I have started taking milk thistle again after hearing so much about liver

problems post-op. I took it prior to my surgery to help my liver deal with

the anethesia and medications, and I think it helped me recover more

quickly. I figure it couldn't hurt and will probably help - there is a lot

of evidence out there that it definitely contributes to liver health.

Thanks for the info and I hope you don't mind that I emailed you about it.

Sally

298 (BMI 49)/-110/188

Goal: 150

lap RNY 7/10/02

Dr. Quinlin/Pittsburgh