Fatty Liver

[carina62]

I was diagnosed with Fatty Liver last year (by chance) and wondered if anyone else has managed to 'reverse' it? How do you know that it's improving? As I've posted in previous threads, I am losing weight and taking better control of my BS so this should benefit the fatty liver also. I didn't know that fatty liver, diabetes, high BP, high cholesterol is all part of the metabolic syndrome but I'm glad I know about it as I'm doing something about it. My GP's didn't seem that concerned about it.

 

[Alicki]

Yes, I lost 20 kilos and on next MRI, it was reversed. I avoided dairy, red meat, sugar - it's important to bring it down

 

[Hiitsme]

I was diagnosed with Fatty Liver last year (by chance) and wondered if anyone else has managed to 'reverse' it? How do you know that it's improving? As I've posted in previous threads, I am losing weight and taking better control of my BS so this should benefit the fatty liver also. I didn't know that fatty liver, diabetes, high BP, high cholesterol is all part of the metabolic syndrome but I'm glad I know about it as I'm doing something about it. My GP's didn't seem that concerned about it.

I thought that a lot of us type 2's are likely to have fatty liver but most of us are not tested for it. How was yours found out? Sorry just curious. My understanding is that losing weight will help. When first diagnosed I read a lot about the Newcastle Study with Professor Taylor and he mentions it. I think that was looked at from scans. I also would be curious to know if there are any other tests that can diagnose it.

 

[zand]

Yes I had fatty liver for years. I followed a low carb high fat diet and now it's healed.

 

[carina62]

I thought that a lot of us type 2's are likely to have fatty liver but most of us are not tested for it. How was yours found out? Sorry just curious. My understanding is that losing weight will help. When first diagnosed I read a lot about the Newcastle Study with Professor Taylor and he mentions it. I think that was looked at from scans. I also would be curious to know if there are any other tests that can diagnose it.

Originally I thought I had gallstones so had a scan for that but gallbladder OK and no gallstones BUT they found what they called an 'incidental cyst' in my liver and fatty liver. My LFT's (liver function tests) all came back normal and I have these tests every 6 months or so. Fortunately, my cyst was benign and I was discharged. The consultant told me that if they scanned all the population, over half would be found to have cysts in their bodies which they would never have known unless scanned. If I hadn't had the ultrasound scan I would never have known about the fatty liver. Since then I've done quite a lot of reading up about fatty liver and it seems to go hand in hand with diabetes. Anyway, to cut a long story short, I'm on a mission to seriously lose weight and have cut down carbs and sugar a lot and I don't drink alcohol (not that I drank a lot anyway, just the odd glass of wine) but I now keep that to special occasions. I'm due to have my LFT's in a couple of months so hoping they find all is OK. I did read somewhere that ferritin levels can show whether you have fatty liver. My GP said you either have fatty liver or you don't, there is no inbetween ie mild fatty liver so I guess I've just got to reduce the fat out of it by my lifestyle change.

 

[carina62]

Yes I had fatty liver for years. I followed a low carb high fat diet and now it's healed.

How did you find out it was healed? did you have an ultrasound scan or was it via blood tests?

 

[Lamont D]

I went through the rigmirole of being diagnosed with a fatty liver because of high liver function test.
I had the scans and the diagnosis was leave alcohol alone.
As alcohol affected me greatly and was in the process of total abstaining, that was not hard to do.
As I was putting on the pounds because of a type two diagnosis my fatty liver became fattier (is that a word?)
Anyway after a second scan and told the much more nicer scanner that I didn't drink, he declared I had NAFLD. (Non alcoholic fatty liver disease) I was told to diet and eat healthily and lose weight!
Once again, I informed him I was dieting as instructed by my health team. Little did they know, that it was the carbs that was making me ill and heavier due to hyperinsulinaemia and RH!
So since diagnosis of RH and very low carbing because I had to, losing five stones, all my symptoms of anything to do with my endocrine system have gone and I'm really healthy for an oap of my age.
My last scan revealed no fatty liver.
So, yes, is the answer to your question.

The wife is slowly but surely getting her fatty liver better results, as she is T2!
All due to the low carb lifestyle.

 

[zand]

How did you find out it was healed? did you have an ultrasound scan or was it via blood tests?

Via blood tests and physical examination by GP. My ALT tests were around 150+ for a while, but last time was just inside the 'normal' band.

 

[AndBreathe]

How did you find out it was healed? did you have an ultrasound scan or was it via blood tests?

Carina - As you arrer finding it's a pretty common for those diagnosed with T2. Mine was never called fatty liver, but all my indicators for fatty liver have been transformed by trimming up and reducing carbs.

Some medics, including Professor Taylor, at Newcastle and our very own Southport GP have come to understand that a fatty liver is almost the body's silent scream. Southport GP has also begun to recommend any patients he finds with fatty liver they consider reducing their carbs.

Hopefully, as you get your diabetes in hand, and trim up, your fatty liver will resolve itself too.

 

[carina62]

I feel so angry! - i went to see another GP this morning about my concerns about having fatty liver. From what i have read up about it, I am naturally very concerned.......but the doctors don't seem to be, they say that as my LFT's (liver function tests) have come back normal as far as they are concerned, it's OK. I have been to see a couple of different GP's at my surgery to have a chat and air my concerns but they just don't seem worried. Yes, i am pleased that my LFT's are normal but that doesn't mean to say that my liver is not damaged in some way as i have no idea how long i've had fatty liver, it could be years. I didn't really know that fatty liver is part of the metabolic syndrome which is part of diabetes, high BP and high cholesterol. I'm now on a mission to lose weight and cut out carbs, sugar and fats in my diet and i have already lost 10lbs in weight but am just wondering if it's too little too late as surely i should have been scanned for this at time of diagnosis of diabetes 7 years ago. A Fibroscan test is one that they can do to assess any liver damage but i guess they are costly and i haven't been offered this by my GP. I just can't believe that the doctors just leave something like this to chance - it makes me so angry! Sorry for the rant but I just feel so upset and angry today about it all! :-( - Does anyone else in my situation feel the same? How did you take the news of a fatty liver diagnosis?

 

[carina62]

Yes, I lost 20 kilos and on next MRI, it was reversed. I avoided dairy, red meat, sugar - it's important to bring it down

did you avoid all milk, cheese, eggs etc? If so, did you substitute some or all of them? thanks

 

[carina62]

Yes I had fatty liver for years. I followed a low carb high fat diet and now it's healed.

When you say high fat diet, surely the fat and saturated fats have to be looked at?

 

[carina62]

I went through the rigmirole of being diagnosed with a fatty liver because of high liver function test.
I had the scans and the diagnosis was leave alcohol alone.
As alcohol affected me greatly and was in the process of total abstaining, that was not hard to do.
As I was putting on the pounds because of a type two diagnosis my fatty liver became fattier (is that a word?)
Anyway after a second scan and told the much more nicer scanner that I didn't drink, he declared I had NAFLD. (Non alcoholic fatty liver disease) I was told to diet and eat healthily and lose weight!
Once again, I informed him I was dieting as instructed by my health team. Little did they know, that it was the carbs that was making me ill and heavier due to hyperinsulinaemia and RH!
So since diagnosis of RH and very low carbing because I had to, losing five stones, all my symptoms of anything to do with my endocrine system have gone and I'm really healthy for an oap of my age.
My last scan revealed no fatty liver.
So, yes, is the answer to your question.

The wife is slowly but surely getting her fatty liver better results, as she is T2!
All due to the low carb lifestyle.

What is RH? thanks

 

[zand]

When you say high fat diet, surely the fat and saturated fats have to be looked at?

Well not for me anyway. I am convinced that carbs were what caused my fatty liver (along with diet drinks). Trudi Deakin did a video about this I believe, but sorry I don't have the energy to search for it right now.

 

[Squire Fulwood]

According to a certain well known professor the biggest incidence of Non Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease occurs in Saudi Arabia. This is because it is hot and the water supply iffy so the population drink fizzy drink by the bucket. Since it is non alcoholic they are still standing after a few so they keep on doing it. The professor says it's the fructose that causes NAFLD. 50% of table sugar is fructose so sugar added drinks are a no no and fruit contains it which is why it's called fructose.

Alcohol also causes it but this is self limiting to a degree since you can't find your mouth after a while.

If you don't stop taking fructose and/or alcohol then that would be counterproductive assuming that you are trying to lose your visceral fat.

 

[eddie1968]

It is reversible, all my LFT's are normal now and last ultrasound was fine. Weight loss and proper diet and exercise are needed. Take care.

 

[Squire Fulwood]

When you say high fat diet, surely the fat and saturated fats have to be looked at?

It is better if you eat them. Fats cause the hormone Leptin to be produced. This is the hormone that can get fat out of your fat cells and it tells the brain when you are full. Apparently you can't easily lose weight without eating fat. This is one reason why lots of people who do low fat get bigger.

 

[Lamont D]

What is RH? thanks

Reactive Hypoglycaemia.

There is a forum on this type of metabolic condition.

Simply put, diabetes, problems with high glucose, producing not enough insulin.
I have an overactive pancreas and hyperinsulinaemia, (too much insulin). If not controlled (like diabetes). Lots of hypos!

 

[chalup]

Type 2 diabetes does not necessarily mean you are not producing enough insulin. My insulin levels are extremely high but I also have very high insulin resistance. I never hypo. You can have hyperinsulinemia and hypergycemia at the same time.

 

[Indy51]

The quality of fat is what's important for fatty liver - Omega 6's fats promote fatty liver whereas Omega 3 and saturated seem to help heal it. Here are a couple of links written specifically for healing fatty liver:

http://hopefulgeranium.blogspot.com.au/2012/10/my-dietary-recommendations-for-liver.html
http://hopefulgeranium.blogspot.com.au/2013/01/fatty-liver-and-its-treatment.html