Awww, Dej! appreciate the post for prayers and appreciate your support more than you know. Thanks Kitty, Sally, Twotwo

Scan done, results in... Fatty liver disease, which was my first guess since I gained nearly 25 pounds from November to March and it aint gone nowhere *sigh* so, now it is "official" that I need to do what I've been attempting to do--motivate myself to eat better, walk more, stretch more, exercise more.

I'm always amazed at how we can know in our head what needs doing but the body goes inert... I weighed 220 back in Nov. 2006, made a decision to change that, started exercising, yoga, walking, eating better--no fast food for over a year and by fall of 2007 when I met Dejibo I was around 180, limber (could stand flat footed with feet together and put my palms on the floor), and still maintaining a healthy lifestyle (besides the smoking)

2009...doing less and less, watching the weight creep on me...185, 190, 195... then last October decided to try the Chantix = less smoking, skin problems, depression, weight gain... elevated liver enzymes...225 and fatigued, unmotivated, angry with myself, etc. So that's how I arrive at my current dx of fatty liver disease.

something funny to relieve the serious: they had 4 different people pushing the ultrasound thingie on my abdomen, side, back.. said pictures were hard to get because I had gas bubbles they couldn't see thru... so, after an hour they are finally done, 2 ladies left in the room, I roll side ways to get off the table and you guessed it!!! just had to fart crop dusted the room big time and boy did they hurry me along to the hallway; boy did it stink too! but honestly I couldn't help it!

so, thanks for the positive thoughts and prayers. I know what I need to do, just need to do eet!!

oh! they found 4 stones in my gall bladder too :S asymptomatic so they can just live there

AWw Vik! I love you more than my luggage! I am sorry you tootled on the poor hospital folks.

I promise when you come up in November, we will get you headed in the right direction. Good food here, good motivation here, and a non smoking house outta whip you right into shape. I know you have the courage, the strength and the drive that you need, but you need to dust it off and use it. I need you to be healthy enough for our annual girl-a-thon. We need to go to Maine this year and cause trouble in Bar Harbor.

Glad you are home safe, with easy answers. Fatty liver is certainly easier to take care of than many other dx I can think of.

Well I prayed for your pressure to be released and if farting in their faces did it, then I say good going!!!

I suggested she try something and of course she did it. I could get her in trouble if she keeps that up.

She decided to take a Betaseron vacation. After 14 days of not being on the meds, she had her LFTs redrawn. They dropped by at least HALF! Thats awesome!

We are thinking that maybe the chantix or the weight gain, or something must have pushed the Betaseron into reacting badly on her. She has written an email to her MD who didnt know she took the break. Like most MDs he said "keep shooting!" and if we cant find any other reason for it, we will try a vacation with you. Well, we didnt wait for him or her liver to get past the 200 mark.

Since being off the Beta, she reports less bloating, less fatigue, less pain in her ribs. She has increased her fruits, and veggies and has done some exercise, so its not simply a Beta break, she is being pro active in other ways, but the LFTs were rising with each draw.

Will keep you tuned on the results from her MS MD about how long SHE not HE wants a break from this to allow her liver to heal. Please dont stop the prayers. its working!

i didn't know all this was going on V. glad you're doing better tho and enjoyed reading dej's briefs on the situation.

seems like you were not feeling well due to the B. i hope that improves.
meds are a dilemma indeed.

i know you can do all these things to improves your situation. because you've done them all before.

Haven't heard from my neuro yet though I did email him yesterday and I got the results in the mail of the last LFT... they fax copies to him so I guess whenever he reviews his faxes, he will see it.

for the record, starting from 23 March blood tests:
SGOT 74, SGPT 92
23 June
SGOT 125, SGPT 158
12 July (last beta shot 28 June)
SGOT 61, SGPT 69

only thing I've done beside stopping the beta (after being on it for 10 1/2 years) is I'm taking milk thistle 250mg bid...

I realize the weight I've put on is a problem too, that I have a "fatty liver" from the weight, but these results tell me the beta is a problem too; I will wait and see what my neuro says and I will go back on it when my liver has had a chance to heal.

interestingly, I have felt really good off the beta...more energy, better attitude, better mental clarity...

thanks for your support and prayers~ I appreciate it.
Vikki

It was like night and day for me when I stopped the Beta. Don't know what's in that stuff but it was definitely not helping me. My Neuro tries the guilt trip to get me to start it again. I think he got a little perturbed at me last time I went in (last week). He made the comment "well, it's your body you can do what you want with it". And to that I said "Yes it is. I totally agree with you and that is what I intend to do". And that ended my checkup!