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How often should liver function be checked while on antibiotics?

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Posted 1/27/2012 2:36 AM (GMT 0)
I'm taking two antibiotics (biaxin and mepron) and I don't take any liver support milk thistle etc. I've been taking the abx for about a month. I'll be on them for about 2 months before I go to my next appointment. How often are liver function tests supposed to be done and are they necessary?

I know about some of the warning signs, jaundice or yellowing of the eyes etc. Is there anything else I should be concerned about?
Posted 1/27/2012 3:08 AM (GMT 0)
I'm not really sure what the symptoms are of liver problems - although once in a while I swear I can feel my liver actually hurting! - my doctor usually tests them every time she does bloodwork, sort of as a routine thing. I'm not sure how often they should be done, but I definitely think it's a good idea to keep an eye on it - that way if something starts to go wrong you can nip it in the bud before any problems get worse.

After something like 6 months of 3 different abx, my liver enzymes were slightly elevated, and one month of milk thistle brought them down back to normal.
Posted 1/27/2012 7:35 AM (GMT 0)
My liver enzymes are up for the first time after 8 weeks of babesia antibiotics and 7 weeks of lyme antibiotics. Off antibiotics for 2 days and now back on babesia antibiotics because some symptoms came back. Read about milk thistle and dandelion root but looks like both could be a problem with antibiotics. I'm also allergic to rag weed and looks like milk thistle is related too. Check out anything you may take to make sure it is not a problem for the other meds you are on. Blood work for liver enzymes in a week and see where I go from there. Linda
Posted 1/27/2012 12:26 PM (GMT 0)
Throughout my treatment, my doc has tested my liver enzymes every 8 weeks and then eventually every 12 weeks.

For the first time in 3.5 years, he mentioned that my numbers were high and asked me to use Milk Thistle. I didn't feel or look any different.

A couple of times my primary care doc or ER doctor ran blood tests and said my liver numbers were elevated, so I am assuming that my LLMD accepts a certain level of increased liver enzymes with the prolonged abx treatment.
Posted 1/27/2012 12:27 PM (GMT 0)
Borderlyme - I felt my "liver" hurting as well - turns out it was gall stones. But, not much you can do either way, just titrate your treatment to adjust. My PCP doctor wanted me to have gall bladder taken out and referred me to a surgeon who said he saw no reason to take it out unless it was chronically hurting (to his credit, even tjugh his eyes glazed over when I mention Lyme - LOL). My LLMD, acupuncturist and most people I asked about this said NO! It's like anything else with Lyme, the hurting will clear as the Lyme treatment progresses. The stones are another matter - I am in day 6 of a liver/GB cleanse and tonight/tomorrow are the grand finale' (yuck). We'll see if this works....

As to the answer to the original question, liver enzyme checks should been done a couple weeks after any major change in treatment (increase in abx and/or change or addition of a new one). Mine had slightly elevated after I doubled abx dosage, but fell back into line when I retested 3 weeks later.
Posted 1/27/2012 3:15 PM (GMT 0)
When I'm taking medications that are known to be especially hard on the liver (Mepron, Malarone, Ketek, etc), I have a liver panel every 4 weeks.  When on other medications that aren't as notorious for raising liver enzymes, then every 12 weeks at my regular apt. 

I often take Milk Thistle when I'm on abx.

Posted 1/27/2012 4:07 PM (GMT 0)
Ah, I always forget the gall bladder is in there too! So many organs in one compact space! You can't...actually feel the stones right? The whole upper right side of my abdomen was really painful so I was sort of just palpating it and felt weird hard spots but like closer to the skin, if that makes sense.

Guess I'll add it to my list of questions for my next visit!
Posted 1/27/2012 4:16 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks for the responses. So far I don't think I have any pain in my liver although my ribcage does bother me very frequently.

I already had an elevated liver enzyme which was discovered when I had my first ever liver panel done before I started any treatment or even was diagnosed with Lyme. Apparently it's harmless and due to a genetic mutation. However, I'm curious to see if that rises or lowers to normal with treatment for lyme.

I was a little worried about Mepron being hard on the liver. However, I've only been taking it for 4 weeks. I think I'm going to ask about milk thistle the next time I go in as a precaution.

Post Edited (Summer3) : 1/27/2012 9:32:44 AM (GMT-7)

Posted 1/27/2012 7:37 PM (GMT 0)
i have a cbc and and a liver panel ran mthly...and have to carry it to my doc at every appt
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