High AST and ALT levels: What should I do?

So, I’ve been dealing with this weird discomfort in my abdomen for about ten days now. It isn't exactly a sharp pain, more just a nagging, uneasy feeling mostly on my left side, right under the ribs. To make matters worse, my left kidney was absolutely killing me yesterday. I actually went in to get some blood and urine work done today, and everything came back looking pretty normal, except for a few things. My bilirubin is sitting at 31.6, and my AST and ALT enzymes are at 40 and 108, respectively. I have to head back tomorrow for hepatitis screening markers. Honestly, I'm already a bit of a nervous wreck and can't wait for those results to come in. I guess I was wondering if anyone else here has dealt with anything similar? Does this left-sided pain have any connection to the liver, and how worrying should I be about these specific numbers? Thanks so much in advance!🤷

steelharbor5 said:For about ten days now, I’ve been dealing with this nagging, uncomfortable ache in my abdomen—mostly concentrated on the left side just under the ribs—and yesterday, my left kidney felt like it was being torn apart. Interestingly, my blood and urine work came back looking normal today, yet my bilirubin is sitting at 31.6, with AST at 40 and ALT at 108. I have to go in tomorrow for hepatitis markers. Honestly, the anxiety is starting to wear me down, and I can't wait for these specific test results to come in. Has anyone else dealt with similar symptoms? Does pain on the left side have any actual connection to the liver, and how concerning are these specific numbers in your opinion? Thanks in advance.🤷

Elevated bilirubin and liver enzymes pointing toward liver issues?

Do you happen to drink alcohol frequently?

Well, I wouldn't say it happens all the time. I might have a beer every now and then, but I definitely wouldn't call that excessive!

If those lab results were listed above, the connection would make sense—you'd have portal hypertension alongside an enlarged spleen causing that dull ache. As it stands, this could just be a simple infection leading to splenic enlargement... but that's only one possibility. Don't let it weigh on you too heavily; nothing you worry about will change the outcome. Try to find a distraction and clear your head...

Thanks for the advice! I try to keep myself busy and stay occupied, but then that pain just flares right back up, which is honestly pretty lousy. My blood work and urine tests all came back totally normal, though! I’m headed in tomorrow to get those specific markers checked out, and then I'll see what my doctor says. Hopefully, it isn't anything too worrisome!

I actually went through something pretty similar a few years back—everything else seemed totally normal, but my bilirubin levels were up along with my ALT and AST enzymes, just like yours. In my case, though, those numbers were way higher; I think some of them even shot past 200, though I can't recall the exact figures off the top of my head... So, I ended up going in for hepatitis markers and a liver ultrasound, but everything came back perfectly fine. I eventually just did another round of blood work, and this time, all the results were back to normal. My doctors couldn't really give me a straight answer as to why those first tests looked so wonky... It turns out I was taking some medication right around the time I had my blood drawn, and they suggested that might have been what spiked the levels... Anyway, I still make sure to get checked out every year just to be safe, but that was the only time things were elevated—they basically just settled back down on their own. I didn't experience any of the pain you mentioned, though. Well, good luck with the rest of your testing and getting answers...