[wendywoo]

Hope someone of you knowledgable formuites can help. Just got our blood results back and OH's ALT is 78[ should br between10-56], and his GGT is 121[should be12-58]. GP doesn't think it's anything to worry about but not so sure !! OH to start job in NZ mid Feb, feeling a little panicked. Any advice much appreciated.:uhoh

[clairelouise]

My levels were HUGE too!! I had to have the extra blood test for hep C, and was referred to the medical assessor when this came back negative. They took forever to come back and ask for a liver scan (had 2, one private and one NHS, both normal) then I needed a letter from the consultant who did this saying I was fine, one from my GP to say the same, and this was STILL not enough! I was asked after another long wait from the MA to have bloods tested for smooth muscle, anti-nuclear and mitrochondrial (sp) antibodies too, along with more specialist letters. Again, all came out fine.
Finally, they wanted another LFT and as that came back only a few points over on one point they said I was OK to go!

The immigration officers would probably refer your OH to the MA as par for course. My advice is as you are on a tight timescale is to just have the repeat LFT, and possibly a liver scan done and by pre-empting the MA saving yourself some time. I dont know where you are now but I went to London for my tests and got the results back the same day. Expensive, but better than waiting and for us too time was of the essence!

Good luck!

Claire :)

[Alan]

My GP advised against having further tests done in the UK as he said there is always the chance that it could be higher and what then, also if he sent me for a scan he would have to be saying there may well be a problem. He just said that the tests were so sensitive that it was really not worth pursuing without other symptoms.

[wendywoo]

Did your MA not request any further tests to be done here and did you get visa without any problems. Don't know whether to get liver sacn or hope for the best!

[Alan]

The doc said not to bother so I didn't, especially as the examiner did not put it down as a significant issue on the medical paperwork. I then put everything through and we got the visa without an issue.

There appears to be no exact science to these applications as many people have been picked up and asked to do further tests. Did the immigration examiner put it down as something significant on the paperwork, that would be an indication I suggest of what to do.

[clairelouise]

There are various other threads on the medicals section here from loads of people who had dodgy LFT results. Alan may be right to not worry if the doctor who did your medical has wrote "no significant findings" on your medicals, however if he has noted there ARE significant findings then the CO assessing your ITA will recommend that your medical is passed on to the MA for referral. Or at least they did seem to be going through a phase of referring LOTS of people for whatever reason. For your information I was referred with a Gamma GT reading of 106, and ALT of 50.
I was by no means telling you to go and have all those tests that I did right now! I was merely saying that IF you had to, these were the tests you would probably be asked to do. As you have to submit all these possible extra results yourself, it is up to you what you submit, and so even if you just had another LFT and the results were still not good (and tiny unimportant things can affect them, like colds or viruses, previous medication, etc) no one need know and in fact you would be no worse off than you were in the first place.
We were on a VERY tight time scale as OH had a definite start date for his job and as a referral to the MA was taking FOREVER every time they wanted something new it may just be better to be forewarned, especially if you need to be here in February.
Good luck with everything!!

Claire :)

[Alan]

The only thing I would say Claire, is that if you didn't submit all your results and then for whatever reason NZIS wrote to your GP regarding your history, they would be compelled to mention it which is what my GP said to me. So you have to balance that up as well, as being perceived to be withholding information down the line could cause a lot more difficulties than a high blood test result in my opinion.

[tea drinker]

Aarrhhmm...excuse me...could someone explain what ALT and GGT are please?

Is there something that could be done before tests to reduce likelihood of high results or is it wait and see what you get then react to the results?

Ta

[tyhapus]

There is lots you can do - PM and I wil tell you what I did to get the results back into normal range!

[wendywoo]

Sounds like the best thing to do is to go ahead and hope for the best and fingers and toes crossed they wont ask for any further tests. The panel doctor said he had no worries about the results , so maybe immigration wont either. Thanks to all for their advice:nice1

[joinnz]

I have to redo the LFT together with Hepatitis C test and I had only one value slightly out of range(ALT 51), all the others were perfectly in range :(

[joinnz]

This was the first thing I heard from our CO 5 months after submitting ITA (with a job), hopefully everything else will be ok.

[KatieBen]

Aarrhhmm...excuse me...could someone explain what ALT and GGT are please?

Is there something that could be done before tests to reduce likelihood of high results or is it wait and see what you get then react to the results?

Ta

ALT = Alanine Transaminase
GGT = Gamma Glutyl Transferase

These are both enzymes which are found predominantly within liver cells. Elevated levels in the blood can indicate liver cell damage (intact cells don't leak enzymes into the bloodstream; damaged cells can do).

TBH the only times I've seen GGT significantly elevated were in people who drank more than the recommended levels of alcohol per week, or binge-drinkers. That is *NOT* to say that everyone here who has an elevated GGT is an alcoholic!

There are many reasons why liver cells can be damaged - alcohol, paracetamol overdose, hepatitis infection, gallstones are ones that spring immediately to mind. It's a screening test like any other and most of the people with elevated enzymes will be fine. A few will need more investigations (ultrasound, other blood tests - as someone here has already had) but most will be fine.

The only thing I would do to try and reduce my levels would be to drink lots of water, eat lots of fresh fruit & veg and stay off alcohol for a few weeks before the tests!

[tea drinker]

Thank you :nice1

[Chaz]

Seems I am also now being assessted for LFT. First time I had heard about this was now - mine was 62 with a 55 limit. I had my blood tested again - after I got here for something else and it was 59.

So had mine tested this week again after seeing the GP - its now 83!! and wants me to go do an ultrasound. I have been a bit fluish and we are detoxing a bit and eating much healthier. So option is to wait 3 weeks and look again or go for an ultrasound now (at some cost - not sure exactly how much) to see if they can tell why its so high.

[peebles16]

Seems I am also now being assessted for LFT. First time I had heard about this was now - mine was 62 with a 55 limit. I had my blood tested again - after I got here for something else and it was 59.

So had mine tested this week again after seeing the GP - its now 83!! and wants me to go do an ultrasound. I have been a bit fluish and we are detoxing a bit and eating much healthier. So option is to wait 3 weeks and look again or go for an ultrasound now (at some cost - not sure exactly how much) to see if they can tell why its so high.

Are you taking anything for the flu? Sometimes even over the counter meds can increase LFTs :yes Maybe worth waiting the 3 weeks, get over the flu, virus or whatever, cut out all alcohol and medications just to give your LFTs a bit of time to stabilise.

Good luck with it all
Karenx

[Chaz]

No, no real meds although have taken some panadol (paracetamol) to try and break a bit of the fever etc.

Not too stressed about it - will go again in 3 weeks I think.