Liver Blood

9Oct/08Off

Liver Blood

What is "blue ribbon" in the blood/liver?

The doctor phoned today after having a blood test yesterday. I wasn't home, but he told my mum there's a high amount of 'blue ribbon' in me. I'm not sure if this is something to do with the liver or the blood.

I've searched on Google but can't find anything. Can somebody tell me what this means and if it's something to worry about?
Awesome! I have top notch blood!

It isn't Blue ribbon...it is Bilirubin.

http://www.webmd.com/digestive-disorders/bilirubin-15434

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003479.htm

I will explain more about this so that you understand what
the doctor may be looking for.
When our red blood cells die, the spleen filters them from
the blood. Red blood cells are what carry heme, which is
iron of which the oxygen molecules we breathe in
attaches to so it can be distributed throughout our body
by our blood. The heme of the red blood cells is taken
off the dead red blood cell and converted to a substance, known as bilirubin.
This bilirubin is then carried to the liver on a protein
known as Albumin. Once in the liver, the liver changes
the insoluble bilirubin into a soluble form. This bilirubin
then mixes in with the Bile and flows through small ducts,
tube like structures, in the liver to larger ducts outside the
liver to the gallbladder to be stored. This bile then is
released by the gallbladder through ducts to the
intestines when we eat fatty things so that it will break
the fat down in the digestion process.

Now you know about bilirubin. Now what can happen to
raise the bilirubin levels. If the ducts leading from the
liver to the intestines becomes blocked, twisted, or
mal formed...it cause the bile to back up into the liver and
then the bilirubin goes out into the blood instead and
can raise the level higher than it normally is. If the liver
is damaged and cannot change the bilirubin into the
soluble form, it can also be released into the blood, since
it cannot mix into the bile. If there is an over abundance
of red blood cells dying, it can raise the bilirubin level
cause the liver cannot handle all the insoluble bilirubin it
is receiving. So as you can see, it can be a blood problem,
a liver problem, a gallbladder problem, or a biliary problem.

You need to observe what is happening with you.
Look and see if your skin is starting to turn yellow or if
you notice the whites of your eyes or mucus membranes
taking on a yellow appearance. This is known as
jaundice. It is best to look for this out in natural light outside
than in the house with artificial lighting which can mask it.
This bilirubin is a brown,greenish-yellow substance and
is what colors our stools and urine and adds color to
our body. Take notice to see if the color of your stools are
lightening. Since the bilirubin isn't getting to the intestines
if the bile ducts are blocked, the stools will appear lighter,
like a whitish clay color. Take notice to your urine also.
If you have high levels of bilirubin in your blood, the kidneys
will try to filter this out and your urine can become anywhere
from a deep yellow, orange, to a brown color.

Since bilirubin is a symptom of having a liver problem, there
are a few things you can do to help, if they apply to you.
Don't drink alcohol
Don't take any medications that are not prescribed by
your doctor...all medications are processed and broken
down by the liver first. Tell the doctor all over the counter,
herbs, herbal teas, muscle building diets, and any other
drugs prescribed by other doctors.
Stay away from chemicals, some people work with
chemicals that can cause liver damage...like carbon
tetrachloride.

If the doctor says there is an enlargement of the liver,
this is usually caused by inflammation. If caught early,
this can be reversed before the cells start to die and
the liver can heal. Once the cells start to die, this
is then known as cirrhosis:

http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/cirrhosis/

I hope this information helps you. I would get in touch
with the doctor office right away...
One blood test usually isn't enough to show what is
wrong. No blood tests are 100% accurate, so your
doctor may order more to insure this accuracy.
It will take time to really know the cause of the rise in
bilirubin and the waiting to find out isn't easy. The doctor
won't proceed with other testing till he is sure about
the possible results from your blood tests.
There are two types of blood tests that the doctor looks
at:
The liver enzymes is the first one that will show if there
is any possible damage to the liver: ALT, AST, and Alk Phos.
Then there is the liver function tests, which are the
bilirubin, Albumin, and INR. These tests will show if
the liver is functioning well enough to keep the body healthy.
You can read about the tests here:

http://www.labtestsonline.org

Best wishes to you, I hope that things turn our well and
that treatment will resolve this symptom.