I had my basic health checkup in mid-May.
It's something that's required every year at my company.
This is a basic health checkup, where you visit a designated clinic for which you have made an appointment and undergo various tests and blood tests.
This time, the results showed that only my γ-GTP level was quite high, requiring further examination.
I'd like to write about the events leading up to the discovery of the cause.
Please note that this article is based solely on personal experience, and you should consult a doctor for a diagnosis and make your own judgment regarding your own health.
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The health checkup results showed high γ-GTP levels.
First, here are the results of my health checkup.
(By the way, I'm a 32-year-old male with a BMI of 22.2, which is considered a normal body type.)
The rightmost column shows the figures from two years ago, the second column from the right shows last year's figures, and the third column from the right shows this year's figures.
The red blood cell and hemoglobin levels seem a bit anemic, so please don't worry about that for now.
I suspect cholesterol is a problem, but the biggest mystery was the high level of my gamma-GTP.
My weight has increased by 3 kilograms since last year, and I've been exercising less and eating out a bit more, so I can somewhat understand why my cholesterol levels are high.
However, I was extremely frightened when my gamma-GTP levels suddenly rose even though I had hardly been drinking alcohol.
It could be inflammation caused by some virus, or it could be a sign of illness.
Most online sources advise you to go to the hospital at least once if your score exceeds 100.
Most importantly, I wanted to know what was happening in my own liver, so I made an appointment at a nearby clinic with a liver specialist.
Re-examination at a clinic with a specialist
Unable to sit still, I immediately booked an appointment at the clinic the weekend of the week I received my health checkup results.
I chose a nearby clinic that had a liver specialist on staff.
I'm the kind of person who takes objective data about myself quite seriously and is easily influenced by it.
Because of this, I haven't had much of an appetite this past week, and nothing I've eaten has tasted particularly good.
When I visited the clinic, I first submitted my health insurance card and the results of my health checkup, and then the doctor's examination began.
The first question I was asked was about how often I drink alcohol.
However, I replied that I don't have a habit of drinking in the evenings, and only occasionally drink at social gatherings.
The next question I was asked was whether I had taken any medications, supplements, or herbal medicines before the blood test for this health checkup.
Indeed, I had a cold two or three weeks before the blood test, so I was taking antibiotics and other medications.
According to the doctor, drinking such things can sometimes result in elevated gamma-GTP levels.
The liver regenerates cells and returns to normal within a month, so if the medication was the cause, a blood test today should show normal values.
After that, I was asked to undergo tests that included about 10 more items than the basic blood test included in my health checkup.
The blood that was drawn will be sent to an external testing laboratory for analysis, so the results will be available in one to two weeks.
The cost was around 6,000 yen, including the initial consultation fee and specialized blood tests.
I learned that blood tests with many items can be quite expensive.
Results of the re-examination
After that, I visited the clinic again to hear the results of the re-examination.
After being kept waiting for a while, the doctor gave me the following results in the examination room:
Surprisingly, my γ-GTP levels were back to normal.
Therefore, we concluded that the high readings were likely due to the medication.
In case my γ-GTP levels remained high, I was also presented with several other test results.
For example, this"Autoimmune hepatitis"The test results appear to negate that possibility.
and"Primary biliary hepatitis"The following image shows the result that refutes this.
Furthermore, to support these diagnostic resultsthyroid functionThese are the results.
As he showed me these results, the teacher carefully explained each one to me.
The explanation was very clear and reassuring, so I'm really glad I had the re-examination.
Future plans
For now, it seems there's nothing to worry about regarding my liver.
However, I was told to be careful because my cholesterol levels are high for my age.
I was advised to cut back on oily foods, so I'm going to try to do that.
When I asked if I should also exercise, I was told that it's best to focus on "diet 70% and exercise 20%."
I'm not entirely uninterested in what the remaining 10% is, but if I didn't mishear, I'm assuming it's due to genetic or gender factors.
"I think it's a good thing to get a health checkup, so please continue to take care of your health in the future," they said.
In my circle, no one went for a re-examination just because their gamma-GTP levels were a little high.
Ultimately, however, you are the one who is responsible for managing your own health.
This time, there were no problems with my liver, but there were issues with my cholesterol levels.
From now on, instead of just eating whatever I like without thinking, I plan to consciously improve my eating habits.
I think that making these kinds of improvements and seeing the results in next year's health checkup will really motivate me.
summary
Even without drinking alcohol, it's possible for γ-GTP levels to be elevated due to the effects of medications, herbal remedies, or supplements taken up to a month before a blood test.
Instead of panicking or dismissing the results, it's important to first conduct further tests to identify the cause.
If something truly serious has happened, it's too late to think, "If only I had gotten tested earlier..."