High AST / ALT

[Troghop]

I am scheduled to have surgery on Aug 4, 2026, and went for my blood work yesterday. My AST/ALT is high. I'm thinking fatty liver...?? However, I did stop drinking about a month ago. Has anyone had this experience with a high AST/ALT and still got their surgery? I'm nervous they will cancel my surgery until my numbers lower.

 

[StephT]

I found my pre surgery bloodwork and my AST was 83 and my ALT was 74. My bariatric surgeon removed my gallbladder about 6 weeks before my sleeve surgery. It took him over 5 hours to remove my gallbladder when was quoted a typical 90 minute surgery time. He said my liver was so enlarged and unhealthy that removing the gallbladder was difficult and that if I was not already on this weight loss journey I probably would not live more that a year. That is how I found out that I had a fatty liver! My surgeon never suggested holding off on the surgery until my numbers dropped because the surgery and resulting weight loss was what was going to help bring those numbers down.

My AST/ALT numbers are checked annually and they are up and down. Never as high as before, but sometimes in the normal range and other times still testing higher than expected. I just had a Velacur test because of those levels which is basically a liver ultrasound while lying on a vibrating metal plate to check for fat and scarring on the liver. The test came back negative even with the recurring slightly elevated AST/ALT levels.