Alkaline Phosphatase Levels Requiring PET Scan

((((((J-Bug)))))))

I don't know what to say except that i am thinking of you! It strikes me that while you are a little over the high end of normal, couldn't it just be from all the chemo and meds?

xo, will keep you in my thoughts.

Missy

Hello, My ALP increased steadily over the last year to a high of 169 this past December. I had a scan, I am fine. No recurrence and now 2 months later,its dropping again. My Onco said Chemo and radiation can also increase ALP temporarily.

I hope you're fine and have no issues to worry about. Keep us posted. I know that rising numbers can be stressful so definitely empathize with you.

Hello ladies.  Enjoyed reading your posts tonight.  I am so sorry for those of you that are having some problems.  I am so happy to welcome more to the "Finished" club.  I am so glad this part is over.

Maggie:  "Slathering"!  I love it!  I used that word the other day at the office and my boss told me he had never heard that word before.  I told him he couldn't be from the south then!  LOL!  I loved seeing you use it too.  At least I know I'm not the only one that knows what it means!   Hang it there!

Surprisingly, my skin is healing very quickly and I really am feeling good.  The area under my arm and around the nipple is peeling pretty badly but still seems to be healing.  My breast is no longer that deep, dark reddish purple, but looks more like a tan now.  The RO told me in about 10 days I should be in really good shape.  I finished last Thursday so it's been almost 7 days for me and so far, he seems to be correct.

Starting to feel a little funny because I'm not constantly running somewhere to a doctor.  Feels a little weird.  I guess I am just trying to find my new normal.  Little scarey too.  I mean, you know, what's keeping the cancer at bay now?  Well, I am supposed to start tamoxifen on March 5.  I really hope I don't have any bad SE's from that.

Here's wishing everyone well and quick healing.  Hang in there.  There is a light at the end of this tunnel.  You are all in my thoughts!

HUGS!

Elevated alkaline phosphate can be an indication of bone loss- especially if it is the only liver enzyme elevated.  This can be from many things- low vitamin d is one and is easy to check out and treat. It can be from bone mets too so it is wise to get ti checked out.  Mine were elevated when my bone mets were found ( so was my serum calcium- a better indicator of the mets) and I had a low vitamin D.  Treatment has stablized it all

Mari 

hi J-Bug, all of my liver enzymes were high until just recently. I do take pain meds with tylenol so that's part of my problem, but chemo put mine out of whack for a while. The waiting game sucks,when do you get your PET scan? Peace of mind is such a great thing!

Hugs to you! 

Here is my experience with this, and I'm "new". Started my chemo 12/29 (4 tx of TC, had the last one yesterday). My ALP was 65 at beginning chemo. Next tx bloodwork showed 145, next was 155. That's when I saw it (MO didnt give me copies first time, nurse in infusion room did). I didn't even know what ALP was, and everything else was in the normal ranges. Got home, googled it and got upset. Info did say that it could be caused by chemo or Neulasta (I had Neulasta too). And it said that it's a liver function test that could indicate bone metastasis (and a dozen other things!). Well, of course I latch on to the bone metastasis, because I'm having horrible bone pain!

I call my MO and she telle me not to worry, they jump all over during chemo and for a period after chemo, and she doesn't even mention it to her pateients because of this. She's sure it's from the chemo and the Neulasta. We talk for a few more minutes, mostly about me telling her that I can't believe the level of bone pain Im having... She then says, "Let's schedule a bone scan. I know it's from the chemo, but you need to move forward and get some relief for your worry". So that's what we did. Scan was scheduled for the following week (hard week). Had the scan, was not difficult at all. Took 45 min. Radiologist immediately came out to me and my husband (after 15-20 min waiting) and went over the test with us. It was normal.

My bloodwork yesterday was normal. ALP was 67. The only thing I changed in my diet: she wrote me a prescription three weeks ago for Vitamin D, mine was low (26), and I didn't take one Tylenol. I was taking 10-12 Tylenol a day with the bone pain, but switched to Aleve. I did ask her if Tylenol could cause the elevated ALP and she said no, but I'm wondering....

Hope this helps.

Hey J-Bug,

Just wanted to let you know I'm sending positive thoughts.  Two weeks to wait for insurance approval?  That seems a bit long, so hopefully they will clear it sooner.  I always feel the "not knowing" part is hardest.  Hang in there and I'll be crossing fingers and toes for you.

j-bug - my DH was prescribed a med for which they did a routine panel prior to allowing him to take it.  It is a drug that , while he would only take briefly, is hard on the liver.  The doc called in a panic because his levels were sky high, double yours.  Turned out that glucosamine and condroitin supplements were causing it to be elevated.  He stopped taking them (he is a distance runner) and the levels returned to normal within two weeks.  I don't know if you are taking this supplement but this is a rare SE.  Good luck, and I hope this is temporary and easily explanable.

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