Boy is that a mouth full . I recieved a note from our DR. yesterday wanting my LO to have a blood test for this . She said they needed to check Ammonia levels. has anyone else had this or this test for Encepholopathy. Itried tomread up on this and it said something about swelling of the brain???? If anyone else had this please let me know. thanks you guys are such great comfort , sometimes theses days I totally feel lost...
nanapapa I'd want a lot more information before I agree to any kind of testing. Get all the whys and wherefors. I just did a quikie search and Encephalopothy is basically brain damage caused by a whole host of possible things--bacteria, chemicals, damage coming from other illnesses like cirhosis (sp.) of the liver, and a whole bunch more. The damage might be treatable or even reversible depending on a whole 'nother set of variables. If you already have a diagnosis, and are treating your LO accordingly, I don't think this test is going to do anything for you. We had a Dr. who was test happy. Check for this, re-check progression, check for that. I pulled back at that idea. We know what he has, and when something happens we'll do whatever tests or treatments are needed, but he's not going in for tests without a sound reason.
Bottom line, until you don't feel lost, don't do it. Make the Dr. justify the request.
The ammonia test is primarily used to help investigate the cause of changes in behavior and consciousness. When adults experience mental changes, disorientation, sleepiness, or lapse into a coma, an ammonia level may be ordered to help evaluate the cause of the change in consciousness. In patients with stable liver disease, an ammonia level may be ordered, along with other liver function tests, when a patient suddenly “takes a turn for the worse” and becomes more acutely ill.
Some doctors use the ammonia test to monitor the effectiveness of treatment of hepatic encephalopathy, but there is not widespread agreement on its clinical utility. Since hepatic encephalopathy can be caused by the build-up of a variety of toxins in the blood and brain, blood ammonia levels correlate poorly with the degree of impairment.
The blood is collected just the way it is for other blood tests, no big deal, and I would imagine it is very inexpensive. The ammonia test is often ordered along with other tests such as glucose, electrolytes, and kidney and liver function tests, to help in evaluating the problem.