Fatty Liver Disease

Overview

Fatty liver disease, often called non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), is a condition that occurs when there is excess fat in the liver’s cells. The term NAFLD is used to describe liver conditions that are present in people who do not abuse alcohol. This condition affects about one-fourth of people living in the United States, and it is the most prevalent type of chronic liver disease.

In some cases, NAFLD will progress to a condition called nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, a severe form of fatty liver disease that eventually progresses to cirrhosis and liver failure, resulting in damage similar to what is seen with alcohol abuse.

Applicable Procedures

Liver Biopsy

What causes fatty liver disease?

Experts are still uncertain about the exact causes of fatty liver disease, but there are some risk factors that can increase a person’s chances of developing this condition. Risk factors include being overweight or obese, having high levels of triglycerides in the blood, insulin resistance, and elevated blood sugar levels. High cholesterol, sleep apnea, type 2 diabetes, polycystic ovarian syndrome, underactive thyroid, and problems with the pituitary gland can also increase the risk.

What are the consequences of fatty liver disease?

Over time, fatty liver disease can lead to cirrhosis of the liver, which causes severe scarring and is linked to a range of complications, including fluid buildup, liver cancer, and liver failure.

How is fatty liver disease treated?

In most cases, the preferred treatment for fatty liver disease is a combination of healthy diet and exercise, in order to promote weight loss. A weight loss of 10% of body weight is ideal, and some people may benefit from weight loss surgery. If you have diabetes, it is important to control your blood sugar levels to protect your liver. Lowering your cholesterol and avoiding alcohol also protect the liver from further damage. Those who develop cirrhosis of the liver may require a liver transplant.

Common Symptoms

“I didn’t have any symptoms of fatty liver disease, but when I had routine blood work done, my liver enzyme levels were abnormal.”
“I started to feel really tired all the time, and I had pain in the upper right portion of my stomach.”
“I noticed yellowing of my skin and swelling in my stomach.”

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What They Are Saying

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Center For Digestive Health, Rochester Hills4.8

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Jo B.

Professional, kind, thorough, & ever so gentle Can’t say enough good things about Dr Donat and his staff

Sabine H.

Fantastic care from beginning to end!

Jas S.

Amazing service. Very efficient and experienced staff with great processes. Highly recommend

Sharyn C.

Staff very friendly & helpful. Love Dr. Wille

Fred M.

I'll make this brief. Full disclosure, I've known Dr. Partha Nandi for quite some time. I personally know of his commitment to treat his patients with care and courtesy. Plus, "HE'S THE BEST IN THE BUSINESS" !!! And the Troy Gastro staff is top notch !!!

Lynn T.

My procedure went really well and I enjoyed all the staff, they were so nice and friendly!

William B.

Great staff. Professional, thourogh & friendly.

Leeann P.

Have been going to Dr Bologna for several years now for my gastric issue and colonoscopy . The staff and Dr Bologna are great! Attentive and pleasant ! I would would definitely endorse his group without hesitation

Neil H.

Our whole family have been patients of the Center for many years and have enjoyed the service and attention we receive. The operation runs like a well-oiled machine and the doctors and nurses are extremely helpful in explaning our procedures and answering any questions we might have.

Emeel A.

Professionally and efficient. Whole procedure with checkin and checkout lasted 1 hour and 15 minutes

Patricia L.

I've been with Dr Balogna for 25 years or more. He is very caring man. Staff has always been kind and on the ball. I won't go else where very happy with him!

Marla B.

So nice very Perfesonal and clean staff pleasant 😀

John B.

Excelent. Care wonderful staff

Kathie G.

Video visit with Dr Quallich with all my concerns addressed in his comfortable, friendly manner.

Danny S.

I am a new patient of Dr Nandi and I’m having a procedure next week. The office staff has been excellent to work with.

Anna C.

The nurses are so good getting back to you with questions and refills. Front desk is great getting you to the person you need to talk to. Dr Bolonga is always great.

Janice V.

Dr saheed was wonderful! She was professional, informative, knowledgeable & spent quality time listening & explaining. Her office staff was efficient & personable

Kim W.

The staff is great!! Friendly, caring and efficient. I highly recommend this place, I have been with Dr. Willy's office for almost 30 years.

Kathy B.

Everyone was friendly and and helpful, my procedure went smoothly, ty

Ted H.

They did a good job

Dianne B.

The nurses who helped prep me for my colonoscopy last Friday morning were angels, explaining everything as they went and carefully making sure I was comfortable and calm. Thank you; your kindness was noticed and appreciated. Dr Nandi as always was the perfect mix of professional and funny. Great experience all around.

Caterina S.

Another great experience at Dr. Weber’s office, during my EGD procedure, everyone on his team is absolutely professional, very kind, friendly and genuinely concern the patient is comfortable as it can be. Thank you again for caring for me Dr. Weber- you are the best- as always!!

John V.

Experience is always professional, personable and informative. The Doctor and his staff always provide excellent care.

Edward P.

Dr. Nandi and the entire staff are absolutely outstanding.

Tim H.

Doctor and staff were very efficient. Appointment was quick. I was in and out in about 25min. I would recommend Doctor.

The Center for Digestive Health4.8

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Rachelle P.

I was very nervous, as this was my first colonoscopy. The staff was extremely comforting and friendly. Dr. Abadir was very patient and knowledgeable. The facility was very clean. I highly recommend Macomb Endoscopy.

Rosalyn H.

Thank you so much redwood for fixing the situation I really appreciate it

Marty A.

Everyone was very welcoming and professional. The nurses and techs were very polite and enjoyable to be around. I was treated very well.

Michelle B.

Dr. Weber was very personable and professional. The entire process, from appointment setting to recovery, was very well orchestrated and the entire staff was incredibly kind. I'd recommend Dr. Weber and this office to anyone.

Our Doctors

We’re proud of our team here at Digestive Health Institute. Our health care providers include some of the very best colorectal surgeons, gastroenterologists and physician assistants. To learn more about our qualified team of specialists, please visit our providers page.

Amir Abadir MD, FRCPC

Anezi E. Bakken MD, MS

Sante D. Bologna MD, FACP

M. Emin Donat MD, FRCPC

Partha S. Nandi

Jack Tocco DO

John R. Weber MD

Richard T. Wille MD

Tusar Desai MD

Aalia Saeed, MD

FAQs

What happens during my first visit?

If you are a new patient, you can expect to have a complete physical exam. You will also be asked detailed questions about your current problems and your past medical history, your current medications, allergies, your family history and other pertinent medical information. If you are taking medications, please bring a completed medical history form with you to your appointment. Once the physician has reviewed your medical information and completed the physical examination, a plan of care will be developed. You may need to be seen again in the office, be referred back to your family physician for follow-up care, or require additional testing. If additional tests are needed, we will assist you in scheduling these tests.

What if I need to schedule an endoscopic procedure?

An endoscopic procedure allows the physician to visualize a part of your gastrointestinal tract with a special instrument called an endoscope. If your family physician has ordered testing, you will be contacted by telephone by one of our staff members. If a physician orders testing and you are in the office, the procedure can generally be scheduled during the course of your visit. You will be given a date, time, and location for the test, as well as written instructions telling you how to prepare for the test. If you have any questions about the procedure, please feel free to ask one of our staff members or the physician.

How do I get test results?

We ask that you wait 10 to 14 days before contacting us for results. Often results come from several different sources. This information needs to be compiled and reviewed by your physician before you can be appropriately advised.

What insurances do you accept?

We accept payment from most insurance companies including Medicare, Blue Cross/Blue Shield, Blue Care Network, Physicians Health Plan, Cofinity, Sparrow Professional Health Network, Medicaid, McLaren, Health Plus, and several others. Accepted insurances are subject to change at any time without notice.

If your insurance requires an authorization from your primary care physician, you may be asked to assist us in obtaining this authorization.

All patients are responsible for all copays and deductibles at the time of service.

If you have any questions regarding your benefits or insurance coverage, please contact our Billing Department at 248-844-9710.

What if I need to contact the doctor?

To contact your doctor during business hours please call our main number 248-844-9710. If you have an urgent need to speak with the doctor after hours, you will be rerouted to our after hours answering service, and your doctor will be paged. In the case of a medical emergency please proceed directly to the nearest hospital emergency room.

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