Hi,

I had a high billirubin this year and my dr said that it could be Gilbert's Disease but that Gilbert disease doesn't cause any problems. She said it's just a name for the disease. Is your son having any side effects or problems that you know of?

Here is an interesting link on the subject:
http://freespace.virgin.net/anglers.rest/GilbertsSyndrome.htm

If you do a search on Gilbert's Disease you'll find that most people don't think of it as any significant problem.

Hope this helps,
Candace

Dollmaker,

I have had a high billiruben count up to 4.3 since I was about 12. I am 34 now, and the most common "symptom" has been yellowish eyes. I also get the jaundice looking skin too.

But other then that, no real symptoms at all. One thing you have to watch out for is doctors who do not understand the disease. I had to go through colonoscopies and barium enemas because they thought I had internal bleeding because of the high billiruben count. So just make sure they are aware of it if he goes to a new doctor.

When I notice my symptoms getting worse, it is because I am not drinking enough water. If I drink my 8 or so glasses a day and stay off drinks that help dehydrate you (cokes and coffee), then I am fine. The water helps flush out the billiruben from the body.

Hope this helps,

Mike

Hi Anita
My son has Giberts, in fact he has been quite ill. I am sure it is linked to Candida. I've tryed to get him of coke and eating Sugar but he just will not listen. The specialist I took him to, told him it was quite safe to drink alcohol, I was furious. He is only twenty and of course in the Uk it's legal to drink at the age of eighteen. He wants my sympathy for the symptoms he has, but he will not entertain a healthy diet.
Take care
Katherine McKelvey U.K.

Dollmaker- I was 9yrs old when the doctors noticed I had Gilberts Disease. I am now 22yrs old and still show signs of yellowish eyes and skin and serious fatigue from time to time. Caffine and not enough fluids or sunlight seem to make it worse. I have been to a few doctors and all have recommended 10min. in the sun a day (or even a tanning bed works too)and PLENTY of water. A level 3 is not real bad they can reach up to 12 and 14....which at that point you'd notice other symptoms too: like confusion and forgetting things. Your son may be lucky...most people never even witness any symptoms. I hope this helps. If you gave anymore ?'s feel free to ask. ~ashtonT04~

Hi. I was diagnosed with gilberts around 15 or 16 years old. At the time I didn't care because i was told it was benign. I'm 19 years old now and I started doing some research about it. I keep finding how I should keep my diet strict and my stress down to avoid many symptoms of the the syndrome. Being a younger teen at the time of diagnosis I paid no attention to it at all and still haven't until i started researching. I have never had any trouble with anything and I have not done anything to make the condition better. I do tend to keep a pretty low stress level, and the only times I ever notice anything from the condition is that my eyes yellow when I'm stressed or tired. I don't get fatigued or sick or any other of those nasty symptoms, so I'd say that you are probably ok. But if your son shows more symptoms of it then a lot of these other people can help more than I. Just thought I'd show a better side to things because my parents were worried at first but none of us really even notice anymore. Good luck.