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What is it – Gilbert’s syndrome, in simple words
Gilbert’s syndrome refers to pigmentary hepatosis and can lead to damage to the liver and other organs. It is inherited from one of the parents. Most often, young men and young men suffer from the disease. The disease proceeds in a latent form, it is quite difficult to identify it.
What is Gilbert’s syndrome
Signs of a congenital disease
Let’s try to explain what it is – Gilbert’s syndrome in simple words. A hereditary ailment causes a disruption in the delivery of bilirubin to the liver cells and its subsequent excretion from the body. In certain situations, the content of bilirubin in blood cells increases sharply. Gradually, it can accumulate in adipose tissue and slowly destroy the organs of the carrier of the disease.
Due to the excess of bilirubin, the main symptom of the disease is yellowing of the skin, whites of the eyes and mucous membranes.
The following symptoms will confirm Gilbert’s syndrome:
- sleep disturbances, nightmares;
- fatigue;
- dizziness;
- persistent unpleasant aftertaste;
- stomach ache;
- upset stomach up to vomiting;
- diarrhea.
Most often, they manifest themselves against the background of malnutrition, excess alcohol, or taking steroid medications. Exacerbation can be triggered by professional sports, severe colds, stress, especially against the background of injuries or surgical interventions.
How to live with Gilbert’s syndrome
It is unrealistic to identify the disease by considering only the symptoms. Accurate diagnosis requires a range of laboratory tests, including molecular analysis of DNA for specific genes. It is also important to exclude hepatitis – their symptoms are similar to Gilbert’s syndrome. The condition of the liver (with this ailment it does not change) and other organs of the abdominal cavity will be shown by ultrasound. In difficult cases, biopsy and elastography are prescribed.
With the correct diet and the absence of stress, congenital ailment does not affect well-being and life expectancy.
With this diagnosis, they are taken into the army, but only in some types of troops.
Special treatment for this disease is not required, it is important to avoid exacerbations of the disease. How to do it?
- Follow a diet. Fatty foods, spicy and sour foods, ice cream, alcoholic beverages, baked goods are prohibited.
- Be careful when taking pharmaceuticals.
- Refuse professional sports and other serious physical activity.
- Avoid stress.
During relapses, hepatoprotectors, enzymes and choleretic agents are prescribed. Irradiation with special lamps also helps to reduce the level of bilirubin. As a preventive measure, you should visit a doctor for examination every six months.
Those patients who often violate the prescribed regime are threatened with deadly chronic hepatitis and such a serious illness as gallstone disease.
Also interesting to read: Raynaud’s syndrome