My scare for the year...

[Lorena]

There's a name for anything nowadays. At least you don't have "Restless Leg Syndrome" :D

[Groundhog]

I started seeing a girl about a month ago, and after some discussions with her we both decided we'd get an STD check just to be sure going in. I'd never had one before but I felt pretty confident that I'd be fine as I'm always safe - excluding a couple of "accidents" over the years - and have never had any symptoms or anything else that would cause me to worry.

So last Friday I had the test, with the results due today. Strangely I became very nervous as today approached... Like I said, I had no reason to suspect anything, but the pessimist in me couldn't help but put all these fearful images of a positive HIV result or something.

So I finally meet up with my doc about 2 hours ago. He puts my results up on screen and says "Hep A, B & C, HIV, etc, etc, is all clear. However, you have an abnormally high bilirubin count. I'm surprised you weren't informed of this when you had your last blood test two years ago [for something completely unrelated - troubleshooting for something that just ended up being related to my bad neck]. You have Gilbert's Syndrome.".

My jaw dropped, and I was thinking "Oh shit. How long do I have to live, and how much pain will I go through while I die from what is clearly a debilitating and fatal syndrome".

Just before I was able to voice any of this, he continued with "It's completely harmless, of course. I diagnose 5 or 6 people a week with this. Just gives you a high bilirubin count on these tests.".

Man, as soon as you hear a doc tell you that you have a syndrome of any kind, it's scary stuff. The fact that he paused between telling me I had a syndrome and then describing that it was harmless didn't help. I guess doctors have to come up with ways to keep them from getting bored with their jobs. :D

[Izulde]

Holy timestamp bug!

[Wasabiak]

At least he didn't say,"You have Gilbert Brown syndrome". Then I'd be worried. :D

[sovereignstar]

You must have this board confused with some other one, FREAK! We don't want your kind here.

[Draft Dodger]

I just hope to God you aren't contagious

http://www.wma.com/gilbert_gottfried/imgs/GILBERT_GOTTFRIED_main.jpg

[Toddzilla]

My daughter Cassandra had this after she was born. IIRC, her liver wasn't doing a good enough job processing her blood, and it became over-saturated with red-blood cells. At first, we just thought she was really really pink, but at 2 days old after her pediatrician telling us she thought it was an ear infection (because of how red her eardrum was), we had to go to the hospital. A few quick checks and the doctors said it was just a high bilirubin count, and a few days under the bright jaundice lights will take care of it. After that, it was all done!

I hope your treatment is as quick and painless!

[Eaglesfan27]

Yeah, it is present in 3-5% of the population depending upon the study. It can cause you periodic stomach pain, nausea, and jaundice (yellowing of the eyes/skin) but it is harmless.