I'm almost afraid to say the word, but: DIAGNOSIS?

Okay, so I'm caught somewhere between being insane with happiness and (still) freaked out, but my new gastroenterologist has diagnosed me with Gilbert's Syndrome. This is a "benign" and usually inherited syndrome involving liver function. My bilirubin levels are higher than other people's, and sometimes that manifests itself as jaundice, which I haven't noticed in myself. However, there's a whole host of other symptoms, which I have snagged off another website and reproduce for you here: (the stuff in RED is stuff I've noticed in myself, either all the time, or pretty often.)

Most Commonly Reported Symptoms

Frequently Reported: fatigue, tiredness, brain fog, headaches, poor memory, dizziness, depression, irritability, anxiety, nausea, loss of appetite, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), stomach pain & cramping, liver/gallbladder pain, abdominal pain, tremors, itchiness, jaundice

Commonly Reported: insomnia, difficulty concentrating, panic attacks, hypoglycemic reaction to foods, intolerance to carbs, food intolerances, alcohol intolerance, loose stools / diarrhea, abdominal bloating or swelling, breathlessness or labored breathing, heart palpitations, aching muscles / body ache, joint pain, numbness & tingling, weakness, chemical sensitivity, weight loss, lump in the throat, feeling constantly sick

Sometimes Reported: difficulty finding the right words, feeling drunk, vomiting, intolerance to fatty foods, strong hangovers, acid reflux, excessive thirst, chest pain, muscle twitches, cold hands and feet, environmental allergies, swollen lymph nodes, toxic feeling, bitter or metallic taste in the mouth, eye pain

Occasionally Reported: waking panic attack, mood swings, feeling antisocial, intolerance to drugs, constipation, pale stools, indigestion, back pain, dry skin, feeling cold, low body temperature, pale skin, low weight, night sweats, excessive sweating, poor immune system, sore or dry throat, light sensitivity, bloodshot eyes

Pardon me while I say: HOLY SHIT! I'VE BEEN SICK FOR ALMOST 23 YEARS, AND NOBODY FOUND THIS BEFORE?!

Up above, I call GS "benign" in quotes because most of the medical literature DOES say it's a benign syndrome, meaning it won't kill me and really won't physically harm me at all. However, all these crappy symptoms that come along with it, while not fatal, are a real pain in the ass, and I am finding that there are many websites devoted to the syndrome, and people who suffer from it.

The bad news is that there's no real cure, although there are many supplements that might help, mainly things that work on liver detox.

What's really funny (to use the word loosely), is that after seeing the new gastro guy, and finding after my first blood test that my bilirubin was high, I searched the web and found out about Gilbert's Syndrome, but sort of discounted it because of my hypochondriacal tendencies. Then I was sent for a second round of blood tests, and today, while talking to the nurse, she said, "Yes, your bilirubin is still high, which is REALLY common, in people who have your Gilbert's Syndrome diagnosis." I stopped her and told her nobody had told me I had the syndrome, and she apologized. Doesn't it seem oh, I don't know--LOGICAL to maybe skim over really difficult things to understand when you're talking to a patient, but to at least give them their DIAGNOSIS?

Rant, rant. At any rate, at least I have a diagnosis now, and perhaps I can do something about it, in addition to the Zelnorm they've put me on. (I'll spare you the repulsive side-effect details.)

Okay, I'm done.