Testing for Connections: Hypermobility, ANA, Bilirubin

[EmmyCee]

I'm just trying to see if there is any connection. Does anyone else:Have Gilbert's or slightly elevate bilirubin?Have hypermobility? My fingers and thumb can bend all the way back, I can bend my knees in a 'W' and lay all the way down, and I'm good at yoga Have a positive ANA? I was tested twice and both times it's been low titers, but high enough to see a rheumy. Notice that your symptoms flare up at a certain time of the month? I guess this is mainly for the ladies, although I know that men go through hormone "cycles" too. I used to get a new hotspot like clockwork a day before my period started.Notice that your symptoms improve with diet modification? For me it was cutting out gluten. I still get random twitches here and there, but it's nothing like it once was.

 

[Gracer]

hypermobile and had clear 5 weeks cycle (which is my NATURAl one however I an already for about 3 or 4 years on low dose OC - that was very strange, very very strange for me)

 

[TwitchyMD]

Hypermobility.Gilbert's (or at least few times have had bilirubin above 50 with the upper limit being 30).

 

[Arkansawyer]

I have Gilberts, so does my father and one of my brothers. They both have slightly more muscle twitches than average.

 

[TwitchyMD]

Arkansan: that is really interesting, thank you for that.

 

[EmmyCee]

I've noticed there may be a correlation between twitching and when my bilirubin is high. In Gilbert's I know from many online medical sources plus my gastro doc that for Gilbert's folks, bilirubin/slight jaundice increases when you wait too long to eat (fast), when you have your period, and when you're stressed or sick. Guess when I twitch the worse? First thing in the morning I get tiny quick randoms, although this morning I don't have any. Last night around midnight I had Taco Bell (don't judge lol!)...thus avoiding the fast between dinner and breakfast. Maybe we all need midnight snacks?I had BFS in 2009 for a few months, and Incidentally this latest bout of BFS came right after I had my wisdom teeth removed. For two days I couldn't eat anything aside from liquids so I am sure I was quite jaundiced. After the fasting, the twitches came on like crazy, but have thankfully decreased significantly since then.I've read somewhere that studies suggest that there may be a correlation with Gilbert's and longevity because the bilirubin is like a powerful antioxidant and they tend to have lower cholesterol. So if I live to see my 90s but am still twitching away that's fine with me!!! Gluten causes hotspots for me so maybe none of this is related, but interesting to think about!!! Thanks for the replies guys, I hope we get more

 

[EmmyCee]

Additionally, not that I trust Dr. Google or online searches too much, but there seems to be lots of interesting stuff popping up when i do a search for 'gilbert's + gluten"...seems to be a correlation between the liver (Gilbert's) and processing the gluten, how celiac disease impacts the liver, etc etc that Im too lazy to look into right now. Like I said, gluten gives me hotspots. When I feel bored enough to do more research maybe I will find a correlation. Not that it really matters too much, because BFS and Gilbert's are both benign. However, it may help others who have Gilbert's and BFS to find that cutting out gluten and eating every 5 hours helps them as it has helped me. When I first went to see an acupuncturist, he said the problem was likely due to "wind liver", and he was somewhat successful in getting rid of my leg cramps and the worst of the hotspot twitches...maybe he was right all along?

 

[Arkansawyer]

Didn't know that about Gilbert's and gluten, interesting. I did read somewhere that people with Gilbert's have a lowered risk of heart attack.

 

[Gracer]

funny but my daughter has eleveated bilirubine... all the time she comes t my clinic for any reason and get general blood test, her bilirubine is a bit higher than normal...but she had twitched only once... when he was bady emotinally hurt...

 

[Gloria123]

I am hypermobile. Never been tested for Gilbert's, but had jaundice as a baby (so did my son).

 

[Magnezum]

My neurologist said I have slight elevated bilirubin and I was told that by another family physician many years ago. The only place I am hypermobile is in the fact I have winging scapula. And as a sidenote, I fast frequently. It's how I maintain weight control, if I ate three average sized meals a day, I would morph into the size of Santa clause.

 

[FatFatGuyAssMaster]

Never officially diagnosed with Gilberts but I did have elevated Bilirubin on the last blood test I did a couple of years back. Not sure about the whole Gluten connection, although a number of board members have seen positive results by cutting it out.