“Bachelor” Joey Graziadei Opens Up About Being Diagnosed with Gilbert Syndrome: 'I Am Healthy'
The 'Bachelor' revealed he has a condition known as Gilbert syndrome, which can cause a yellowish tinge—or jaundice—of the skin and the whites of the eyes
Joey Graziadei is speaking out about his medical history, after receiving multiple comments about the yellowish tinge in the whites of his eyes.
In an Instagram video shared on his account on Thursday, the current Bachelor, 28, disclosed that during high school, he was diagnosed with Gilbert (pronounced zheel-BAYR) syndrome. According to the Mayo Clinic, it's a common, benign liver condition that affects the way the body processes bilirubin, a yellowish substance that's produced during the body's normal breakdown of old red blood cells.
The condition doesn't usually require treatment and is sometimes leads to a slight yellowish tinge—or jaundice—of the skin and the whites of the eyes.
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"Hi everyone, I hope you are having a beautiful day," said Graziadei at the start of his video. "I wanted to jump on here really quick and talk about something that I'm seeing a lot of comments about, which is Joey's yellow eyes."
"So to give some context on that." he continued, "I have to go all the way back to when I was in high school. I was sick for about a week and a half, and my mom thought it would be a good idea to go to the doctor."
The Bachelor went on to explain that during the visit, blood work revealed a significantly high bilirubin count—indicating potential issues with his liver. He underwent ultrasound examinations and consulted other medical professionals. "They found out that there was nothing necessarily wrong, like hepatitis," he said, "but they diagnosed me with something called Gilbert syndrome."
"At the end of the day, I am told that I am healthy," he added. "It's something that does affect the whites of my eyes, giving them that jaundiced appearance. It's something I want to pay more attention to going into this year. I want to ensure my health is optimal. But I wanted to provide some background and reassure you that to my knowledge, I am healthy."
Looking ahead, Graziadei said he intends to focus more on staying hydrated, getting adequate sleep, and managing his stress levels.
"I do appreciate everyone looking out for me and wondering if I'm OK, but to my knowledge, I'm as OK as can be, and I will continue to monitor it. So thank you very much," he concluded.
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