An increase in serum bilirubin levels would indicate the presence of liver disease or inefficiency. The common manifestation of this condition is jaundice, which causes yellowing of the mucus membranes like the eyes. It is also common to have yellow urine because of the heightened levels of bilirubin in the blood. The usual suspect for this condition is hepatitis, or an inflammation of the liver. However, since you mentioned that you have recently undergone a liver transplant, there is a higher probability that immunosuppressant drugs that you need to take are causing this condition.
Bilirubin is a constituent of the red blood cells of your body. When the red blood cells are replaced every now and then in the body, the bilirubin is released and is absorbed by the liver. From here, the bilirubin is metabolized and is converted into bile that is used in digestion. Bile is used to neutralize the acids of the stomach so that food can be further processed in the intestines. From here the bile is acted upon by bacteria to convert its color from a yellow substance to a clay colored substance and is eventually excreted from the body in the feces. After a kidney transplant, one of the biggest risks that people face is the rejection of the organ by the body. This occurs because the genetic material in two people is not identical except in the case of identical twins. This causes the immune system of the body to recognize the new kidney as a foreign body and the immune system attacks it – as far as the immune system is concerned, the new kidney is as good as a cancer or an infection. The advent of immunosuppressant drugs changed the lives of many transplant patients by allowing donated organs to be accepted – accepted would be a misnomer, as the immune system had to be suppressed for acceptance to occur. The problem with immunosuppressants is that they are not selective in their action and affect the whole body. This causes more infections to develop as well as a host of other problems. The chances that your increased bilirubin levels being linked to this are quite probable.
To reduce the amount of bilirubin in the blood, the first thing that you need to do is go on a jaundice diet that does not cause stress to your liver. This means that you must go off fatty food and oil. Carbohydrate and plant protein intake are all that you are allowed. Consume lots of honey as this stimulates bile production.