How to cope with Wilson's Disease

Wilson’s disease is a genetic disorder that involves primarily the liver. It is an autosomal recessive genetic disorder. This is a hereditary disease because it affects the genes of the body.

Wilson's disease is a condition in which excessive amounts of copper builds up in the body. Even if the building up of copper starts at birth, the disease manifests itself only in the patient’s later years.

Wilson’s disease can be diagnosed through the following relatively simple tests which include: Ophthalmologic slit lamp examination for Kayser-Fleischer rings, 24-hour urine copper test, Genetic testing, haplotype analysis for siblings and mutation analysis, Serum ceruloplasmin test and liver biopsy for tissue identification and copper quantification.
Liver disease is the leading result of Wilson's disease for about 40 percent of its patients. Neurological or psychiatric symptoms are the first symptoms in some patients. Such symptoms include difficulty with speech, rigidity, drooling, tremor, abrupt personality change, neurosis or psychosis, inappropriate behavior and inexplicable deterioration of school performance.

Wilson's disease patients are usually treated with the drug penicillamine. The drug trientine may be used for the patients who are intolerant of penicillamine. The drug BAL, or British Anti Lewisite, is a common option for worst cases. However if in rare cases in which there is sudden severe hepatitis or hemolytic anemia, liver transplantation can be the last resort.

If not addressed or treated, Wilson's disease threatens a more serious danger to the patient. Earlier detection and treatment of the disease means a better chance for him/her to live a normal life. Here are a few steps on how to treat Wilson’s disease:
Read and enjoy learning about the different medication for Wilson’s disease. Make sure that you have a lifelong medical supply of trientine trentine hydrochloride and other medication. These drugs help in removing copper from the tissue in your body.

Zinc acetate blocks copper from getting into our intestines. It also enhances our body to be able to excrete copper in the system. If you have undergone through D-penicillamine or trientine hydrochloride therapy and the result is a decrease of less than 10 micrograms per deciliter level of unbound copper in the blood, it is crucial that you have ample supply of Zinc acetate in the body for maintenance. If a person has been detected to have Wilson's disease but does not show any symptoms, then he or she must have Zinc acetate as primary treatment.

It is not advisable to take Zinc acetate with trientine hydrochloride or with D-penicillamine because they form a combination that has no effect in copper in the body. Zinc acetate can cause nausea at the first dose. This type of side effect can subside and there is no need to get alarmed or worried. Never ever take zinc acetate with carbohydrates for the morning,
Eating the right kinds of food can be a big help but you must eat a well balanced diet. A small amount of protein in the form of lean turkey must be taken with the dose of medicine in the morning.