Question 1

what is wilson's disease?

Accepted Answer

Copper accumulation: Wilson's disease is a disorder in which copper accumulates in the body cells.  This causes liver disease, psychological changes, and movement disorders similar to parkinsons disease.  It can usually be diagnosed by blood and urine tests, but sometimes requires a liver biopsy.  It is treated by a low copper diet and medication that reduces copper levels.

Question 2

what causes wilson's disease?

Accepted Answer

Genetic defect: Wilson disease is a defect in the bodies handling of copper ingested in the diet.A gene is inherited from both asymptomatic  carrier parents that encodes the wrong information on copper metablolism.The proper carrier protein that is supposed to bind and take copper to be removed is not formed. Over time the copper begins to accumulate in tissues in toxic amounts.

Question 3

why is wilson's disease found?

Accepted Answer

Treatable killer: This may be the most treacherous of all diagnoses. 1 in ~60000 people have this defect in copper metabolism that may have no symptoms or look like something else until it ruins the liver and brain. It's picked up on lab testing and even these are fraught with pitfalls. Diagnosed, it's very easy to treat. I wish you luck and hope your workup is done well.

Question 4

how serious is wilson's disease?

Accepted Answer

Life threatening : As a chronic metabolic disorder, wilson's is a rotten illness.If detected early and responsive to the limited treatments available, some semlance of a life is possible. Late DX and poor response leads to liver disease in childhood and neurologic degenerative effects in older patients. The kidneys and bones can also be injured.

Question 5

how do you detect wilson's disease?

Accepted Answer

Wilson's disease: The diagnosis of wilson's disease is based upon the clinical setting combined with compatible biochemical (serum ceruloplasmin concentration), histologic (evidence from liver tissue biopsy) and physical findings (such as deposits of copper in a certain part of the cornea).

Question 6

can wilson's disease effect vision?

Accepted Answer

Indirectly: the corneal deposits are diagnostic but do not affect your vision
other components of the disease con affect your vision indrectly

Question 7

how can you live with wilson's disease?

Accepted Answer

Wilson's disease: Lifetime medical therapy is required in patients with wilson disease, and treatment involves removing the copper already accumulated in tissues and preventing reaccumulation. Patients should consume only in moderation foods that contain high concentrations of copper (shellfish, nuts, chocolate, mushrooms, and organ meats), particularly during the first year of therapy.

Question 8

can you explain wilson's disease, please?

Accepted Answer

Copper overload: Each parent is a carrier and the patient has two defective copies of the atp7b gene, making it impossible to pump copper out of certain cells. Damage to the brain and liver is the most severe, but there is also hemolysis and dysfunction of the proximal kidney tubule. It's missed from time to time with disastrous results; screening labs are famously unreliable.

Question 9

how do i know if i have wilson's disease or not?

Accepted Answer

Be seen: See your physician to get the process started with some blood work, and possibly genetic testing, as well as a physical exam.

Question 10

can you live a full normal life with wilson's disease?

Accepted Answer

Hard to tell: I don't know if you are to live a "full normal" life with any disease. There will be some limitations but it depends on how you take them. Some people are able to cope so well that they barely notice it, but some even though it may be mild take it so deeply that their life is destroyed by the mere fact they have it.

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What is wilson's disease?

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Can you live a full normal life with wilson's disease?

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