Q: Recently my husband is diagnosed with Wilson's Disease. After reading some article regarding the disease I came to know that it is a disorder in the body which causes the body to absorb & retain excessive amount of copper. So does he need to take low copper diet and is this disease treatable? How long will it take him to get cured? What are the effects that the disease have in the body. Is it dangerous? Please guide me so that I can take proper care of him. I am residing in America. Is their any special clinic where I can take him? Waiting for your suggession & guidance.

A:Since you are in America I would recommend that your husband be seen by a Liver specialist. You probably know that this is a disease of copper metabolism where abnormal amounts of copper gets deposited in the tissues particularly in the liver and the brain. The disease cannot be cured but it can be kept under control. A low copper diet is recommended. Common foods with a high copper diet are kidney, liver, nuts, dried fruits, peas, unprocessed wheat to name a few. Further treatment is really a 2 step process. The first where excess copper is eliminated from the body most often with help of a medication called D-penicillamine and the second step is to prevent further accumalation of the copper. Your husband will require close medical supervision at all times.