Wilson's Disease
How Do I Know if I Have Wilson's Disease?
Present at birth, symptoms usually appear between the ages of 6 and 20 but can begin as late as forty. Very rarely, patients with Wilson’s Disease may not have symptoms until they are in their fifties. The most characteristic sign is a rusty brown ring around the cornea of the eye called the Kayser-Fleischer ring. This can be seen only through an eye exam.
Depending on what parts of the body are affected, other symptoms include:
- Fatigue
- Depression
- Joint Pain
- Loss of appetite
- Clumsiness
- Difficulty speaking
- Difficulty swallowing
- Difficulty walking
- Skin rash
- Swelling of the arms and legs
- Bruising
- Yellowing of the skin and eyes (jaundice)
- Drooling
- Involuntary shaking or tremors
- Nausea and/or vomiting
References
American Liver Foundation “Wilson Disease” http://www.liverfoundation.org/abouttheliver/info/wilson/. Retrieved March 10, 2011
Mayo Clinic “Wilson’s Disease” http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/wilsons-disease/DS00411. Retrieved March 10, 2011
Medline Plus “Wilson Disease” http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/wilsondisease.html. Retrieved March 10, 2011
Medscape Today “Wilson’s Disease: Treatment and Management” http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/543866_6. Retrieved March 10, 2011
Natural Institute for Neurological Disorders and Stroke “Wilson’s Disease” http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/wilsons/wilsons.htm. Retrieved March 10, 2011
Palmer, M.D., Melissa. Dr. Melissa Palmer’s Guide to Hepatitis & Liver Disease. New York: Avery Trade, 2004
Worman, M.D. Howard J. The Liver Disorders and Hepatitis Sourcebook. McGraw-Hill, 2006