Dearest Neurotalk friends,

I was doing 'more research' on Copper Deficiency recently and found two interesting (to me!) articles:

One was at a Mayo Clinic site, and connected copper deficiency to recovery from accute inflammation episodes, just like the ones I had constantly as the reaction to my 10 Hizentra infusions and one Gammagard infusion:

Because ceruloplasmin is an acute phase reactant, urine copper is elevated during acute inflammation. During the recovery phase, urine copper is usually below normal, reflecting the expected physiologic response to replace the copper that was depleted during inflammation.

http://www.mayomedicallaboratories.c...erpretive/8590

The second was a New York Times article on urine tsting for Copper. What made that aritcle interesting is that is doesn't even mention copper deficiency. The only way is describes abnormal test results is as an excess of copper in your urine.

Copper deficiency is so rare, it doesn't rate a mention in this article.

But I really think I may be on to something with the relatonship between copper deficiency as a result of accute inflammation episodes.

I did send an email to my Neurologist about this, too.

Hugs, Elaine

Our MS posters have discussed low copper in MS on that forum at times.

I did a search using Keywords "copper multiple sclerosis", and found this:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1083158/
1982 paper.

and this:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2545071
The connection appears to be inflammation. Many of our MS posters have been already screened for low copper.

There are some interesting papers on "marginal copper deficiency" on the net as well.


My handy favorite reference is Drug Induced Nutrient Depletions, by Ross Pelton and James LaValle...
They state that severe copper deficiency is rare, but marginal low levels are common, and that people do not consume foods to provide copper. They state on pg. 322 that most US people get about 1/2 the copper RDA. (if they take a multivitamin that would help I would think. ) Centrum Silver for example has .5mg of copper per tablet.

Linus Pauling Institute has good reference material on most nutrients including a bibliography:
http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/infocenter/minerals/copper/
http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/infocente...refs.html#ref2

Thanks, Mrs. D.

I really do think the inflammation I experience is probably the reason for my low copper.

Perhaps combined with the intake of a high level of PPI. Together might be enough to lower my copper levels, especially after a prolonged period of inflammation.

I was in a rebound from about 11 straight weeks of one after another bouts of intense inflammation from the subcutaneous infusions of IgG.

Now my immunologist has me on IVIG, but only by taking Methylprednisolone every single day do I avoid the onset of inflammation and itching.

I missed a dose of Medrol one morning, and by night time the entire inflammatory reactions as setting in. And that was 4 days after the IVIG.

I was tested for MS with a spinal tap in 2010, and nothing showed up on the tap at all, for any problem. I've been tested and re-tested for so many things over the years.

But now I truly believe that my Immune Deficiency accounts for why I never showed up with the autoimmune conditions I clearly have.

That's OK, tho' since I never really felt my condition warranted Plaquenil or Methotrexate, which are standard treatments.

And now I have Medrol which really helps everything.

I know there are long term side effects, but at 71, and at 4mg daily, I'm not too worried.

Hugs, Elaine

ever try a gluten free diet?

Fortunately I don't have Celiac's disease or gluten sensitivity. When you have a list of 'conditions' as long as mine, it's amazing that everything isn't on the list.

But with the exception of lamb and sheep's milk, which make me vomit, I have a cast iron constitution and no food sensitivities or reactions.

I guess it's only fair, given that my basic system is Immune Deficient AND autoimmune.

Hugs, Elaine

testing for celiac is not particularly good. that is why I asked if you had tried the diet. Dr H's patients with ataxia, not infrequently test neg on the blood testing....good luck