Thread: Copper levels
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Old Thu Jun 28, 2018, 07:25 PM
Diana H Diana H is offline
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Join Date: Jun 2018
Location: Basking ridge NJ
Posts: 9
Smile Copper deficiency and MDS

My doc checked B12, folate, hepatitis... except Copper/Zinc. It seems most doctors don’t check copper.

I strongly suspect that I suffered from copper deficiency at the time of my diagnosis. I had taken Zinc supplement for more than ten years. It was OK for me to take Zinc when I ate very little animal protein. I started eating more animal protein over the years, and it finally took a toll and affect my copper absorption and my copper level. I found some very cheap cheese and ate quite a bit everyday about six months before I got sick.
My severe diarrhea (affecting nutrition absorption especially copper) in July 2017 made my MDS took a turn for the worse very quickly.
It’s only after 6 rounds of Vidaza and I was in remission that I had the energy to learn more about MDS and ran across copper deficiency. I did eat less cheese around 2nd round Vidaza when I heard Dr Dawn(from askdrdawn.com) that cancer survivors should limit dairy due to dairy is for fast growing baby cows, and fast growing favors cancer...
I stopped Zinc supplement. Eat less zinc rich food like cheese, and eat more copper rich food and hope for the best. still in remission 4 months after no MDS treatment.
I agree with Marlene and Cheryl that copper should be checked periodically. Even if Copper deficiency does not cause MDS, it could certainly make MDS worse.
When I relay my thinking to my son, he looked at me like I had two heads.
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Female, age 66, dx MDS RAEB with 15-20% blasts 9/2017. Blood counts have normalized after 3 rounds of Vidaza. Finished six cycles of Vidaza. No treatment since March 10, 2018. Currently monthly CBC, will resume Vidaza when blood counts are low.

Last edited by Diana H : Mon Jul 2, 2018 at 12:28 PM.
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