• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Daily Vitamina

Daily Vitamina

Bilingual Health News

  • Health Conditions
  • Healthy Living
  • Food
  • Weight Loss
  • Fitness
Home / Health Conditions / Living With A Rare and Invisible Disease

Living With A Rare and Invisible Disease

Nine-year-old Isabel McKeehan spent the first two years of her life in and out of hospitals until liver failure and a liver biopsy led her to a rare genetic disease diagnosis called Urea Cycle Disorder (UCD).  This disease affects 1 in 35,000 children born in the U.S. and Isabel has one UCD subtype called ornithine transcarbamylase (OTC).

Rare diseases are often difficult to diagnose because they may not present common or physical symptoms, even though most diseases send you signs of illness. When a person has a UCD, the urea cycle can’t convert ammonia safely into urea and the ammonia builds up because the body can’t get rid of it. When the ammonia reaches toxic levels in the blood it can trigger vomiting, confusion, and swelling in the brain.Isabel, Lupe, and Nick, UCD

“Isabel was hospitalized for 7 months and during that time they tested her for everything because her liver enzymes were very high,” explains Lupe, Isabel’s mother. “She didn’t represent typical liver failure symptoms, she didn’t have jaundice (yellowing of the skin), she wasn’t lethargic, so she was a puzzle to them.”

After performing several biopsies, that’s when the doctors found that Isabel had this rare condition. “When she was first diagnosed I think I had an anxiety attack because I didn’t comprehend very well what it was and what it meant for Isabel,” she says.

UCD can present many daily challenges, including having to take medication every day and having to follow a low-protein diet. Isabel has to eat 17.5 grams of protein daily, which is about the size of a cup of Greek yogurt, which is 8 ounces. “I have a notebook where I write everything that she eats and I have to add it up to make sure that she reaches her allowed protein content,” explains Lupe. In addition to a strict diet, she also takes several supplements, which include amino acids, fiber, vitamin D, and calcium because her body is missing the normal amount of nutrients that she needs to grow and thrive.Isabel AND Lupe UCD

Continue Reading

The Latest In Health Conditions

¿Siempre se lava las manos luego de saludar a alguien?

¿Se cambia de ropa 10 veces al día antes de salir de paseo o a trabajar? ¿Después de saludar a alguien, siempre se lava las manos durante cinco minutos o más? ¿Consulta al médico todas las semanas para un chequeo? [Read More...] about ¿Siempre se lava las manos luego de saludar a alguien?

6 consejos para deshacerse de la celulitis para siempre

Cuando Claudia cumplió 40 años, tenía demasiado sobrepeso. Al someterse a dietas estrictas, logró eliminar los kilos o libras de más, pero también perdió su vitalidad. Siempre estaba agotada, y sus amistades, al verla extenuada, se mostraban preocupadas por su [Read More...] about 6 consejos para deshacerse de la celulitis para siempre

10 cosas que debe saber sobre el trasplante de cabello

La vejez no es fácil: la pérdida del cabello es muy frustrante para muchas personas, ya que está asociada con una sensación de juventud perdida. Mi amigo José siempre se había sentido inseguro con su pelo. A causa de su [Read More...] about 10 cosas que debe saber sobre el trasplante de cabello

Irregularidades de posparto en mujeres con trastornos del estado de ánimo

Las mujeres con prolongados problemas de salud mental hasta tres años después del parto pueden presentar respuestas irregulares en el sistema inmunitario, de acuerdo a una nueva investigación realizada por investigadores de Cedars-Sinai. Los hallazgos se publican en American Journal [Read More...] about Irregularidades de posparto en mujeres con trastornos del estado de ánimo

5 Tips for Living with Arthritis

My father was 66 years old when he was diagnosed with arthritis. A medication by the doctor that he could take without significant side effects. As his condition worsened, he gave up the things he used to do, like walking [Read More...] about 5 Tips for Living with Arthritis

5 razones por las que nunca debe estresarse

A mi hija Jocelyn le cuesta mucho controlar el estrés. Vive preocupada y ansiosa por las exigencias de su trabajo como maestra de escuela, el cuidado de sus dos hijos, su vida matrimonial y las tareas de una ama de [Read More...] about 5 razones por las que nunca debe estresarse

Primary Sidebar

Popular Posts

  • AHA News: Silent Heart Attacks All Too Common, and Often OverlookedAHA News: Silent Heart Attacks All Too Common, and…
  • Migraines? Get Moving: Exercise Can Help Curb AttacksMigraines? Get Moving: Exercise Can Help Curb Attacks
  • An Insider’s Guide To Cut Costs on Prescription DrugsAn Insider’s Guide To Cut Costs on Prescription Drugs
  • Bedroom Light at Night Might Boost Women's WeightBedroom Light at Night Might Boost Women’s Weight
  • Often Feel Bloated? One Ingredient May Be To BlameOften Feel Bloated? One Ingredient May Be To Blame

Copyright © 2023, BlackDoctor, Inc. All rights reserved.