Author: Nicole Bijlsma
A 28 year old female came to see me for problems with her weight. Her symptoms began 6 months earlier when she experienced abdominal aches and pains that came and went.
She was hospitalised with an ‘acute abdomen’ for which they suspected she had an acute appendicitis. Despite the fact that her appendix was not inflamed, it was promptly removed. Her pain continued for the next 3 months which she managed with pain killers, during which she gained over 10kg of weight. After extensive questioning, her symptoms began when she moved into a new apartment with her boyfriend.
She commented that her water was a greeny-blue colour when she used the kitchen tap first thing in the morning. I insisted she promptly contact her water distributor who confirmed that he was unable to give her an exact reading of the copper levels in her water as they were ‘off the chart’.
A subsequent blood test by her doctor confirmed that she had copper poisoning.
If you have any concerns, please contact a qualified Building Biologist – you can find one close to you here.
Always look for the ASBB logo – the ASBB checks the qualifications of all Building Biologist.
