Topic Title: Mercury detox - update
| |  "Mercury detox - update"
, Fri 8 Jul 14:50:
Hi everyone,
I thought I'd give you an update to let you know how I'm getting on. Sorry it's another long one! I'm posting this in case the information is useful to anyone - I have a strong suspicion that mercury poisoning is a root cause of much chronic mental and physical illness.
For those how don't know, I'm on a long-term experiment to find out if my low energy/tension/brain fog/social anxiety syndrome is in fact amalgam illness, ie. mercury poisoning from fillings (and possibly other sources). I had my fillings replaced with composite last January. For a fuller background read my previous posts in this section.
I had been chelating (= removing metal) with a herbal supplement called NDF, and for the first few of months I felt there was a definate improvement. However things then began to slide back, the NDF was no longer helping me and I becoming increasingly socially withdrawn again. I felt I needed outside help so I consulted a doctor who specialises in this kind of thing had some tests done.
I did a "mercury challenge test" which was actually a bit inconclusive - the result was at the upper end of the "acceptable" range. However the doc pointed out that the test showed mercury was present, and IF I'm sensitive to it, this could be a problem. And no amount of mercury is really "acceptable" as it's nasty stuff. I also had a mineral test done, which showed that I am low on zinc and actually deficient in magnesium, chromium and manganese.
However I still think I'm on the right track with this. One reason is that a while back I tried taking a chelator called alpha lipoic acid (ALA). What this does is remove mercury from the brain, which is why I tried it. However it's not very good at getting merc out of the body though, and if you have a lot of merc in your body the ALA can push it back INTO the brain and you feel worse. And when I tried it, though I felt slightly euphoric at first, after few hours all my original symptoms were back worse than ever and I felt awful.
Also, I find that doing a lot of aerobic exercise worsens my symptoms. This has been so for a long time - I first noticed it when I was about 15. This apparently is a classic sign as exercise mobilises mercury. And also the pattern of my mineral deficencies (especially magnesium) are typical.
So I still think I'm on the right track with this. I've stopped the NDF, and am now taking a prescripion chemical chelator called DMSA. Plus loads of vitamin and mineral supplements to help detox and correct my mineral deficiencies. And for the sake of my social life I'm now taking SJW again! This feels like a good combination so far.
This whole area is very contravertial and there are many different opinions about how best to detox. The guru that I trust the most is Dr Andy Cutler. He recommends taking very small amounts of DMSA every 4 hours including night-time, as taking large doses less frequently can redistribute mercury into the brain and make things worse. He then recommends adding ALA to the schedule alongside DMSA once the general body levels of mercury have gone down (about 2 - 6 months later). This combination is very good at getting the mercury out of the brain (DMSA doesn't do this very well on it's own).
All this is not an instant miracle cure - it takes a LONG time to get better, possibly up to two years. So I'm up for the long haul. However I've only been taking the DMSA for a few days and I think I can feel my general level of energy and alertness impoving.
There's a lot of (sometimes conflicting!) information on the web about this. I've recently found the adult-metal-chelation group on yahoo especially helpful for support.
Cici
[this message was edited by cici on Fri 8 Jul 14:52]
Posts: 113 | | Registered: Sat 10 Jan 2004 13:11 |
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| | "Re(1):Mercury detox - update" , Sun 17 Jul 23:20
Thanks for that info. I also have a few Mercury fillings (to my great regret, but it wasn't my choice when I was younger) and have wondered if it has any bearing on my problems (mainly anxiety). I figure it has a lot to do with the quality of the filling and the mercury used as to how much will leak into the body.
I get the brain fog thing a lot too, but you make and interesting comment in relation to exercise, I know that exercise generally makes me feel invigorated and more confident and clear headed, so at least on that level...so maybe I'm safe... hopefully!
For fast effective profit own a drug company.
Posts: 145 | | Registered: Wed 14 Apr 2004 23:27 |
| | | "Re(2):Mercury detox - update" , Mon 18 Jul 04:31
Yes, hopefully! I don't actually feel bad during exercise, or even immediately after. It take a few hours for bad things to happen. My theory is that a lot of mercury is stored in body fat, and gets released as the fat gets burnt off, though I don't know if that's right.
I've heard that the type of amalgam used since the late 70s is worse for this than what was used previously. It also depends in the individual's sensitivity.
I've just found out that a mercury-based preservative was used in contact lens solution until as recently as 1999. I'm amazed - I was wearing contact lenses every day from around 1982 onwards. I wonder if that was a contributing factor.
Cici
Posts: 113 | | Registered: Sat 10 Jan 2004 13:11 |
| | | "Another update - 5 months later" , Thu 15 Dec 04:30
This is how I have been getting on...
Shortly after writing my last post, I upped my dose of DMSA to 60mg every 4 hours. And a also started running - half an hour every other day. And I was fine! No worsening of symptoms. There was a slight improvement in my mental state, probably from all those exercise-induced endorphins. I was still dependent on SJW to make me feel human, though. I carried on like this for a couple of months.
I then tried doing some brain chelation with alpha lipoic acid 10mg every 4 hours. Had to stop after a couple of days - it made my head swim and my usual symtoms gradually worse. This apparently is a sign of mercury redistribution - the ALA is mobilising more mercury than the body can get rid of.
Then tried cilantro (or coriander leaf to us Brits) - this is supposed to chelete brain mercury as well. Just zuzzed up the kitchen herb in a blender and took about a tablespoon a day, while continuing to take the DMSA. Got quite good results, felt my head clearing, was even able to stop taking SJW for a few days at a stretch. However recently it's not been working so well - possibly a bad batch, I can't get organinc locally, maybe some dodgy pesticides were used...
I would like to try ALA again, one of the problems with cilantro is lack of consistency, also it's action is unknown, no-one is sure of the right dosage and timing... ALA is very "deep", reaches parts other chelators can't. Although the dosage I tried before was small, it was probably still to high for me, I must be very sensitive. I will try taking less and see what happens.
So that's where I am at the moment, it's a very long process of progress and setbacks... starting to realise how poisoned must be.
Will keep you all posted,
Cici
Posts: 115 | | Registered: Sat 10 Jan 2004 13:11 |
| | | "Re(1):Another update - 5 months later" , Fri 16 Dec 04:02
Thanks for the update, Cici!
-H2Obuffalo
Posts: 172 | | Registered: Sat 24 May 2003 2:26 |
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