When I started researching detoxification and which toxicities cause what symptoms, heavy metals stood out to me.
In this day in age people are more toxic with heavy metals than ever before. Fracking has contaminated our water systems, mercury is found in amalgam fillings and energy efficient light bulbs, lead is still found in paint (lead paint is legal for outdoor use) and many other sources, and aluminum is used extensively in the kitchen. Nearly everyone has had mercury fillings at some point, everyone uses metal cookware, and we have all inhaled contaminated air (think cigarette smoke), metal is not easy to avoid.
The symptoms of mercury poisoning are extremely similar to the symptoms of tick borne diseases. Common mercury poisoning symptoms are-neuropathy, fatigue, memory loss, brain fog, depression, tremors, and food sensitivities, just to name a few. Sound familiar? All of these are hallmark lyme disease symptoms.
Heavy metal detoxification is a part of several lyme treatment protocols, including but not limited to those used by Dr.Burrascano and Dr.Horowitz. So, I went online and ordered myself a hair minerals and toxic metals test.
These are my results.
High-Mercury, lead, silver, nickel, copper, and barium.
The high lead was a shock to me. Mercury and copper are found in dental amalgams ( I had 4 when I took this test) so this was expected. What about the lead? Where did the it come from? Lead isn't found in amalgams, shouldn't be in cookware, the kitchen somewhere maybe?
The water pipes...the lead soldering that attaches the copper water pipes. Bingo, that must be it. My water must be contaminated with lead. My ND advised me to start on EDTA as soon as possible to chelate lead. I used a product called Total Chelate, a mixture of minerals and Ca-EDTA. I started at 1 pill 2x a day to 2 pills 3x daily.
Within a few days of starting this protocol, brain fog and fatigue improved. Finally a breathrough!
Ca-EDTA mainly, if not only, chelates lead. So the copper, mercury, etc were still untouched left to ravage my system with their toxic affects.
To chelate mercury I wanted to follow the Cutler protocol. To do this correctly I had to have those darn mercury fillings removed.
I only had 4 so it wasn't too bad. I found a mercury free dentist who followed the correct safety procedures for removing and disposing of the metal. In two visits plus a consult, they were out.
A few days after the last two were removed, I started DMSA chelation. Following the Cutler protocol, I started on 12.5mg. I would take DMSA every 4 hours, 3 days a week. This also helped my symptoms to reduce further. I started this protocol in June of this year.
Three months after starting the DMSA and being amalgam free, it is safe to add another chelator called alpha lipoic acid. Alpha lipoic acid (ALA for short) is naturally produced in the body as a precursor to glutathione. ALA and glutathione are used by the body (especially the liver) to remove toxins from the cells. A three month wait is needed so the DMSA can clear mercury and other metals from the tissues. According to the protocol, DMSA should be used to chelate the body and ALA should be used to chelate the brain.
I began ALA in September, at a 100mg dose. In the beginning I had a strong herx reaction that knocked me down for several days. I would cut the 300mg pill into 4 pieces and take 2 each day slowly working up to 100mg 3x a day.
Later on in September, I repeated the test. Here are the results.
The results improved
in only a few months! Test #1 was taken in March, #2 in September, only 6 months.
The lead is way down. Nickel and copper also decreased. Mercury increased, possibly from detoxification- the mercury leaving can go out through the hair. No worry there.
Tin jumping up I thought was interesting. I don't have an explanation for that. It could also be detoxification.
Then looking at the changes in minerals, you can see that magnesium and iodine are high. I have been taking magnesium for years. I first started on calm magnesium the first visit with Dr,L., this spike was a surprise to me. I don't even take it religiously anymore, just a spoonful every few days. On the first test I had nearly no lithium whatsoever. So my ND advised me to start supplementing that, now it is nearly in range. Another little victory :) I read this book called "Feel Good Nutrigenomics" By Dr.Amy Yasko. She stated lithium was often found low in Lyme patients. No reason given, just that its typical. I wonder if a certain toxin from the bacteria displaces it.
The biggest surprise to me was the iodine. I didn't start taking iodine until after taking test #2, but before I received the results. I don't even eat an iodine rich diet. Its a mystery to me. Personally I do not believe my iodine is actually that high. I believe one of the toxins, whether it be a halogen or metal, is displacing it, into my hair. Chlorine, bromine, and fluoride, the halogens, are known to displace iodine. Halogens have the ability to displace each other in our bodies. Bromine, for example, is know to block iodine from the thyroid. I believe my iodine is being displaced. There is no way it could jump over 70 points without supplementation. It will be interesting to see what its at on test #3 next year.
Calcium and phosphorus levels also improved, possibly as a side effect of removing mercury. Another little victory :)
This has been the journey of detoxifying heavy metals from my body. Unlike my lyme protocol, this one changes very little. I only take ALA now, the DMSA just stopped giving me results.
This was a fun post to write, I think so many of our common diseases today are caused primarily by toxins. I feel like these tests back up this opinion at least to some degree.
Until tomorrow, God bless.
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