Mercury/Heavy Metals - new theory after 15 years

[RonnieD]

Hey, I've posted for years and have tried a lot of crazy programs beyond conventional eye drops, compresses, etc. including detoxes, cleanses and taking extensive probiotics. I've seen eye specialists all across North America, from Vancouver to Miami, Los Angeles to New York, and none could help. I even went through extensive testing at the Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale but all results were normal despite my constant pain.

My chronic dry eye began back in 1997, two weeks after I received a vaccination for traveling to Western Europe. While in Paris, I caught a cold and from that point onwards, I've had chronic eye pain, joint pain, fatigue, dry skin, digestive issues and brain fog. The biggest problem, by far, has been with my eyes.

I was recently tested for heavy metal toxicity, via urine analysis, and the results show extremely high levels of mercury. Mercury was the preservative used in the vaccination I received back in 1997, two weeks before catching a cold and having all of my problems start.

Mercury is a heavy metal that can cause a wide range of problems, including eye pain/dry eye. Urine analysis for mercury is somewhat controversial. Some doctors claim only a blood test is relevant while many other doctors claim that blood tests will produce false negatives as mercury is absorbed by the muscle, bone and neurological tissue, specifically the eyes. I've had extensive blood work conducted by all kinds of doctors over 15 years for a variety of potential issues and all tests have always produced normal results with no indicated problems.

For me, the mercury explanation is finally something - after 15 years - that makes sense with my situation. I have started the heavy metal chelation (removal) process by taking DMSA (first 25 mg 5x daily, now 50 mg 5x daily) for two days on, five days off. DMSA is a prescription drug that has been used for decades to chelate heavy metals. It pulls out not only mercury and lead from the body but also other essentially vitamins, so the program is to take DMSA 2 days on, 5 days off, while taking a mineral supplement 2x daily on off days. Given my extremely high levels of mercury, I might have to take DMSA for up to 2 years; other, less severe cases might require DMSA for only 6 months. I was told not to expect to see any positive results for many months but I am already starting to feel a little better, after just a month on the DMSA.

I am based in Canada, and could not get mercury urine testing through the public system so I had to go to a private lab, through a naturopath (I would have preferred to go through a general physician but that is not an option in Canada to get to private labs). I had previously seen a GI specialist in Los Angeles who prescribed a lab req form for urine collection and analysis of heavy metals so this testing might be easier to obtain in the US.

The cost of the lab analysis in Canada was about $330. Before collecting the urine, it's imperative to take DMSA as a provoking agent for two days (given to me by the naturopath), while avoiding seafood consumption for days before. Over a span of 15 years, I have spent a TONNE of money seeing real doctors and naturopaths and buying antibiotics/supplements, none of which have worked. I do not recommend herbal supplements, detoxes or cleanses, despite what any miracles are promised by naturopaths. I also do not recommend any lubricating eye drops, prescription eye drops (including Restasis, corticosteroid drops, etc.) as none have ever worked for me.

The form of mercury detection is somewhat controversial (with doctors arguing over the relevance of urine vs. blood testing) but the symptoms of mercury toxicity appear to be more generally accepted. My symptoms are consistent with the list of what can be caused by mercury toxicity and the urine testing indicates mercury is the culprit so I will continue to take the DMSA and provide an update back here in about 6-9 months as I do not frequent the site much. I certainly hope this is the explanation/solution for me and I will check back to let you know of my progress in the summer/fall.

Mercury can enter the system through a variety of means, including foods (mostly seafood), environmental pollutants, etc. but it is most problematic for some people if introduced through vaccines or dental filings. Most people can chelate (expel) mercury fine and do not experience problems, but a small percentage of people have a genetic predisposition that prevents them from chelating mercury.

I would be interested to see posts from others who have experience with mercury and eye pain.

Good luck.

[hankm9]

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[jenny2008]

what are the symptoms of mercury poisoning? i have sjogrens and mgd... not sure if related to mercury in my mouth?? i wonder if your dry eyes will go away after you get all the mercury out? u said you are going to a naturopath for this?? thanks!

[LaDiva]

Really glad you posted this Ronnie. I have subscribed to this thread and am watching it with interest. Please keep us updated on your progress, and best of luck!

[Katewest]

I agree with LaDiva! Keep us posted

[farmgirl]

I think it may depend on the nature of the cause of your dry eye. I have been doing chelation (am about 1/2 done) and notice no difference but then again I have Sjogren's. I wasn't doing it to address the dry eye specifically but more to try to overcome the autoimmune condition which is the root cause of my dry eye. I wish you luck...F/G

[jenny2008]

Farm Girl.. does the chelation make you sick?? also do you go to a regular doc or naturopath for it?? has it helped your sjogrens at all yet?? thanks!!! ))

[farmgirl]

Hi Jenny: I am having it done at a naturopath. It does not make me sick and as of yet I am not considering my Sjogren's to be cured...F/G

[jenny2008]

im glad it doesnt make u sick..keep us posted please esp if it helps your dry eyes..which i hope it does! good lucK!

[shanku]

Did you use a non-provoked urine sample for this testing? If not, then following article suggests that using provoked samples could be misleading:

http://www.quackwatch.org/01Quackery...ine_toxic.html

[RonnieD]

I'm not 100% sold on the mercury explanation, but given the complete inability of doctors, including ~15 eye specialists plus rheumatologists, infectious disease specialists, allergists and GI specialists, to find anything even remotely wrong with me through extensive blood work, I am willing to continue the DMSA route. My urine sample was provoked with DMSA. The reason this is needed is because people with mercury problems cannot chelate mercury and therefore unprovoked samples will not detect material levels of mercury; this is the problem that the DMSA is trying to solve. People with the inability to chelate mercury apparently actually have unprovoked test results showing mercury levels less than in people who can chelate metals, but the results interestingly then flip - to a material degree - when a chelating agent is introduced. This in itself make intuitive sense so I certainly hope the DMSA results in a material improvement.

With respect to the term quack, its history is actually quite interesting. The term was originally applied to doctors who believed mercury did not pose problems, but the label has shifted 180 degrees over the past 150+ years. I ripped the following from another site:

"Mercury was first used in dental amalgams about 1800 in France, and the amalgam was introduced to America in 1833 by the English. The American Society of Dental Surgeons of New York (which later became the American Dental Association) found 11 of its own members guilty of malpractice for use of mercury amalgam and suspended their licenses in 1848.

The word "quack," defined as an ignorant pretender of medical skill, is based on the German quicksilver, "quecksalber". Doctors and dentists, concerned about patients being poisoned, shortened it to quack and used it as a term for colleagues who used mercury as a medicine or in dentistry."

[jads]

Ronnie, glad to see the chelation is helping and good on your for taking things into your own hands.

Heavy metals are rather insidious I think. Effectively, they're all around us - food, water, pollution and so on. Usually, a healthy person has the ability to chelate and dispose of trace amounts of mercury, lead, copper and other metals they take in. But when we get overwhelmed or can't excrete it through the usual detox channels, this is when things get backed up and start causing health problems.

Out of interest, a hair analysis is a good way to determine heavy metal burden as toxic, as well as non toxic, elements are noticeable in hair samples for up to 3 months. It's often used on sports people for drug testing for this very reason ;-)

As a kid, I was pumped full of mercury fillings until my dentist decided to remove them all with know reason given - at great expense to me I might add. Legally, the dental industry is not allowed to comment on the health dangers of mercury fillings but this is absolutely the reason that they're being taken out of peoples mouths: they're toxic.

[farmgirl]

Hi Jads:

There is a lot of misinformation out there regarding amalgam fillings. I made this comment on a former post about mercury in fillings but will repeat it.

I was a dental hygienist in my former life. I have had either gold or porcelain fillings for over 30 years, not a hint of amalgam left. I developed Sjogren's 2 years ago. There is a lot of 'scare' stuff re: amalgam fillings but the reality of it is that the mercury in your fillings is inert and can only be released if the filling is ground down and mercury vapors are released. The study that was done to determine how much mercury is released that could pose a risk to humans was done on sheep. We are not sheep. People masticate (chew) by biting up and down, we don't grind. Sheep on the other hand masticate by grinding side to side like a grist mill. Your fillings are old and hard, the fillings placed in the study animals were fresh and soft. Long story short the results of that study when measuring the mercury vapor released as the animals chewed has very little bearing on what really happens when a human chews. It was largely the basis of that study that prompted dentists to sell you on 'new' fillings by scaring you into removing the old amalgams.

There is a lot of mercury vapor released when you take out an amalgam which you are inhaling and swallowing plus absorbing through the mucosa (skin inside your mouth) which is very thin. If you leave them alone you will be subjected to vastly less mercury vapor. There is a protocol to follow when removing amalgams for heath reasons and very few dentists are trained or have the equipment to do it properly and safely. This link should give you some kind of an idea what is involved http://www.mercuryremoval.org/amalga...ecautions.html

For the most part wholesale removal of amalgams is a very dangerous thing to do....F/G

[sazy123]

Worth a try!

I am about to embark on a metal detox protocol suggested by Andrew Cutler.

I am going to see a naturopath this week and have all sorts of tests including a urine test, if she does provocation. If not i will do a hair test.

A few years back i had an allergy test against metals, i was looking for nickel. The test showed a ''borderline'' sensitivity to mercury. 100-200 is borderline and 200 or above is definate sensitivity. My score was 180. So IMO I could very well have a mercury problem since it is on the higher end of boderline.

I have read that manu autoimmune conditions have been linked with Mercury toxicity. Its possible that Sjogrens Syndrome is also linked. I suspect that i have it due to positive ANA test and am waiting on the NHS to have more tests done. I have been watching/reading some interesting stuff lately based on ''functional medicine'' which claims that autoimmune conditions orginate from the same causes- but the body attacks different areas of the body which it mistakes for toxins (mercury is a toxin)- and that is where all the different ''autoimmune diease names come from''. The body will attack a particular part of the body depending on the persons genetics (instread of attacking the toxin) and what they are pre-disposed to.

This guy explains it well, its an interesting watch:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IdSeqUWNByc

I have been on a strict Paleo/autoimmune diet for one month now. I do not think its helping my eyes. I have constipation and have lost weight- but thats about it right now. I have done strict diets in the past with no success, but this diet is slightly tweaked for autoimmune conditions. I am not eating nightshades, eggs or nuts, dairy or grains. YES VERY HARD!!! Im not working right now which has helped. Im also taking suuplements for dry eye and probiotics.

My Next approach is to try the metal detox. Like Ronnie I have had no improvement from any treatments and i have had alot of vaccinations over the years. I had a round of vaccinations before travelling to australia, it was this year my severe dry eye set in after going on anti depressents. I think alot of things lower the immune system and then one last thing happens- ''trigger'' which the immune system cant cope with and it can not cope with the toxin load anymore. This is the main premise behind functional medicine.

So its worth a try!! Ive given up thinking conventional medicine will help my eyes anymore. Even the BEST and cutting edge treatments for dry eye such as Serum drops, testosterone cream, IPL resulted in 0 improvment.

I am confused about testing for Metals though. I dont want to waste money on unreliable tests. I also suspect Nickel toxcitiy because i wore a brace for years and a retainer for 10 years.

Mmmmm

[sazy123]

Also,

When you have disease and digestive issues- chances are you have a ''leaky gut'' and/or ''sibo''- small intestinal bacteria overgrowth. Candida is also possible. These can cause all sorts of symptoms and vitamin dificincies due to malabsorbtion.

So the aim of a diet is to avoid hard to digest foods such as the ones i listed above (grains, dairy, nuts, and most fruit). Fruit is due the sugar that SIBO and candida feed off. If the foods digest easily they will not feed the SIBO and ones leaky gut is able to heal. Check out the GAPS diet and SCD diet.

My issue is constipation though since im not eating grains, i have always had a problem with it. I read it is a symptom of Sjorgrens. I might have to eat a grain.