posted
Depending on how high your levels are, time will usually work to get most of the lead out.
Everyone has a little lead in their blood.
How high was it? Do you have the number?
If it's really high, they probably would have recommended that you go through a process called chelation. It's a medical process (IV, oral) that puts a chemical into your body that binds to the heavy metal.
Posts: 97 | From Clinton, CT | Registered: Jun 2007
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tdtid
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 10276
posted
savebabe,
When I was still in my undiagnosed state and desperate for answers with the M.D.'s kept referring me back and forth between neurologists, rheumotologists, etc, etc, etc, I saw an N.D.
One of the things he tested was toxic metals and I too came up high in lead. For me, I was treated for what seemed like a long time since it wasn't fun, but honestly can't remember the exact amount of time.
But it was done all with oral medications for me. They left me feeling a little ill through the process, but I was pretty sick by this point anyway, so if it could be lead, I was going full force.
Not sure how I got the high lead levels, since I've always lived in new houses and surely haven't been putting toys and such in my mouth. I'm not sure if it's at all related to lyme in any way, but not sure I've read that as a symptom, so maybe just a side bar.
I don't even recall what my numbers were that made my doctor want to treat it, but I know we started rechecking the water in our house and anything we could think of that could cause this and came up empty.
Not sure how it happened and the treatment did put me back into normal levels. Good luck.
Cathy
-------------------- "To Dream The Impossible Dream" Man of La Mancha Posts: 2638 | From New Hampshire | Registered: Oct 2006
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savebabe
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 9847
posted
My lead count was 6.7 and the average is 5. The strange thing is that when I was tested in 2005(when I got married) my levels were normal and now they are elevated. The only thing I can contribute it to is my new silverware and plates made in china.
About an hour ago I went out and spent three hundred dollars on new plates by fiestaware that are made in the USA and are lead free. I also purchased new silverware that was made in Italy.
Thanks for all the replies...this has been one heck of a day.
Posts: 1603 | From ny | Registered: Aug 2006
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Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
Member # 12673
posted
- It would be fabulous if your doctor had a treament protocol for you. Most ignore elevated mercury, but with lead, they may actually do something. It is best to work with a doctor on this. I hope you can, but that is typically not an option for many.
So, here's some of what I've studied.
A lot of people really like the effects of chorella or other green powders. Cilantro, etc.
Lead can also be on door knobs - older bronze / BRASS ones or other decorative hardware.
This would mean more for little kids who might put their hand in their mouths.
Crock pots, too, have lead. They say it's below the FDA allowance but I think zero is what should be allowed. The thing is, who really want to throw out a crock pot? But, I guess it could become a planter, eh?
-- Edit to add:
Welcome to the Ecological Rights Foundation Site
Lead is often a component of the brass (and bronze) alloys that make up so many items of common household hardware like doorknobs, hinges, locks, ...
at the top right, you have to pull down the menu from products to articles and then type in your word.
Vitamin Research Products' Library - you can search here for some very good articles - and they have good footnotes and citations for their research. Search: heavy metals detox, or just lead, or whatever.
VRP has a very nice DMSA that I do okay with. They have other oral chelation products that you can discuss with your doctor.
From somewhere else, I tried a product, Detoxamin, a EDTA rectal suppository and had more seizures than I've ever had in my life. Could be I just can't to EDTA, or I did not know how to do it safely. So, be careful out there.
There is a great deal about metals detox from past threads on this board. You can search on these sites:
also www.klinghardt.org He's done a great deal of work with metals and lyme.
But, there seems to be alot of difference of opinion in the chelating agents. You'll need to hear what many have to say and then make your choices. You need to be sure you take whatever you need to keep it from becoming reabsorbed. Fish oil may be required to protect the brain, but you'll read all about it.
And, as you may know, when lyme starts leaving our bodies, heavy metals can come out of hiding.
Bryan Rosner's book on RIFE details this as other researchers may, too.
-
[ 08. November 2007, 06:38 PM: Message edited by: Keebler ]
Posts: 48021 | From Tree House | Registered: Jul 2007
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posted
My hubby comes into contact with metals in his line of work and he regularly takes IP6.
IP6 cleanses heavy metals:
Inositol Hexaphosphate (IP6) is a substance consisting of the B vitamin Inositol plus six phosphate groups. IP6 attaches to heavy metals such as mercury, lead and cadmium, as well as loose iron, copper and calcium. [J Agriculture Food Chemistry 47: 4714-17, 999]
IP6 is a selective chelator -- it does not attach to potassium, sodium or magnesium, important electrolyte minerals required for heart rhythm. IP6 does not remove calcium from bones or iron from red blood cells. Once chelated (attached), these excess minerals are excreted via the urinary tract. [Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 35:495-508, 1995]
IP6 cleanses the kidneys:
Numerous scientific reports confirm that IP6 inhibits the formation of kidney stones and can be used to dissolve calcium stones in the kidneys once they are formed. [Scandinavian Journal Urology Nephrology 34: 162-64, 2000] IP6 is described as a ``clear alternative in the treatment of calcium kidney stones.'' [Anticancer Research 19:3717-22, 1999]
Another study concludes that IP6 ``may be a useful agent in the treatment of patients with kidney stones.'' [Scand J Urology Nephrology 32:261-5, 1998] While various studies confirm IP6's ability to inhibit kidney stones, it goes unused by physicians. [Arch Esp Urology 52:305-10, 1999]
IP6 cleanses the heart:
Researchers in Israel recently reported that methods are available to measure iron accumulation in the heart. Iron chelators such as IP6 would provide therapy for a heart weakened by excess iron. [Br J Haematology 125:545-51, 2004]
IP6 cleanses the arteries:
One published report exclaimed that IP6 has an ``extraordinary capacity'' to inhibit calcifications throughout the body. [Anticancer Research 19:3717-22, 1999] IP6 can potentially remove calcium deposits from arteries. [International Journal Cardiology 33: 191-9, 1991] IP6 has been shown to significantly lower cholesterol in animals fed a cholesterol-enriched diet. [Anticancer Research 19:3699-702, 1999]
IP6 cleanses the liver:
About a third of American adults have a condition called fatty liver. IP6 has been demonstrated to be a remedy for fatty liver. [Anticancer Research 19: 3695-98, 1999]
The liver is an organ that stores iron. Since iron is a growth factor for bacteria, fungi and virsuses, removal of iron from the liver may inhibit scarring caused by hepatitis. [Am J Gastroenterology 99: 286-91, 2004] Iron-restricted diets protect against liver damage in cases of chronic hepatitis C infection. [Hepatogastroenterology. 2002 49:529-31, 2002] Removal of iron from the liver by periodic consumption of IP6 may be advantageous in liver disease.
IP6 cleanses the colon:
Fiber is often promoted as a preventive measure against colon cancer. But not all types of fiber exhibit this protective property. Only the fiber found in whole grains (bran) that contains iron-binding IP6 prevents colon cancer. [Cancer 56: 717-18, 1985]
IP6 cleanses the brain:
Loose iron is involved in the onset and progression of brain diseases such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, Huntington's disease and Frederich's ataxia. [Ann N Y Academy Sciences1012:306-25, 2004] Metal removal (chelation) is proposed as a treatment for Alzheimer's disease by its ability to dissolve beta amyloid plaques in the brain. [Journal Alzheimer's Disease 6:291-301, 2004]
Neuromelanin is a brain pigment that control iron which may be overwhelmed with advancing age. A preliminary study using an iron chelator among Alzheimer's patients produced some encouraging results, but concerns over the side effects of chelating drugs have limited further research. [Lancet Neurology 3: 431-34, 2004] However, IP6 has been found to be non-toxic in comparison with pharmaceutical chelators. [Environmental Molecular Mutagenesis 38:347-56, 2001]
Researchers are now poised to utilize iron chelators to prevent or treat age-related brain disease, but appear confused on how to proceed because of the terrible side effects posed by the use of prescription metal chelators.
IP6 is an overlooked chelator in the treatment of brain disease. Rats fed a diet rich in IP6 exhibit much lower iron levels in brain tissue. [J Trace Elem Med Biology15:221-8, 2001] When IP6 is added back into the diet of IP6-depleted animals, IP6 levels in brain tissues rise by 100 times. [Life Science 71:1535-46, 2002]
IP6 cleanses the gall bladder:
Gallstones are composed of cholesterol, and in the later years of iron and calcium. [Gastroenterology 76: 548-55, 1979] Children with inherited iron disorders exhibit increased risk for gallstones. [Acta Radiologica 40: 440-43, 1999] Removal of calcium and iron from the gall bladder may dissolve gall stones.
IP6 cleanses tissues of aging debris:
Lipofuscin is an aging pigment that accumulates in the brain, heart, retina and other tissues throughout the body. Oxygen and loose iron promote the accumulation of cellular debris called lipofuscin while iron chelators diminish it. [Free Radical Biology Medicine 33:611-9, 2002] IP6 as a potent mineral chelator could potentially remove lipofuscin deposits from aged tissues.
IP6 is an antibiotic:
Iron encourages the growth of various parasites (bacteria, protozoa, viruses, fungi/yeast). [Microbial Pathogenesis 36:263-71, 2004; Clinical Infectious Diseases 25: 888, 1997] E. coli is a common pathogenic bacterium found in contaminated foods and water. In one animal experiment, when animals were intentionally infected with E. coli bacteria and given iron, all the animals succumbed. All the infected animals not given iron survived, underlining the importance of iron in the severity of infection. [Immunology 15: 581, 1968] Iron binders like IP6 can potentially be used in the treatment and prevention of infection. [Iron and Your Health, 1991]
IP6 offers additional health benefits:
There are additional heath benefits which may ensue from supplementation with IP6. IP6 promotes DNA repair. [Cell 102: 721-29, 2000] Excess iron may have a role in the development of diabetes and IP6 may play a role in reversing diabetes. [Diabetic Medicine 21:798-802, 2004] IP6 also prevents blood clots. [Anticancer Research 19:3689-93, 1999]
IP6 is misunderstood:
Unfortunately dietitians have been taught that IP6 is an anti-nutrient, that because of its mineral chelating properties it deprives the body of essential nutrients. Dietitians often fail to distinguish growing children, who have high calcium and iron needs, from adults who begin to accumulate excessive minerals with advancing age. Females experience delayed accumulation of iron because of monthly menstruation and avoid calcium overload by donating this mineral to their offspring during pregnancy and lactation.
While nutritionists have been taught that IP6 in whole grains and seeds suppress the bioavailability of minerals, when IP6 was added to the diet of mice it did not affect their absorption of iron or calcium. [Journal Nutrition 114: 1192-98, 1984; Journal Nutrition 111: 841-47, 1981] Another study concluded that IP6 has no negative effects on mineral status and that adequate amounts in the diet are ``remarkable and must be favorably considered.'' [J Trace Element Med Biology15:221-8, 2001]
Looking
Posts: 590 | From Canada | Registered: Oct 2007
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savebabe
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 9847
posted
Savebabe, I tested high for both lead and mercury. They were both almost at the extreme level.
My doctor has put me on chelation with DMSA. Every 2 weeks, I take DMSA for 3 days, and the other 11 days, I take a mineral supplement to replenish what's needed.
After a few months, I was tested again. The mercury was almost normal, and the lead was still high. I was told that DMSA has an affinity for mercury and will go after it first. So, now it's going after the lead.
I can't tell the difference on the 3 days of chelation. This surprised me, because I need extra magnesium or I get leg spasms. I don't take any mineral supplements for the 3 chelation days, because it would be a waste.
I did have a thermometer break while I was in bed sick, years ago. Also, I hear the bugs like to hang onto mercury.
About the lead, I stopped using some cups and a teapot. I was assured they were lead free, but just don't want to take a chance.
I hope to be heavy metal free in a few months. I can recommend going the DMSA route, under a doctors' supervision, because it's been a painless procedure for me.
Unless you add up the cost, but I'm trying to ignore that part of this illness. Let's just say we aren't wondering what to do with our disposable income.
Posts: 552 | From New Mexico, USA | Registered: May 2007
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I'm using a Canadian brand, "Enzymatic Therapy", but you can use any reputable brand, I believe.
Just a little story to add about IP6. My daughter's cat got a hold of a dead bird that had been shot and ingested what we believe was lead shot. He was drooling incessantly and since my daughter knew about IP6 for lead she started treating him with it. Within 2 days that cat was running around like his old self and no more drooling!
Looking
Posts: 590 | From Canada | Registered: Oct 2007
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Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
Member # 12673
posted
-
Looking and Daisys - thanks for all the details.
this really helps. So much good stuff to read.
I so much enjoy reading the info. about what can help and the specifics of what I can do now about refining my protocol.
It is very hopeful to read the abstract excerpts about IP-6.
GiGi
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 259
posted
Ca EDTA/Detoxamin works well for lead. It needs to be alternated with other heavy metal mobilizers. And binding agents as I have posted many times. Rarely is lead the only toxic metal in the body. Lead is stored in the long bones. Explains so much Osteoporosis so early in life now.
Take care.
P.S. Please do not try to detoxify heavy metal loads without the help of a knowledgable practitioner. The sad part is that so few really know and an added problem is that people store heavy metals for a variety of reasons -- that needs to be explored and found. If done with the wrong agent and/or at the wrong time of the mobilizing process, metals can be carried into the brain instead of out of the body. Sharing my experiences
If you google 'Klinghardt lead' - lots of different writings. Google 'Kane Klinghardt lead mercury' Read it all before you do anything re metal mobilization.
Posts: 9834 | From Washington State | Registered: Oct 2000
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posted
My friend's former autistic kid had high lead levels. He got chelated with DMSA (once a week for 1 year) and is now lead free - at least nothing is coming out anymore and during chelation he excreted lots of it.
DMSA brought him out of his fog.
Gabrielle
Posts: 767 | From Germany | Registered: Feb 2004
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posted
I just had my heavy metal tests done a month ago and was high in lead as well. My doctor put me on Chemet for it.
Posts: 370 | From NJ | Registered: Dec 2007
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