I've been reading posts for quite some time in this forum, which I think is great by the way, and picking up alot of information, reading books, etc. all the while as I've been getting my 16 metal fillings replaced and 3 crowns redone (2 with mercury under them). I became very sick with all sorts of "unknown illnesses" in 2000 after a bout with the flu, though some things I remember were becoming visible even just before that. Many skin sensitivites, allergic type reactions to things I've been repeatedly tested for and am not allergic to, feeling toxic overload (and thinking that, way before I ever thought that my teeth may be the reason), and most of the other things everyone else has shared here. And like alot of you I've spent thousands of my own $$ that I did not have, not to mention the huge amount my insurance company has paid out, trying to find some answers. And the same as many here, they've found no clue as to why I felt so bad. To make a long story short, I've been doing alot better since starting to get my amalgums replaced safely, and have finished it all almost 2 months ago. Of course there are bad days and not-so-bad days, but looking back to nearly 6 years ago when my whole life, and my wife and kids' lives changed dramatically, at that point I thought I was looking death in the face.

Anyway, I've been taking Vit. C, Magnesium, E, Algin, etc. for a few months and am ready to start detoxing....at least I hope I am. You know how if you've had alot of weird symptoms for so long that you forget what it's like to feel good, but you don't want to get feeling real bad again. I've started using Whey Protein to help pull the mercury out of the tissues. I guess at this point I should mention that I have nothing to show that my problems even are related to Mercury Poinsoning. A blood test showed that I have below the safe levels of Merc, Lead and Arsenic. A Nutritionist I was seeing a couple years back had me do a GS Lab hair analysis that also showed no heavy metal toxicity, but very high calcium, very low lithium and through a liver toxicity test showed a VERY low Glutithione level, meaning that that toxic cleaning pathway was overloaded. Heck, I'd get extremely sick and reactive for a week or two just from getting a good massage.

So now I go to my internist to try and get a perscription for DMSA (I already have some Nat Sunshine ALA waiting) and she says that the blood test shows no mercury so she can't perscribe it to me, but after I explain all that I've done with my teeth, what I've been reading, the symptoms, info from Andy Cutler's book, etc., she agrees to another blood mercury test and if that comes back out-of-range then she will perscribe the DMSA. I know that alot of people start dumping merc after getting all the fillings out, but for many it won't show up in hair or blood tests if it's stored and not mobilizing, so I'm not sure that this blood test will show her anything either (the last one I had done was about 4 or 5 months ago while I still had what I call my killer crowns over lots of amalgum still in. I even had a huge amalgum tattoo from the gold crown over amalgum...that i also had cut out.) I don't want to haphazardly start pulling the mercury out just to get a result, but is there anything I can do SAFELY to get the ball rolling? Or should I just go ahead and slowly start the detox regimen and if she'll jump on board, fine....if not then so be it? I can get DMSA from the Vitamin Supply place posted here, but cost-wise would rather do a perscription with my insurance especially since it may take quite some time to fully detox, starting with the DMSA for a couple months then adding in ALA using Andy's cycles...of course hoping I can handle it and adjusting the dosage so I can live, work, and detox at the same time. Another concern, and probably a bigger one for me is just how important is it to detox under a doctor's care? Is that something I should shoot for if possible? I mean along with the prescription, there's the testing of levels along the way, maybe mineral testing to see how the body through chelating is deleting or replenishing certain things it needs, etc. I'm sure some people here along with those on the Yahoo group are doing it on their own and some are under a doctor's care. Are there other advantages I'm missing that I should think about? Maybe I'm being too cautious and should just go for it using any wisdom I've gained from here and other forums/books, etc. but many things I ingest really set off symptoms with my skin, nerves, mind, digestive tract, adrenals, thyroid, immune system, and the list goes on. I don't expect it to be easy to get well, but I am determined and have made the first step by gathering knowledge, supplementing my body, and by getting all the metal safely removed.

Is it safe to detox with DMSA even if by chance I weren't mercury toxic? Which I think is hardly true since I've had 10 to 16 metal fillings, some replaced more than once even again with metal, for the last 20 years. Plus I've unknowingly had mercury pumped into my arms via a yearly flu shot nearly every year since between 1980 thru 2001.

I'm very sorry to have made this such a long post....I just have so much to say but want to keep it as short as I can but still try and bring up some questions that maybe even others have in the back of their minds that maybe someone with experience or knowledge can answer. I hope to someday post my full story for Russ and Laura.... hopefully with a happy ending.

So any help would be greatly appreciated. God Bless

One thing that caught my eye in your post is that your hair analysis showed "no heavy metal toxicity, but very high calcium...."

Dr. Cutler's book Amalgam Illness: Diagnosis and Treatment specifically states on page 66:


Just thought I mention this, since according to Dr. Cutler's other book, Hair Test Interpretation: Finding Hidden Toxicities, many doctors do not know how to accurately interpret hair test results.

Hi Rocker56

Good luck with your detox and good on you for coming so far already. Im not sure what your thoughts are on homeopathy but when i was at my sickest and about a month before i had my amalgams removed my homeopath put me on a treatment called Hepar Sulph, i really felt in a short space of time a million times better than i had for the whole year prior, my anxiety and depression abated and so did the feeling of impending doom that haunted me for so long previously. It has NO side effects, no kidding, i researched it before taking it and could find nothing to say otherwise. after removal i took it easy for a while and stopped everything except vit suppl. Algin etc and have been going for EDTA iv's but think im going to return to the Hepar Sulph till im feeling stronger again. Its not as aggressive as the chelators. suppose it dpends on which route your feeling strong enough to take. Anyway .. best wishes to you!

Thanks Laura. Yes I remember reading that too about calcium. I guess I'm wondering if I start taking DMSA will I probably see quick results as far as mobilizing mercury? I know the symptoms can get stronger and all, but does it start pulling mercury out of tissues and into the blood stream after a day, or two, or a week like say after the 1st cycle? And with starting off at a lower dose to see how your body handles it and adjust from there?

Also, when taking DMSA, how does the mercury actually leave your body? Does the DMSA bind with it and carry it to the blood or lymph glands and then to the liver to be dumped into the digestive system? I'm just guessing here....

I'm going to start on DMSA to clear out the tissues before going more hard core, but is a blood test after the 1st cycle, say a week, too soon to notice any kind of mercury level reading? I'm just wondering if the blood test my doctor has given me a prescription for is going to give her anything to go on, or would I just be wasteing my time with it (the blood test)?

Thanks all for taking the time to read....

Thanks TGoss for your words. You make me wonder if I should be trying to get under the wings of a Nutritionist? I'll see who's around here for a Homeopathic (sp) doctor. I have been to a local Nutritionist for a while, but of course we were still looking for the cause of my illnesses then.

Sulphur pushes me downhill fast, but maybe i need to start out a whole lot lower dosage of those things. As part of Andy's list of supplements to take, etc., I took one NAC about a month ago just a couple weeks after finishing my amalgam remoal and I'm still paying for it. Eggs, broccoli, garlic all seem to bother me to some extent...mostly just brings on severe itching...though I'm not allergic to any of those.

I've been reading here that sulphur helps pull out mercury, so I may start slowly with some, but I guess DMSA is sulphur based??? or something like that, so I don't think I'll mix other sulphur type foods or supplements once I start DMSA until I see how it's going.

Thanks, I'll keep that in mind.

Hey Rocker,

You said...


If I were in your position, I would, of course, do plenty of C and E daily, and algin, which I know you're already doing, and then, as long as you feel strong and stable over a 2 week period, add in a "natural" mobilizer supplement. Personally, I would use NSP's Heavy Metal Detox.

I would start w/low doses and then, every 2 weeks increase the dosage until you're taking what the bottle suggests. At that point, I would continue for a couple weeks and take stock of how you're feeling.

Many people don't like DMPS because it's harsh and because you're already sensitive, you may have some really bad reactions.

I personally think people don't need DMPS. The same effect can be achieved with more natural and gentle means which I believe is safer anyway.

Sorry your internist isn't hip on this subject. If he/she was, they would realize that low hair and blood mercury is a sign of high mercury tissue burden, especially if it's found with other indicators. Hospitals and doctors are currently clueless about mercury and how to diagnose it, which is why this book is so important:

Hair Test Analysis: Finding Hidden Toxicities

You said...


I think it's great to be under a doctor's care... if you can find one who really knows what their doing.

I've heard so many horror stories of doctors that cause harm to patients because they'd rather prescribe, prescribe, prescribe than admit that they're really not experienced in a certain area. This human pride has cost many.

So, if you can find a doctor that knows all about this and has a track record of helping patients with mercury toxicity, great! He's someone you probably want to see. However, if finances are tight, it's often better to do what I did: Use the Internet to research and make your own plan.

Thanks for the offer of submitting your story. I hope you do. I have a growing collection here:

http://mercurytalk.com

and hope to have thousands one day.

Let us know how you progress.


Here's an info sheet on the heavy metal detox supplement:

Heavy Metal Detox

Thanks much for the info Russ. And yes, the toughest part is finding a doctor who really know's what they're doing. The Lord knows i've seen enough of them....and I haven't found one yet that is open to or knows anything about treating this kind of thing. The internist I'm seeing now I think is open to this, but she still needs some proof before going down that road with me. And about the only thing I'm looking to her for is for the presriptions for DMSA and blood/urine tests to monitor what's going on during my detox. I think the actual detoxing regimen is probably going to be up to me.

Also, I asked about DMSA, not DMPS. I don't think I'd be able to handle DMPS.

What do you think of my questions about DMSA? Anyone know if it mobilizes mercury into the blood and how soon after you take it does it/ should it give noticible levels through some kind of test....and what would be the best test to see that in?

Thanks again

Also something that I want to do to further the cause is to inform some of the doctors I've seen with results, etc. once/if I get well. I think the more of them that know that mercury poinsoning exists and to at least take a look at that possibility if they have cases that they just can't figure out through their regular practices.

One family physician that I had actually told me that if I ever get this thing figured out, to absolutley let her know....she's had other patients that had similar symptoms and couldn't help them either. So i think there are some that will listen, some that may listen, and of course those that won't. But in all of them it will stay at least in the back of their minds and someday it may help even just one person.....or thousands.

God created us to love Him, serve Him, and to love others. What better way to love others than by helping them through your suffering. (Which is exactly what HE did) Russ created this site to help others as a result of his suffering. Thanks again Russ, you're still making a difference.

Thank you for the kind words. They are very appreciated and this kind of work is sometimes thankless and expensive except for the reward of knowing that we're doing the right thing.

About DMSA..

DMSA is called a dithiol because it contains 2 sulfhydryl groups which are sulphur binding sites that mobilize mercury. So far as I've read, DMSA mobilizes mercury quickly into the blood and so it should soon after appear in the urine and feces. I don't have any benchmarks or solid time references because I read this years ago. I'm just attempting to recall it from memory.

I can't wait for the day you can go to your doctor and say you've got it figured out. I've spoken to some buy many of them just have a hard time believing non-medical professionals on medical subjects.

Hope this helps.

Hi Rocker, the impression I got from reading Andy's book was DMSA is used early on to actually help supress the symptoms as the mercury is naturally beginning to dump back out of your organs from being stored for so long. This occurs, after you've had the last amalgam removed. The organs start to offload their storage and that is when people really can start to feel 'repoisoned". It is known as the second stage of suffering. So if you suffer it and don't take anything, you could be like that for a LONGGGGGG time. DMSA is used to quicken that stage up and as I said, sometime suppress the symptoms. However, other people notice it increases the symptoms. It's very individual and you can feel different from round to round. Certainly, it will speed the process up and also help make sure mercury is moved in a more stable and continuous manner, not being stirred up erratically as much as other things.

Sulphur based nutrients can be great for some people and a nightmare for others. Garlic, etc can be dangerous in a mercury toxic person. Garlic does have enough of a grip on mercury, but has NO way of holding it stably or moving it stably and can cause it to bounce around the body and end up in far worse areas creating havoc. Other people can handle it better, perhaps due to their better detox systems. I do not know.

DMSA is not wise to take at Andy's recommendation of 50 mg. It is FAR too high for most people, and if you push yourself to take it, you can get very sick. You might handle it, but it's best to start with half that amount like 25 mg, or even lower 12.5 mg. You will be glad you did believe me and can increase the dose later on as you feel comfortable.

also. symptoms do not always occur in the first few rounds, you can think you're ok and the dose is fine and wham you can get hit all of a sudden on one round and be made very ill for a very long time. This I have found is because sometimes more mercury is moved than other times and if you're taking a little too much for your body to keep up with, it is unable to keep up with the amount o fmercury being moved through and then you can get a backfire. The mercury the body coudl not move out, but was still being pulled out from teh DMSA, can hit you all at once and you can feel respoisoned. Very similar than have a redistribution effect from taking something like garlic. So it's all very risky.

DMSA won't hurt you if you do not have mercury poisoning. Even child can use it. It is used also for lead poisoning. If you hve no metal toxicity and you use DMSA, you shouldn't notice a thing from it. I'm not saying it's as inert as water, but it's not liable to cause a problem. It's when you have mercury poisoning that DMSA if not used safey can cause the problems.

If you have a low level of mercury on your hair test and other tests and you have all the symptoms of mercury toxicity, youwill most likely be sicker than most patients. This is because low levels can mean retention toxicity and that you are holding onto the mercury and storing it, rather than eliminating it into the outer tissues and the hair etc. These patients are the sickest patients of the lot. The other senario are those with very high levels and tehy too migh tbe very ill, but show they are pushing the mercury out into the hair etc and usually can be detoxed easier.

Of course, it also comes down to tolerance. You can have a very low level of mercury and simply be totally intolerant to minimal mercury and display very toxic symptoms. Someone else might have more mercury but be healthy.

Anyway, I hope that helps. sorry I've gone on for very long here.

Thanks! Alot of good info I was looking for. I was actually thinking of starting DMSA at about 5mg for a couple rounds then slowly increasing and test out at a few more rounds and gradually going that route. I do want to pull the merc out, but I'm not in such a hurry that I want to feel a whole lot worse if I can help it.

So it sounds as if I can go on supplementing without DMSA and take quite a while to improve, or I can start with a low dose of DMSA and later moving on to ALA but as you said there is that risk of "unclogging the sink" at times and feeling very ill. I think I have a slow phase II liver detox pathway as my Liver Toxicity Profile from 3 years back showed, so I may have to be real careful and keep supplementing my liver and adrenals (currently taking Adrenal support and Milk thistle). I tried NAC once a little after my last amalgam removal and it about knocked me for a loop....i've still not recovered fully. But the body starting to dump may have worked into the equation as you mentioned.

One question; you said

How would you describe not using it safely? Do you mean the length of cycles/timing and the dosage? Is there anything else to be aware of?

Again, thanks for your reply...i really appreciate it.

I second Laura although Amalgam Illness was one of his first books a new and improved easier way to figure out if you have mercury is in his hair test book. One of my first hair tests not DDI came back with EXTREMELY high Nickel second had slightly elevated antimony. Reading his book I began to realize it just was'nt happening for a reason. (along with all symptoms of mercury/copper) I started taking copper surpressing supplements prior do my last DDI test. I meet counting rule #5 which indicates a mercury problem AND I had copper that was twice the limit. My copper did'nt start dumping till I started taking the supplements and until that time never showed up on a hair test because it was so locked in. My calcium and mag was really low and potassium and sodium high. This indicated a adrenal problem which helped accumlate copper. Moral of the story is Cutler is right, no matter what the situation with symptoms like mercury/copper can cause your well advised to take copper antigonizing symptoms. In addition you don't have to have high calcium to have a mercury problem, alot of people do, my gf did.

Hi just read the stuff on your site.

I have been ill for about 15 years was diagnosed as having ME and life was . Tied allthe time, feeling sick, mouth tasted of metal, didn't want to eat, did,t sleep but felt tiered all the time and little energy to do anything exept the esentil. At one point couldn't sit up without paqssing out and ended up in hospital where they gave me ATCH to get my body started as organs had started to shut down.

Gradually got a little better qand back to work but need plently of rest.

A little over 5 weeks ago I waqs in excrutiating pain went to dentist who took x-ray and said it was my inuses. Took antibiotics and still in real bad pain eventually diagonsed with pulpitus and my filling in my back uper tooth was removed. Within 12 hours I felt so much better. Sicsness went, sleeping well. 24 hours and even my husband noticed the difference. We went out for a meal. Something I hqadn't done fornyears I was always too tiered.

Last week went to dentist and explained the differnce said didn't want another metqa filling and after treatment had a temp amalgam filling fitter for 6 months whist the infection settled down.

Don't know what went in the filling but back to feeling sick, tierd and not sleeping in only 2 days. looked at your site and wondered if i had the same problem.

Any way going back to dentist next week to find out what the filling has in it and either change this or the tooth goes I'm not doing another god knows how may years of theis.

Strange thing is the other metal fillings have never caused a problem only this one which is directly above a gold crown.

Is there a conection?

I'll ask my dentist next week.

Good luck to you all I think I've found my exp[lination and hopefully a sullution!