Hi Alex, I wish I was more knowledgeable than I am, but I've been around for a long time with this toxicity, so I guess you could say all the mistakes I've made and time to research it has kind of put me in this position to where I try and pass on some things I've read or learned myself.

The fact you are already six months post amalgam removal would allow you to start ALA now if you chose to, either alone or with the DMSA. However, I would suggest to err on the side of caution and definitely use dmsa on its own for a while to see how you go and what reactions you get.

DMSA is crucial to use on it's own for the first three months post amalgam removal, as this is generally where the blood levels are high and need reducing either by waiting it out or using DMSA to make it go easier and obvously quicker. ALA is then brought on board once the blood/urine levels are reduced to chelate organ and brain mercury.

ALA chelates both body and brain. DMSA reduces the more accessible mercury blood/tissue etc. So it's wise to use intially until you are sure you can bring ALA onboard.

So yeah, I would start with 25 mg of DMSA and from there, judge how you feel wither during a round or after, as to whether you feel you need to reduce the dose or increase, but only increase it cautiously, you have to make sure you can tolerate the dose you're on for a few rounds before increasing, as sometimes the side effects do not always get you on the first round or so.

Then if you can handle that dose, increase and do the same, keep going for for a few chelation rounds (which is a full 3 days, so do about 4 or 5 of those 3 day rounds before increasing).

Then if you get up to about 50 mg, maybe up to 100 mg and you're doing fine for a few rounds on that, then it would seem pretty obvious you will be safe enough to add ALA to the mix.

You can start on 25 mg of ALA or less, as this stuff can REALLY get symptoms going. This is why it's sometimes better to use with the DMSA to help with that.

You basically do the same with ALA that you did with DMSA with the dosing and judging on symptoms and using it for a few rounds before increasing. Certainly decrease if you feel things are above your tolerance! Do NOT decrease a dose during a round, it will increase redistribution. So if things are not tolerable on a round, STOP the round, wait for a few days and start again on a reduced dose (applies to both DMSA and ALA).

You can however increase a dose during a round, as for some reason this does not seem to impact redistribution as much. Personally I would not adjust doses during a round, I don't thing it's a great idea. I think it alters the levels of both chelating agents and can then make the movement of mercury more erratic.

You can stick to 25 mg of both if you wish. Some people just go to 25 of DMSA and then bring ALA on without increasing DMSA. And then they just chelate with both on that dose. But it's up to you, based on how you feel.

If you tolerate them both at that dose, you may wish to increase later to increase a bit of mercury chelation. Some go up to 100 mg of both eventually and even higher in some cases.

Definitely listen to your body and the main thing is using the frequent regime and not fiddling with dosage changes during a round, as I find that frankly risky. Stop the round if you're in doubt and wait for a few days before starting another round. This also applies to missing a dose. If you miss a dose (i.e. you're about an hour or so overtime before you remembered to take a dose), do NOT continue the round, stop the round and again wait for a few days.

You can get away with taking a late dose, so long as it's not TOO late. So you can get away with about half an hour or so, but be careful.

Hope that's helpful to you. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />