Well, I thought it was effects of pregnancy. I was sure that had something to do with my body stiffening up. I went through more pain, than I ever have in my life, with my last 2 babies. My sciatica and my hip/joint pain, was unbelievable. I attributed it to something in my back that must not have healed right, from a car accident in 1996, and then the hormones or something when I got pregnant must've caused something. You know though, it's this and that. You are always looking for a "logical" cause to your symptoms, I had no idea about the mercury, until I was 8 months pregnant with my last one, and even then, I didn't know the EXTENT of what it could do. All I know was, I couldn't wait to get her out. I kept telling her it was time to come, because mommy's body is poison, and you need to come out. Even early would be better, but the doctors always try to keep the baby inside as long as possible. If they only knew. I was sure after the pregnancies, that things would go back to normal, as far as my body was concerned. I thought mercury was causing me being ill, but not the body pain. I have gained a lot of weight after the babies, so I figured if I lost weight it would help the hip pain too, but it's never REALLY gone away. I didn't make a connection with the mercury, but now I do.