I am about 5 months post amalgam removal now. My doctor does not want me to start DMSA for about another month. I have been getting annoyed about waiting so long to start chelation that I went out and bought some ALA a couple of days ago.

Just wondering if my reaction is normal - major brain fog, numb tongue, sore liver and generally feeling toxic and irritable. Is this a herxheimer reaction or is this showing that I shouldn't be taking ALA? I can put up with the symptoms.

Also my diet has gone to pot. So if i cleaned up my diet somewhat do you think that I may have less of a reaction?

Cheers, Rachel

HI Rachel, I can't figure out why your doctor is making you wait so long for chelation. This does not make sense, as this is the point of getting you well and delaying it is fruitless (unless he is preparing you for it by diet and supplements) which should not mean delaying chelation for this long. 5 months is a long time to leave you waiting.

Yeah, your symptoms could well be related to the ALA. I'd bet on it. But you may not be tolerating it too well, depending on how you are taking it and what dose. According to Andy Cutler (biochemist) it MUST be taken every 3-4 hours non stop (yes even at night), for about 3 days on, then 3 days or more off for a break and repeat the same on and off cycle until you are healed.

If it is not taken every 3-4 hours, you may risk far worse reactions, becuase of the infrequent dosing, which can cause random movement of mercury and increase the risk of further uptake into the brain and other sensitive areas..

You would be wise to try it that way to see how it works for you, if it works and taking it at a low dose to start, e.g. 25 mg or even less until you are able to tolerate higher doses.

And yes, your symptoms could also be related to candida, so it is often essential that people address their diet (even before chelating). certainly this can help with symptoms and allow you to cope easier. Also ALA can often flare up yeast, directly and indirectly by moving metals.

some people find if they use DMSA with the ALA every 3-4 hours, the symptoms go easier. DMSA appears for some people to keep things more stable and also increases mercury chelation at the sametime. depends on the person though and what they tolerate.

Many people start with DMSA first, because they feel it's safer to do that, because it doesn't pass into the brain. So it's a good one to begin with (if you tolerate DMSA). You don't have to wait for your doctor, you can order it online if you want and at a good lose does. Should be taken the same way as the ALA.

Here is where you can order some if you want to try it. You can do it first without ALA, as it does a good job of reducing mercury in the blood, or you can use it with the ALA, or not at all. It's up to you.

Here is where you can order some online if you want
http://www.vivagen.net/detoxprods.htm? If you scroll down, it's the second bottle of DMSA from the top. The one that has 120 capsules of 25 mg each.

Personally I did not use ALA till the DMSA had reduced my symtpms alot I went from 25mg to 50mg, this took 6 weeks, then I added ALA at 25mg, then up to 50mg ala, 25mg dmsa and stayed there for 1yr. Just take doses that do not stir things up too much, go by how you feel

Phil

Phil, do you dose according to Cutler's schedule?

Where was your health when you started? Where is it now?

Thanks, just trying to get some baselines here.

Thanks for your information Bex and Phil. Greatly appreciated. Just by reading your posts I can already see one reason why it went so wrong for me. Yep, was a bit lazy with the 4 hour schedule during the night but I was taking 200 mg every 4 or so hours, not 25mg as you both suggested.

Well, I took the ALA for about 4 days in total but I had my last one yesterday morning due to feeling so irritable and brain foggy and from reading your posts. I now understand what people talk about here on this forum about feeling a pulling sensation in your brain. I had that for about 2 of the days that I was using the ALA. It didn't hurt but just felt really odd and I could also feel a zappy or ping sensation in my brain now and then. Mmm little bit disconcerting.

I think I will see how I go with the DMSA and if all goes well with that I may then add the ALA back into the routine as described in your posts. My major focus now is my diet. I know that I have to take control of this part of my life if I want good results from chelation. My hormones unfortunately really seem to dictate what I eat for the 2 weeks before I get my period. I have just purchased a sucro balance formula which I hope will help with my sugar cravings around this time of my cycle.

Anyway thanks again for your comments. Those 4 days on ALA have shown me how powerful this stuff is and it is obviously not to be trifled with.

Cheers from Rachie

Hi blicero, I posted the other day how I was when I started and how I am now, what chelator etc under the cutler book concern thread

Phil

HI Rachie, yeah no wonder you had such a tremendous reaction. 200 mg is a HUGE amount and also, most people need to take ALA every 3 hours, not 4. 4 is "marginal", but can still risk redistribution. DMSA is fine with every 4 hours, but ALA apparently is better taken a bit more often.

So that might also help you! Perhaps less of a dose and a little more often. Though you can extend it to every 4 hours at night if it helps you get a bit more sleep, but shorten it to every 3 during the day. Main thing is to keep ti frequent and not get sloppy.

I have gotten sloppy before and onetime I took a very late dose of DMSA and didn't stick to the every 4 hours and i copped it well and truly. Had terrible gut issues from doing that, and though I have a bad weakness there, it seemed that I had redistributed the metals into the gut.

I am a pretty good test, becuase I am so injured in other ways, that many forms of chelation that others get away with or think are 'ok", can harm me greatly, yet Cutler's is "ok", unless of course I miss a dose and instead of stopping the round, i decide to take a late dose, then I get into trouble.

But yeah, I mean you may want to try DMSA on its own for a while and see how you go. Though I think you were just taking far too high of a dose of ala and probably not as frequent enough.

Still the symptoms you got sound really interesting. It must have been moving something in the brain for sure. And what else could that be? The only thing ala chelates apparently is mercury and arsenic....if there is another metal, let me know. But I dont think it chelates lead.