Hi Linda, you can successfully use ALA on its own. many do this. Some do it simply because they do not tolerate DMSA itself, some do it because they dont feel like using DMSA (it's optional). Some because of finance.

So you can definitely use this alone to cure yourself of mercury toxicity. There is "some" benefit to using DMSA with ALA, because it can help a little with side effects and may speed chelation up a little more. But that is all. Once you have already used DMSA to clear your blood and tissue of mercury then it is really no longer necessary and may not prove all that useful, unless a person feels better using it.

Yeah I know what you mean about the 3-4 hourly regime and trying to keep it even so you dont get confused by the timing (in this state, it's easily done I know).

I have done it a few times, though it's annoying. But you definitely have to take it every 3 hours if you can, including every 3 hours during the night. The only reason some extend it to every 4 during the night is for a bit more sleep. But again it can rattle you a little when you get thrown off the every 4 hourly rourtine, to going back to every 3 again during the day.

You may have to stick to every 3 hours or every 4 non stop. If you can handle every 4 hours? you may get away with it, but I would be more inclined to err on the side of caution and stick with every 3. But can you handle waking that much more often during the night?

If not, then you will have to figure out a regime, which will be a little confusing. E.g. taking doses at 9 am, 12 midday, 3 pm, 6 pm, 9 pm and then midnight. From midnight I would go into the every 4 hour regime. So I'd go from midnight 12 am, 4 am, 8 am. Then once I had the 8 am dose, I'd probably go back to every 3 hours again. So I'd go from 8 am, to 11 am, 2 pm, 5 pm, 8 pm, 11 pm (and then it would go into every 3 hours again). So yeah it does continually change the times because of this and it's up to you if you want to do this.

But it is safer to stick with every 3 hours during both day at night if one can do this.

lol yep I know what you mean by the mental symptoms, this toxin concentrates its efforts in that area more than any I think. But again not all mental symptoms come from brain mercury. Some of it can be from mercury in the liver etc. But ALA chelates all organs! It's astounding that some physical symptoms can be related to brain mercury and some mental symptoms are not always brain mercury.

I guess when you consider the brain the control centre of the body....it makes sense.

Sorry if my post isn't very helpful. I dont think it's easy to do this protocol at all and I know andy would have done it any other way if he could have, but he said that this was the ONLY way he foudn that was effective and safe for the patient. Taking risks are not usually worth it. Not everybody gets away with risk taking.