Hi Jinx, wow good to hear the update. But it's all so difficult to understand in a way, the body being this complex and this illness being complex as well.

I hope that the DMSA frequent dose style will actually start to settle this mercury down. How much are you able to take? And what happens if you take a bit too much? That can be quite diagnositic in itself. When I was fully mercury toxic, DMSA caused a lot of symptoms, but it helped too.

Well, Hal Huggins believes that candida is "our friend", because apparently he thinks it helps buffer the effects of metals/mercury and in a way protects us...he also thinks it de-methylates mercury and makes it less toxic....

Yet, in almost every other article I have read on the matter, the opposite is often said. That not only is it a very bad thing when it gets out of control, but that it makes mercury even MORE toxic...(methylating it). As does other bacteria....and messes up the gut and liver and can hinder detox. Plus the candida toxins can affect the mind too.

I think people's own reactions speak for themselves. The results of my cheating over Xmas have been catastrophic. I don't know any other word to use, because it has been totally disastrous. Now that I am back on the diet, the damage from the cheat is clear to see and I am struggling horribly.

For me I have to be very very strict because it's not all about mercury it is also about high bacterial levels inside of me and infection. When it was just mercury, I did just fine on more carb foods (like some fruit and non gluten grain, so long as I avoided wheat and gluten grains and direct sugar, I was ok)

I also know that die off from candida can cause a worsening of metal symptoms because the metals it may have been "holding onto" can be released back into the system. Plus the candida itself as it's dying is releasing more of its own toxins as well.

However, the diet is a much slower and gentler way of eliminating yeast. It seeks to starve off the overgrowth, rather than using antifungals which can aggressively kill a load of it at once, splitting the yeast cell walls open and releasing who knows how much metals back into the system. This can cause acute poisoning. I have had this and chelated it back out with DMSA.

I should imagine though Jinx that diet may do a bit of the same and may leave you more "exposed" to the metals. Plus the fact, yeast itself when it is dying can make symptoms worse temporarily. These can then circulate around your body and affect how you feel and think.

If the too strict diet is not for you, you might handle the less stricter version that I used to do when mercury toxic. I simply ousted all of the bad direct sugars, but I could still consume limited non gluten grain and natural healthy sugars contained in fruit fruit and even milk in my tea and cereal. However, I now find out that milk apparently hinders the excretion of mercury, as does caffeine. Not to mention gluten/wheat and sugar.

eating sugar itself and wheat/gluten Is probably a very bad thing. Because sugar lowers immunity anyway, it's not just the fact it feeds yeast it does so much damage in other areas and also can cause problems absorbing minerals and other nutrients (the very things you require to heal and detox). What can be a big problem with many sick or poisoned people. Not sure if its the gluten or the fact I hear wheat is treated with a mercury fungicide...either way, it's best avoided. I remember in my mercury toxic days (with or without amalgams), wheat used to bring on almost immediate mercury symptoms. It was very weird and frightening too.

It's hard to know the answers, it's about trying these things out on yourself. I myself do get a temporary feeling of more stablity when I cheat on my diet....but unfortunately this starts to fade over time and then the real trouble starts. So when I go back on the strict diet, the damage done during cheating is evident and very painful to me. Im on my 4th week and still suffering. The healing process can be more painful than anything, but for me it's the only way for my body to start working on these underlying problems. OTherwise I am walking a tightrope with cheating and thinking "i'm getting away with it".

So Jinx if the over strict diet is too much at this point and you feel you need more carbs, then you may do ok on some fruit, non gluten grain, potatoes and things. But I'd be careful! Certainly I would not eat any direct sugar contained in junkfood, cakes/cookies etc.

I know the giggling spells well! That can be yeast and metals/toxins. I have had this so bad, that I have had to get up and leave the room because other people were there. I have had it with yeast die off and mercury vapor release. I used to get it when I was lying down in the sun. I would start laughing uncontrollably to the point I couldn't stay outside anymore. I'd get it when bathing, and I'd get it when consuming hot fluids (when I had amalgams). Either way, it's almost like a laughing gas, because it seems to happen with heat and mixed with the amalgams or the mercury inside of myself. And candida die off does a similar thing to me. But yeast contain alcohol too, so that may not be surprising. HOwever, I think it's also about the yeast toxins and any metals it maybe releasing in the process.

The yeast crave sugars and carbs, so badly that sometimes starving them out can feel like you're going mad. You can crave like crazy,because they are craving. Feeding them makes us all happy ...... for a time. I think this is the addict like senario. Feed them, keep them happy. Which would be great if they didn't start causing their own problems down the line.

I think the body does have a certain amount of overgrowth always in a metal toxic situation. I do not know if this is all the result of lack of immunity to keep it lower, or the body's response to metals to try and "buffer" things a bit more. But one thing ive noticed is, this already higher level of yeast is like an accident waiting to happen. When a sick person with low immunity eats sugars and other high carb foods, this level of yeast tends to grow right out of control. And can take over and cause it's own illness. Yet if you eliminate these foods, the body is then able to keep a bit more control over it. I don't know about antifungals....I've had my past injury from them and don't know if they are a safe bet for a metal toxic person.

One site said that for a mercury toxic person, antifungal use is not only foolish, it is potentially very dangerous! For the reasons I mentioned earlier. And this is VERY real.

So Jinx, not sure about your particular situation. But one thing is sure, your cheats at least this time didn't bring on so many of the typical symptoms like brain fog and other things. Perhaps, aside from the still contained mercury, there is a bit more immunity coming back!

So the doc you went to, might not be completely wrong in what he said, but he sure isn't completely right either <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" /> You're still evidentally unwell and let's hope that chelation and healthy foods will eventually get you right. Don't deny yourself a bit of fruit or non gluten grain or a few higher carb vegetables, if you think you can handle that and it helps? Unless you are like me and need the more stricter diet!

I know that consuming anything off this diet, even the apparently "harmless" can feed enough yeast to cause a relapse in me. This time around I do not know if I'll come right. I don't seem to be making progress, so I feel disheartened to say the least.

Best wishes Jinx, keep us posted when you feel like it. It's good to get updates.