My story

Eric chelation, chronic fatigue, cleansing, heavy-metals, liver, medical doctors, methylation

[I]’m 50 years old and first saw a doctor for fatigue at 17. I’ll try to summarize my situation here and then give you the long version.

Executive summary: I lived fairly normally with adjustments (stopped drinking alcohol, eating sugar, carbs, etc) for declining capabilities until about 12 years ago when I went into a tailspin in 2007 after moving to South Florida (2001). I made an emergency move to Colorado in 2007 and started feeling better quickly, but when I abruptly stop taking Ambien, my nervous system just fell apart. After a visit to the Mayo Clinic and five subsequent years of avoiding doctors and improving slowly, I discovered heavy metal toxicity was likely a key source of my troubles. I spent a year and a half doing Frequent Dose Chelation and full-spectrum methylation support which left me healthier in some ways and sicker in others.

My liver and detoxification genetics including copper and iron metabolism were probably the weak links in my body that allowed, mold toxins, heavy metals and other toxins to accumulate. If that’s true, chelation likely overwhelmed my liver. I’ve worked on addressing my SOD2 flaws and restoring my liver, kidneys and gut health. After seeing the big, gnarly stones, sludge and crud that out of my liver in my fourth flush, and the plaque that came off my colon, I felt sure I was on the right track. Now, I’m tackling Lyme Disease and co-infections, which I may have had for 30 years…

Here is the long version:  In 2007, I reached a crisis point and went to see the famous Dr. Galland in New York who did around $3,500 worth of blood tests which turned up a high mercury number on a plasma test (three times the normal high end range).

At the time, I was thinking mold allergy was at the root of my issues and he thought it was reasonable to pursue that angle first. He mentioned that he had patients with much higher mercury numbers with no symptoms. So I moved to Colorado to test the mold theory. Five years later, I’m a lot healthier (I was in a desperate slide earlier) but still feel like there are 80-year-olds with more energy and vitality than I have. I’m discovering that I probably was on the right track with the mold toxicity thing.

That’s changing, though, because in 2013, I finally discovered the root of 30 years of declining health and I expect to be back up near 100% by 2016 2018.

Then and now my issues were/are in order with the most disruptive symptoms at the top:

  • Metabolic disruption leading to constant hunger
  • Metabolic disruption leading to difficulty falling asleep and staying asleep
  • Fatigue
  • Cognitive impairment / brainfog
  • Muscle tightness leading to tendinitis and repetitive strain injury
  • Temperature related itching which disrupts sleep
  • Exercise intolerance
  • Low blood pressure
  • Heat intolerance
  • Cold intolerance
  • Edema
  • Alcohol intolerance
  • Positional sleep apnea
  • Osteoporosis
  • Mold allergy
  • Mild chemical sensitivity
  • Mild anxiety
  • Emotional sensitivity
  • Ears ring when it’s too loud in the room
  • Mild tinnitus
  • Low body temperature
  • Low cholesterol
  • Low vitamin D & migraines from supplementation or sunshine
  • Light sensitivity
  • Dimmed vision
  • Omega-3 intolerance

Here’s what happened after arriving in Colorado — I felt remarkably better, so much so that I neglected to refill a prescription of Ambien I had been using for three months. That night, I experienced a nervous breakdown (which took me the next 4 years to overcome). In a panic, my wife escorted me to the Mayo Clinic where I was diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome which I considered nearly useless. I was really fed up with doctors and decided to just focus on diet and exercise.

For many years, I had been under the assumption that I had Adrenal Insufficiency in spite of the Mayo Clinic doctors refusal to diagnose me as such. My symptoms are nearly a perfect match. So, I thought that perhaps I just needed rest, a good diet, gentle exercise and clean air and water. I thought maybe if I stopped using cortisol for a few years and went on a high-fat Paleolithic diet to build my cholesterol back up (which had dropped down to 99),  my adrenal glands would heal and I would recover naturally.

After a couple years of gorging myself on steak, pulled pork, shrimp, and chicken liver, I realized that my adrenal glands were not recovering. I started using cortisol again and currently take about 20 mg a day.

What didn’t quite fit the Adrenal Insufficiency theory is that supplementing got me functional, but never resolved a lot of issues. It just moved me from 20% functional to 60 or 70% functional.  I’ve read Dr. Jeffries Safe Uses of Cortisol several times and everywhere he talks about patients living their lives out happily after they start supplementing.  I never got enough mileage from cortisol to feel well more than a couple hours a day.

Recently, after watching the documentary “Forks over Knives” I went vegan. Having eaten a strictly whole food diet for many many years, with no alcohol, no caffeine, no sugar, no fruit and almost no carbs, I’ve come to the conclusion that neither adrenal supplementation nor diet alone will cure me no matter how many people have recovered from cancer using vegetables.

Finally, I turned my attention to heavy metal toxicity. I asked my Doc for a test and he gave me a challenge test kit which involved taking the chelator DMSA. Twenty minutes after taking the first 75 mg dose at breakfast time, I had an extremely rare clearing of brain fog (which did not last more than 45 minutes unfortunately) and felt unusually energetic all day.  Then I received the results and was convinced at first sight.

Later, I confirmed them with a hair test. When I’m not despairing about the length of the treatment, I’ve become so hopeful that I want to document my detoxification using Andy Cutler’s frequent dosing protocol. I also encouraged my parents to get hair tests and they look toxic as well, so it seems to run in the family.

My possible sources of mercury/metals exposure include:

  • Playing with Mercury in the house at least once as a kid.
  • Extensive vaccinations at a very young age.
  •  9 allergy shots weekly  for at least a year as a teenager.
  • Lots of vaccinations including hepatitis B in my early 20s.
  • Melting lead a handful of times to make weights.
  • Lots of fishing with lead weights / using my teeth to open them.
  • Having two tiny mercury fillings which were removed when I was a teenager.
  • Eating fish from contaminated lakes in Canada during the summers.
  • Eating tuna fish almost daily for many years as a young adult.
  • Eating salmon sushi regularly for a couple years.
  • Contrast agents ingested at least three times for CT and nuclear bone scans.

More important than the source of mercury is the idea that people who get sick typically do so with exposures to heavy metals that don’t bother others.  The theory behind this is that the ones who get sick have deficient internal detoxification mechanisms.  Put simply, the unlucky ones don’t eliminate mercury the same way most of the population does.

For example, the MTHFR genetic mutation prevents folic acid from converting to its active form which has a cascading effect on your health when your store of glutathione is eventually depleted.  It can run in families also which might explain why my father’s chronic health problems are similar in some ways to mine. The failure of your detoxification system is not just genetic however. It’s a multi-factorial condition which may involve high stress or emotional trauma, use of antibiotics, infections, and toxic exposures (of which I’ve had quite a few not listed here).

I’m not sure exactly what got me started on heavy metal toxicity after having neglected the idea for five years.  Maybe, I just reached a point where I’d exhausted so many other possibilities, there was nothing credible left. Part of the problem too for anyone suffering from something like what I’ve got, is that the cognitive impairment (poor memory and brain fog) is a significant obstacle to healing yourself.

Finally, we are too close to our problems  and can’t always see what’s right under our nose. When you have experienced brain fog for 20 years, and when it increases gradually, you tend to assume incorrectly that everyone sort of has it and can become complacent.  It’s especially easy to become complacent when your experience with MD’s tells you that wherever you go,  you’ll get a blood test and the doctor will say “Everything looks good!”

No matter that, 15 minutes of gentle walking incapacitates me for the rest of the day, that 20 minutes of sunshine can give me three days of migraines, that I’m unable to carry on a social life or provide and care for my family in any normal way. None of these mysteries ever seem to trouble my MDs much.

To be fair, a couple had various theories which we tested, but unfortunately they were the wrong theories and some of the therapeutic trials were very harmful including powerful antibiotics and industrial strength antiparasitics.

You might be wondering why I’m creating this website before I’ve recovered. It’s a good question! The answer is — I want badly to heal — and also to help others with what I’ve learned on my journey. This site will help me organize all the information and will be useful in the event that I do recover.   It would be impossible to document after the fact. I want to show the process as it really is and feels in the moment and not through rose-colored glasses after the fact.

1 year update: I‘ve completed a year of chelation now with 23 rounds and 97 chelation days under my belt and it’s time to review my progress. Big picture: chelation is a bitch as Val from FDC explains perfectly:

Mercury toxicity is like someone who has been hit with an arrow.   It caused damage going in, it is causing damage while it’s lodged in your body, and it causes damage when it is “yanked” out, so to speak.  Not until it’s removed, can your body truly heal.  Can you imagine healing with a big arrow stuck in your flesh?

and from Patrik Askert:

Chelation in general is a fine art, a balancing of releasing chelated toxin molecules into the blood stream, over and above what you liver normally has to deal with (in terms of digestive functions and breaking down toxins), and not releasing too many ‘new’ toxins into the blood in one go that the liver is not able to process comfortably in one go. Chelation, depending on how well the chelation agent ‘masks’ the toxin, is akin to a form of very mild but controlled poisoning, occurring over a prolonged period. When one takes too much chelant, then one is effectively ‘poisoning’ the whole body and it certainly feels like this.

3 year update: I’ve got Lyme disease
4 year update: making progress with mineral balance

403 thoughts to “My story”

  2. Hi Eric,

    I just found your site and am completely overwhelmed. My 14 year old daughter started having joint pain about 4 years ago. Knowing traditional medicine was not the route I wanted to go, I began my own research. We went through a million possible diagnosis, starting with lyme disease and ending with leaky gut, with a million things in between. After seeing multiple NDs and eliminating a zillion foods from her diet (nightshades, gluten, dairy, eggs, etc.), we did the 23andMe test at our current NDs request. She has my daughter on a lot of supplementation, most of it is listed on your crazy long list! 🙂 And she is a lot better – joint pain gone. But she still has a lot of health issues, the primary one being insomnia.

    So my question is, where can I start to understand this whole geneetic SNP methylation thing? Every site I visit feels like I’m jumping in right in the middle of a advanced course. Is there an “understanding genetics/methylation/SNPs for DUMMIES?” website? 🙂

    Thanks,
    TSpar

    1. Congratulations on making a lot of good moves and helping her daughter with her joint pain! I don’t know of any really easy to read content on genetics… Sorry, I know it feels overwhelming at first. Just go slow and bite off one little piece at a time.

      1. TSpar, Eric,

        TSpar is looking for a good “genetics for dummies” reference. I won’t say it is a “for dummies” version, but Dr. Amy Yasko is a pioneer in this field, and has some excellent resources on her website. You can read an excerpt from her book here: http://www.holisticheal.com/media/Excerpt_from_Dr_Amys_Latest_Book.pdf

        She defines Nutrigenomics as “The study of how different nutrients may interact with specific genes to alter the risk of health issues.”

        This is what I ordered: http://www.holisticheal.com/yasko-protocol-starter-packet.html

        And this is her primary website: http://www.dramyyasko.com

        You might also find this free download of interest: http://www.autismnti.com/images/Website-_Yasko_Education.pdf

        Good luck to you both!

        PS – I am heterozygous for MTHFR C677T, which started my interest in all of this. I have since learned I have quite a few other genetic SNPs by getting the test from 23andme, downloading the raw data, and then uploading it to Livewello and a few other sites. Amazing what is available now.

  3. I have had fibromyalgia for 19 years. It started in earnest after agrichemical exposure. During some of that time I’ve had fatigue so debilitating that I wanted to die. I’m still tired. Oh so tired but life is livable now, due to diet changes. I want to look into methylation. Once some years ago I went on a special diet of meat vegatables and fermented rice bread. I took a bucket load of supplements.I felt totally amazing. Incredible. My pain was drastically redused and I only needed 5 hours sleep. I now self treat for pyrolle disorder. Can’t live without 800mg day of magnesium. I have tried to duplicate my results from when I felt amazing but it is never quite the same. I have never quite been able to. I couldn’t work it out untill reading some stuff you wrote about b12 and brands. I was taking a small dose of sublingual methyl b12 drops. A particular highly reputable brand in my country. I’ve tried methyl folate and felt no difference. Possibly more wired. My B12 blood levels are high. Where on earth do I start? What do I do. I’ve read in some places that some people believe all fibro patients have methylation issues. Can you point me in the right direction? I’ve screwed my health up before by trying to figure stuff myself. I went vegan and ended up in a psyche ward for 4 months!! I’ve spent thousands on practitioners who swear they can heal me and find out they can’t. I can’t wasit any more money. I don’t have it. I once had a b12 shot when I was very sick. Don’t know what form of b12 it was but I have never had anything worse happen to me in my whole entire life. It was horrendous. I felt so wired I wanted to die. I couldn’t keep still. I had to jerk and move my body. I was running on the spot for hours. I would have literally thrown myself under a bus to stop the sensation of physical anxiety if people hadn’t have saved me and drugged me up……so I wonder if that had something to do with methylation issues? Better stop going on now. I just need to know where to start and what to do about all this fibro/fatigue business. Thanks if you can help me.

    2. Sounds like copper toxicity to me which means your most likely low in zinc so the pyroluria treatment is probably a good idea. Have you ever been tested for Lyme?

      1. thanks TJ. I’m already taking 180 mg per day of zinc and 300 mg of B6:) I was tested for Lyme and it was negative…

  4. I just wanted to say that most people should not freak out too much about heavy metals they are a normal part of life.

    Some people have a severe negative reaction from low levels of heavy metals in their body. I am in no way denying this fact. Keep this in mind when I say that if your heavy metal test shows your levels are 2 – 3 times higher then the reference amount don’t freak out, usually this doesn’t mean anything and your body will excrete these heavy metals naturally in time via sweat, hair, urine and faeces. Most people will not be negatively affected by this small amount. Please people try to remain calm and rational about this if your levels are like this.

    If you seeing levels 100 x higher then it is worth further investigation and it may be a concern. If you seeing levels 1000 x higher then you can start freaking out because it is very likely you have a problem. What I am saying is that where as some people are affected by a very small amount of heavy metals most people are not and if your level is 2-3 times higher it usually is no reason for concern and usually has very little impact on your health. So your level is higher so what? What does that actually mean? So you get your results and see that your levels is higher than the reference level and freak out and think that this means it is really bad and that you have lead, mercury poisoning and it is the reason for all your health issues. Wait, stop and listen what it actually means is that you that you have more lead, mercury than other people in the reference area. The reference amount differs from lab to lab but what is usually means is how much lead, mercury is commonly found on average in other people within the geographical location of the testing lab.

    Please be aware that no person is without some level of toxic metals in their bodies, circulating and accumulating. Heavy metals exposure can come from acute contact with a heavy metal or it can come from chronic low dose contact. The metabolism and excretion of toxic elements occurs continually within the body and is a normal process.

    1. well first, I should agree with you that nobody should freak out about anything ever. And it’s also true that someone with high levels of mercury or other heavy metals shouldn’t freak out either if they’re in good health. What they should do is understand that over time, maybe 30 or 50 years, that heavy metal burden may translate into Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, rheumatoid arthritis or some other very nasty illness doctors will say has no known cause or cure. And of course it goes without saying that someone with high levels of heavy metals who is ill has something very serious to think about.

  5. I have been doing Quicksilver Scientific’s detox protocol for the last three months. It is working, but it can be hard at times. I have more energy than when I first started the detox, and I am mercury toxic. I’m also just down the road from their lab. My husband also did their mercury test, and he is low in mercury, even though he had way more mercury in his mouth for longer than I did! I’m just learning about methylation. I have a number of methylation defects, including COMT, MAO A, and MTRR, as well as heterozygous for MTHFR. I’d love to share info with you off-line.

    1. hi Carrie, I’d love to connect with you! I’m super interested in hearing your experience with Quicksilver:)

  6. I think muscle testing (autonomic response testing) was the most helpful for me. It can tell which supplements are most beneficial for your body. It may also be able to tell if you have viruses, parasites, ect.

    2. I have tried the autonomic response testing as well and this stuff works. I’m still working with my integrated doctor and he’s specialized with autonomic response testing, treatment for bacteria, viruses, fungus and environmental toxins.

      I can see total improvement overall, but my digestive system is still not functioning effectively and normal. I’m wondering if anyone got their digestive system back to normal during or after chelation therapy completion?

        1. I haven’t and don’t think I will need to because I’m making such good progress with oxygen therapies. I also believe that I respond well to probiotics – just tried the AOR probiotic-3 too and believe it’s very targeted to my needs. Thanks for the suggestion Austin!

  7. -Eric: I would like you to look into Lysine Protein Intolerance. This is a genetic issue where the person has poor ability to break down lysine (amino acid) and this puts tremendous strain on the liver. People with this issue also produce excessive surfactant in the lungs (mucus etc).

    If you eat a large piece of meat (high lysine)? ==> does it literally put you to sleep in 1-2 hrs?

    1. thanks Jon, but I’ve always felt better when I eat high-protein high-fat. Carbohydrates and fat are the only thing that relax me. Nothing really puts me to sleep except for a large meal, definitely not steak.

    1. Thanks Kiki – that’s actually why I started experimenting with the no sulfur diet, to counter the increase in sulfur I was getting from chelators:)

  9. Hi, I had some similar symptoms and was finally diagnosed with chronic Lyme. The fatigue may have been an underlying thyroid issue, then if you had any GI issues that could result in trouble detoxing your body. Mold weakens the immune system making it difficult to fight infections. Then a tick bite could cause devastating Lyme disease in a weakened immune system. Many people with “chronic” Lyme have heavy metal poisoning and mycotoxins
    I would suggest seeing a Lyme literate doctor- go to iliads to find an MD. Testing for Lyme is inaccurate. Igenix is the best test as the western blot and Elisa can have false negatives. This is what happened to me and I’m now getting much better. Good luck!

  10. Quiksilver/Shade. Yes, you’re right — sorry I had the first name wrong. I agree with you. I was thinking along the same lines. Correct, there’s a lot of investigating that is necessary when it comes to those who profit from illness.

    Oxygen. I’ve felt starved for oxygen since I’ve been sick. The supplemental oxygen helps. I have a much clearer head after breathing it and I feel more energy. I did standard tanks for old people. The tanks were little smaller than scuba tank size (2,000 lbs.) with wheels. I did about 500 – 1,000 lbs. per day.

    Hyperbariacs. This is something I’ve been wanting to try. I’ve heard a lot of good things about it from those of us exposed to mold.

    Ozone. Another thing I was considering but haven’t researched enough yet to know. Still checking it out.

    Food Grade H2o2. This is something that I started taking internally in October for the mold symptoms…made it to 8 drops 3 x per day and stopped because I felt so bad. Started again in November and pushed through all the way to 25 drops 3 x per day. Now I’m at 25 drops 2 x per day. I also nebulized it. Again, I believe it helped a lot with mold symptoms but not for the mercury. I’ve have to carefully balance/space out the Oxidative therapy and the Anti-Oxidant Detox.

    Allergy Shots. I’ve had a lot of allergy shots. Starting when I was about 6 through 14 at least twice per week. I’m looking for more information to see if this contributed to my mercury levels.

    Glad you found a good location. I believe it’s more important than most people realize in recovery.

    Thank you for all the helpful info!

    1. Your experience with oxygen is really interesting – something I should try next time I’m at my mom’s place because she uses bottled oxygen! Sounds like you had even more allergy shots than I did…

  11. Eric,

    I understand about the Chlorella. My MD recommended Purified Chlorella and I reacted ok taking it. It had to be special ordered from Canada. However, one day I ran out of the Purified Chlorella and bought some that I thought was from Canada. I took it and it make me violently ill. It turned out to be a Canadian company but I missed the “Made in Japan” part. I’m a bit concerned that some of the message boards say Cutler believes Chlorella may cause the mercury to relocate to other parts of the body like breaking the brain barrier. Have you heard of the Quiksilver Scientific speciation test by Mark Shade? I just ordered the Genova test. I noticed you’ve used Doctor’s Data. Just wondering what the best is. For months I’ve been so focused on the mold issues I neglected to study how important the Mercury is — until I saw your site.

    Re the FAR infrared sauna treatments: The first time I tried the FAR infrared sauna I thought it was going to kill me. I could hardly move for 2 days. Then I avoided it for months. I did more research (which I should have done in the first place) and found that there are very few FAR infrared saunas on the market that are toxin free. I found a nice ND in Sedona and spent 3 month there going to her office every day to use the SaunaRay infrared sauna (which I think is the best). I started at 8 minutes @ 110 F and built up to 30 minutes @ 130 F. I did a lot of Oxygen therapy and yoga too. Sedona was good for me. I’ve been tracking locations and how feel at each.

    Have you ever heard of DMPS? (Sodium 2,3-dimercaptopropane-1-sulfonate manufactured by Heyl in Berlin, Germany). Apparently, it’s been a successful mercury detox agent but it’s not legal in USA yet. Max Daunderer, a German MD, apparently had great success treating patients and eliminating mercury.I’m still researching. If it looks promising I’ll be off to Germany soon.

    I actually went to Denver directly after Mayo Clinic sent me out the door with a bunch of unanswered questions. Then Santa Barbara, LA again, Hawaii, Florida, Jackson Hole, Park City, Hawaii, Sedona, and now Beverly Hills. I used to live in Aspen and I felt good most of the time there. I’m still searching for the best location – or geographic rotation based on how I feel at various times of the year. Would be cool to catch up sometime. Thanks again.

    1. “Have you heard of the Quiksilver Scientific speciation test by Mark Shade?” -> I think you mean Chris Shade and yes, but I have a hard time getting over this gut feeling that his operation isn’t legitimate since he makes it sound so easy to treat mercury and I don’t see lots of testimonials. But, since he is just a few minutes away, I should go out there and do some investigation when I’m ready to chelate again. Thanks for the reminder! Don’t know which tests are best, I just know that because Dr. Cutler uses Doctor’s Data, there are thousands of other heavy metal toxic people to compare with.

      What kind of oxygen therapy did you do? I’m getting ready to start ozone water and I have heard good things about hyperbaric also but not in relation to heavy metals.

      I have used DMPS and I was very excited about it after reading the datasheet for it – it has saved many lives. Unfortunately, I’m one of those rare individuals who doesn’t tolerate it well. I suspected that it was because it chelated something (maybe copper) that I have an extreme abundance of, but others cautioned me that it might be an allergic reaction. My father just asked if he could try it, so I’ll be giving it to him soon. No need to go to Germany though, you can order it online easily.

      When my father was ill, he checked out a lot of places also to see where he felt best and Boulder won. The front range has/had one of the lowest mold counts in the country at the time…. Denver would not be quite the same as it results from the airflow over the Rockies which would get altered as you go east, but I’m sure Aspen is quite good also.

      Happy new year, may 2015 be a year of breakthroughs for all of us!!

  12. Hi Eric
    I have been suffering with a decline of health since the birth of my daughter 7 years ago. At first sickness dizzy spells blanking out and forgetfulness then came food intolerance to wheat then endimetriosis low immune system bronchitis. My GP loaded me with antibiotics steroids and then I experienced gall bladder pain and was taken to hospital I was given intrevenous antibiotics and when I came out could digest hardly anything . My gall bladder came up fine on the ultrasound but I found out I had Gilbert’s syndrome where my phase two detoxification causes bilirubin to build up in my system. I have found out now that I have mercury poisoning it all makes sense as I had a huge amalgam drilled out when I was pregnant with my daughter. I have had my existing amalgams removed by a biological dentist and have started chelation DMSA only at 5 ml (I have done two rounds) as I am so toxic . I am worried though as I have systemic yeast and dysbiosis and after reading your posts I am concerned my liver will not get rid of the metals I am pulling efficiently? I tried a liver flush Andreas moritz a while back and got no stones and felt ghastly for a good week as my system is so weak I don’t know if it was a good idea. Should I be trying them again? I am planning a colon clean using humaworm this month then have Andreas moritz liver and kidney cleanse teas should I start liver cleansing and will it help my genetic Gilbert’s? I’m sure this is why I have been poisoned ? Your advice would be extremely helpful kindest regards Clare

    1. Hi Clare, I responded in more detail to your other comment here – I do think you’re on the right track to start with a colon cleanse but would like to see you choose something without herbs that will stress your liver. Definitely hold off on chelation and liver flushing until you can put some smaller easier wins under your belt! Warm regards, Eric

  13. Hi Eric,

    I feel silly even writing this because you probably have done this a number of times but have you ever had a thorough stool analysis (I did use ‘find on this page’ for stool and gut but nothing came up for you)? I know an excellent Integrative Nutritionist and for her everything starts with gut testing. I do my best to understand snp’s and supplements, diet and exercise and while all that will help and even improve the gut to some degree, getting the gut in working order is what really pays off in the end, at least for me. I wish you well on your health journey.

    1. thanks Sal! I have done that and it showed blastocystis hominis which led me to do the harshest treatments (antiparasitics) I ever experienced and still regret. What I should’ve done I think is a natural cleanse like the one I’m going to try soon from http://www.blessedherbs.com – warm wishes…

    2. Eric,

      I’m recovering from toxic mold exposure (tested positive for the Mycotoxins:Trichothecenes @ 4 x the acceptable level, March 2014, American Medical Labs) and Mercury (tested positive @ 0.0248 mcg/g which is over 6 x more than the high side of the Reference Range <= 0.0039 mcg/g, April 2014, Genova Diagnostics). I have a lot of the same symptoms you have. I've been doing a lot of glutathione (oral liposomal and nebulized), activated charcoal, and purified, cracked wall, chlorella since I was diagnosed. Have you done any of this (I saw charcoal in one of your pics)? Thank you for creating this site…

      1. hi J, I did do a glutathione IV once (it was the lowest dose they do just to test whether you have a reaction or not). I didn’t feel anything different and never repeated it. The charcoal I just do along with liver flushes to mop up the toxins that come out. You should know that chlorella is considered risky by Dr. Cutler and his frequent dose chelation groupies.

        Another thing to consider is that there are people who believe cyanotoxins (basically a type of aglae) can live inside of us. I may have seen some evidence of that myself during my colon cleansing and will post about this soon. There’s a group on Facebook I recently joined called ‘Steve’s Images’ where I learned about cyanobacteria and those folks are using fenbendazole and ozonated water to kill it. That may be a little extreme, but I strongly believe everyone with chronic illness should do a colon cleanse because it is so easy and so logical to remove all the nasty toxic waste that has been collecting on our colon walls for decades…

        1. Eric,

          Thank you for the reply and info. I’m going check out Andy Cutler’s protocol. I’m interested see why he thinks Chlorella is risky. I believe my doctor, Janette Hope, MD, has had success in treating patients with it along with other recommendations. I’ve been taking Liposomal Glutathione, intranasal glutathione, and nebulizing glutathione since April. I’ve also been taking the Purified Chlorella along with activated Charcoal. I recently did 60 days of FAR infrared sauna treatments in the last 3 months. Going to get more lab work done this week to seek if the Toxic Element levels have gone down. I went all over the country searching for answers — from Hawaii to Beverly Hills to Florida including a complete medical evaluation at the Mayo Clinic which was a waste of time and money that insurance didn’t cover. I just want to get well so I’m researching and trying anything reasonable. Looking at a colon cleanse now. Appreciate your site and your insight into these chronic illness issues.

          1. J, your story definitely has some parallels with mine. Had the same experience at Mayo. I stopped seeing my integrative medicine M.D. when I realized he wasn’t giving me the whole story about chelation because he wasn’t up to date and didn’t seem to know anything about the Cutler protocol. It’s one thing if he had an informed preference for his own protocol, but not to mention Cutler at all… That’s a bad sign!

            I think on the frequent dose chelation Yahoo group they talk about case histories they have on file of people who were irreversibly damaged by chlorella and probably a couple other things like IV chelation and intermittent use of ALA. My father is using both chlorella and intermittent ALA now, even though I have given him my copy of Dr. Cutler’s book. Personally, I don’t think it’s worth the risk considering how many other options exist but my dad is much healthier than I am, so who am I to say…

            The fact that you are strong enough to do sauna treatments is very encouraging. Sauna is one of the key things that helped my dad recover from heavy metal and mold issues about 20 years ago.

            Stay in touch and let me know how you make out! Please look me up if you’re ever in Boulder…

  14. Hi Erik,

    I just stumbled across your amazing blog! Many thanks for your investment and for sharing all your experiences, you are compiling so much valuable and outstanding information in here.

    From my side, I am investigating (to a lesser extent, and with less heavy symptoms than yours) on similar issues. Some of my experiments are described on this website: http://scanx.org/fredqs.
    So far, I have been more focused on trying to improve my sleep quality, but I just started recently supplements for addressing potential issues with my methylation cycle (the more so my symptoms have been slightly worsening these last months).

    In particular, I figured out that my sleep quality was drastically improved during a water fasting period, and was therefore wondering if you had some insights on the fact that this outcome could be correlated with an impairment of the methylation cycle?

    Otherwise, have you conducted some assessement of your sleep architecture (e.g., via a polysomnography) by any chance?

    I wish you all the best for your recovery, and will be following your progress via your blog for sure.

    Take care!

    1. Funny you ask Fred! I could easily write a whole post about my sleep issues. I’ve never used the zeo but have been recording the number of hours of my first stretch of sleep for years. I sleep on my back with a BiPAP machine during my first stretch and then without the BiPAP on my side the rest of the night. I have recorded and viewed statistics from the BiPAP. I also have an oximeter and have recorded and viewed graphs of my oxygenation.

      I hesitate to use the Zeo thinking the electromagnetic field might be harmful…

      From all of my recording and analysis, I don’t think I’ve learned anything too useful. On a really bad night, I wake up after an hour and a half. This is very common when I’m increasing methylation. On a bad night, my first stretch between two and three hours. If my first stretch is three hours, I can manage okay the next day but I’m not happy. If I get two three hour stretches then I am pretty much okay on the following day. If I get five hours in my first stretch, I feel like a new man the next day. And I pretty much never get more than five in my first stretch. My second stretch is almost always short like two hours. And I go back to sleep again usually for about an hour and a half.

      I also have to eat a meal before bedtime to get a reasonable number of hours and I eat a little bit before going back to sleep also.

      As for water fasting, I try not to drink much after 7 PM because I do wake up to urinate if I drink too much… Maybe that’s what’s going on with you.

      Warm regards,
      Eric

  15. Any adverse affects? Was it dehydrating? Does it deplete electrolytes like some clays do? This was my biggest fear about it. I also used to be worried about the idea of putting shredded glass down my pipes but I guess the food grade stuff is ok.

    I addressed my parasites while addressing intestinal viruses, food allergies, excessive bacteria in GI and candida- they all seem to go together: like once your dog gets a rash, it leaves him susceptible to ticks and fleas. Same principle with me and my gut pathogens.

    Strangely, chicken broth has been long term, the best medicine for any gut issue. I also noticed my skin doesn’t peel as bad when I touch something abrasive either. I worry about potential lead in the chicken bones though, but ONLY because I do not detox as well as healthy people. The amount of lead, if any at all would be very tiny- less than a lot of drinking water. Nevertheless, the benefits are such that I cannot do without it.

    1. Yes it is dehydrating. I’m feeling the urge to urinate all the time and urination is uncomfortable. That’s why I’m going to reduce my dose tomorrow. One tablespoon is quite a lot. I’m also taking some kidney and bladder plans herbs however, so not 100% sure it’s the DE yet. Are you making your own chicken broth? If so, what sort of pot are you using?

      1. You need thiamine. This could be a big cause of some of your symptoms you’re having now. B6 will deplete it and it looks like you’re taking a lot. Also, an essential 9 amino acid supplement might help a ton with your anxiety and focus. My son stopped wetting the bed and began to talk and engage in the world with thiamine. He also has come close to recovery and thiamine had a big part in that. It matches mercury toxicity symptoms almost exactly. We’ve chelated for a few years, btw. ALA also depletes thiamine, so careful with that too.

        1. hey thanks JB, and congratulations on your son’s recovery! all try taking more thiamine:)

          Warm regards,
          Eric

    2. Stainless steel- is that ok? Hate teflon and aluminum. Also use lodge iron skillet (made in usa) for stir fry. Yes, homemade stuff works best with onions and celery for carbs and flavor. A perpetual pot- keep adding water and reboiing. Change it out after about seven hours.

      1. Hard to say Helen – I wish I could replace all the stainless in our kitchen but my wife who does our cooking is not happy about the idea. Stainless steel is made with lead which supposedly doesn’t leech out until it comes into contact with acids. So I recently asked my wife not to store salads in stainless steel bowls for example.

        Ceramic is theoretically the only safe material, as long as it’s made without heavy metals. I just ordered this small skillet http://www.claycoyote.com/product_p/skillet-small.htm as an experiment…

          1. Hi Helen, how do you addressed the intestinal parasites, viruses and the whole GI thing, except diet of course ?

            1. Hi Evgeni. Sorry I just saw your post. I had complicated regimen to address all that but I found most of my problems are due to lack of methylB12, methylfolate and toxins that are destroying the lining of my GI tract due to bad genes- which is complicated to explain but I am working from that point of view now.

              To address parasites, viruses, GI stuff directly- depending what was going on, I used chicken broth to support repair of lining of GI first thing in morning, olive leaf extract, oregano oil, liposomal vitamin C, lysine, oral nystatin prescription and basic minerals:boron, selenium, magnesium, etc.. I had to stop most vitamins- esp folic acid, and STOP ALL IRON because it is just fertilizer. I had ammonia build up, bacteria, candida and pin worms- lots of pin worms – which go hand in hand with candida. I also used cranberry juice- expensive stuff that is unsweetened, eliminated all food- yes most food! Except salads and cooked veggies on rare occasions, small amounts of high fat goat products, teas and chicken broth. I also used mild laxatives such as sugar free chocolate, vit. C or magnesium. I had chronic constipation so I had to gently clean myself out everyday or flu symptoms would come back. I also used detox herbal blends too such as morning blend: cleanse smart advanced to stimulate lymphatic drainage.

              I still am dealing with these problems but addressing the source (heavy metals, defective detox process in my body, cellular energy, etc) now but I still use some of these things. However, I believe the parasites, viruses, SIBO, etc. are just symptoms of toxicity. MethylB12 I found recently really helped but I am not ready for it yet and off it for a couple of months until I rebuild some other stuff first. Best of luck to you!

    3. I am looking into a lot of these problems as well. I ordered pyroluria urine tests through the mail for myself and my 3 kids. There is a lot of CFS and fibromyalgia in my my family. Pyroluria is a condition that depletes your b6 and zinc. (in addition, zinc deficiencies cause copper toxicity)

      Just thought I would put it out there. I have a very low b12 level and am looking into supplementing for that with “live” b12 supplements. My sister and her kids have MTHFR mutations and we are all getting tested for it as well.

      Chris you are right when you say that trying to figure out your health problems when you have total brain fog is so difficult! Just one more thing, I found out that we have Ehlers Danlos Syndrome (EDS) type 3 in our family. It has caused my daughter to have 5 surgeries so far and has completely wreaked havoc on our lives. A lot of people with EDS have MTHFR and vitamin deficiencies. Worth looking into!

      1. that’s interesting April! although I didn’t get it there is a touch of EDS coming from my dad’s side which my daughter seemed to get in a very mild way. will be watching her…

  16. Hi Eric. Always afraid to try diatomaceous earth internally but I am open to it, esp. since the benefits don’t seemed to be limited to just parasites.

    1. I’ve been taking it for little more than a week now… Going to reduced my dose from 1 tablespoon down to 1 teaspoon tomorrow.

  17. Hi Eric! What is it about Florida? When I was 17 many CFS symptoms began after moving there. I had to quit playing classical guitar because my hands were too weak. I dropped out of college 3 times before finally realizing I could take no more than one class at a time. Then I got a flu in ’99 that I never recovered from.

    Ten years later I moved further south in Florida and I got fevers of unknown origin, viral and parasite symptoms. The worst was the light sensitivity- 30 seconds in the direct sun- even a window, gave me a fever that lasted several months. My poor daughter had a terrible time of it because her mom was always hiding from the sun in bed. I was too sick to even take her to school. I thought the problem was with FL. As if I just wasn’t made for hot weather, humidity and mold. Those 12 years in central/southern Florida I spent mostly in bed or on the couch watching TV for 12 hours a day. The sad thing was a lot of times the TV wasn’t even on! I was like a zombie. It was like 12 years of one horrible flu that wouldn’t go away!

    Finally I moved to the Northeast. I thought I would be instantly cured by the cooler, drier non-moldy climate- but some problems got much worse with cold weather. The viral symptoms were unbearable. I got really scared when I hardly had the strength to walk to the bathroom one day. I no longer worry about PEM- it’s a great day when I have “walking and getting up stairs” tolerance.

    I am 42 and it has been a long road for me also. I love that you are calling your blog- ‘how I recovered’ because it shows the right attitude. I have tried so many things that haven’t worked while so full of hope, and sometimes it is easier to to write off getting better so one doesn’t disappoint themselves and those around them yet again. But this isn’t right- our body needs every bit of positive energy it can get. And it helps those around us to stay positive rather than bracing them for more disappointment.

    I spent the last 2 years fighting CFS as a gut virus with herbs, chicken broth and supportive nutrients, and with much success, I’m happy to say! Unfortunatately though, my energy just keeps getting lower and new symptoms keep popping up, esp. in my nerves and muscles. I have a family history of MS and it is all very scary.

    So now I am turning to the detoxification angle of treating myself. This is after I noticed incredible healing after just 2 weeks of a psylium fiber/herbal detox I created myself. I felt dehydrated so I stopped and started looking for other ways to detox. Then I stumbled onto methylation- which I had been contemplating for the last year but dismissed it because of the side-effects. But it seems my best hope. I am ordering gene testing and hair analysis too. It’s all way overdue.

    It was really sad to read of your horror stories with doctors. It is interesting that your parents, like mine, are from the generation that really believe conventional medicine holds most of the answers. I am glad we now live in an age that many people no longer believe that. Your stories make me almost glad I had been too poor to see a ‘good’ expensive doctor the last 25 years. I got a lot of diagnoses of depression instead, which was ridiculous, esp. when I had a fever and pulse of 110 in the office.

    Thanks for taking the time to write down all your experiences – esp. the painful ones. That is hard because one wants to move on, leave them behind. However, they are best addressed, reflected upon and learned from. God bless! Helen

    1. Sounds like we’ve had some similar experiences! have you researched diatomaceous earth? I’m glad to find something natural for dealing with parasites… as soon as you mentioned nerve problems I started thinking about methylation, glad you are trying it!

      Thanks for sharing your story and for the encouraging words!

      Warm regards,
      Eric

    2. Hi,

      Try this book as a good reference for eating to detox.

      The Wahls Protocol: How I Beat Progressive MS Using Paleo Principles and Functional Medicine by Terry Wahls, M.D. with Eve Adamson

      An integrative approach to healing chronic auto-immune conditions by a doctor, researcher, and sufferer of progressive multiple sclerosis whose TEDx talk is already a web sensation.

      Like many physicians, Dr. Terry Wahls focused on treating her patients’ ailments with drugs or surgical procedures—until she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2000. Within three years, her back and stomach muscles had weakened to the point where she needed a tilt-recline wheelchair. Conventional medical treatments were failing her, and she feared that she would be bedridden for the rest of her life.

      Dr. Wahls began studying the latest research on autoimmune disease and brain biology, and decided to get her vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and essential fatty acids from the food she ate rather than pills and supplements. Dr. Wahls adopted the nutrient-rich paleo diet, gradually refining and integrating it into a regimen of neuromuscular stimulation. First, she walked slowly, then steadily, and then she biked eighteen miles in a single day. In November 2011, Dr. Wahls shared her remarkable recovery in a TEDx talk that immediately went viral. Now, in The Wahls Protocol, she shares the details of the protocol that allowed her to reverse many of her symptoms, get back to her life, and embark on a new mission: to share the Wahls Protocol with others suffering from the ravages of multiple sclerosis and other autoimmune conditions.

      1. Hi Chris. Thanks so much for your suggestion. I have skimmed through that book a while ago- I will have to check it out again. I want to do everything I can to prevent that condition for sure!

        I think my problems with nerves and muscles might be due to me almost starving myself on a liquid diet last year to fight viral symptoms and staying in bed a lot. Now that I am coming out of that horrible state and being more active, my muscles, nerves and cells are famished for minerals/nutrients. I think my supply cannot keep up with the demand lately. When my legs start to give out to weakness though, like they have lately, I panic and think the worst!

        Sorry- thanks so much though for the kind gesture. I think yesterday I might have been speaking out of hypochondria, lol, though the family history is something serious. Today I am going to be eating and taking lots of nutrients and I think that will help!

        1. Hi Helen,

          I did not mention this book as a prevention for MS. Dr Wahl views all of these diseases like yours, mine, and Eric’s as a breakdown in mitochondrial function which could have multiple potential causes. Anyhow, she provides a framework for various Paleo type diets that help your detoxification process while providing a large dosage of fundamental vitamins, minerals, amino acids, probiotics, essential enzymes and phytochemicals. Since you are trying to detox by consuming clay or diatomaceous earth, you need to make sure you time it away from your food and medication and, supplement with minerals and vitamins. I would suggest trying a structured diet and limiting your internal detoxificating. Instead try far infrared sauna and qi gong as tolerated.

          1. Hi Chris. Sounds like there is a lot of good suggestions in the book- will check it out, thanks. You misunderstood- I am not doing clay or d.e. detox but learning about all types of detoxes and their +’s and minuses. As for infrared sauna- sauna is one reason I had to leave FL, lol! Seriously, heat like that could kill me. I just fever up. I have trouble getting the energy to sweat. Qi gong sounds intriguing though. I also have severe scoliosis and one treatment is Schroth breathing exercises. They really work when I have the energy to do them- otherwise they wear me out.

            1. Hi Chris! Hope you see this. I am now considering far infared! I didn’t realize you can adjust the heat and it is so gentle. I can’t find any in my area though. Any ideas on where I can find some open to the public?

  19. Hi Eric,

    I also have low cholesterol. The paleo diet is helping some. I saw that your cholesterol level used to be 99. What is your cholesterol level now? If it is better, what do you think is helping it?

    1. I don’t do fasting tests so it’s hard to know exactly but I think I’m up to around 170 – I eat high cholesterol foods every day with abandon:)

  20. Hi Eric, thanks for all the info you’ve posted I just got a 23andme test result back and ran through genetic genie, your info helped give me a heads up to what the info explains. If possible could I ask you some questions by e mail if it’s not too much trouble (mattx24@aim.com) thanks again.

  22. Hi Eric, I saw your interview with David Hammond, author of Mercury Poisoning, I was very interested to see it, coming as it did after my own book on the subject, especially as his name is also Hammond. I won’t say I didn’t wonder if I had served as some inspiration especially in some parts, but it looks like a very good book over all. I personally have decided not to risk chelation as it can be dangerous, and as an attorney, I stayed away from the amalgam issue because I didn’t feel as if I could advise people to take that risk, but I understand why people do it. I was mercury poisoned myself, with a mouthful of amalgam fillings, and lead mercury crowns seated on a bed of amalgam, but the greatest exposure I experienced was through high fish consumption. If you are interested, I have two books out on mercury, Mercury and Social Anxiety, published in 2013, and the Mad Hatter, about the role of mercury in the life of Lewis Carroll, published in 2014, and I have a book on the role of mercury in the rise in obesity, which I am planning to put out next year.

    1. what an amazing coincidence Mary! your books sound very interesting but I am completely overwhelmed by my life circumstances currently – will be all I can manage to approve comments here for the foreseeable future…

      1. “I am completely overwhelmed by my life circumstances currently”

        Same here! I am in the middle of so many things now. As an answer to you question from another post, we may get to the US this summer but not, unfortunately, anywhere near Colorado.

        I really like your blog and it feels like we have, at least to some some extent, been travelling along similar roads. So I hope that you have a great summer and that you come back with more posts when things have settled down.

        If you want some more WWII action, I found this to be really good:

        http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JhXKlYnSWjA&list=PLhuA9d7RIOdaJ8jAIBVwV3ToGxzo3AK0h&index=1

        All the best to you and your family & I hope to be back with some comments after the summer!

        1. thanks for stopping by Viking and have a great summer!! I will check out the World War II stuff:)

          Warm wishes,
          Eric

  23. eric, did you ever see that movie “flowers for algernon?”
    that’s how i feel

  24. hi Eric;

    i just wanted to check in with you and thank you for sharing your experience, strength and hope. I spent probably two months trying to decipher all the info at phoenixrising.org before i stumbled onto your compilation/summary of the active b-12 protocols. Wow, was that helpful! i finally was able to understand at least part of it–enough to get started anyway. took active b-12 (the mbd?– ordered the perque activated after finding rich’s “simplified” before discovering freddd’s) for the first time maybe 6 days ago–had a reaction within 2 hrs, felt like crap, couldn’t sleep for 2 nights, but levelled out and have felt more energy than i have in a long time. was actually able to leave the house the past 2 days, and got 5-6 errands done one of those days (over the last two yrs, i would typically only be able to do one or two in same day–and recently went 10 days w/out leaving the house), so i was THRILLED. I’m a LONG way off from being “healed,” but honestly, i was experiencing suicidal ideation last week. I just felt like i couldn’t take it anymore. I’ve been getting progressively sicker for 15 years. I haven’t been able to work for two years. But now i have some hope!! My story mirrors yours almost identically, with some minor differences. i just got blood work back that shows active lyme infection. so i probably have the mthfr mutation, lyme, heavy metal toxicity (i too played with mercury as a child, and also have MANY amalgams still in my mouth), and other “stuff.” I had a couple of questions for you. First, (if you don’t mind saying, and i understand if you do) what kind of home-based business do you have? i had a VERY succesful, very lucrative health insurance business for many years. It was great working out of my home. I have 15 pairs of pajamas–i used to joke with my sister that i needed more “work” clothes (pajamas, i.e.), so we needed to go to the mall. lost that business as a result of healthcare reform two years ago, also about the time that i became disabled. have been able to get by the last couple of years on residual income from that business i wrote. anyway, have been thinking lately about possibility of MAYBE working part-time, but thinking that working from home would be a lot easier than having to go out on appts. also, everything i’ve read so far (just in the last 24 hrs) says you really have to get rid of the amalgams before you start chelation. Rich seems (or seemed, since sadly, he’s not with us any longer) to think that that’s not really the case. what do you think about that? i know you’re much more informed about that subject. also, have you been tested for lyme? just curious. thanks again, Eric. You’re simplification of the active b-12 protocol was really what allowed me to get started on what i believe is the “right” path to heal. maybe not the entire picture, but probably a signficant part of it. I used to be somewhat intelligent, but feel pretty “dumb” most of the time now. too many years of neuroinflammation, etc. Unfortunately, after not working for 2 years, and spending a small fortune on dr’s, naturopaths, diagnostic testing, etc., i can’t afford to do that stuff anymore, so the b-12 protocol is a good place for me to start.

    1. Susan, I’m so glad you found one of the levers for your recovery! you do have to get your amalgams out before chelating. people who unknowingly have little specks of mercury hidden underneath crowns have terrible results when they chelate… I’ll send you an email about my business 🙂

  25. Hi Eric
    I would definately recommend taking a 23andme genetic test and finding a really good naturopath who is versed in bio-chemistry and epigenetics. This testing gives a root cause and helps enormously in terms of having to go through too much trial and error. Of course its important to address heavy metals..but certain gene mutations create a chemistry in the body where too much of certain metals (in mine and my sons cases it was above all copper) thus their accumulation in the body are caused by something behind that. In our case for eg mthfr and cbs…so that copper became both too much and toxic -stored in the tissues -yet also bio-unavailable in the amounts healthy for the body -so not enough copper in the right channels ! I believe having read your journey that it would be so very valuable to go to the root so you can tailor treatment for your unique bio-chemistry and this way have the best chance of balancing all up holistically

      1. Great to hear you did the 23andme ! It’s also fun to find out ancestry and how much part Neanderthal we are too hey

  26. I hope that you are improving with your plan to remove heavy metals.  Your long list of complications looks so familiar to me.  I am a 49 year old female that has suffered my whole life with many of the symptoms on your long list.  I do believe that there is hope.  I too was inevitably diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome and then spent 16 more years treating my condition with nutrition (e.g., liver flushes, fasting, juice cleanses, raw food diet, etc.).  It was a roller coaster ride.  Needless to say, I just recently went to the Pfeiffer Medical Center near Chicago, Illinois (they also have satellite locations).  It has been 3 weeks, and I believe that we (me & my son)are on the road to recovery.   I was diagnosed with pyrolle disorder.  A person with pyrolles runs deficient in zinc and B6 which will allow metals to accumulate in the body if left untreated.  My 16 year old son was also diagnosed, and I am forever grateful that he will have treatment at such a young age.  He also has 1298CC MTHFR.  You can get tested for pyrolles in your urine, but it is best to see a doctor who specializes in the disorder.  I know that I will be able to live a very healthy life once again.  I am already significantly improving.  I really do understand how difficult life can be to never get to the bottom of things.  Please consider getting tested for genetic mutations (i.e., MTHFR, CBS, etc.) and pyrolles disorder.  God bless.

    1. Thank you Faith, I’m very glad you discovered the source of your long illness! I remember being tested for this but I appreciate your thoughtfulness in sharing your story… Be well 🙂

    2. Hi Faith: I was just wondering…how much zinc and B6 are you taking for the pyroluria? I also have pyroluria (diagnosed through Pfeiffer) as does my son (he’s autistic). I can’t figure out how much to take of each. If you could let me know, i would be so grateful! Thanks!

  27. I am 70 years old and have been ill since July 4, 1982 following c-Section.  I see you live in South Florida and so do I and just wondering if you have decided to work with any practioners in the area.  I have done it both ways over the years and will admit I always quit the process because I get too sick to go on.  Presently doing GAPS diet and don’t think I want to keep this up.  It did help stomach within two weeks, but the CFIDS, etc (call it what you want) will take more then this diet.   After spending half my life chasing this I just want to stop and do nothing.  Do you have any suggestions, docs, etc.?     Sheila

    1. hi Sheila, I know the feeling! I no longer live in South Florida but while I was there I saw Dr. Kenneth Woliner. He was very open-minded but young and inexperienced at the time and probably had no knowledge of heavy metals. Looking at his website now, I imagine he is still not versed.

      I would recommend you get a hair test first before you do anything if you haven’t already because it’s relatively inexpensive and can tell you a lot about your body: http://howirecovered.wpengine.com/frequently-asked-questions-about-heavy-metal-toxicity/#best-test

  28.  
    Have you considered using coffee enemas to help get the released toxins out of your body?
     
     

    1. I’ve read about them but haven’t really considered it becauseI am so hypersensitive to caffeine – it’s like my kryptonite. In addition to weak adrenals, I have a couple genetic mutations related to caffeine…

    1. Hi Tammy, you can do the support supplements but not the chelation. You need to have your amalgams removed before chelating… Otherwise you would get very very sick.

      1. Ok, thanks. So are the support supplements the DMSA and ALA? Or are you talking about these:

        The following should be given 3-4 times per day:
        –   Vitamin C: 500-1000 mg/day divided into four doses
        –   Magnesium: 400 mg/day per day divided into four doses
        –   Zinc: 30-50 mg/day divided into four doses.
        –   Fat soluble supplements are given once per day:
        –   Vitamin E: 400 IU/day (d-alpha tocopherol, not dl-alpha tocopherol),
        I’m just now finding the list on sulphur foods and thiols I’m going to try and avoid.  Thank you. 

        2. I have spent so many hours, years, looking into this kind of thing for my kids who all have ADHD or ADD.  We are all on the GFCF diet, two of us also SF.  Lately, I guess I have backslided.  Feb 8th I got really sick and felt almost like I was poisoned.  I still dont know if it was stomach or nasal virus or what. I usu. give everyone bentonite when we are feeling sick , and this time I was out.  So, 6 sick weeks later, I bought it and tried it and yeah! hunger again!  So, then, my kids and husband, of course, just want the GF substitute, eating only meat and veggies is hard on kids and teens esp.  Then I saw about the low sulphur, so I guess I need to know about that. Weve all had hair analysis, genetic testing (MTHFR&other), 3 have been scoped have Celiac, and rest are Gluten intolerant.  We also took quizzes for pyroluria and everyone is borderline, so that’s max dose of zinc and p-5p which we were taking already for the MTHFR and heart issues.  I want to get better from this Feb 8 thing, and I started Apple cidar vinegar in water b4 breakfast.  So, I take 2 T. bentonite, then about an hr later I take the vinegar with my morning vitamins.  For my one son with ADD, it seems that he needs SAMe.  The progression of improvement for finding out all of these things and then employing them has taken years, actually.  Things are a lot more calm now than they have been in a long time.  My oldest daughter, has similiar issues as you, low cholesterol, and high in lead (oh the MD’s, they just sd she was good……I had no one to help me…..I called poison control……so now this is 24 years later for her…..she seems fine right now, but she is SO stubborn and isnt taking her chelators or vitamins, and works for a sushi place and eats it everyday….)What advice do you have to give my daughter, and can you explain about not eating sulphur, because I dont understand over and undermethylating.
          Thanks for all you do!

          1. Sounds like you’ve been through the ringer also – your kids are lucky to have somebody so knowledgeable to watch out for them! I think I would just tell your daughter not to be surprised if she gets ill and to expect the treatment and recovery to be potentially long and unpleasant…

            Avoiding sulfur foods is just something to try when you’ve run out of other ideas. The science is really irrelevant if avoiding sulfur foods doesn’t help you.

  30. Eric, have you looked at Lyme disease?? If you feel you aren’t getting better in the way that you hope to with the chelation, I would definitely look into it. You are  a great researcher, so I am sure you will figure out that most Lyme tests are bogus. 
    One great resource is the new book by Richard Horowitz, MD, called Why Can’t I Get Better? He addresses  chronic fatigue at length, and discusses many, many causes of CFS including, but not limited to,  heavy metals. Most people with chronic fatigue have multiple reasons they are ill. You have certainly looked at a lot of them. But I am wondering about infectious causes. 

    1. Thanks Madrona, I have been tested for Lyme but was not aware that the Lyme tests were not always helpful. My slow progress is apparently typical for people with both mercury and lead problems… and after reading Dave Hammond’s book I understand why. A little bit of mercury makes the lead 14 to 18 times more toxic!

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