Is it really MS?

I was looking for side effects of DMSA and came upon this website. http://www.flcv.com/indexd.html. I found it had a lot of info on it that I've been through before, but it's good to read through it again.

I also bumped into a website last night that dropped me on another website with a symptoms list for MS. I have had, and still have, several of the symptoms on that list. I was saddened to see how many people were signed up for this particular website support group who have been diagnosed with MS. I have to imagine 95% of them have been misdiagnosed with MS. I am beginning to believe that MS is not exactly the correct name- it should be named HMT (Heavy Metal Toxicity). Like I mentioned before, my maternal grandfather died of 'MS'. I unfortunately have not been able to find out from family whether or not he possibly could have been mercury poisoned because they didn't know his dental health nor what kind of metals he was exposed to in his line of work (dairy man). My guess is that he was exposed in some form or another. And my guess is that it wasn't 'MS' that took his life, but the heavy metals in his body destroying his nervous system.

I have to imagine, if I didn't figure out what was wrong with me and take necessary action a couple of years ago, I would be diagnosed with MS today, with no real answers as to why and how. I feel absolutely terrible for these people who get that diagnosis without their doctors ever figuring out the cause and being able to give them some better form of life back. What saddens me even more is that the MS Society won't even look at heavy metals as a possible cause. I find anywhere I can post or reply to posts on health websites about the terrible things mercury does to the body now, and I hope to someday start a support group that will help pay for individuals to get the mercury poison out of their teeth. I know of several individuals already that could use the financial support, and I only wish I could help them.

Testing x3

Sparky and I decided just recently that he and the kids should be tested for heavy metals too, so this last weekend all three of them took the toxic element screening. We'll find out in a month if they are affected by toxic metals as well. It will be really interesting to know, because if they are all affected, then we have something to work with - something that all of us do or eat that's causing the high numbers. If it's just me, then it will be pretty perplexing since the kids and I are together and do a lot of the same things and eat a lot of the same things 90% of the time.

The DMSA chelation is going as expected. My first three days were pretty bad - extreme headaches, fatigue, etc. My fourth day was slightly better, but ended in another 'thyroid storm' * in the middle of the night. I have four and a half more weeks to go of chelation.

Even though I have had to address other toxic metals along with mercury, my hope is that those who stop by and read my story would be convicted to stand up to your dentist the next time he or she wants to place amalgam fillings in your teeth. It's a long lonely road when you don't feel well, and even though you think you may never go through what I have, I thought those same things, too. Yet it happened, and I have missed a lot over the last four years because of it. I especially missed special times with my children when I couldn't sit still long enough or it hurt me physically to cuddle with them, or my headaches were too intense to spend time with them, or my chest hurt too badly to read to them. I spent hours crying with my husband rather than spending time enjoying being with him. I haven't felt the confidence to drive in almost two years, causing me to be dependent on others, and stuck at home every day not being able to run errands or do fun field trips with the kids, putting a burden on Sparky because then he had/has to chauffeur me around in the evenings and weekends. I am not asking for sympathy. I know others suffer even more than me, but I want anyone who will read what I have to say to understand this poison can alter your life like you never expected. Please consider my story and be informed.

*discussed in an earlier post

Test Results II

I got my test results this week from the toxic element screening. It was encouraging because things are happening, yet a little discouraging, because I still have more chelation to do. Most of my numbers came down some but not enough, and I did guess that before finding out the results because of how I've been feeling. I will be starting another round of DMSA chelation for six weeks starting next week, and then I retest in three months. I am not looking forward to it because this time the chelation falls right over Christmas. The last round wasn't too kind to me and I did not feel well throughout. My hope is, this time will be different and as the numbers fall even further I may actually start feeling better. I'll post the numbers below, as well as the previous test numbers so they can be compared. In red is above the 'permissible' limit. DL meant not detectable. You may notice that gallium was off the chart in test #1, but undetectable in test #2. Gallium is used for medical purposes, and also used in composite fillings. What little I have learned about it is that it's not typically toxic, so I'm guessing having it that high had not much effect on me, plus it was probably the residual that had made it into my body after having my dental work done. You may also notice that platinum jumped into the above allowable range. It was explained to me that it was high due to the presence of DMSA (for chelation) in my body, and "elemental platinum has very low toxicity except for those who have dermal sensitivity" (Genova Diagnostics).

Element/ test #1/ test #2/ RR (what it should be under)
Lead/ 22.2/ 11.5 /1.4
Mercury / 1.74/ 1.19 / 2.19
Aluminum/ 4.0/ 5.9 / 22.3
Antimony / .136/ .079/ .149
Arsenic / 17/ 17 / 50
Barium / 4.5 / 3.4/ 6.7
Cadmium/ .33 /.15/ .64
Cesium/ 6.0/ 6.2 / 10.5
Gallium / .107/ dl/ .028
Nickel/ 2.31 / dl/ 3.88
Platinum/ dl/ .035/ .033
Rubidium / 1,456/ 1,580/ 2,263
Thallium / .486/ .289 / .298
Tin / .95 / .47/ 2.04
Tungsten / .049/ dl/ .211

I also started physical therapy this week to retrain my vision to correct the off-balance and dizzy feelings I have constantly. I have about 30 minutes of exercises to do twice a day. The physical therapist said it will take some time to retrain my vision. As promising as it might be, I'm still a little perplexed that the NP did not order any testing to find the cause of the off-balance/dizziness but went right to PT instead.

I guess overall things are going in the right direction, and I am somewhat encouraged. I am not getting excited about anything yet, however, because I don't like getting excited about something and then to be let down when it doesn't happen. I am hoping and praying that I will feel improvement after these next six weeks, but I am waiting to feel the results before I celebrate.