What now? Mercury!!

I mentioned how we had a hair elements test done on Grayson to determine, if we are dealing with a heavy metal toxicity. The results are very confusing to decipher, because it's not clear cut. Mercury "hides" out in tissues, organs and the brain so tests are often inconclusive of ACTUAL mercury unless the test is done shortly after your encounter with this nasty stuff! So what that means is the hair elements test tells us what is going on with the mineral transport in his body. If he is normal and shows high metals then it IS pretty cut and dry, the metal being noted is high. When the minerals are derranged, skewed....it is indicitive of past mercury poisoning which never left the body. Mercury pushes the elements all around and into the hair in varrying degrees. So the jist of his report shows high metals - copper, nickel, antimony, cobalt and zirconium, chances are these ARE actually high and need to be reduced. His low elements are - calcium, sodium, andadium, molybdenum, boron, strontium, and rubidium. The result? Probably that he cannot metabolize mercury and is holding it all in his little bitty body! Mercury is the most toxic substance on this planet and it is coursing through his veins, the very veins that feed his brain! No wonder things aren't checking out completely with his health!!

I have to say that I am somewhat relieved that we found mercury to be the problem and I must say that I expected it. Why would I be relieved that our son has mercury poisoning?? Well, because it also means there is a way to cure him. It means that the food allergies, the never ending yeast problems, the SPD, the behaviors....they all have a reason and a cure!! If it was just genetic, then there wouldn't be much we could do for him other than possibly medicate for symptoms like ADHD and OCD down the road. Instead, we are going to remove the metals, be it no easy feat, and we are going to put our son back on the track to healthy and normal, if there is such a thing, ha ha.

Chelation (key-lay-shun) is the method of removal. It can be a very long (like years) process and it involves plenty of supplements (yes MORE than he is already on, like SEVEN more) dosed 4 times a day and a metal removing agent dosed every 3 hours day and NIGHT! GULP!! The good news, if there is any during this process, is that we chelate for about 3 days on and at least that many or more off, so we do get a break....but, we repeat that process until he shows no additional benefit to the protocol. Like I mentioned earlier, that can be years. Only time will tell, there is no way to even guess so I will avoid having any expectations other than to work hard at getting him healthy.

Since he has high copper (copper is synergistic with mercury) and one of the chelating agents (ALA) drives copper higher during chelation, we need to focus on bringing that down a bit first. To do that, we will need to give him: taurine, milk thistle, molybdenum, zinc and possibly glycine four times a day. He needs to avoid high copper foods like shellfish, nuts and avocado...more foods to avoid, the list is getting longer. Then we will begin the process of chelation with DMSA and possibly ALA, if there are no reactions to either, and we will add in additional supplements: vitamin B complex, vitamin C, vitamin E, and mixed carotenoids all spread out about 4 doses daily since chelation can diminish antioxidants.

Soooo, wish us luck! Once we begin, I will keep you all posted. And who knew that when I began this blog that I would truly have something to post progress on besides just the diet. I am thrilled to have gotten to the bottom of it all, but weary of the process we plan to embark on. Mobilizing mercury into the blood stream is risky, but it's necessary.