Mercury fillings

[Richard Lee]

Last year my dentist suggested that I replace most of my mercury fillings and existing crowns with porcelain crowns. The fillings were getting old; some were causing their teeth to fracture; some had decay underneath; and new decay needed to be attended to.

Last week I felt well enough to start the procedure. I figured that it would not only protect my teeth but would eventually reduce my mercury load. The lower teeth were done. It took 3 hours and 5 injections, and it was still fairly painful.

I felt sick when the local anesthetic wore off, and sicker still over the next few days. I had a return of the bloated feeling in my gut, and my diaphragm resisted deep breathing. I'm not sure whether it was due to the stress of the procedure, the anesthetic, the mercury released (despite their efforts to contain it), the methylation of mercury by my methyl-B12, or the temporary reduction in my methyl-B12 intake out of concern for methyl-mercury.

Is it safe to continue taking methyl-B12 during amalgam-removal? Some mercury will enter the gut, or even the bloodstream through small cuts in the gums, and I don't like the thought of it circulating in the blood along with unbound methyl-B12 from sublingual tablets. How long does it take for most free mercury to be flushed out the bloodstream?

I had a hair-follicle test recently. Mercury was measured at 0.8 ppm. I'm not sure whether that's a concern or not, and whether I should try chelation when all my fillings are out.

 

[anne_likes_red]

Hi Richard,

I'm not sure about MethylB12 during amalgam removal. Hopefully someone here might know, otherwise ask the friendly people on the boards I've linked to below...

I'm not sure either how long it would take for any mercury to be detoxified naturally. I think you might get rid of some but some would likely be stored in your body.

I think chelation is a very good idea and ideally you'd start it fairly soon after your final replacement.

Andrew Cutler's protocol, which is relatively gentle (ideal for people with CFS), suggests you start 4 days after your last amalgam removal, with DMSA every 4 hours, 3 days on and 4 days off (or similar). Later on, after clearing the bloodstream with DMSA, you add in Alpha Lipoic Acid.

The Cutler Protocol board is here: http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/frequent-dose-chelation/messages
And the Adult Metal Chelation board is here: http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/adult-metal-chelation/messages

There are a few Australian members so I'm sure they'll be able to help you with where to source DMSA if you decide to go that route

Congrats on getting those amalgams out!
Anne.

 

[Freddd]

Last year my dentist suggested that I replace most of my mercury fillings and existing crowns with porcelain crowns. The fillings were getting old; some were causing their teeth to fracture; some had decay underneath; and new decay needed to be attended to.

Last week I felt well enough to start the procedure. I figured that it would not only protect my teeth but would eventually reduce my mercury load. The lower teeth were done. It took 3 hours and 5 injections, and it was still fairly painful.

I felt sick when the local anesthetic wore off, and sicker still over the next few days. I had a return of the bloated feeling in my gut, and my diaphragm resisted deep breathing. I'm not sure whether it was due to the stress of the procedure, the anesthetic, the mercury released (despite their efforts to contain it), the methylation of mercury by my methyl-B12, or the temporary reduction in my methyl-B12 intake out of concern for methyl-mercury.

Is it safe to continue taking methyl-B12 during amalgam-removal? Some mercury will enter the gut, or even the bloodstream through small cuts in the gums, and I don't like the thought of it circulating in the blood along with unbound methyl-B12 from sublingual tablets. How long does it take for most free mercury to be flushed out the bloodstream?

I had a hair-follicle test recently. Mercury was measured at 0.8 ppm. I'm not sure whether that's a concern or not, and whether I should try chelation when all my fillings are out.

Hi Richard,

First I want to ask if you had nitrous oxide in addition to injections? Nitrous Oxide permanently oxidizes methylb12 into a completely non-usable form and can cause rapid onset acute b12 deficiency.

Regarding mercury there are many different opinions and theories on this and whether mb12 is a benefit, detriment or non reactive with mercury in vivo. There is nothing definitive. One thing to be clear about is that IF mercury is methylated by mb12 in the body as opposed to the test tube, what it does is disable the mb12 to an inactive form. IF it does this, 1 mg of mercury destroys 7+mg of methylb12, twice the amount normally present in the body, approximately 1000 days of normal b12 consumption. 80% of toxic mercury symptoms are identical with b12 deficiency symptoms. IF mercury is methylated to mono methyl mercury by mb12 then it has a serum halflife of 50-71 days depending upon the source of the half life information.

Cutler has said that it reduces toxicity of mercury for it to be methylated by mb12 and is then reliably removed from the body if that were to happen in vivo but that it doesn't and only happen in vitro.

 

[Richard Lee]

Hi Richard,

I'm not sure about MethylB12 during amalgam removal. Hopefully someone here might know, otherwise ask the friendly people on the boards I've linked to below...

I'm not sure either how long it would take for any mercury to be detoxified naturally. I think you might get rid of some but some would likely be stored in your body.

I think chelation is a very good idea and ideally you'd start it fairly soon after your final replacement.

Andrew Cutler's protocol, which is relatively gentle (ideal for people with CFS), suggests you start 4 days after your last amalgam removal, with DMSA every 4 hours, 3 days on and 4 days off (or similar). Later on, after clearing the bloodstream with DMSA, you add in Alpha Lipoic Acid.

The Cutler Protocol board is here: http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/frequent-dose-chelation/messages
And the Adult Metal Chelation board is here: http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/adult-metal-chelation/messages

There are a few Australian members so I'm sure they'll be able to help you with where to source DMSA if you decide to go that route

Congrats on getting those amalgams out!
Anne.

Thanks, Anne, for those references and your summary of the protocol.

Is there a more detailed summary of the Cutler protocol somewhere? I plan to buy his book, but that will take time to arrive and read.

Cheers

 

[Richard Lee]

Hi Richard,

First I want to ask if you had nitrous oxide in addition to injections? Nitrous Oxide permanently oxidizes methylb12 into a completely non-usable form and can cause rapid onset acute b12 deficiency.

Regarding mercury there are many different opinions and theories on this and whether mb12 is a benefit, detriment or non reactive with mercury in vivo. There is nothing definitive. One thing to be clear about is that IF mercury is methylated by mb12 in the body as opposed to the test tube, what it does is disable the mb12 to an inactive form. IF it does this, 1 mg of mercury destroys 7+mg of methylb12, twice the amount normally present in the body, approximately 1000 days of normal b12 consumption. 80% of toxic mercury symptoms are identical with b12 deficiency symptoms. IF mercury is methylated to mono methyl mercury by mb12 then it has a serum halflife of 50-71 days depending upon the source of the half life information.

Cutler has said that it reduces toxicity of mercury for it to be methylated by mb12 and is then reliably removed from the body if that were to happen in vivo but that it doesn't and only happen in vitro.

Hi Freddd

No, I didn't have a general anesthetic, and if I do I tell the anesthetist that I am allergic to nitrous oxide (not quite true, but close enough).

There seem to be so many unknowns when it comes to mercury that I am inclined to disregard the potential risk of methyl-mercury. I think that the risk of chronic poisoning exceeds the risk of acute poisoning. I guess I can always resort to chelation if this setback proves intractable, though chelation has its own pitfalls.

 

[Vegas]

Thanks, Anne, for those references and your summary of the protocol.

Is there a more detailed summary of the Cutler protocol somewhere? I plan to buy his book, but that will take time to arrive and read.

Cheers

http://onibasu.com/wiki/Cutler_protocol