Cutler mercury hair test results poll

[caledonia]

Hi all,

I'm conducting a poll regarding the types of metals a person has and if they might be causing PEM (post exertional malaise/post exertional neuroimmune exhaustion).

Post-Exertional Malaise: After physical or mental exertion, there is an inappropriate loss of physical and mental stamina, rapid muscular and cognitive fatigability, post-exertional malaise and/or fatigue and/or pain and a tendency for other associated symptoms within the patient’s cluster of symptoms to worsen. There is a pathologically slow recovery period–usually 24 hours or longer.

Examples of symptoms - flu-like muscle or joint aches, exhaustion, trouble with concentration or memory, headache, sore throat, swollen lymph nodes, etc.

You must have done the Doctors Data hair and minerals test recommended by Andrew Cutler and interpreted it with Cutler's counting rules (or had the Frequent Dose Chelation forum interpret it for you).

You may also look at the symptom lists for each metal in Cutler's book "Hair Test Interpretation: Finding Hidden Toxicities" and list the metals you have many symptoms for (like 8 or more symptoms).

Please, no results from blood or urine tests or hair tests done without looking for disordered mineral transport as these aren't accurate enough.

There are two questions:

a) Do you have PEM? (yes or no)
b) Which metals do you have?

I'll go first -
I have PEM
I have mercury, lead and arsenic.

 

[Mary]

@caledonia - I don't think mercury (or other metals) cause my PEM. It's a little complicated, but here goes. First, I used to have detox reactions regularly for many years, possibly since I started crashing (PEM) in 1998, or maybe even before, I don't remember. I reacted badly to anything that said it had cleansing properties (apple cider vinegar, cayenne, FIR sauna, chlorella, etc.) so no doubt I had a load of toxins.

I did the Doctor's Data test in September 2011, and it showed mercury a little over the reference range - 0.84, and range was 0.80. I also did Cutler's counting rules and that showed mercury as well, though I can't remember the exact results. But I don't think it was a huge amount according to the rules, but mercury was there.

In spring 2015 I had the Quicksilver Mercury Tri Test done, which uses blood, hair and urine. (https://www.quicksilverscientific.com/testing/mercury-tri-test) This test is supposed to show not only mercury levels, but how well your body can excrete mercury. And when I had this test done, it showed no mercury and that my excretion abilities were good.

Between the DD test in 2011 and the Quicksilver test in spring of 2015, I tried Cutler's protocol for mercury detoxing a couple of times, without any apparent results and it was difficult to follow. and I kept having detox symptoms.

But in 2014 somehow I started taking 3 amino acids - glycine, inositol and glutamine, all of which caused a detox reaction for me, particularly glycine, which I was taking for sleep. Somehow I persisted, (it's a fog ) but I now tolerate these amino acids with no problem. And I later discovered that these 3 amino acids (as well as other nutrients) were needed for phase II liver detoxing (http://www.diagnose-me.com/treatment/liver-detoxification-phase-II-support.php)

And I stopped having detox reactions right around the time I had the Quicksilver test done in 2015, which was maybe a year or less (I don't know, I wasn't keeping track) since I started taking those amino acids. e.g., glycine which used to hit me like a sledge hammer, I now take nightly with no problem for sleep.

So I really do think my toxic load has lessened a lot, such that mercury is no longer detectable and I no longer have symptoms of mercury (or other) toxicity, and unfortunately I still have PEM.

 

[aaron_c]

In the first months of major fatigue (including PEM) I did a hair mineral analysis and interpreted it via Andrew Cutler. I was studying nutrition at the time and thought I might be doing this for clients, actually... Anyhow, it was off in one of the ways that only Culter thinks is off, and I later saw a naturopath who specializes in Lyme's and intravenous heavy metal chelation. She didn't think I had Hg poisoning, but agreed to test me anyhow. When they came back, the mercury value was the second highest she had ever seen--literally off the page, I think the line might have stretched for a foot or two had the page been large enough. I think she had been practicing for maybe two decades at this point, and as I said, specialized in chelation, so she had a pretty large pool to compare it to.

Over time a few other heavy metals have cropped up at more normally high levels: Lead, Gadolinium, and Uranium.

But I have since completed chelation with her. It took me three years. It hasn't cured me, but if given the chance to do those years over, I would do it again.

 

[caledonia]

@Mary @aaron_c Have you retested with Cutler's test to see if the disordered mineral transport has cleared up?

 

[aaron_c]

@caledonia : I hadn't check until now, but nope, mineral transport is not deranged anymore.

 

[Mary]

@Mary @aaron_c Have you retested with Cutler's test to see if the disordered mineral transport has cleared up?

No, I haven't. But - like I said - I don't get the detox symptoms I used to get. And my doctor does an annual hair test which showed almost undetectable mercury and other heavy metals. I know it's not the same as the DD test. FWIW, my mineral levels on the hair analysis from Trace Elements last November have almost evened out. Most are at or near the bottom of the normal range, but only 3 are in the very low range.

 

[caledonia]

@caledonia : I hadn't check until now, but nope, mineral transport is not deranged anymore.

Interesting - I'm still collecting data, but that would support a hypothesis that the IV chelation was able to get mercury out of the brain, and that PEM is caused by something outside of metals.

 

[aaron_c]

that would support a hypothesis that the IV chelation was able to get mercury out of the brain, and that PEM is caused by something outside of metals

I agree, but it doesn't preclude the possibility that heavy metals contributed to increased susceptibility to chronic infection(s) that cause PEM.

If only there were a single culprit we could slay with a silver bullet. Ah well.

 

[caledonia]

I agree, but it doesn't preclude the possibility that heavy metals contributed to increased susceptibility to chronic infection(s) that cause PEM.

If only there were a single culprit we could slay with a silver bullet. Ah well.

Yes, it will probably be some accumulation of multiple assaults. Metals + other toxins + infections + nutrient deficiencies + genetics.

If you look at the Kreb's cycle diagram on the Nutreval report, there are many deficiencies and toxins which can affect the Kreb's energy cycle.

Besides metals, fluoride is another one. Certain medications are mito killers. Also various xenobiotics (environmental chemicals/pollutants).

http://toxsci.oxfordjournals.org/content/early/2013/05/22/toxsci.kft102.full