Example #1

Symptoms of unknown origin start in late, 1999

Two weeks after my family moved into our “dream” home in December, 1999, I began experiencing strange symptoms which I initially thought could be related to seizures or a stroke. These symptoms included dizziness, a hissing sound that alternated from ear to ear, increased heart rate, and very pale skin. For five years, as I documented the symptoms I was experiencing, the list kept growing. At one point I was having symptoms at a level 8-10 (10 being the most severe) on an ongoing basis and every trip to the emergency room resulted in the same frustrating recommendation, “go home, dear, and get some rest.”

Finally, after five years, the source of the problem is discovered

It wasn’t until I returned home from a trip to China in late 2004 did I realize that whatever was going on with me had to do with something in the house.  I hired an environmentalist who determined that a fire retardant chemical that contained lead was used in the cellulose insulation and was drifting down the air ducts. He recommended that I get the air ducts cleaned and sealed and a heavy duty air filter installed.

My neurological symptoms subsided the day I had the air ducts cleaned and sealed in mid-2005. At that point the list of symptoms had grown to include light headedness, slurred speech, loss of balance, listing to the left during ambulation, sudden rapid heart rate and increased blood pressure followed by exhaustion and sleeping for 12 hours on occasions.  My two dogs were also experiencing symptoms.  One dog developed severe G.I. issues and the other dog developed neurological episodes resulting in the loss of balance and inability to move his legs.

Not so fast … inexpiable symptoms continue for another seven years

Even though my neurological symptoms subsided after the air ducts were cleaned and sealed in 2005, I continued to have other inexpiable symptoms for another seven years. By September, 2012 the list of symptoms had gotten longer and the severity progressively worse to the point where I had to go to the ER once again on 9/30/12, this time reporting the following:

ER visit on 9/30/12 results in a familiar and disappointing recommendation

This ER visit included collecting urine, drawing blood, and taking my temperature and blood pressure.  My blood pressure, which is usually at normal levels, was 199 over 99.  Again, I was told to go home and get some rest.

Depression sets in over the state of my health

By this time I was extremely depressed over the state of my health. It had been almost 13 years since I first started experiencing these symptoms and after all the tests which included MRIs (regular and enhanced), an EEG, vestibular testing and an audiogram, the best the medical profession could recommend was for me to go home and get some rest. But hope was just around the corner.

Finally, after almost 13 years, a definitive diagnosis

Two days later I was at an appointment with my holistic health practitioner who is a retired psych nurse.  He could tell something was “off” with me.  When I described my symptoms and recent ER visit, he said, “it sounds to me like you have heavy metals poisoning” and referred me to a local environmental doctor.  A six hour urine collection test (with provocation) was performed and the results showed that I had dangerously high levels of lead and mercury.  Finally, a definitive diagnosis after almost 13 years of ER visits, neurological tests, doctor visits!

Getting my health back through chelation treatments

What I find interesting is one month prior to my diagnosis my oldest daughter said, “Mom, your breath smells like metal.”  Chelation treatments followed the diagnosis and are slowly bringing down the heavy metal levels.  Today, seven tests later, I am finishing up a series of six chelation treatments which I hope will be the last of such treatments.

Reflections on my heavy metals journey

I suspect the excessive level of mercury was due to my consuming vast amounts of canned tuna and other seafood (especially salmon), my amalgam fillings, and playing with mercury as a child. I strongly suspect that the excessive level of lead came from the insulation drifting down the air ducts.

These metals depleted my vitamins and minerals.  I continue to take a plethora of supplements daily but I am happy to report that my symptoms started to improve when I began chelation treatments in October 2012 and my health has continued to improve ever since.

The key to putting an end to this frustrating, exhausting, expensive journey and finally having a definitive diagnosis after almost 13 years was finding a health care provider who would actually “listen” to my symptoms.  If my holistic health care provider had not been in my life at the time, I seriously doubt I would be alive today.  The metals were literally and progressively killing me.

[Dick’s observation: The reference to “listening” in the last paragraph is an interesting coincidence to the same reference Dr. Bernhoft makes here in his own medical journey.]