DMSA Challenge- heavy metals

Are you doing a pre- and post-DMSA test, or just post-? Do you have 1 or 2 tubes to fill?

If you have 2 tubes, the first tube will be first thing in the morning, before you take any DMSA. This will measure your baseline.

If you're just doing a post-DMSA test, then yes, empty your bladder first before taking the DMSA pills. Don't eat for 2 hours after you take the pills, and drink 2-3 litres of water over the next 6 hours. Collect all your urine over the 6 hours, then after 6 hours, shake to mix well, and fill the collection tube with some of the urine.

Make sure you're off any medications the day of the test, as well as off omega-3's, fish oils, and shellfish for a week before you test.

BUMPING THIS THREAD

I am curious Dave, as to your results? I took the exact same test last Nov and used the same lab via my LLMD.

My results came in -I was outside the reference range for Barium and Lead but also had detections of Mercury, Arsenic, Cadmium, Cesium, Nickel, Thallium, and Tungsten.

I am now looking into Andy Cutler's chelation protocol with the DMSA/ALA as well as trying to find the culprits of the Barium and Lead (I suspect it is my glazed ceramic dinnerware and a nasty old pizza pan). The mercury is easy, I had one amalgam removed right before my health sharply declined. It was not removed whollistically so I suspect I was poisoned with some reabsorption.

I feel like I have one final hump to get over, and heavy metals may be the root cause of most of it. At the very least, I can improve my immune system so that it may keep the lyme in check, rid my body of the mercury and the grip it has on my endocrine system and hopefully the candida will go with it!

bdavis-

Barium = 10 (ref <7)

Lead = 2.9 (ref <2)

Mercury = 3 (ref 4)

Mercury for me wasn't scary high, but LLMD said it is not always any single one result but the combination of multiple metals that are either greater than the reference ranges or in the detectable ranges added but together that provide the additional burden on the body.

I had several metals that were below reference ranges but still detectable. For instance, Tungsten was .3 and the reference range is >.4. My concern is, where the heck am I getting this exposure that puts me this close to the allowable limit?? I eat almost exclusively organic and drink bottled spring water. Everything I read online states that it is mostly found in food, air and water.

I can see where you would opt for IV treatment with Mercury levels that high, wow. Did you have a lot of amalgams? Have you ever had your MTHFR genes tested to look into your detox pathways?

Do to receive flu shots often? Thimerosal (contains mercury) is used in multi-dose vials for the flu shot as a preservative.

If you have any MTHFR mutations, you could have compromised detox pathways. I tested positive - I am compound heterozygous (1 gene from each parent) so this causes a 30% reduction in detox capability. It's worth getting checked out IMO.

I don't plan on doing the IV chelation, I ordered 12.5mg bottles of DMSA online, but it can take up to 3 weeks to deliver. There are only a couple places in my area that offer the IVs at around $150 a pop, but they also require a slew of other expensive tests to be run on a regular basis and out of pocket $ to be a patient of the physician. No thanks, I'll pass for now.

I also used to use bentonite clay masks on my face and feet and had forgotten all about it! I had a pretty bad reaction once putting it on my feet. Got dizzy and nauseated, shaky. I do believe it had a positive effect. I have also used cilantro and chlorella in the past. No clue how high my levels may have been prior to any previous detoxing.

Hello,
I am new to the forum and apologize for not knowing exactly which forum to post my question to.
My question is regarding the Doctor's Data provoked urine test to test for heavy metal toxicity? They can be purchased on the Walk-In Lab website but I'm unsure if I should purchase the Toxic Metals 24-Hour Urine or the Toxic Metals Random Urine. My desire is to find out what level of "toxic" my body is. I'm not suffering from Lyme disease.
I'm also unsure how much DMSA to take.
Any insight is appreciated.

be aware that the lab will have generated its reference range for what is normal and what is abnormal or positive for heavy metals toxicity based on its own recommended test preparation which it will have used for approx 1000 patients in order to set its test reference ranges - and will usually publish - or simply say "no special prep is necessary " or "avoid such and such foods" etc

to my knowledge no reputable lab suggests DMSA is used in preparation - so if you do this - then you will have no way to interpret your test results - as your prep is substantially different to the reference population on which the test limits were set.

this practice is however still common - mainly because less than knowledgeable practitioners, or possibly those wishing to "help" their patients want to increase the chances of getting a "positive result" suggest it - unaware or somehow believing they can still reliably interpret the altered result.
Then the advice gets passed around on patient forums and it becomes a thing people do.

bottom line - follow the labs guidance on any test prep - and do not do steps or take substances that can impact the result, if they do not specifically state to do that.
ask anyone suggesting differently to provide independent references showing how the results after any modified approach can be interpreted reliably - other than their own opinion.

Here is Dr Hyman
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ggz3aiW-e0I


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ggz3aiW-e0I