Need Some Input On Why This Enzyme Is Helping So Much

[shayesmom]

In regards to my friend...I always find it amazing when the doctors tell you there is absolutely no hope and yet they still want to control everything you take or do until you're bedridden and on a death watch. What the heck is that all about? This woman beat amyloidosis 10 years ago when hardly anyone was surviving. She did it using supplements and she did have stem cell therapy. Six months ago, the amyloidosis came back. And the doctors in charge took her off all her supplements and traded in pharmaceuticals. (In case you're wondering why she allowed this....well, she suffered a stroke about 4 years ago and she's not able to rationalize the way she could a decade ago). In a nutshell, amyloidosis is where the body produces this type of wax (amyloid) and it gets deposited in the organs. With her, the heart, lungs and kidneys are affected and now she's down to 13% function in her kidneys, had to have a pacemaker put in and then her lungs keep filling with fluid...so she has to have them drained. The prognosis isn't good. And I wonder if a strong protoelytic enzyme could make a dent in the amyloid, thereby buy her some time as well as quality of life. We'll see I guess.

You are right in the fact that patients need to take more responsibility for their own care. I've been through plenty of closed-minded doctors to vouch for that. I don't know where my dd and I would be if I hadn't had gotten onto the internet and found pockets of people like the ones on this forum. The doctors around here follow current dogma, no matter if it works or not. I swear that they follow flow charts that are taped to their clipboards! lol! I keep looking to spot the "cliff's notes" but I haven't caught a glimpse....yet. Luckily, we don't need to go in often so my disposition is improving. I do keep in touch with our homeopathic MD. He may be far, but he still e-mails to see how we are doing.

I do agree with you in the fact that you need to be involved in your care. If more doctors paid attention to their patients instead of their egos....the world would be a healthier place. I don't know if you've ever been to the Minnesota Wellness Directory, but you may enjoy the article there called "The History of Quackery". It's very enlightening and I'm sure your current doctors would love it. Open Original Shared Link

I'll be popping back over to the OMG thread as well. This time I will post with questions on the older stuff! lol!! I have hesitated to do so because that thread is so very long....and I hate to add more work for myself as it will be difficult as it is to get it done for Christmas!

Thanks for the list of enzymes! I had heard of Wobenzym N and Vitalzym X (as well as nattokinase). But the others are all news to me. What I find interesting with enzymes is that they work synergistically. So while you can take one for one thing, and then you add another for something else...you usually will find that the benefits become exponential in nature. With enzymes, 1 + 1 does not necessarily equal 2. Usually, it equals 3, 4 or 5.

I wish you luck with the Serralone. How you considered how you want to approach the dosing? I'm thinking 2-3 per day at this point. But with more serious issues, it is often recommended to take 3, 3x per day for a period of 1-2 weeks. From there, drop to 2, 3x per day and then work down to the 3 per day. By 2 months, they recommend either stopping or just using a maintenance dose of 2-3 capsules per week. It depends on how you're feeling I guess. Truly I do hope it works out. Not just for you, but also for other patients that may have soy issues as well. Options are always a good thing and I'm sure that even the alternative doctors get stumped on these issues once in a while.

[Rachel--24]

Out of curiosity.....what is your opinion on the skin creams to help with chelation? And have you ever looked into the detox foot pads to help draw out toxins (not the ones currently being advertised on tv)?

Interesting that you mention these things. I started out on DMSA last summer but my gut feeling was that it wasnt the right chelator for me to start out with. I was only on it for a short period and I discontinued. I have a few different Dr.'s and this particular Dr. only used DMSA, ALA, NAC and other supplements but no DMPS.

After thoroughly researching each chelator I felt that IV DMPS might be the best route for me to go. I have another Dr. who uses all methods and when we discussed the options available to me it was his recommendation that I start with Transdermal DMPS (skin cream). It was my choice and I really wanted IV DMPS because it tends to be quicker than TD-DMPS. Sometimes aggressive is not the best route but I wanted to at least try it and see how well I did with it.

This Dr. does not have good luck with DMSA for patients with gut issues...it tends to flare up yeast issues. This was what I'd learned from research so I did not want to go the oral route.

I started with a baby dose of IV DMPS and all went well so I gradually increased and I really did feel better after my treatments. Another Dr. that I see wanted to add in the TD-DMPS on the weeks that I wasnt doing IV....to have a more consistent pull at the metals rather than just a sudden burst every 2 weeks with the IV's.

They mostly use TD-DMPS with the kids and they have had really good results but initially I felt it was a "weaker" option.

Now that the tests are showing that IV DMPS is not getting the job done they dont see any reason to continue...even though I tolerate it very well.

Both Dr.'s that I'm working with right now want to go with the TD-DMPS by itself. Most of my toxic burden is located in my head region and I'm told that the transdermal sometimes gets better uptake into this area. One Dr. is out of state and I only see her once every 3 months when she visits my area...the rest of the time my MD handles everything and follows her recommendations.

Besides the TD-DMPS she wanted me to start using the detox foot pads to hopefully draw the mercury out of the upper areas of my body. I have no experience with them but I know of lots of people who do use them and believe that they work.

I just got back from visisting my MD and updating him on my last visit with the other Dr. About the TD-DMPS...he said that in his experience when one method is not effective another method can still be very effective at moving the metals out. So even though the IV's didnt get to it its still possible that the skin cream might be more effective since its an entirely different method of transmission into the body.

I'm not sure if you're familiar with Dr. Buttar? He developed the transdermal DMPS to treat his son who was severely autistic. No other method of chelation worked and it "appeared" that there was no mercury in this child....because nothing came out no matter what he tried. He developed the skin cream and with this method of treatment his son started excreting large amounts of mercury....he made gains and is no longer autistic.

Open Original Shared Link

I'm hoping that there is some improvement when I start using the cream...which should be within the next week or so. We're not sure how well I'll tolerate it and my Dr. is trying to get a small sample to test it out first since I'm very sensitive.

My out of state Dr. only uses the TD-DMPS from AMT labs and says she has better results with it than with any other transdermals....so this is what I'll be using.

Heres a link to info. on the TD-DMPS.

Open Original Shared Link

I'll be able to provide more info. about my experience with the foot pads and TD-DMPS in the upcoming weeks.

[Rachel--24]

About the vaccinations....every Dr. and practitioner that I see has told me that without a doubt the vaccinations are contributing to autism more than anything else. They find that these kids have blocked pathways as well as elevated levels of mercury and other metals.

In most cases (and especially the more severe cases) there is no mercury coming out initially....and this gives the false impression that mercury is a non-issue. However, its the kids who are unable to excrete who actually have the heaviest burden....they are unable to detox it.

My own situation is similar. Even though very little is coming out (even with a strong chelator) there is no doubt that mercury is still my primary issue. I was told that had I been dealing with this toxic burden at age 1....rather than age 31...I would almost certainly have spiraled into Autism.

Even without mercury the vaccines are still damaging to the immune system in such large quantities. I'm glad that you were able to recognize problems early on and that you were able to prevent what might have been a downward spiral.

I think if I'd been subjected to the amount of vaccines that kids are getting today I would not have had the opportunity to enjoy 31 years of good health. I consider myself very lucky despite what I'm dealing with today. It could have been much worse for me.

A really good book that I would recommend for anyone who has children and wants to educate themselves about the risks (as well as the benefits) of vaccines is What Your Dr. May Not Tell You About Children's Vaccinations by Stephanie Cave. Its very informative and also provides an alternative schedule for vaccinations. I dont have kids (yet) but I read the book and will refer to it if and when I do have to make these choices.

[Green12]

My own situation is similar. I was told that had I been dealing with this toxic burden at age 1....rather than age 31...I would almost certainly have spiraled into Autism.

The same is true for me Rachel, my Dr connects my MMR directly to my health issues. I'm still in the process of learning all about it but in addition to the mercury, the virus is problematic as it embeds itself into the gut lining which cause lots of gut issues (that typically autistic kids present)

And what is happening in the gut affects the function of the brain.

I think the brain symptoms are more severe in an infant or a toddler because their little brains are still developing, whereas like with you and me the toxic burden didn't present itself until later in our lives and our brains were more developed. So we might get brain fog, or memory recall issues. Just something I have been thinking about.

[Rachel--24]

The same is true for me Rachel, my Dr connects my MMR directly to my health issues. I'm still in the process of learning all about it but in addition to the mercury, the virus is problematic as it embeds itself into the gut lining which cause lots of gut issues (that typically autistic kids present)

And what is happening in the gut affects the function of the brain.

I think the brain symptoms are more severe in an infant or a toddler because their little brains are still developing, whereas like with you and me the toxic burden didn't present itself until later in our lives and our brains were more developed. So we might get brain fog, or memory recall issues. Just something I have been thinking about.

Julie,

Everything you're saying is true as I understand it.

The kids are more profoundly affected because they are hit with all of this so early in life....in the critical stages of early development. The blood brain barrier is not yet fully developed.

They also do have problems with the viruses....especially measles....which often survives in the gut. It was explained to me that the immune system in these children has already been compromised by metals and other factors so that when they are faced with 3 live viruses from the MMR the immune system does not handle them as it would under normal circumstances. Instead the virus can survive and even leave the gut in some cases....where it can then travel to the brain.

Under normal circumstances (when the immune system is not bombarded by toxins and viruses in the vaccines)...the immune system would not have such a problem fighting off these viruses.

I was tested for these issues and was found to not have problems from previous vaccinations nor was I found to have problems with viruses. So this was the main difference from my case and the majority of kids with Autism. Instead my yeast and mold issues were more severe than what they typically see with the kids but fortunately this has calmed down quite a bit.

[shayesmom]

Rachel, I will be looking forward to hearing how the TD-DMPS works out for you. I have been debating on pursuing this for my dd if the next set of tests show we haven't succeeded with the metals. I'd have a hard time believing that she isn't moving them out because so much has improved. My dd has matured so much in the past 2 years. It's hard to tell at times where she is actually getting better and where she is just maturing.

As to the detox foot pads...it's just one of those things that sounds so far-fetched. lol! I really wanted to try them but at the time, my Dad needed them more and they were expensive (unlike the ones advertised on TV...which makes me wonder if those ones are just very large tea bags ). As I mentioned before, my Dad was into conventional medicine all of his life (lucky for him, he was never sick before this). He was very honest with us as to what seemed to help, how certain products made him feel, etc.. And the foot pads were on the "pro" column. I will try to find out what brand we were using.

I'm sure that you've already spotted the "maps" of the foot at your doctor's office which shows where the gatepoints of each energy meridian is. For years I have known that certain therapies are more effective when you approach it through the feet. A prime example is when you're dealing with coughing issues from cold, flu, bronchitis, asthma, pneumonia, etc.. To ease the cough, the BEST thing to do is apply Vick's Vapor rub (or a similar essential oil) to the soles of the feet. Why that works...I can't explain. But it is the absolulte best way to alleviate coughing symptoms and it works almost immediately. So if your doctor thinks the pads will help detox further up in the body...I believe it.

About the vaccinations....every Dr. and practitioner that I see has told me that without a doubt the vaccinations are contributing to autism more than anything else. They find that these kids have blocked pathways as well as elevated levels of mercury and other metals.

I agree wholeheartedly on this one. And it isn't that I'm anti-vaccine. But I am "anti" injecting people with known neurotoxins, unidentified viruses, heavy metals and human carcinogens. I am also now "anti" pseudo-science. Safety can only be determined via studies if a true control group is used. Trading one known neurotoxin (thimerosal) for another (aluminum hydroxide) is not a very scientific way to go about proving/disproving safety. And I guess I am also against fear-mongering. It would be nice to hear the real risks vs. benefits. The sheet on the "risks" that they give you in a pediatrician's office is a freaking joke! It lists fever, pain/swelling at the injection site and minor things like that. It's a one page handout with size 24 font used....so it is not long or informative at all. As far as other risks mentioned...they aren't. It just states that more serious side effects are very rare and that the benefits of vaccination far outweigh the risks. Well tell that to my aunt, whose son had a major reaction to the DPT that left him mentally retarded for life. When it's your kid that reacts, the risk is 100%. And it would be nice if the handouts the pedi gave you also stated that if your kid reacts, they will deny it was the vaccine unequivocably and terminate their relationship with you. They should list that they will rarely report a vaccine reaction to VAERS, much less support you in vaccine court. They also will not help you if you try to get legal compensation to offset the costs of caring for a special needs child. Once you go down that road...you are on your own.

The same is true for me Rachel, my Dr connects my MMR directly to my health issues. I'm still in the process of learning all about it but in addition to the mercury, the virus is problematic as it embeds itself into the gut lining which cause lots of gut issues (that typically autistic kids present)

Those viruses not only get into the brain and gut, but some also replicate their DNA in the host and can then be passed on from generation to generation (like SV40). This issue isn't being addressed/researched at all. Once again, the collective short-term memory wins out.

[shayesmom]

Update:

I took one cap of the Serralone yesterday and one this morning. Itchiness is down by about 75% and there's a huge difference as far as scaling, flaking and redness. Normally, I could pick scales off the back of my head for a full 15 minutes Today, the back of my head is barely itchy and there are no scales/flakes for me to contend with. I will be trying the full 3 caps a day and report progress/regression as it occurs. Up until now, I usually start to get flaky every 4th day. Prior to experimenting with the Serralone, I'd flare up so bad right before my cycle that the skin on my knee would actually crack and bleed. I've not had that at all this time even though my use of the enzyme has been intermittent.

[Rachel--24]

As to the detox foot pads...it's just one of those things that sounds so far-fetched. lol! I really wanted to try them but at the time, my Dad needed them more and they were expensive (unlike the ones advertised on TV...which makes me wonder if those ones are just very large tea bags ). As I mentioned before, my Dad was into conventional medicine all of his life (lucky for him, he was never sick before this). He was very honest with us as to what seemed to help, how certain products made him feel, etc.. And the foot pads were on the "pro" column. I will try to find out what brand we were using.

I definately believe that the detox pads work. I dont know how effective they'll be for my particular situation but I'm thinking they'll look pretty filty from toxins even if the mercury isnt moving out.

I'm going to order these foot pads recommended on a friends website.

Open Original Shared Link

He's one of the people I know of who has experience with the pads and the cost is not unreasonable. I think its about 90 cents per pad. Apparantly the used pads can be tested to see which toxins are coming out...hmmm...that might be interesting to see.

[shayesmom]

I definately believe that the detox pads work. I dont know how effective they'll be for my particular situation but I'm thinking they'll look pretty filty from toxins even if the mercury isnt moving out.

I'm going to order these foot pads recommended on a friends website.

Open Original Shared Link

He's one of the people I know of who has experience with the pads and the cost is not unreasonable. I think its about 90 cents per pad. Apparantly the used pads can be tested to see which toxins are coming out...hmmm...that might be interesting to see.

LOL! I have found all sorts of things in the alternative world to be mighty interesting at times. And yes, I'm sure that the first morning after using the foot pads, you'll be pretty shocked.

You also just reminded me that I forgot to pick up the leftover ones at my mom's today. I told her I wanted to try them out and she said she had some. Meanwhile, I picked up my dd after work and forgot to grab those! Darn! Looks like I'll have to make another trip out there tomorrow.

Thanks for the heads up on the cheaper pads though. I know we paid a lot for the ones we had. They ran like $50 for 20 of them....which was a major deterent for me trying them out to satisfy my curiosity.

[Rachel--24]

Thanks for the heads up on the cheaper pads though. I know we paid a lot for the ones we had. They ran like $50 for 20 of them....which was a major deterent for me trying them out to satisfy my curiosity.

I just ordered them.

$24 for 20...FREE shipping!! I just love free shipping!

I dont know if I'll tolerate them because looking at the ingredients I saw some things I would probably react to...especially the vinegar but probably everything else as well.

Oh well...I'm still gonna try them.

All of the natural stuff is high in salicylates and thats what really messes me up. I tried castor oil packs awhile back and it didnt go over well with me. Not at all! Most people would benefit but not me...I've always had to be the "different" one.

So those are the types of things that seem to really inhibit my sulfation pathway. Hopefully I can handle the foot pads though.

I also ordered the Serralone.

[mftnchn]

I'm planning to ask around here to see if the foot patches are available. Sounds like they could be Japanese, but still could be available here. It looks something like what Chinese medicine treatment for breaks and sprains looks like. They apply something like this to the skin.

Interestingly I am newly on an enzyme that contains the two amylases mention one of the links you posted, but I am pretty sure I won't be trying the one that is bad for celiacs--not a good idea for me. I'll be following this to see your responses to your experiments.

Sherry

[shayesmom]

I just ordered them.

$24 for 20...FREE shipping!! I just love free shipping!

LOL! Yes, I feel the same way about that. That's part of the reason I got involved in ordering the Serralone....because depending on the site, I was sure to get either free or very little in shipping charges.

All of the natural stuff is high in salicylates and thats what really messes me up. I tried castor oil packs awhile back and it didnt go over well with me. Not at all! Most people would benefit but not me...I've always had to be the "different" one.

What are the castor oil packs? That is a new one to me! And I am sorry that you've been stuck having to plow your own road through all of this. It is difficult at times to be stuck so far out of the mainstream of things. It's not just about being different, it's about feeling isolated much of the time because no one "gets" just what you're going through. They may be able to empathize here and there, but unless they're in it, they don't see the intricacy of it in daily life. People take a lot for granted in general. We never question life when things are going well. But if things aren't going well....you can sure as heck bet that we're asking why!

Interestingly I am newly on an enzyme that contains the two amylases mention one of the links you posted, but I am pretty sure I won't be trying the one that is bad for celiacs--not a good idea for me. I'll be following this to see your responses to your experiments

Would you share how things go with the amylase as well? I was curious about that one as well. I'm afraid that my curiosity is nearly endless when it comes to enzyme therapy. I've been following the work of Dr. Nicholas Gonzalez out of Manhattan and I am constantly amazed by the results he gets with his patients. He uses pancreatic enzymes and diet to treat cancer. And not just any cancer. He is actually doing very well in fighting pancreatic cancer...even stage IV. His work is absolutely amazing (and follows in line with William Kelley's work....the dentist who cured over 30,000 cancer patients and yet was constantly persecuted by the ACS, NIH, AMA, ADA, etc.). Anyway, Gonzalez is in clinical trials to prove the efficacy and safety of his program. We tried to get into his program with my Dad, but it is difficult to get in because more patients are choosing this as opposed to chemotherapy due to non-toxicity and success rates. The pilot study is pretty impressive and is worth looking into. The problem is, the therapy is difficult to maintain as the protocol is quite rigorous.

I know there was mention of Gonzalez (or perhaps Kelley) working with food allergic/intolerant patients as well. I'll have to go back through all my bookmarks on that. It may be pertinent to this experiment.

[shayesmom]

DAY 2:

Scaling and itchiness on knee is still improved despite a high stress day yesterday and one missed dose of Serralone. It's also still improved on the scalp, though still a bit itchy. Some of this may be induced by a major change in routine yesterday as I went back to work and spent the entire day outside in the garden center setting plants up. It was very windy out and between the sweating and the wind, the back of my hair got oily. Oils trigger itchiness and rashes in me. So....I don't know if this is related to the psoriasis or just another thing that is part of my "norm". I noticed that my knee itched for the duration of the car ride home but then it stopped. So I am leaning towards the sweat being an irritant moreso than this being active psoriasis.

[shayesmom]

Yet another development....lol!

My sister ran out of the Serralone and to fill in the window that exists before she receives her shipment, she had purchased another brand of serratiopeptadase. She adjusted dosage so that she'd get the same amount of mg of the enzyme.

She called me this morning to tell me that the psoriasis is not doing as well on the new enzyme and that there's more pain and swelling in her knee since switching brands. She should get her new shipment today so it will be interesting to see how this progresses once she goes back on Serralone.

I guess that there is something to be said for quality and efficacy between manufacturers.

[shayesmom]

Day 3:

Scaling and redness is definitely down. This is the best it has looked in months. I still have an itchy scalp but it's hard to determine how the Serralone plays into this because I made gfcfsf pizza yesterday and I know that I have issues with yeast. So overall, I feel much better than I usually do after the once a month pizza binge.

I have noticed a few other strange things as well. I usually have a pretty voracious appetite and lately, I've not had that. I am hungry, I eat....but not as often nor in the quantities I did before. And this morning, I noticed less bloating in the abdomen. Up until now, I thought that the "bloating" was a permanent side effect of pregnancy and childbirth coupled with a lack of intense excercise. Apparently, this isn't the case.

This whole experiment is very strange indeed. I caught myself wondering if I can use the supplement in a cream or with an essential oil to see if it would work on stretch marks as well! Now THAT would prompt me to buy stock in the company!

[Rachel--24]

Hi Vicky,

Is your sister back on the Serralone?? If so have her symptoms improved again?

I got the Serralone and tried it early last week. My experience wasnt good.

Unfortunately, I reacted to it immediately. This is the case with so many supplements....I believe because my system is not capable of handling most things right now....just too many deficiencies in critical areas.

Anyways, it caused alot of inflammation, stuffy nose, swelling, etc. Told you I'm a little backwards with everything! The enzyme is supposed to reduce inflammation....not cause it!!

Its not really the enzyme...its my body.

I really need to focus on correcting deficiencies in the sulfation pathway as well as other areas which might need support. I think only when these things are more balanced and the toxic metal load is reduced...I will be able to benefit from alot of things I cant tolerate right now.

I'm waiting for the results of bloodwork to help determine toxicities and deficiencies with minerals and metals. Should be getting those results back sometime this week. I think copper toxicity might need to be addressed before I can get to the mercury. If copper is an issue it may be a major factor in causing deficiencies of both zinc and molybdenum. A deficiency in molybdenum (if severe) could shut down the sulfur oxidase enzyme preventing conversion of sulfur to sulfate.

There are some useful tests for helping to figure out some of the missing links....so I'm continuing to look at what additional tests I want to have done.

Hope you're continuing to have success with the Serralone. I also read (in another thread) that both you and your daughter are benefiting from addressing some issues with the sulfation pathway. Good news....I hope things keep moving in the right direction for both of you.

[shayesmom]

Rachel,

I'm sorry to hear that you reacted to the Serralone. That is a major bummer! I am simply baffled at why it would cause congestion and more inflammation. That is definitely strange. I can relate to the stuffy nose as when I began taking it, I was specifically trying to clear my lungs of that cough-producing mucous. So I did get stuffy for a full day or two and then it all got expelled at once. But I didn't notice any inflammation and definitely no pain with it. My mom also said she felt stuffy the first day and then the dam broke for her too...on the second day. She said she's not sure if she's reacting to it or not....as some things are better, some are not. She mentioned an upset stomach after taking it (for an hour or two). Meanwhile, she also says her sinuses are better than they have been in a couple of decades and she's sleeping better at night. Hmmm....this really is getting weird.

My sister is back on the Serralone and her symptoms did improve again. She is down to 4 caps per day and she said that it has gotten to a point where it is maintaining at a certain level, but her knee is still inflamed. If she stops, the inflammation goes back up (what a nasty case of bursitis this is)! She's also added glucosamine and chondroitin now. She also said that her psoriasis is better, but not cleared. She has noticed a longer time span between flare-ups (every 6 days now as opposed to 4).

I've been maintaining a dose of 2 caps per day with a lot of success. The psoriasis is looking and feeling better than it has in 2 years. But it's not gone. And I am definitely seeing a hormonal connection (as is my sister). Another strange effect is that both my sister and I are huge chocoholics. Unbelievably, neither of us have craved chocolate in the past week. And believe me....that is NOT "normal" for either of us. Honestly, I just don't know what to make of it all.

Rachel, do you believe that you are deficient in the PST enzymes or do you think that your body just doesn't have enough sulfate ions to get the job done? I read a couple of really interesting articles on this and they talked about how Epsom salt could be used to help as the body doesn't need to convert the sulfate...it is readily available just by soaking in an Epsom salt bath or just applying a cream with the salts in it. Open Original Shared Link and Open Original Shared Link. Of course, one "problem" with Epsom salt is that it is extremely alkaline and can irritate the skin. So I will be looking into making a "cream" to try it out. Heck, what's the big deal? I've already learned how to make my own cough syrup! lol! I may as well look into making my own creams at this point! At least I will know what's in it!

I also saw the information on molybdenum and how Epsom salt baths could cause a deficiency in that as well. And the only food sources of that seemed to be liver and lentils (in the foods my dd and I can have). I didn't like what I was reading on side effects of too much supplemental molybdenum.

Did you get the foot pads as well? Have you tried them out?

And please let me know what the test results show. I will have to go back through my notes over the past couple of years. I KNOW I ran across something when it comes to excess copper.

Have you done much reseach on Dr. Rosemary Warring's work on sulfation issues? I can't thank you enough for mentioning that in this post. It's been a trip getting through it all. And ufortunately, this tangent has pushed me off-schedule in when I'm going to finish the OMG thread. LOL! I am soooo behind it is pathetic!

Hi Vicky,

.

Hope you're continuing to have success with the Serralone. I also read (in another thread) that both you and your daughter are benefiting from addressing some issues with the sulfation pathway. Good news....I hope things keep moving in the right direction for both of you.

[Rachel--24]

Rachel, do you believe that you are deficient in the PST enzymes or do you think that your body just doesn't have enough sulfate ions to get the job done?

I believe that its a sulfate deficiency which is inhibiting the PST enzyme....however I cant know this for certain as of right now. My Dr. did say that my body *may* have been struggling with phenols without any obvious symptoms...and eventually with increased mercury exposure and other factors the burden became too great.

It may have been a problem that wasnt pronounced until the scales tipped and the toxic load was more than I could handle. Even though I felt I had perfect health all my life (up until this)....my Dr.'s have all expressed that this type of thing generally does not occur overnight....things were brewing long before I became aware of any health issues.

Its also possible that I was affected by mercury my entire life....that I'm just not capable of excreting it....as is the case in the majority of kids with autism. I had no signs of allergies, sensitivities, digestive symptoms, infections or any other obvious health problems but I did have some odd behaviors such as head banging and rocking. I've also been extremely shy all my life. I recently found reports from kindergarten teachers which all expressed concern about my lack of willingness to participate in group play without intervention and an apparant lack of social skills. I just kept to myself....distant from the other kids.

I grew out of the head banging but I think I was still doing this as a teen and even occassionally in my early 20's. I still do the "rocking" thing to this day. My Dr. said that these are two of the top things she sees in all of her autistic kids...especially the rocking. My mom had 11 amalgams while pregnant with me....so I was born already having had a signifcant amount of exposure.

So I feel that there is probably a good chance some genetic weakness predisposed me to this but now its mainly an issue of getting rid of the mercury and getting things back to proper functioning. Obviously, things were working well enough to keep me healthy for 31 years....so without the heavy metals things should be able to function that way again.

I'm almost certain that I'm not converting sulfur to sulfate. Impaired sulfur metabolism can have serious effects on the body's ability to detoxify. Also when sulfate is not available the gut becomes leaky....sulfate is essential for the integrity of the intestinal lining. It just turns into a big chain of events that I dont believe would ever occur if not for the heavy metals.

[Rachel--24]

I read a couple of really interesting articles on this and they talked about how Epsom salt could be used to help as the body doesn't need to convert the sulfate...it is readily available just by soaking in an Epsom salt bath or just applying a cream with the salts in it.

Yes...I take epsom salt baths regularly, I take No-Fenol enzymes and I restrict high phenol foods. As far as I know those are the main things which can help lighten the load on the PST. Additionally I'm trying to get to the root of the problem because this was obviously an aquired problem and not one that I was born with.

I also have Kirkmans magesium sulfate cream which I sometimes apply to the area behind my knees when I'm not able to take a bath. My only concern about the cream is that it conatins parabens and I dont know if thats something I want to absorb on a regular basis (if at all). If I was detoxing well I'd be less concerned...but thats just not the case.

I also saw the information on molybdenum and how Epsom salt baths could cause a deficiency in that as well. And the only food sources of that seemed to be liver and lentils (in the foods my dd and I can have). I didn't like what I was reading on side effects of too much supplemental molybdenum.

I havent read anything that would deter me from taking molybdenum. The primary concern would be that too much could lead to copper deficiency. Molybdenum is an antagonist to copper and vice versa.

In most cases of autism and chronic illness high copper seems to be a more common occurance...in which case molybdenum might be deficient....as well as zinc. This is why I wanted to have the mineral levels checked....to see what might be going on.

Mercury does its damage by causing problems with mineral transport and all of these very important minerals become deranged. The enzyme systems require normal mineral transport and an adequate supply of the cofactors necessary for the enzyme to function. This becomes very disturbed with high levels of mercury in the body....or even low levels if a person cant excrete it. Any amount of mercury is toxic and can be very harmful.

I believe liver and lentils are high in copper...currently I'm avoiding all high copper foods because I think its an issue for me. Its not hard to avoid these foods when I'm only eating a few things anyways.

I excreted quite a bit of copper in my provoked urine tests. I didnt think much of it because its considered normal to have elevated copper as the chelating agent (DMPS) preferentially pulls out copper before all other metals. However, looking over my results it appeared as if my levels may be exceptionally high....which might be the reason I wasnt excreting much mercury. If I'm accumulating toxic levels of copper the chelator would mostly be used up getting rid of the copper and not much would be left for additional metals.

The problem is that I was never tested for copper and as a rule minerals have to be replaced during chelation. I was getting mineral IV's every two weeks....which included lots of copper.

I read that mercury toxic individuals tend to have problems with copper and should try to keep it on the low side. If levels are high...copper should be avoided in the diet as well as in supplements. Its best to reduce the copper and then work on getting the other metals out.

As I was trying to determine why my PST is down I learned of the sulfate problem and then learned that if the body is not converting sulfur to sulfate its a result of sulfur oxidase deficiency. The next question was what would cause that enzyme to go down? Most likely it would be a molybdenum deficiency. This is the main cofactor involved in the function of that particular enzyme. There are 3 important enzymes which require molybdenum. The most critical in maintaining good health is the sulfur oxidase enzyme.

An intolerance of sulfites and/or sulfur foods would indicate a need for molybdenum. I have this problem...in a BIG way.

Another enzyme enables the production of uric acid. Low uric acid would indicate a need for molybdenum. I had low uric acid in blood tests early on in my illness. My conventional Dr.'s showed no concern and gave no explanation other than to say its not significant and only high levels would warrant investigation as that could lead to symptoms of gout. I never found a cause for low uric acid until just a couple weeks ago when researching all of this and the effects of molybdenum deficiency.

The 3rd enzyme which requires molybdenum is required in detoxifying "aldehydes"....this would include the by-products produced by yeast, chemicals in fragrances, formaldehyde, etc. If this enzyme is down a person would be more severely affected by yeast toxins, perfumes, etc. I also have BIG problems in this area as well.

So right now...I'm leaning toward too much copper, too little molybdenum, an inability to make sulfate, not enough sulfate to keep the PST going, not enough sulfate to keep the gut healthy and of course this would all lead to additional problems caused by increased toxicity.

Did you get the foot pads as well? Have you tried them out?

I have them but have not yet tried them. I'm scared.

I think I'm going to hold off until I'm a little less sensitive. I'm almost positive I'll react to the phenols.

And please let me know what the test results show. I will have to go back through my notes over the past couple of years. I KNOW I ran across something when it comes to excess copper.

I have alot of info. on copper that I've been looking at recently. I'll definately share my test results when I get them. This is the test I took.

Open Original Shared Link

(Comprehensive blood elements)

Have you done much reseach on Dr. Rosemary Warring's work on sulfation issues? I can't thank you enough for mentioning that in this post. It's been a trip getting through it all. And ufortunately, this tangent has pushed me off-schedule in when I'm going to finish the OMG thread. LOL! I am soooo behind it is pathetic!

Yeah...I read everything I could find. I posted alot on this topic over the last couple months in the OMG thread. If you're particularly interested in the PST/sulfation pathway (and dont mind skipping ahead in the thread) let me know and I'll provide a link for the first page in which this was mentioned. You can follow my posts from there.

This is pretty much where I'm at right now. I think even with a genetic weakness the majority of this was brought on by mercury's ability to throw all essential minerals out of balance and its ability to block any enzyme system in the body as a result.

I discussed all of this with my Dr.'s and they are very much on the same page. This is all discussed in the thread as well.

[Rachel--24]

One test that I've not yet had is a porphyrin urine test.

I've been looking at this recently...trying to decide if I want to have it done. It might not be useful for me at all since its fairly obvious that I'm toxic....and I'm already being treated for the metals.

However, it might be worth looking into for you or anyone else that might be interested in a non-invasive test to see if toxicity is an issue.

heres a couple links.

Open Original Shared Link

Open Original Shared Link

P.S.

I started on TD-DMPS last weekend. I quit after 2 doses. It contains sulfur (glutathione) which I clearly havent tolerated in the past. We didnt know how I'd do with transdermal and it was worth a try...but it didnt go over well.

I think I have to improve sulfur metabolism in order for this treatment to work. I had no problems with IV DMPS (which did not contain glutathione) and I think it would be best for me to go back to the IV's....let it chelate out the copper....and this time I wont be supplementing the copper back in.

I actually was improving after my first few DMPS treatments..I was tolerating more foods thanh ever...but then I started the mineral IV's which were increased over time (copper was doubled) and I started to decline. The copper was being excreted at levels over 4 x the reference range....the excretion of other metals decreased and I became extremely sensitive again. So something definately happened during that time and thats another reason I'm now looking at the copper levels.

[Rachel--24]

Another strange effect is that both my sister and I are huge chocoholics. Unbelievably, neither of us have craved chocolate in the past week. And believe me....that is NOT "normal" for either of us. Honestly, I just don't know what to make of it all.

A couple reasons I'm aware of as far as craving chocolate is a magnesium deficiency or a copper deficiency. I dont know how the enzyme would fit in with that?? I suppose if its increasing blood flow by addressing any hypercoagulation issues this would allow nutrients to be delivered more efficiently. I do know that hypercoagulation can cause problems with nutrients getting to where they need to go.

Its just a guess...I really dont have any other ideas on that one.

[shayesmom]

Its also possible that I was affected by mercury my entire life....that I'm just not capable of excreting it....as is the case in the majority of kids with autism. I had no signs of allergies, sensitivities, digestive symptoms, infections or any other obvious health problems but I did have some odd behaviors such as head banging and rocking. I've also been extremely shy all my life. I recently found reports from kindergarten teachers which all expressed concern about my lack of willingness to participate in group play without intervention and an apparant lack of social skills. I just kept to myself....distant from the other kids.

I grew out of the head banging but I think I was still doing this as a teen and even occassionally in my early 20's. I still do the "rocking" thing to this day. My Dr. said that these are two of the top things she sees in all of her autistic kids...especially the rocking. My mom had 11 amalgams while pregnant with me....so I was born already having had a signifcant amount of exposure.

I had a significant amount of silver amalgams while pregnant with my dd. Also, I had several of them drilled out and replaced with the white ones about 6 months before getting pregnant. Couple that with the Rhogham shot (which I'm now sure contained thimerosal as it was a multi-dose vial), cell phone use....and this really explains a lot about how my dd got to where she is early on in life. Sadly, we don't fully understand the consequences of all these things until it's just too late. And I'm not sure what I could have done about it all had I known. We also live fairly close to a coal-burning electric plant. So that may have played in as well (though my dh insists that all air pollutions levels are within EPA standards for mercury in the air....and he should know as his job is to test air pollution levels for the county health department.

Mercury toxicity is a tough thing to treat. It not only involves detoxifying your own body and lifestyle, but there's a significant environmental issue at work. You have to look at where you live, what's in the water (from what I read chlorine and fluoride are both horrific influences on sulfate...as well as on probiotic levels).

[shayesmom]

I also have Kirkmans magesium sulfate cream which I sometimes apply to the area behind my knees when I'm not able to take a bath. My only concern about the cream is that it conatins parabens and I dont know if thats something I want to absorb on a regular basis (if at all). If I was detoxing well I'd be less concerned...but thats just not the case.

I saw a sight which gave a recipe for making your own "cream". There seemed to be quite a few choices as far as what you can use to make it. And it looked very simple...especially if you have a cream that works for you that you can add it to. Giovanni products have been my favorite but at this point, I'm leaning towards making it with simpler oils. The less ingredients the better.

In most cases of autism and chronic illness high copper seems to be a more common occurance...in which case molybdenum might be deficient....as well as zinc. This is why I wanted to have the mineral levels checked....to see what might be going on.

Mercury does its damage by causing problems with mineral transport and all of these very important minerals become deranged. The enzyme systems require normal mineral transport and an adequate supply of the cofactors necessary for the enzyme to function. This becomes very disturbed with high levels of mercury in the body....or even low levels if a person cant excrete it. Any amount of mercury is toxic and can be very harmful.

Yes, I read where molybdenum was an antagonist to copper. But I ran across something else 6 or more months ago and so it may take me a while to figure out where and what. Considering how well things went for you with the IV chelation therapy...I think you're on the right track as far as having mineral levels checked and then going back to that route of therapy. The oral DMSA didn't work out very well with my dd as the smell of it was impossible for her to get past (she was a toddler at the time). So, I have been using lots of fresh cilantro in cooking and try to work chlorella in. But I would imagine those may be high in copper as well. So I'm not offering you much help.

As I was trying to determine why my PST is down I learned of the sulfate problem and then learned that if the body is not converting sulfur to sulfate its a result of sulfur oxidase deficiency. The next question was what would cause that enzyme to go down? Most likely it would be a molybdenum deficiency.

This is what I'm trying to figure out with my dd and I. Are we deficient in the enzyme or other key mineral, are we not converting sulfur or is it that there aren't enough sulfate ions available to excrete the metals? And since hindsight is 20/20....let me tell you what stupid mainstream advice I followed in the past. I used to be on a baby message board as many new moms are. Vaccines are always a topic of discussion and after seeing my dd cry and feel miserable after her first well-baby check up, I posted asking what I could do to help with that. Well....everyone on that board chimed in that they gave their babies Tylenol PRIOR to getting vaccines (within an hour). So I did the same stupid thing. Now I am reading that Tylenol can completely wipe out PST supply for the entire day within minutes! So there I was....giving my dd Tylenol and then she got injected with vaccines that contained trace thimerosal and aluminum hydroxide. No wonder the poor kid has allergies, intolerances and we've struggled so much. And it's no surprise that she has issues with heavy metals! At this point, I'd love to conduct a survey of the moms who did that same thing with the Tylenol to see where their children are as far as allergies and autism. I bet that would be interesting indeed.

[shayesmom]

A couple reasons I'm aware of as far as craving chocolate is a magnesium deficiency or a copper deficiency. I dont know how the enzyme would fit in with that?? I suppose if its increasing blood flow by addressing any hypercoagulation issues this would allow nutrients to be delivered more efficiently. I do know that hypercoagulation can cause problems with nutrients getting to where they need to go.

Its just a guess...I really dont have any other ideas on that one.

Well, I have a few guesses as well. I am of the mind that even with following a gluten-free/cf/sf/ef diet, that there was still an issue with inflammation in the intestines. Probably a combination of flora imbalances, heavy metals and perhaps parasites. I can say that over the past two weeks off and on the Serralone, I have lost about an inch around my waist...mostly it seems that my abdomen is flattening. I'm assuming that the enzyme is working on some sort of inflammation there. Also, I've noticed a decrease in appetite. This isn't a bad thing because I could eat and eat and eat and if I didn't, I could feel my blood sugar levels dropping. Now I find that I don't have those fluctuations in blood sugar levels. I'm *thinking* that with inflammation going away, I am able to process nutrients more efficiently.

Another weird symptom with it is that when I do eat, I am preferring whole foods. Up until now, I've been fine (symptom-wise) with Wendy's chili. Now it just tastes like crap to me. Same goes with junk foods and things that are oily. And I can also say that I am not reacting to trace ingredients like I was before. In fact, I was able to eat some chicken salad with Vegenaise in it (and that contains soy....which normally gave me problems). The GI issues I have with yeast are also much better.

And so, for the first time in 4+ years, I am actually doubting my celiac status. Mind you, my dd and I never tested positive for celiac. We were on the diet due to remarkable dietary response. My aunt is biopsy-proven and so I know we have a genetic predisposition. But the more I read on symptoms of improper sulfation, the more it sounds EXACTLY like us. I still have no interest in trialing gluten...and I never will. I've read too much about what gluten does to health and I haven't come this far to go back down that unhealthy road. But this enzyme thing has really got me thinking. And if I can improve things for my dd by implementing some of these concepts...I am all for it. Since our symptoms are so similar, I guess that I am using myself as an experimental guinea pig for now.

The chocolate cravings probably stem from a magnesium deficiency more than anything else. When I eat A LOT of fresh veggies or make my own juice, the cravings aren't there. It would cost me a fortune in groceries to keep up with the quantities it takes to acheive this particular plateau. And magnesium supplementation hasn't been particularly comfortable to deal with. So again, I am interested in finding out what the Serralone is doing to turn this around.

[Rachel--24]

I had a significant amount of silver amalgams while pregnant with my dd. Also, I had several of them drilled out and replaced with the white ones about 6 months before getting pregnant. Couple that with the Rhogham shot (which I'm now sure contained thimerosal as it was a multi-dose vial), cell phone use....and this really explains a lot about how my dd got to where she is early on in life. Sadly, we don't fully understand the consequences of all these things until it's just too late.

With all of these factors it does seem likely that mercury is at the root of health issues for both of you.

The thing about it is that its not a hopeless situation....this is something thats treatable. I dont know your dd's age or whether or not shes on the spectrum (I dont remember her symptoms from past threads) but alot of children do very well with treatment.

It becomes more difficult when people have blocked pathways or are very reactive to various treatment options (such as myself). In my case I think we just didnt address some of the critical things that my body is lacking prior to therapy. I think treating the gut (this we have done to some extent) as well as providing nutritional support to correct imbalances are both important factors that should be addressed prior to chelation. If you dont have the minerals your body needs in place....its not likely that mercury is going to come out....even with the best chelator.

Its true that most people dont learn about the conequences of any of these things until its too late. Unfortunately, thats the reality of it. Even after damage is done many people are still not aware of what has occurred...or they do not believe that mercury/vaccines are a problem...and they do not seek help for themselves or for their child.

My Dr.'s say that yes...the toxic burdens we carry are passed onto our children....no doubt. When the children are sick....the mother often has problems as well. I would like to have kids and was already trying at the time that I got sick with all of this. If I hadnt been hit so hard with the illness and had become pregnant I strongly believe I'd be dealing with one very sick child and at the same time struggling with my own health issues.

My Dr. said no kids for me until I get my body cleaned up....otherwise everything I'm dealing with will be passed onto the baby. He sees it everyday in his office...mothers who are being treated along with their kids....and all of them having the same problems.

Getting sick has made me aware of the consequences....so I'm working hard to clean up the mess and hopefully still have time for a healthy baby. The metals have to come out before I can even think about trying.

Mercury toxicity is a tough thing to treat. It not only involves detoxifying your own body and lifestyle, but there's a significant environmental issue at work. You have to look at where you live, what's in the water (from what I read chlorine and fluoride are both horrific influences on sulfate...as well as on probiotic levels).

With mercury in the body it becomes more difficult to detox everything else we're exposed to on a daily basis. Chlorine and flouride are two that are best avoided but the body does handle these things better when mercury is not an issue. Its my understanding that once mercury comes out....everything else follows and often without any treatment necessary....the body is capable on its own (unless of course there is some genetic block preventing detoxification).

As far as I know mercury is the only metal capable of blocking enzyme systems by throwing the essential elements all out of whack....other metals do not cause the same problems but of course they are all toxic. With the other metals in the body the toxicity goes way up....mercury + lead is FAR more toxic than just having one or the other. There is a synergistic effect.

Unfortunately, I have alot of toxic metals. I have 9 of them showing up in my urine challenges. So far its been the same 9 but I would not be surprised if other metals are present and just have not yet appeared.

Once mercury interferes with detoxification by blocking enzymes...everything can become a problem. I react very strongly to neurotoxins since becoming sick...I had to switch to non-flouride toothpaste long before I realized why I couldnt handle the toothpaste. I made alot of changes just because my body was making it clear I could not tolerate certain things....but early on I didnt fully understand what was happening. I was just trying to survive.