Omg...i Might Be On To Something

[mftnchn]

Unmasking?? Are you talking about Sherry's situation?

It could be involved in new sensitivities appearing....but she didnt just have new sensitivities showing up...her health deteriorated...she relapsed back into her Lyme Disease...worse chemical sensitivities, etc.

Thats not unmasking (or retracing)....thats just plain getting worse.

Gluten-free diet (if gluten is a problem) is suppossed to make you feel better...not worse.

I don't know, the jury is still out on this one. I'd say that old sensitivities are showing up. And the chemical sensitivites got worse for awhile, but are better now. Thinking back I had a significant exposure to cooking gas the middle of May which may have triggered the chemical sensitivity. (Takes 10 days for a chemical to get through your system.)

The first month of Gluten-free Casein-free, I was up and down with the periods of both lengthening, and some indications of positive response.

The second month, the lyme symptoms restarted very gradually, but along with that the first week of June was the longest "good (well more like better)" period that I had had since starting the diet.

Then I ate out twice in Shanghai (June 7,8) (trying hard to be Gluten-free Casein-free) and got sick after the second meal (bowl of rice and a green vegetable cooked in a broth, probably had wheat based MSG in it). Since then I haven't really had a good day, although Tuesday this week was not bad. The SH meal could have been a glutening, had bloating and stuff. After 3-4 days of that, I was ok but the lyme pain had increased by then (from fleeting pain to morning stiffness to all day stiffness, to night pain to constant pain), so had a bad week of a lot of pain. Started ABX on the 18th, and pain is much better, herxing for sure on the flagyl and at only a low dose of 400mg 2x a week.

So if I could lift off the lyme stuff and look underneath--maybe things would be stable or slowly showing signs of improvement???????

One thing: I used to have a lot of allergy symptoms like sinus pressure head ache sore throat along with the fatigue. That hasn't come back too much at least not yet. Of course I take 5 shots a week of environmental antigens, including molds which has helped a lot of my symptoms.

[NoGluGirl]

Dear Lisa,

I agree that stress makes things worse as well. I tend to worry and make myself sicker, too. It is difficult not to. Our health makes everything more difficult to deal with than it normally would be. Simple things like going to the doctor or dentist are much more stressful and complicated than they are for other healthy people.

Dear Sherry,

MSG is a nasty thing no matter where it comes from! The stomach bloating is certainly not uncommon with it. The exposure to chemicals certainly did not help any. I did not know it takes ten days for a chemical to go through your system. That is interesting.

Sincerely,

Jin

[rinne]

Hi Jin,

Dingo'd if I said this before but I'm sorry you don't feel like the exam went well. I'm hoping that you're wrong. Doing it over wouldn't be fun but at least you would know what you were in for.

I do think you are an extraordinarily creative person and your writing is brilliant. I laugh so often at your use of language and appreciate it so much.

[NoGluGirl]

Hi Jin,

Dingo'd if I said this before but I'm sorry you don't feel like the exam went well. I'm hoping that you're wrong. Doing it over wouldn't be fun but at least you would know what you were in for.

I do think you are an extraordinarily creative person and your writing is brilliant. I laugh so often at your use of language and appreciate it so much.

Dear Rinne,

I am sure the exam went badly. I only got 70 points out of 250 possible. I had no clue. I tried so hard to do it right.

It is just, without the financial calculator, that really complicated everything. Believe me, I would never be so happy to be wrong in my life if this was actually something I would pass. The thing is, I have already taken it once before!

The first time, the professor did not even tell us about needing a calculator. You could imagine the surprise I had when I took it again this term. Now I am incredibly frustrated. Kaplan's curriculum is extremely fast-paced, and exhaustive. Just what I need, $2,500 plus more to owe! But, it is either that, or do not get the degree I worked so hard for.

I am glad you enjoy my writing. I would like to start a blog. It would be a "Sound Off!" column. I would basically complain about things that are annoying me. I will never run out of material, either! There is always something ticking me off!

SOUND OFF! by Piper Li Jin

CELEBRITY COUPLE NAMES SHOULD BE BANNED!

Today's topic is stupid names for celebrity couples. They are annoying, first of all. I hate them! No one should ever have the right to call anyone these horrendous names! The media should be punished!

Where should I begin? Vaughniston, Brangelina, Bennifer, Bennifer 2, and TomKat are just a few faux pas monikers. You know it is bad enough you have to hear the names hundreds of times a day, but actually have your intelligence insulted by the fake reporters on entertainment gossip shows. It keeps getting worse, not better. These rediculous nicknames are nauseating. Give us a break, people! Some of us use English, and use it well!

It was awful enough having to hear about Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez five million times a day. They are both talented people. They are attractive. However, hearing about everything they eat at lunch together and about them making out gets a bit tedious when they are referred to as one with an idiotic nickname. I was ecstatic when they broke up! That is because I would not have to hear that nickname ever again!

Wrong! It was not over! Not for us poor pop culture bombarded shmucks. The media was not done torturing us yet! Ben Affleck, incidentally, appears to have a Jennifer complex, which maybe we should blame him for the second offense. After all,

he ended up going out with, and eventually marrying Jennifer Garner. It was Bennifer 2! Oh God! Will it ever stop!

In my opinion, the media should be punished for this. We intelligent people do not deserve this. Write a petition, protest, whatever it takes! This needs to stop! Airing this crap should cause them to be arrested! Someone please tell these morons that stupidity is not a virtue!

Sincerely,

Jin

[rinne]

I'm tired of being insulted too.

And sorry about the test.

[dlp252]

Yeah, it's really hard to avoid the EMFs...they are just everywhere now. I sit in front of this computer for 10 hours minimum a day! That's one reason why I started limiting my computer time in the evening...but I'm still stuck in front of it for at least 8 hours here at work. Then there are the remote controls, the bad wiring, which I'm sure exists in my house...it's an old condo...probably at least 35 years old or so. I KNOW there is a PG&E transformer behind my unit...not directly but over one building...close enough--it's in the ground not up on a pole. Lord knows where a cell tower is...I'm sure there HAS to be one not far from where I live. And, then there's the Stanford dish, lol. I'm not terribly far from Stanford and the dish at work.

Hum, now I'm starting to wonder if EMF isn't why I feel so badly at work sometimes. I don't use my cell phone at all, in fact it's turned off most of the time, so there's ONE good thing, lol.

The B12 thing is interesting too...perhaps why Dr. S was stressing that I need high levels of it.

Mia! Wow, it sounds like a lot was covered in your appointment. I think I like this doctor already! I AM surprised that you did a DMPS challenge right then and there, wow! I'm glad it's done though. What a really long day...I'm exhausted just thinking about it. Can't wait to hear more about it.

Yes Donna I honestly do not know either.

<tom rejects prev instinct to check that holster's not empty>

And ya Rinne, those days. Too many times b4 candida dx, I'd end up hungry for hrs and just fall asleep hungry on the couch rather than try to do something about it.

But usually finding just enough energy to get fed.

P.S. Loving SJ! Every minute I'm glad it's not 111deg.

And spent hrs jabbering w/ old friend who ALWAYS talks like my most unLymifiable posts. (Well. At least every 3rd sentence)

It was a riot!

I get the feeling that my doctor would not have to be convinced too hard to put me out on disability when we start treatment. He just looked so saddened about my work situation and my moldy home situation. On the one hand he was encouraged by my CD57 score, but on the other I think he was discouraged (although tried to hide it) by my environment.

I am glad you are having a good time here! I think it's just about perfect weather right now...not too hot, but warm enough to get out and enjoy it...evenings and mornings cool!

All I can say about the friend is I definitely could not converse with that friend AFTER work.

So one question--does this compare to some of the others of you who have mercury problems? Right now my level is barely elevated according to the test results.

My levels were low (except silver which was elevated), but both of my doctors think this only means that I am not able to excrete it well. I haven't done a challenge yet, but I know a challenge will be coming later. Right now I think my doctor is afraid for me to stir up the metals. He cautioned me about taking ALA because it mobilizes the mercury.

[CarlaB]

And spent hrs jabbering w/ old friend who ALWAYS talks like my most unLymifiable posts. (Well. At least every 3rd sentence)

It was a riot!

What instrument does your friend play?

Just now I was trying to talk to my two teenagers ... or should I say two of my teenagers .... how'd I get so OLD???? ... anyway, I was having such a problem with word recall that Morgan told me I'd NEVER get through what I wanted to tell them. I swear, I said it as simply as possible ... sounded like a ten year old.

Your friend's talking would have gone right over my head.

This has affected my ability to read Rachel's scientificness ... I usually read all of it, but today, sorry Rachel, I had to skip over it. Must just be a flare because a herx isn't due.

Could that mysterious (to me anyway) retracing be involved w/ the situation a post or few up??

Retracing is when you are doing something to make your body heal ... it could be anything from cleaning up diet and taking supplements to taking a particular herb.

What happens is that our bodies do all they can to heal the most urgent task at hand and sometimes cannot heal it completely ... toxins, etc. are left behind. When it all of a sudden gets more energy and tools to heal, then it goes back and heals old issues that it couldn't completely heal the first time around.

Read through, but I can't say I'm positive I completely understand but everything you said made sense to me.

Same here, terrible fog today.

So one question--does this compare to some of the others of you who have mercury problems? Right now my level is barely elevated according to the test results.

My lead was a 12 on a scale of higher than 4 being bad. The PA said I was low for Lyme patients.

My mercury was 4.1 on a scale of higher than 4 being bad. This is probably due to the fact that I had amalgams removed and chelated back in '91.

She said my metals are not bad, so she's using a mild chelator on me -- Detoxamin. She also has me taking NAC and Alpha Lipoic Acid ... both things that I was taking before I started treatment on my own.

Isn't the term retracing all about relapses?

Oh, this is where I meant to talk about retracing. It's not really relapsing, it's having the energy to go back and fix what wasn't completely fixed before. Relapsing is when it's coming back and getting worse.

Judging from my experience of waking up my Lyme after treatment with doxycycline, I would agree with Sherry that it's totally possible that she woke up the Lyme when she improved her health in other ways .... so in her case, maybe some of it was retracing, with the body trying to heal the hiding bacteria ... but it's different than retracing because this is something the body can't heal on its own ... the bacteria is coming out of hiding ... the immune system is awakened.

I hope I'm making more sense than I think I'm making.

Oh, about EMF's ... I think it's good to take precautions .... use the speaker on your cell phone, keep computer away from the bed, etc., but then don't worry about it. We have enough to worry about without worrying about what we can't fix.

Those people previously mentioned were CRAZY for putting their baby into that contaminated room!

Miso is good for detoxing radiation .... I'd bet most here can't have it. But when everyone is better, we can all start eating miso. It's really good used as a soup base ... I used to use it all the time.

[rinne]

Yeah, it's really hard to avoid the EMFs...they are just everywhere now. I sit in front of this computer for 10 hours minimum a day! was stressing that I need high levels of it.

....

My night sweats have increased since we switched to wireless access. I think it will be easy to find out, I'll just switch back to the cable. I tend to do my computer time in 15 minute increments, but it is always running.

Donna, it does seem overwhelming and I can see why your doctor would be so concerned about your living and working situations. I empathasize.

This past winter I recognized that if my sweetie got ill we would be having difficulties very shortly, my not working and the money we have spent on treatments has been a stress on our finances. I felt like I had to figure out a way to generate an income and how could I do that when I was ill?

I knew I couldn't return to any of the work I did previously. The whole experience was like being inside of a Chinese puzzle box where every piece was connected to every other piece and they all seemed to conspire to keep me sick and without an income.

That and becoming a grandmother convinced me that I had to create something I could market and that is where the rinne bars came from.

Once I have them up and in the market place, I would be glad to share the process with you or any other Rachelviller. Ideally, I think it would be fabulous to franchise them to Celiacs all across the world. I told you I wanted to be a taifun.

Dr.Huffy, in his one day seminar, told people straight out that if they were not prepared to change their diets and their homes if needed, they would not get well. I know I am critical of him but there were things he said that I do think are true.

I am beginning to feel that one secret to regaining our wellness is a desire to live which requires a capacity to find joy even in the midst of great pain and difficulty. I think this has the power to tip our immune systems towards health and that this thread has supported precisely that.

.....

Retracing is when you are doing something to make your body heal ... it could be anything from cleaning up diet and taking supplements to taking a particular herb.

What happens is that our bodies do all they can to heal the most urgent task at hand and sometimes cannot heal it completely ... toxins, etc. are left behind. When it all of a sudden gets more energy and tools to heal, then it goes back and heals old issues that it couldn't completely heal the first time around.

.....

Oh, this is where I meant to talk about retracing. It's not really relapsing, it's having the energy to go back and fix what wasn't completely fixed before. Relapsing is when it's coming back and getting worse.

......

I hope I'm making more sense than I think I'm making.

...

That was very interesting, I don't think I have heard it of it before. I thought your explanation was excellent.

[rinne]

Laura, I've been thinking about you and your new car.

One of the things that came to mind was offgassing and I wondered if you have thought about that?

I came across this: Open Original Shared Link

When offgassing you have to be careful to avoid parking the car in places where it will get too much ambient car exhaust / air pollution / fireplace smoke / household dryer venting (which is usually full of fabric softener, a potent odorizer in its own right). Since you need to leave the windows open, you also of course have to be careful that the car doesn't get rained on, as then you might end up with a mold problem.

I do not know what "deodoroc" is but we have services here that will perform "shock treatments" using ozone generators, and there is a product floating around out there someplace that breaks down odors enzymatically. I have no personal experience with the latter, but the ozone treatments can be a double-edged sword; some substances absorb ozone, or break down in its presence, causing new problems. In either case I would proceed very carefully. Any service that attempts to remediate these problems is apt to want to "cover up" the odors with chemicals of their own; they must be mercilessly questioned about ther methods.

[Rachel--24]

Oh, this is where I meant to talk about retracing. It's not really relapsing, it's having the energy to go back and fix what wasn't completely fixed before. Relapsing is when it's coming back and getting worse.

Thanks for the Lymeification. (Did I use the use the word in the right context?? )

I'm not familiar with retracing....have only heard of "unmasking". I was referring to unmasking in my post....thought maybe they were the same thing.

I've only experienced unmasking....after removing one sensitivity, another shows up....for me it was never ending. Before I ever made any changes I did not realize how chemically sensitive I was....not until I removed some layers first and then those sensitivities expressed themselves BIG TIME.

Believe it or not the first 2 years I still wore perfume.

I did realize that Bounce was heinous within the first couple months...but not the rest. They were obviously still toxic to me and still making me sicker but it wasnt obvious to me until some bigger layers got removed first...mainly the cigarettes and the processed foods with all its chemicals.

I dont know how much of an impact gluten-free made because I eliminated it the same time as all processed foods...a total overhaul of my diet. I only know that in BioSET testing the gluten panel was probably the only one that affected me as bad as the molds/fungus do.

Obviously its alot easier to avoid the gluten then the molds and fungus though...I dont have colonies of gluten living inside me. I guess that would really suck wouldnt it?

Retracing is interesting. I'll have to learn more.

I know I went through a major healing crisis when I first made all those diet changes. I had thought thats what Sherry was going through at first (she posted about it on another thread). Every sensitivity seemed to increase 1000 x...it was really scary. It wasnt long lasting though. It lasted only days...not weeks.

When she came back and said she was still worse and her Lyme came back I didnt think it was the same as what I went through....I actually felt SO much better after the healing crisis. My head was clear, depression gone, a ton of energy, etc.

Could be like you said...the immune system went back to the Lyme. Theres lots of possibilities.

[Mtndog]

Sorry about the 5+5 confusion. I rate my days on a scale of 1-10 (yes- I do recall Andrea saying a 0 was DEAD :lol: and Tuesday was a 10! I felt HUMAN!

Got a good laugh out of reading everyone's confusion though

Kat- I LOVE your avatar....WIPEOUT! I surf (try) too but I haven't gone in 2 years because I just haven't had the energy. Once I get my ya ya back I'm out there! My board's name is Magnum after Ben Stiller's "look" in Zoolnader

Rachel- I can't remember but I want to know- what are the 5 things you can eat? and MOLd ahhhh!!!!!!! i am SO glad I am out of that moldy apartment I was in.

The ENF thing IS scary (what a horrible story about the woman and brain cancer!

Tom- Yeah on having fun!

The histamine theory is actually REALLY interesting because before I knew I had Lyme, the only thing that EVER made a difference for me was taking phenergan (anti-nausea with an anti-histamine)

Aandrea and talitha- Hope the trip is safe and productive!

Jin- Sorry about the exam (I agree.....No celebrity names so LAME)

Mia- Hope you're feeling better!

Rinne- I am beginning to feel that one secret to regaining our wellness is a desire to live which requires a capacity to find joy even in the midst of great pain and difficulty. I think this has the power to tip our immune systems towards health and that this thread has supported precisely that.

BEAUTIFULLY SAID! :wub:

I posted this on DS but I'll post it here too:

Wow- talk about 60 to 0 in 5 seconds. Blech! Feel horrid.

It was REALLy hot and humid here yesterday. Went to the beach to go swimming with sis and was probably out in the sun for 2 hours (yes- plenty of sunscreen). I was actually surprised that I didn't feel horrid.

We have AC in the bedroom and the living room (where I am now) but even the AC couldn't keep up so around 6 last night Kurt and i went to the mall to escape. It wasn't even cool there! I ended up tossing my cookies (so to speak as i am currently cookie free).

We came home and then I ate a little around 9 because I thought it might make me feel better. Oh boy- I almost went to the ER because I couldn't stop.

Kurt took good care of me. Finally passed out around 1 am

I still feel horrid today so I am just sitting in the AC watching TV all day. We are supposed to get some SERIOUS thunderstorms this afternoon and the temp is going to drop into the 70's.

It was interesting in that I could tell the difference between a gluten-reaction, a Lyme bacteria die-off and this. My body clearly knew that it was the heat.

wentout a little while ago and got some Pedialyte ice pops to eat. Waiting for the storms (oh please oh please!)

[dlp252]

I knew I couldn't return to any of the work I did previously. The whole experience was like being inside of a Chinese puzzle box where every piece was connected to every other piece and they all seemed to conspire to keep me sick and without an income.

Yes, that's exactly it...it's like a Chinese puzzle! I just may have to take you up on your franchise when it gets to that point, lol! Except, um, I'm pretty lazy and I can't cook.

Thanks for the Lymeification. (Did I use the use the word in the right context??)

Why yes, I think you did!

Wow- talk about 60 to 0 in 5 seconds. Blech! Feel horrid.

Aw {{{HUGS}}} to you! But, I think it's really GREAT that you are able to tell what it is that makes you feel badly! Knowing this can perhaps make it less likely to happen again, at least under the same circumstances.

Speaking of Andrea...when was her appointment...I know she had a long drive there and back, so we won't be hearing anything for a while, but I'm just darned excited about this visit! I'm kind of like a kid in that I'm-to-excited-to-wait way.

[Rachel--24]

Another possibility (and probably more likely than the loss of B12) is that instead of losing nutrients with the diet change....she was gaining them.

This is what Dr. Amy had in her presentation under things to do to reduce body burden.

Diet- If not doing lab testing at least try to avoid major food allergens like gluten and dairy and choose foods containing fewer artificial ingredients and preservatives - Gluten and cow dairy increase the mucoid layer in the intestines and contribute to inflammation and poor nutrient absorption

Obviously the body detoxes better w/out these foods since they are restricted on pretty much every detox diet I've ever seen. Dr. S. did not want me consuming wheat, dairy or sugar.

Also, its known that if you detox metals you free up the microbes. The yeast will flare up, the Lyme will flare up...everything flares up. If your moving metals...at the same time you have to be treating the bugs. If you're treating the bugs...at the same time you need to be doing things to make sure the metals are not redistributed.

As you go through detox, you will learn very clearly that it is one body that's toxic - if you kill bugs, you release metals, If you release metals - you toss out the bugs. It's togetherness in the body.

This is why Dr. Amy said once we start moving the metals out the Lyme is going to be able to move around...its going to be "freed" from my head area and I'm going to start feeling the symptoms in other areas of my body. The removal of the metals is going to make the Lyme more active.

I think that might be the answer right there.

The Gluten-free Casein-free diet could promote healing, more nutrients are absorbed, the body starts to detox itself much better. Its possible the metals are getting detoxed much more effectively now than they ever where before.

Also wheat is a source of mercury itself...so eating it cant be good for someone who's trying to get rid of mercury.

It would be interesting to see if the labs indicate the chelation is moving more metals out after the diet change.

That would definately explain the Lyme relapse. If metals started getting detoxed and there was no Lyme treatment to keep it in check...it would flare up....there would be a relapse.

The bugs can get out of control if metals are detoxed and the bugs arent being treated at the same time.

So thats my final theory.

I think it would be interesting to ask Dr. Amy since she treats mostly Lyme patients and autistic kids (who also have lyme). I'm assuming most of the kids would be Gluten-free Casein-free so it would be interesting to see if the diet itself can improve detox enough that the metals start coming out and the Lyme flares up.

I've seen it posted here lots of times...people going on the diet and then a few months later a whole flare-up of symptoms.

[CarlaB]

Thanks for the Lymeification. (Did I use the use the word in the right context?? )

I'm not familiar with retracing....have only heard of "unmasking". I was referring to unmasking in my post....thought maybe they were the same thing.

Yes, retracing and unmasking are two totally different things. You should feel better after retracing like you would after a healing crisis. I did have one experience with retracing ... the whole thing was rather odd. Symptoms I had forgotten about came back ... but not severe like they were the first time.

Wow- talk about 60 to 0 in 5 seconds. Blech! Feel horrid.

Lyme keeps you guessing, doesn't it! Sorry you're feeling so bad.

I can't take the heat, but especially the sun. I try to go out late enough that I don't have to use sunscreen. If you use sunscreen you don't get the Vitamin D production.

I do not have the same problem with the sauna ... so I think the sun is a big part of it.

Obviously the body detoxes better w/out these foods since they are restricted on pretty much every detox diet I've ever seen. Dr. S. did not want me consuming wheat, dairy or sugar.

I've seen it posted here lots of times...people going on the diet and then a few months later a whole flare-up of symptoms.

Yes, and it seems that MOST of the time these people tested negative for celiac and went on the diet anyway. I think the gluten-free diet is good for everyone, and obviously it takes stress of the immune system, but if it's causing this big of a problem in a non-celiac, then there's something else going on (except for people like Nancy and others who are genuinely gluten intolerant ... perhaps they just didn't progress to celiac yet, or perhaps their immune system became so strong they overcame the other issue).

[Rachel--24]

Got out my Doctor's Data screens, and found a couple: In 2004:

Mercury 6.6 (reference <4) (This is elevated, not highly elevated)

Lead 8.8 (reference <18)

Tin 11 (reference <10)

Sulfer 460 (reference 280-1500)

In Jan 2007:

Bismuth 190 (<15) (I was taking bismuth for h pylori treatment, now think I am allergic to it)

Lead 6.8 (reference <5)

Mercury 4.4 (reference 4)

Tin 3.5 (reference <10)

Sulfur 490 (reference 280-1500)

So one question--does this compare to some of the others of you who have mercury problems? Right now my level is barely elevated according to the test results.

Sherry,

Are these results from provoked urine tests?

How often do you have them done?

The levels have obviously gone down but 3 years is a long time to have to go through it. I'm thinking something was/is hindering your body's ability to detox.

Since the Lyme flared up after you went Gluten-free Casein-free my guess is that you started detoxing better and the Lyme was freed from the metals....it became very active because you were off treatment.

I've only had hair analysis.......still no DMPS urine challenge. My Dr. wants my detox pathways functioning well before he uses any chelator...even if just for the test.

My hair analysis was August 2004.

These were the results:

Aluminum 5.25 (<23.13)

Antimony 0.04 (<0.03)

Arsenic 0.076 (<<0.082)

Bismuth 0.448 (<0.224)

Cadmium 0.130 (<0.106) (I was a smoker)

Lead 0.383 (<1.559)

Mercury 0.24 (<1.69)

Nickel 0.140 (<0.559)

Tin 0.1071 (<0.1825)

As you can see the mercury was very low....I was not detoxing it....I still had amalgams in when I had this testing done.

I know in my ART and energetic testing the biggest ones to show up are mercury, aluminum, cadmium and lead. Those tests can only determine that these things are creating a huge burden on my body, that I'm reactive to them and that they are blocking my ANS (autonomic nervous system).

We have no idea about how high the levels are until I take the provoked urine test.

I think the most telling thing on my hair analysis results was in the essential minerals. I had elevated calcium.

Calcium* 1,005.8 (115.9-992.5)

There was a special note:

*High levels of these elements may reflect disordered metabolism or maldistribution in the body. In such cases, there may be a loss of these minerals from the organs and tissues where they are normally stored or utilized.

I have a book about mercury poisoning...when I looked in the book about understanding the hair analysis results it had said when the mercury levels are very low and the calcium is elevated....its a good indicator of mercury toxicity.

I had 3 other minerals out of range but calcium was the only one with a special note. The mercury has obviously affected how my body metabolises and utilizes alot of things but this was the only test to show something was *off*.

[CarlaB]

Rachel, my calcium was also elevated, which I know is bad and means it's not where it's supposed to be ... but my mercury was elevated. Lead didn't show up, but showed up on the challenge/urine test.

[Rachel--24]

Yes, and it seems that MOST of the time these people tested negative for celiac and went on the diet anyway. I think the gluten-free diet is good for everyone, and obviously it takes stress of the immune system, but if it's causing this big of a problem in a non-celiac, then there's something else going on

Yeah...I agree.

Its come up lots of times here before but yeah....

wheat = hard to digest, major source of mycotoxins, contaminated with mercury from fungicides and contains pesticides.

Alot of issues with dairy too....mycotoxins, pesticides, growth hormones, antibiotics, etc.

So yeah...someone who's toxic is gonna feel alot better removing these foods....plus they will no longer be having that immune response. Doesnt mean the toxic situation is solved though.

[Rachel--24]

Rachel, my calcium was also elevated, which I know is bad and means it's not where it's supposed to be ... but my mercury was elevated. Lead didn't show up, but showed up on the challenge/urine test.

Carla,

I had to go back to my book since I'd read this like 3 years ago...and we all know my memory can suck at times.

Its discussing copper poisoning vs. mercury poisoning and how to determine which one it is (same symptoms). It says many people who believe they are mercury toxic actually turn out to have copper poisoning (5-10% are actually copper poisoned).

So this is what it says (I had it partially wrong):

Typically hair analysis for a copper toxic person will show everything fairly normal except that copper will be vastly elevated.

This is in contrast to a mercury poisoned person where calcium will be vastly elevated and the essential elements will vary widely from the norm.

Urinary copper excretion will also be vastly elevated.

So it didnt say that the mercury levels had to be low....my memory just sucks.

This is what it actually states.

The most suggestive result for mercury intoxication is elevated hair calcium. Mercury intoxication is possible even at very LOW mercury levels

.

Mercury intoxication tends to make the essential elements vary widely.

So almost half of my essential elements were out of range and my calcium was elevated.....but mercury VERY LOW.

I pretty much knew I was poisoned from the mercury...but back in 2004 I was still with Kaiser and hadnt found any Dr. who would take this serious.

I had this hair analysis done on my own....because I was driving myself crazy about it.

[Mtndog]

Yes, and it seems that MOST of the time these people tested negative for celiac and went on the diet anyway. I think the gluten-free diet is good for everyone, and obviously it takes stress of the immune system, but if it's causing this big of a problem in a non-celiac, then there's something else going on (except for people like Nancy and others who are genuinely gluten intolerant ... perhaps they just didn't progress to celiac yet, or perhaps their immune system became so strong they overcame the other issue).

This is very interesting. I've been thinking a lot about this lately.

My gluten-intolerance started about a year after when I think I contracted Lyme. It was so complicated though because my mom had just died in 2003 (the summer I got bit) and I was pretty fatigued. I thought it was grief (a lot of it was). I had definitely become lactose intolerant right after she died.

But about a year went by before I REALLY started to feel horrific.

I have the DQ8 gene but....

doubt I'll challenge this EVER knowing what I know about gluten now!

[CarlaB]

doubt I'll challenge this EVER knowing what I know about gluten now!

I can't say gluten would ever be a regular thing for me ... those of us with Lyme will have to do everything we can to keep our immune system strong. However, it would be nice to be able to order in a restaurant normally ... without drilling them for what's in everything ... a little incidental gluten.

It would also be nice to be able to indulge in a Big Mac once in a while. Or a piece of pizza.

There's not much I miss about gluten other than those things .... but gluten wouldn't be a regular part of my diet even if it didn't bother me at all.

But, Bev, you tested positive in the celiac blood test ... I didnt ...

[Rachel--24]

I think of you as a good friend.

Lisa M.

Thanks Lisa.

I'm glad you're feeling better now....thats the main thing. I worry about you when I see that you're getting stressed.....it reminds me of how scared I was in the beginning.

I didnt have any knowledgeable Dr.'s though...and I didnt have all these supportive people...there was no Rachelville back then. I was suicidal alot of the time.....but it was mostly because of worry and fear making everything so much worse.

You're already in a much better place than I was....you're gonna make it through this.

I think of everyone here as a close friend....my extended family....we're in this together.

[Rachel--24]

Of course I take 5 shots a week of environmental antigens, including molds which has helped a lot of my symptoms.

Hey are these EPD injections??

Theres a mold/allergy specialist in my area that I was referred to for these injections.

I never set up an appt. though...I'm waiting for the right time I guess.

So you think they've helped you alot? Did you get worse at all when you first started the shots....I've heard of that happening and it scared me a little. Seems like EPD injections have helped alot of people though.

Are your shots expensive?

[dlp252]

I'm feeling in a VERY thankful mood today, so just thought I'd speak up and say a big:

THANK YOU

to everyone here!

[Rachel--24]

SOUND OFF! by Piper Li Jin

CELEBRITY COUPLE NAMES SHOULD BE BANNED!

Where should I begin? Vaughniston, Brangelina, Bennifer, Bennifer 2, and TomKat are just a few faux pas monikers.

AGREED!!!

NO more merging celebrity names!!! WTH?? Is this gonna go on forever??

I was ecstatic when they broke up! That is because I would not have to hear that nickname ever again!

Wrong! It was not over! Not for us poor pop culture bombarded shmucks. The media was not done torturing us yet! Ben Affleck, incidentally, appears to have a Jennifer complex, which maybe we should blame him for the second offense.

It was Bennifer 2! Oh God! Will it ever stop!

ROFLMAO!!

Ditto on all that.....thank God the "Bennifer" trend seems to have subsided...I think they might actually be two seperate people again. Phew!

Cant say the same about Brangelina though.

[Rachel--24]

He cautioned me about taking ALA because it mobilizes the mercury.

Yeah...it chelates from the brain. I would be very catious. You dont really want to chelate from the brain until you've done everything else....its pretty much the last step.