Anyone tested for Heavy Metal Poisoning?
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June 29, 2006 at 10:42 am
I’m a new member to gbsfi. I chatted with a few members a couple of days ago, but haven’t been able to connect since then. Anyway, they were very helpful so I thought I’d try this area as well.
My father was diagnosed with GBS on June 19 and hospitalized on 22th. He had 4 IVIG treatments and was released to come home yesterday. The doctors say he has a mild case of GBS, and that he is to go back to his neuro on July 6.
I am worried to say the least! :confused: My friend who is a chiropractor and practices natural healing has asked me to have him tested for heavy metal poisoning. Has anyone here been tested?
Thanks in advance for everyone’s help!
Treva
Daughter of Daddy Bud, newbie to the world of GBS -
June 29, 2006 at 11:32 am
Hi Treva,
Welcome to the forums.
I see you are asking about heavy metals and GBS. Did your Dad work with heavy metals? Was he sick just preceding GBS? Give us a little more backround on Dad. Is he getting physical therapy?
Please keep an eye on him because GBS might not be done progressing at this date. if he says he’s having trouble breathing, get him to the ER ASAP.
Wishing your Dad the Best. 🙂
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June 29, 2006 at 1:38 pm
Dear Brandy,
please forgive this LONG post
My father worked many years in injection molding of plastic before going into his own antique business. About a year ago, the ceiling and walls in the store he rents started molding a while back. I’m talking about black, furry MOLD. He closed the store for a week while the own cleaned everything and replaced ceiling tiles. He has felt extremely tired since that time. To add to our fear of heavy metal poisoning, we live in a rural farm area where “spraying” is very common. From what I understand, farm sprays are full of heavy metals.
It seems easier if I post by dates on this part:
June 6–he had an upper respiratory infection and took antibiotics (5 days) and prednisone (4 days).
June 15–he started losing coordination, reflexes, and muscle control in his legs and arms.
June 16–he said his feet and hands tingled (other symptoms continued), but he would not go to the doctor.
June 18–his wife took him to the ER because he couldn’t lift his arms up to his head and had trouble walking. They ran blood tests and did a Cat Scan to rule out stroke.
June 19–his wife took him to a neuro clinic. They ran more blood tests. They said they thought he had GBS, but they sent him home to see if he got worse and asked him to return on Friday, June 22.
June 20–his wife took him to his primary family doctor who suspected GBS as well.
June 21–We called the neuro nurse because he was worse. She told us to come in before the clinic opened the next morning.
June 22–At first glance, the neuro said “Go straight to the hospital because you’re 10 times worse than 3 days ago”. He was admitted, and they did an EMG, spinal tap and NCS–confirmed GBS.
June 23–They started IV Immuno Globuline treatments. The pain started.
June 24–He thought he was cured by the IVIG because he felt 100X better.
June 25–He had a hard day. Lots of muscle spasms and pain.
June 26–He had a better day. Fewer spasms.
June 27–Hard day. Pain was worse. Last day of IVIG treatments. They did another EMG.
June 28–Release from hospital to go home. They are supposed to have outpatient PT.
June 29–he is having a VERY hard day.
Note: they did Forced Vital Capacity (FVC) tests everyday in the hospital. His lung capacity hasn’t fallen below 60% thus far.
I’m scared beyond words. He’s always been a strong, healthy man until now. He quit smoking last August and has been walking 2 miles per day until the upper respiratory infection got him down. I guess I’m grasping at straws.
Help!
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June 29, 2006 at 1:44 pm
treva, yes i have had heavy metal testing 3 out of 4 times since aug 05. my results have all been the same—high arsenic levels. not sure if i am having allergic reactions of some sort to those levels or if it is from a tumor. the drs aren’t sure yet. i have had 4 paralysis events that look and test like gbs. heavy metal testing is done with a 24 hour urine test. its not anything to be worried about until you get bad news, and even then don’t lose the positive thinking.:)
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June 29, 2006 at 1:52 pm
treva, your not grasping at straws, it takes along time to get over gbs. we like to say getting better slowly. if he is still having bad days he should be in the hospital. why would they release him soo early, if he was having problems still. he needs to rest alot right now. do nothing until he can feel like he can do it. physical therapy is good only to keep his body/limbs moving not to the point of being painful and no weights added. rest is the main thing now. let the nerves regenerate before trying other things. pain can be controlled with various meds like neurontin. can go as high as 5600 mg aday. start off slowly and raise the dosage as needed. will cause sleepiness at first, which will help him to rest and sleep. don’t rush him to wellness it won’t happen. take care.
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June 29, 2006 at 2:24 pm
Hi Treva and welcome.
A U.R.I. is thought to have been the cause of my CIDP. He needs to take it easy and slowly, as was stated you can’t rush yourself back to “normal”. Neurontin/Gabapentin will do wonders for the nerve pain but will make him sleepy at first. Take care and all the best to him as he recovers.
Jerimy
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June 29, 2006 at 2:28 pm
Hi Treva,
Thanks for giving us your Dad’s info. It seems to me that his upper respiratory infection is probably the culprit in causing his GBS. If it were heavy metal poisoning, he would have exhibited GBS a long time ago. See the problem is that GBS can be caused by so many things.
We know you are scared, as we all were in the beginning of the onset. It’s hard to see a strong person be brought down by this illness. Around here GBS stands for “Get Better Slowly”, Dad can have a fast recovery or more then likely it will take time for his recovery, there is no rushing this illness.
Please try to always be positive in his presence, that is very important.
Stay with us and more answers will come your way from the Vets of this illness.
🙂
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June 29, 2006 at 2:58 pm
[QUOTE=Brandy]Hi Treva,
Please try to always be positive in his presence, that is very important.
Stay with us and more answers will come your way from the Vets of this illness.
:)[/QUOTE]
Thanks, Brandy! I am pretty good about venting and whining out of “ear shot” of the person I’ve worried about. My identical twin sons were born 14 weeks early 13 years ago and both have disabilities. I’ve had lots of practice.
I keep telling Daddy Bud that God only gives us what we can handle and offering any help I can. I wish I could do more….that’s my biggest gripe (but not in front of him).
Thanks for everything!
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June 30, 2006 at 8:05 am
.Treva, the question of heavy metal poisoning crops up from time to time. Lead and Mercury are the two met with most often. Lead causes bilateral wrist drop and severe anaemia, mercury causes facial sores, drooling from the mouth and ‘dementia’ as in Lewis Carroll’s madhatters tea party. The hatters made their felt by by mixing wool into great vats of mercury nitrate. Cadmium and Zinc also cause poisoning mostly gastrointestinal though liver and kidneys may be involved. Arsenic is not really a heavy metal but chronic poisoning usually presents with flushed face, peeling of the skin especially palms, vomiting and diarrhoea. In addition at it can cause a sensori-motor neuropathy similar to GBS. More information can be found in Google under cadmium poisoning. Toxicology used to be my field as factory doctor and forensic physician. DocDavid
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June 30, 2006 at 9:44 am
[QUOTE=DavidBod].Treva, the question of heavy metal poisoning crops up from time to time. Lead and Mercury are the two met with most often. Lead causes bilateral wrist drop and severe anaemia, mercury causes facial sores, drooling from the mouth and ‘dementia’ as in Lewis Carroll’s madhatters tea party. The hatters made their felt by by mixing wool into great vats of mercury nitrate. Cadmium and Zinc also cause poisoning mostly gastrointestinal though liver and kidneys may be involved. Arsenic is not really a heavy metal but chronic poisoning usually presents with flushed face, peeling of the skin especially palms, vomiting and diarrhoea. In addition at it can cause a sensori-motor neuropathy similar to GBS. More information can be found in Google under cadmium poisoning. Toxicology used to be my field as factory doctor and forensic physician. DocDavid[/QUOTE]
I will pass everyone’s posts along to my dad. We will have electrodermal screening, cranial nerve analysis, and hair analysis as soon as my dad is up to the trip. I appreciate your help! Thanks!
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July 1, 2006 at 2:49 pm
Hi Treva,
The timeline you show on your post indicates that your father started his illness about a month ago. I know this seems like forever to you and to him, but if indeed he does have GBS, one month is a very short time.
Getting better can take months and sometimes years. I don’t say this to discourage you, but just to give you some more realistic expectations about recovery.
As many others have said, this is a disease of getting better slowly. Too much activity too early can cause setbacks. Rest is the most importanant thing he can do towards recovery.
Best wishes to you and your father. Keep coming back and asking questions and you’ll learn what you both need to know about this.
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