Andy - Gadolinium heavy metal contrast agent for MRI - toxicity & chelation issues

[Guest guest]

(also posted to adult metal chelation group)

I was recently surprised to find see that my pupils are consistently different

sizes and

although both responsive to light, one is less so, and also that I have no

reflexes in my

extremeties. My neuro-opthalmologist says that this can be a result of heavy

metals

poisoning (most likely lead, which I am attempting to remove using DMSA + ALA),

certain

B vitamin deficiencies (most likely connected with or causitive in my

neurological

problems), as well as the super scary options like a brain tumor or multiple

sclerosis

where the first plaque can be in the brain. He recommended me for a MRI of my

head and

eye orbits, as well as future MRI's throughout the system that goes from head

down to

toes and back, as any disruption that system can lead to both the lack of

reflexes as well

as the different pupil responsiveness. That's a lot of MRI, which I thought was

fine until I

heard that it would involve an injection of heavy metals.

The day before the MRI they told me I'd have to have Gadolinium (a heavy metal

from the

Lanthanide series of the periodic table). My understanding is that in people

with kidney

impairment that dose of the Gadolinium can essentially ruin your kidneys, but

" normal "

people are OK - not that comforting to anyone even if kidneys are OK (I'm sure

they get

damaged at least a little, and the effects are less obvious because most have

excess

kidney capacity). I am going to have my kidneys tested before I go to be sure

that it won't

be the end of them, but still there are other side effects they listed on the

consent form,

like " aggravated migraine " (migraines are bad enough and I've had them - I can't

imagine

what an aggravated one feels like), nose bleed, nausea, dizziness, chest pain,

fever, hot

flushes, pain, rigors, syncope(?), vasodilation, convulsions, abnormal

coordination, tremor,

abdominal pain, diarrhea, vomiting, ringing of the ears, and some other more

minor ones.

I don't know if those are supposed to be temporary or permanent.

The problem is that I already know I have metals retention problems and don't

know what

this will mean in my body, since I'm already a borderline Asperger's person

(with an

autistic daughter depending on me). I'm not sure I can put it off too long to

see if the

chelation is working to reverse the pupil problem thereby proving it's heavy

metals, since

in case it's a tumor, it'll be important to go in early and while it's small.

My doctor wants

me to take a contrast agent and thinks there is too much missed without it. I

am worried

what will happen as far as adding Gadolinium poisoning on top of lead/mercury

poisoning.

After this and future MRIs, how can I get the Gadolinium out and using what

agent (DMPS?

DMSA?ALA? etc.) Should I wait like we do with mercury until it's excreted

slowly and for

how long before chelating? I'm worried it'll damage my kidneys (if carried out

by DMPS) or

liver (if carried out by DMSA/ALA) more if I take chelating agents which might

" speed up "

passage through these organs and overwhelm them, then again the brain and other

nerves

may get damaged if the Gadolinium settles there instead of going out through

feces or

urine quickly. At first I thought I'd jump on chelating quickly to bind up the

metals to do

less damage, then wonder if I'll damage things more. I remember hearing that a

woman

permanently damaged her kidneys using heavy-handed chelation following a suicide

attempt when she ate mercury from thermometers (it was in a risk factors from

mercury or

chelation), probably because it came out rapidly. I heard gadolinium-edta is a

common

form, so in a way it's in with a chelator already, I'm not sure what the

ramifications of that

are.

I am exploring other contrast agents, such as iron, they are all heavy metals

and can

accumulate in the body. How is chelating " Lanthanide " " inner transition "

elements

different from chelating any others?

I have done at least a dozen rounds of oral ALA only and only two rounds of DMSA

+ ALA.

How long before I might expect a change in my pupils or reflexes back to normal

or at

least something that direction? Perhaps I can put off the MRI to continue

chelating.

Please Andy and/or others, tell me what you know, as soon as you can.