Chelation: Common Mistakes People Make

Updated March 2011:  I wrote this back in early 2009 when I thought Dr. Cutler's protocol was curing people left and right.  Now it is 2011 and there is nearly NO success stories with this protocol myself included. It has done absolutely NOTHING for me, but give me terrible side effects.  I get severe rashes and hives on DMSA no matter what dosage, no matter what dosing schedule.  Because of all of this my views on everything has changed substantially.  They have changed so much so that I am editing this post and rewriting it because I don't want to give people the wrong impression.

The only doctor (I have seen) who has published results from following Dr. Cutler's protocol is Dr. Amy Holmes.  She is no longer practicing medicine because her own health issues.  At this link you will find a chart that says no one over the age of 13 had marked improvements on Dr. Cutler's protocol.  Since I am an adult, I find this highly discouraging especially since for years she was important in the FDC circles. 

I think this protocol is solely based upon wishful thinking, hope and hype.  For some reason it grabs unsuspecting sick people like a spider web and you cannot get away no matter how hard you try.  Everywhere you look for chelation information, there is at least 1 Cutler follower who will scream if you attempt or even talk about any other chelation ideas outside of Dr. Cutler's. No other discussions are allowed because they are "unsafe" or "dangerous".  Dr. Cutler is highly prized in these groups and nothing he says can be questioned because he cannot be wrong, ever.  Right...I suppose if people were getting better, then they would have more ground to stand on.   Well, I have stopped drinking the Cutler Kool Aid and have opened my eyes up to the possibility there are other ways to recover from mercury poisoning especially since people are not getting better with DMSA and ALA.  If you stumbled upon this blog, then please read some of my newer posts on the matter and not my older posts from 2008 where I was just starting out on my journey.  I was naive.

As always though, I am not a doctor and whatever you do is at your own risk and you take full responsibility for any consequences which occur.

Most of this information is from my own experiences, but some of it is derived from Dr. Cutler's Frequent dose chelation protocol. You can find more information about him and his protocol at his website.

Mistakes Made Prior to Frequent Dose Chelation

• Chelating with amalgams in. You can pull mercury from the fillings increasing exposure.  

• Using chelating agents such as cilantro, chlorella, MSM and garlic because they are "natural" ( I am not so sure they are as dangerous as Cutler and his flock suggest).

• No lab work done prior--CBC with diff, TSH, FT3,FT4, cortisol saliva test recommended at bare minimums. If adrenal glands are suspected to be failing, then an ACTH stim test should be performed by a qualified endo before any hydrocortisone is supplemented. It is not something you should be messing with unless you have a documented adrenal issue. It is now becoming increasingly popular to go on HC for any reason.

• The idea that severe "detoxing" symptoms means you are excreting mercury. "No pain, no gain" attitude.  (I am now taking DMPS with no side effects while on round.)

Mistakes Made During Frequent Dose Chelation

This entire section assumes that the FDC protocol is actually working...That is assuming A LOT.  I can say with pretty good certainty that it is not working in a majority of cases, YET those on the FDC yahoo group will insist there are hundreds of success stories. However when you try to find said stories, they usually include young children or simply the stories are no where to be found. The so-called "success stories" list on FDC is a joke. Please do some of your own follow up of those people and let me know how many success stories are still making posts on FDC with issues.  It is maddening this would be counted as a success story. The day I consider myself a success story, I will never post on a health forum again.

I made a more recent post questioning whether or not people are really recovering.

• Starting on too high of a dose--DMSA-no more than 15mg, ALA-no more than 12.5mg (I now think that this is why the Cutler protocol isn't working.  The doses being used are a joke.  You might as well be flushing them down the toilet and doing nothing.)

• Increasing the dose too quickly. Do at least 4 rounds on intro dose before increasing. (Not sure it matters because no one really gets better regardless of what they do)

• Perceiving chelation as a 500 yard dash, rather than a marathon. Take your time because it will take years (Still think this is true. It will take time to get better, but I think 6 months to a year is reasonable to see some drastic improvements.  No one on Cutler protocol has this though)

• Trying to chelate without a dedicated timer/pill reminder.

• Not supplementing with the appropriate minerals-Vitamin C, B, D, zinc, magnesium, CoQ10

• Using DMSA/ALA on any schedule other than every 3-4 hours as recommended by Dr. Cutler (Once again I am questioning the very foundations of this chelation protocol. Who knows?)

Do your own research and start searching out people who have actually RECOVERED from mercury poisoning.  I have been listening to other sick people for years and I realized I was a complete idiot.  I should have been looking for those who have gotten HEALTHY!  DUH!  If a sick person has been trying something for years and they are no better, then whatever it is they are doing is not working.  Do not get suckered into listening to SICK people for HEALTH advice. It's obviously not working if they are STILL SICK.