Gd, other heavy metals, understanding re-equilibration, new reporting 'uncaging' a genetic or developed defect/

Many ideas I get for new blogs come from conversations with sufferers. Some of these reflect that points I have made previously are worth repeating, In general a good idea, but some worth repeating because the concept is novel and on the surface complex. And other times it allows me to bring up issues that are new information. This is a recent email exchange I have had with a long term client/ heavy metal toxicity including GDD sufferer. This includes repeating a concept that I have mentioned before, that basically few if any understand, including practitioners of chelation, re-equilibration and its importance in treatment, and the concept of either GDD or chelation, really both, 'uncage' a genetic or developed cellular defect.

 Continued high level (and it is not so high actually) post chelation of a metal reflects that DTPA is still getting Gd out - which is a good thing. It also reflects the occurrence of re-equilibration, which is also a good thing - that is to say Gd is moving from the large durable reservoir of bone to re-equilibrate with the other less durable reservoirs where we have taken  Gd out (skin, soft tissue organs, eg brain), and this is the most effective means of depleting total body Gd. So continue high level of Gd on post-chelation urine reflect re-equilibration removal from bone. It is when Gd starts to drop dramatically post chelation that we know we are depleting the bone reservoir, because less Gd is present for re-equilibration. Re-equilibration and its importance is why we need to always do multiple chelations to deplete the body of the heavy metal. I have heard some chelation practitioners complain about the heavy metal still staying high on post-chelation studies, and that this represents a problem. No this is not a problem, this reflects the process of re-equilibration, which when well treated, including the concept of re-equilibration is imperative for successful treatment. Also that why does Gd require so many chelations when lead can be a one and done scenario for chelation.... lead is never one and done, if one is actually sick from lead, and a powerful chelator is used, then exactly the same phenomenon are observed for lead as I have described for Gd. Even optimal treatment is the same: exactly the same regimen of DTPA and steroids is the best way to treat lead toxicity (Lead Deposition Disease), but most people who have lead in them, which is essentially everyone, are not actively (that) sick from it (Lead Storage Condition), so any type of chelation (including dirty chelation - that is using a poor chelator) works... with the consideration is redistributing more lead to the brain a good thing to do? Obviously not

You do have an unusual condition, cutis laxa (loose skin), that somehow Gd, and likely contributions from the other metals you have had in large supply in your body: Thallium, Cesium, and lead, have somehow released or uncaged a specific response that may actually be genetic in nature. A physician colleague of mine, who does a great deal of basic science inquiry into GDD, has brought to my attention that some genetic diseases, such as Fragile X syndrome, may worsen both from the Gd and from chelation because one of the genetic issues with Fragile X, is a protein folding defect, which may be further uncaged by Gd and chelation. This then becomes a conundrum of what to do. In general, in the vast majority of GDD sufferers the answer to many things that seem to worsen with chelation, is to continue to chelate until they resolve. These worsening findings generally reflect a Gd removal Flare phenomenon, where as Gd continues to be removed, these resolve. Or trickier, a Gd re-equilibration Flare phenomenon, where Gd is re-equilibrated to those sites. I think the latter contributes less to this problem, largely because these 'new symptoms' following chelation that occur in locations where Gd has a very tough time getting in, means that it has a tough time re-equilibrating to (why I think re-equilibration plays generally a very small role) but also a tough time getting out. So chelation may loosen some Gdin challenging locations, without actually removing it at that time. Removal then occurs by repeat chelation of the loosened Gd. The best example of a location like this is the vitreous humor in the back of the eye, which is basically a thick goo material.

If the great majority of your GDD symptoms have resolved, which you describe they have,  you may resort to more intermittent chelations (to allow time for more re-equilibration) and to see how the skin changes go. Since you are a male I have recommended looking at testosterone supplementation, also growth hormone, since both of these should have a positive effect on skin turgor, the most recent idea I have is to try a collagen supplement, to try to rebuild the collagen frame work of skin tissue.

For Thallium and Cesium I think Prussian Blue may be an obvious choice to try. Ofcourse on the horizon is HOPO which has a different mechanism of action than DTPA.... 

We have to continue to think outside the box. So these recommendations are novel: testosterone, growth hormone, collagen supplementation. I fear what has happened is that you have a genetic defect that Gd and the chelation of Gd has uncaged. Everything we do therefore we have to do cautiously, starting with small amounts and working up. 

Pre- and post-chelation 24 hr urine is a very effective tool for us to know how effective a chelator is to remove metal. This can be used for all chelators and all metals.

Richard Semelka, MD