Lead exposure
So... it looks like I'm doing pretty well. Just got the test blood serum results back (from a full battery of tests, not just lead). I only had 4 mcg/dL Anything under 10 is considered normal for adults. Children should be below 8, or they are at potential risk for neurological damage. 10 to 24 for adults is considered elevated, but not particularly dangerous. After 25 and above, symptoms vary ranging from anemia, to nervous system dysfunction, to kidney problems, hypertension, decreased fertility, increased chance of miscarriage and birth defect, as well general neurological deterioration (memory loss, etc...)
Levels of 25 to 39 usually exhibit mild symptoms. 40 to 59 symptoms should be moderate and most likely noticeable. Levels above 60 can cause serious ailments, and result in death.
Guess I'm lucky so far. But then, I'm not one of those idiots who shoots unjacketed bullets in an indoor range, then goes to burger king and puts their fingers in their mouths (along with their food) without washing their hands first. And to top it off, goes home and cleans their gun without wearing gloves (which in addition to powder residue, opens up the arena of solvents being absorbed into the skin).
No mercury at all in my urine sample. Arsenic was 11.8 mcg/g Problems occur when levels exceed 50 People who eat seafood frequently and are around pesticides, tend to have higher levels than normal.
I may ask my doctor to check me for antimony and barium the next time he runs a test... The ALT levels from my liver function were high, so he no doubt will want to stick me with a needle again...
Paranoia or common sense? Just a side note, I had a legit reason for having all of these tests run. He just threw the lead in there per my request.
Levels of 25 to 39 usually exhibit mild symptoms. 40 to 59 symptoms should be moderate and most likely noticeable. Levels above 60 can cause serious ailments, and result in death.
Guess I'm lucky so far. But then, I'm not one of those idiots who shoots unjacketed bullets in an indoor range, then goes to burger king and puts their fingers in their mouths (along with their food) without washing their hands first. And to top it off, goes home and cleans their gun without wearing gloves (which in addition to powder residue, opens up the arena of solvents being absorbed into the skin).
No mercury at all in my urine sample. Arsenic was 11.8 mcg/g Problems occur when levels exceed 50 People who eat seafood frequently and are around pesticides, tend to have higher levels than normal.
I may ask my doctor to check me for antimony and barium the next time he runs a test... The ALT levels from my liver function were high, so he no doubt will want to stick me with a needle again...
Paranoia or common sense? Just a side note, I had a legit reason for having all of these tests run. He just threw the lead in there per my request.
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Well now you raise some good points. I use non-jacketed lead bullets in my reloading all the time, have since the 1960s and clean my guns without wearing gloves, etc.
I shoot in an indoor range and breath deeply, loving the smell of the burnt powder and lead.
Now I know why I can't remember my name half the time and forgot how to tie my friggin shoes on Monday. But I am 65+ so I guess some of it may be tied in to my age.[;)]
How do you check for lead in your system, is that a normal part of the battery of blood testing or a special test?0 -
...sig...I took stock of everything I'd been exposed to over the years and asked the doc to run blood scans that specifically targeted those elements. Also, some now banned pesticides that I got all over me in years past. Man, I used to sit in a small room casting bullets for hours on end. I MIGHT open a window, if it wasn't freezing outside. I smoked and ate without washing my hands, etc, etc.
...Everything came back fine. But no, testing for heavy metals is not part of a routine blood scan.0 -
Along similar lines, how many of us inhaled brake dust by using compressed air to clean off the backing plates when doing a reline - before we knew there was asbestos danger? 0 -
Ref: Lead- not only from bullets, but from primers. Most are lead azide or lead styphnate. Like Momma tole you- wash your hands![:p] 0 -
Thanks for the post I certanly will make every attempt to keep my hands clean. I have never cast lead but like reloading with lead because of the pricing of lead bullets.
Our range has huge fans in all sections and now I have a better understanding of why.0 -
Clarentavious--I am interested in the reason why you felt the need to get a lead test.
Most doctors are not up to speed when it comes to lead or mercury posioning.
If you believe you suffer from long-term exposure to heavy metals, or if the exposure occurred some time ago, a blood test will not give an accurate reading. This is because the metals are stored deep in the tissues of the body, such as in the bones.
In order to get an accurate test in this situation, you need to do a chelation test. In this test, you take the medicine that is used for treating heavy metal poisoning. You have a one time detox session. You may take DMSA, which comes in pills, or you may do an IV of DMPS or some other drugs. This will draw the metals from the deep tissues. Then, the urine is tested.
A blood test, or hair analysis, is of no use in detecting long term exposure to toxic metals. If the doc doesn't know how to do the test, safe to say he doesn't know how to do the treatment. Most doctors do not know how to treat this ailment, I know from long and painful experience.
If you are near Asheville NC I can set you up with a doc who really knows his stuff.0 -
To be honest, we never really thought my problems were from poisoning of any kind... that's because I can't think of anyone with either the motive or access to poison me - and I don't really encounter alot of dangerous chemicals in my line of work. He insisted on doing a full heavy metals because he said he if he just marked lead on the test forum "they would freak out" [referring to Quest Diagnostics, the lab]
I did hear about a case within the last several years, where an apartment renting landlord failed to tell his tenants about lead paint on the porch floor... as a result, a girl ate it and she died. I think the EPA has cleared out pretty much all of the lead pipes in most human inhabited buildings.
My problems seem to be stemming from a Vestibular injury, possibly a damaged Cochlear nerve. However, these tests, as well as others, were done to rule out other causes (anemia, vitamin B12 deficiency, glucose problems, etc...). Another doctor ran some tests back in August, and there were some discrepancies (white blood cells in my urine, which could indicate a urinary tract infection, or bacterial infection in some other part of my body).
Also a high red blood cell, hemoglobin, and hematocrit count. My albumin/globulin ratio was also high. However, these were just slightly above the limit, so he was not too concerned. All of these were normal this time, except my triglycerides again (he ran the lipid panel because these were mildly elevated last time - but then, these types of problems don't produce the symptoms I've having). That and the ALT... which is starting to become a concern for possible liver issues.
Is what you are referring to pronounced "Keylation" ? One of my doctors has spoken to me about this. He has told me it is a nutritional therapy, in which large doses of certain vitamins are introduced into the body. This can be effective for old lesions that have been around a long time... and is the only known (though not widely accepted, which is why insurance companies don't want to pay for it) way to treat MS.
I've been to about 20 doctors over the past 6 months, and only about 2 of them have been able to give me any sort of accurate diagnosis.0 -
I do not want to sound crazy but it was this way when I was young. In my 20's I shot NRA bullseye indoor pistol, High Power Rifle, small bore rifle (indoors) and trap I shot year round.
I had a wife and 2 small kids to raise and feed, I could not spend extra money on shooting. I worked a full time job, loaded ammo commercially for a local gun store and casted tens of hundred of thousands of lead pistol bullets to sell to my fellow shooters. Two teams of shooters were using my bullets! I casted bullets in my house and later the garage. I would sweep the range for lead, I would scrounge it any place I could. I worked on x-ray equipment and always scrounged lead counterweights and shielding.
I ate dinner at the lead pot while it was melting. I ate between pots of lead, never washing my hands. If a roll got cold I put it on the back of the pot to heat up! I smoked like a freight train the whole time. I would drink coffee late into the night casting to get an order done.
I had my blood checked several times over the years. The lead levels were always normal. If I showed no signs of lead poisoning I have no idea what the heck you have to do to get it.0 -
quote:Originally posted by Clarentavious
-To be honest, we never really thought my problems were from poisoning of any kind... that's because I can't think of anyone with either the motive or access to poison me and I don't really encounter alot of dangerous chemicals in my line of work. He insisted on doing a full heavy metals because he said he if he just marked lead on the test forum "they would freak out" [referring to Quest Diagnostics, the lab]
I did hear about a case within the last several years, where an apartment renting landlord failed to tell his tenants about lead paint on the porch floor... as a result, a girl ate it and she died. I think the EPA has cleared out pretty much all of the lead pipes in most human inhabited buildings.
My problems seem to be stemming from a Vestibular injury, possibly a damaged Cochlear nerve. However, these tests, as well as others, were done to rule out other causes (anemia, vitamin B12 deficiency, glucose problems, etc...). Another doctor ran some tests back in August, and there were some discrepancies (white blood cells in my urine, which could indicate a urinary tract infection, or bacterial infection in some other part of my body).
Also a high red blood cell, hemoglobin, and hematocrit count. My albumin/globulin ratio was also high. However, these were just slightly above the limit, so he was not too concerned. All of these were normal this time, except my triglycerides again (he ran the lipid panel because these were mildly elevated last time - but then, these types of problems don't produce the symptoms I've having). That and the ALT... which is starting to become a concern for possible liver issues.
Is what you are referring to pronounced "Keylation" ? One of my doctors has spoken to me about this. He has told me it is a nutritional therapy, in which large doses of certain vitamins are introduced into the body. This can be effective for old lesions that have been around a long time... and is the only known (though not widely accepted, which is why insurance companies don't want to pay for it) way to treat MS.
I've been to about 20 doctors over the past 6 months, and only about 2 of them have been able to give me any sort of accurate diagnosis.
"To be honest, we never really thought my problems were from poisoning of any kind... that's because I can't think of anyone with either the motive or access to poison me and I don't really encounter alot of dangerous chemicals in my line of work."
You don't need someone to poison you to get heavy metal toxicity, and you don't need to work around this stuff. I got a bad case of lead and mercury poisoning, and I doubt that anyone did it to me. I have never had a job where I was in the presence of these metals.
"I think the EPA has cleared out pretty much all of the lead pipes in most human inhabited buildings."
The problem is that the solder that was used for copper water pipes used to be made of lead. The EPA outlawed it about ten years ago. There is no EPA program for repair of the millions of copper pipes which are soldered with lead. If you got a sloppy soldering job on the pipes in your house, and your house is over ten years old, and you drink a lot of tap water, you are getting doses of lead. I drink distilled water these days.
"My problems seem to be stemming from a Vestibular injury, possibly a damaged Cochlear nerve"
Cochlear nerve huh? So you are having hearing problems? This is one of the symptoms of lead poisoning. If your doc picked up on this that is one gold star for your doc. Although, this is balanced by two black stars, because he gave you the wrong test for lead poisoning. He is well meaning, but he, like most MDs, doesn't know much about heavy metal poisoning. By the way I am quite hard of hearing, need to get a hearing aid.
"Is what you are referring to pronounced "Keylation" ? One of my doctors has spoken to me about this. He has told me it is a nutritional therapy, in which large doses of certain vitamins are introduced into the body"
You have the pronounciation right. This doctor, like most, doesn't know what he is talking about, regarding lead poisoning. Vitamins are not used. As I said above, DMSA pills are used, or else an IV of DMPS or other chemicals.
Tell me some more about the symptoms you are having. Email me if you want, I may be able to help you.
You have gone to 20 docs, I went to 14 before I found a guy who really knew something about metal toxicity. He is Dr. Biddle here in Asheville.0 -
I sent you an e-mail. Check for it 0
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