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I have now been doing chelation therapy for some thirteen months, without interruption. I have been having a number of "issues" with my health, some symptoms having attenuated, while other symptoms seem to have come to stay.
The thing that concerns me most, and what brings me to this board, are my vague symptoms that are very much like kidney issues, albeit without the expected hypertension, extreme swelling, chem-7 problems, and protein in the urine ( I checked by way of dipstick several times over the last six months, with no color indicator changes)
Right now, my blood pressure remains very good, even low at times. However, I still have polyuria, albeit a bit less than when I first embarked on my treatment regimen, and now, my feet and hands often feel-and appear(?)-somewhat swollen. I wake up fatigued, and there is always some swelling under my eyes.
I am taking Synthroid, and the endo said that my numbers are quite good, so I rule out hypothyroidism.
I do notice that my morning urine voiding as been reduced to a little more than a trickle and very concentrated!
Lastly, and most confusing, are the darkened spots on my fingernail ends, along with white spots, sometimes looking like "half and half" rings.
I cannot-and will not-go to the doctor again for some time, however, it is difficult to believe that all these symptoms could be pointing to serious renal issues, given my otherwise favorable blood pressure measures, and blood test results over the last couple of years!
I do suspect that I have neurogenic Diabetes Insipidis, as I have a pituitary adenoma. Oh, yes, I have started burping constantly, but not hiccuping, the latter of which seems to often accompany CKD.
Sorry for the rambling account, but I have been suffering these symptoms for over a year and the docs say that everything is normal!View Thread

I have not changed by fluid intake, but I notice that my urine specific gravity on the test strip is consistently higher than it has been in the months previous. I do not seem to urinate as much as I used to at night. I have been chelating for about ten months to rid myself of heavy metals.
I am on thyroid meds, and my flank aches and back pain coincides with my beginning Synthroid regimen. I am always tired, and I crave salt and sweets, so I am suspecting possible adrenal involvement.
I do not know if my recent change in urinary volume and specific gravity is a good thing or not, but I fear that this might be the kidney damage from the heavy metal starting to wreak havoc. I will be going to my pcp next week to enquire about an ACTH stimulation test for my adrenals, which might be the source of my aches and pains and ongoing fatigue.View Thread

For the longest time I have been having polyuria, mostly at night. I have had many blood draws and urinalyses in the past couple of years, with no sign of deterioration of kidney function and no proteinuria or hemotinuria.
I have been on thyroid meds for about three months.
For the past month or two, I have been having regular, almost daily, flank and back aches. For the past several weeks, I have noticed a strong smell from my urine, which is darker, especially in the morning, for the first couple of voids. I also have been having the passing of strong smelling urine at night.
I use dipstick test strips once a week, lately, to test for possible infection, to see if I have blood or protein in my urine. All negative.
My specific gravity has been going up, with no changes in fluid intake, which seems a good thing, given how dilute my urine has been for ages. I should mention that my blood pressure can be low and I have a craving for salt. I am thinking possible adrenal issues, which I will bring up with my doctor. I have been chelating for heavy metal toxicity for some ten months, now.View Thread

I have many health issues going right now, including asthma, which is fairly mild, and hypothyroid, which is now being treated
My other issue, and the one that seems to fill me with the most trepidation, is my ongoing issue with my polyuria, and now, an increase in muscle twitching and soreness, especially in my calves and thighs, with the frequent sensation of upper back muscle aches. I have had more kidney function blood tests in the last year than I can count offhand. For the most part, my values have been very consistent, including such parameters as electrolyte levels, GFR, creatinine and BUN.
There has been a very sublte (or maybe not) change in my creatinine over the last nine months. I know this, because last Nov., I had a multiple panel blood test at my local VA clinic. My creatinine was at 1.0mg/dl and my BUN was at 13.
In March of this year, I had a seizure, which was brought on by an abrupt decrease in Lorazipam over the course of several days. At the ER, my creatinine was at 1.09 and creatine at 14 (standard blood test). I am now at 1.14 for creatinine, which is actually a drop of about 6 on the GFR since Nov! I have been as low as .96, not quite a year ago.
I do not want to throw too much at my next medical visit, however, I do want to bring up this sudden change in my physical status with the doctor. I know that hypothyroidism can cause fatigue, muscle aches, etc., but still, there is the concern over the change in my kidney numbers. I am feeling really awful at present, but cannot believe that my kidney values would be giving me this much trouble already! Am I, perhaps, sensitive to subtle changes in function?!View Thread

My Hematocrit was just at normal, though higher end of the scale. I am taking plenty of vitamin and mineral supplements as per chelation protocol. I have a recheck of thyroid in about a month, which will include cortisol, testosterone, and another CBC-7. The fatigue that CKD patients feel is usually from greater levels of kidney dysfuntion, which isn't my case.View Thread

It seems that for every 8-12 ounce glass of water I drink, I must urinate twice that! My urine is often very light colored, and my specific gravity, which I measure once every couple of weeks, is still rather low.
I am having another MRI to see if my pituitary microadenoma has not enlarged. I have been having constant fatigue and headaches and eyesight issues, which are not too bad, but nonetheless daily. If my urination issues are not neurogenic, then, as it has been suggested, I might have tubule damage, the extent of which I have no clue.
I have had numerous "standard" kidney tests (EGFR, creatinine, CrCL, ultrasound, etc.), and my nephrologist never called me back to voice his concerns.
However, my ongoing heavy urination (maybe 10-12 times daily) concerns me, as I am not sure from whence the condition arises. As I continue to chelate, so I have read, my heavy metal symptoms will lessen or even disappear. I am sure that heavy metal is the root cause of my present polyuria; I just don't know if it is neurogenic or nephrogenic.
If I check out negative on the MRI, what might be my next step? Resignation? A wait and see attitude?View Thread

My present option is to wait it out, and to see what ongoing chelation treatment will do for my overall health (I have high lead and mercury levels, as measured by a provocation urine test). My blood pressure is still good, and my weekly urinalysis strip test shows no measurable protein or blood, although I cannot rule out microalbuminia.
I have noticed that I bruise quite easily, even without bumping up against something. Is the latter common among those with kidney damage? I suspect that I have low levels of anti-oxidants in my bloodstream, which might explain my slow healing and easy bruising.
I don't have the money to go to a nephrologist, especially if I am to discover that my kidney function remains constant. Moreover, the Veterans Administration clinic, where I have recently had my blood drawn, is not willing to do follow up tests or to refer me to a specialist. All I can do is just wait it out?View Thread

I have found a protocol that minimizes the risks associated with chelation, as it is a slow and low approach to chelation, with the use of supplements to replace minerals leeched out during consecutive days of treatment. The balance is to maintain chelator in the bloodstream, never letting levels drop during the three days on cycle (every three to four hours for DMSA dosage).
You are right, I cannot find any reputable source to confirm or deny my HM contamination. Most naturopaths who deal with chelation therapies, go for high and infrequent dosaging, which runs the risk of potential harm to the patient, by way of redistribution of metals to vulnerable parts of the body. I suspect that I have CNS and other organ system issues. Only time on chelation will tell if I come through this whole. Thanks for your impute, John.View Thread


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