Mercury Poisoning?
Question:
My husband and I get that when our vitamin intake builds up in our systems. Try going off all supplements for awhile and see if that helps. It will usually go away in a couple of days after stopping the vitamin supplements if that’s it. Val in Boise 168/135/forever – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Okay, I know I’m grasping at straws here! For the last 2 months I have been battling a terrible, disgusting taste in my mouth – sort of a sourish/sweetish but mainly metallic taste, and nothing seems to help it. In fact things like mouthwash, breath spray and sugar-free breath mints like Smints only increase it and make it 100 times worse. The only thing that helps marginally is brushing and gargling with baking soda. I’ve been to the dentist (told to get an electric toothbrush and to brush my tongue as well as my teeth) been to the doctor (tested for kidney and liver function – both normal), given up my calcium/magnesium supplement at the doctor’s suggestion – in fact I have given up *all* my supplements, and I still can’t get rid of it, though sometimes it is worse than others. Well, the last few days it has been especially hideous, and so in despair I was doing more web searching today, and turned up a site that also said the symptoms could be caused by mercury poisoning. Then of course they had to link to a site about a scientist who died a hideous horrible death after she accidentally spilled a teeny drop of mercury on her hand during an experiment. This made my day! Anyway, they listed reasons you should be concerned and call the doctor and they listed metal fillings in your mouth (yup, got lots of those), eating a fair amount of fish (yup, I’ve had tuna for lunch 5 days a week for over a year now since it is the only reliable low carb food in the cafeteria at work), coming in contact with a broken mercury thermometer (yup, my dog broke a mercury thermometer on my bed a few months ago). However *nothing* I have read indicates how much mercury would be likely to cause a problem. Re the thermometer for instance. I was more worried about my dog than myself since she had bitten the thermometer in pieces. I called Animal Poison Control. I was told to feed her slices of bread in case she had eaten any glass, and that the amount of mercury in a thermometer was not enough to be toxic even if she had eaten the bulb (which she hadn’t. I found the bulb intact and still filled with mercury on the floor next to my bed). Well I figured if it was not a problem for a 35-lb dog it was not a problem for me – until I read this web page. Maybe humans and dogs have different sensivities. So I’m just curious if anyone has any information on the subject. I called my doctor at work today (hard to do because I am in a cubicle with no privacy whatsoever, and I hate the thought of everyone else listening in on my business) but of course the doctor is not in and they just took a message and said they will get back to me sometime tomorrow. I thought in the meantime perhaps folks here might have some info since we seem to have an amazing number of experts on various subjects! — Debbie Cusick I plan to be a procrastinator some day if I ever get around to it. Check out the asdlc FAQ at: http://www.grossweb.com/asdlc
Response:
There was a recent news story that said children and pregnant women should eat no more than 1 tuna sandwich a week due to the level of mercury. As for fillings, I’ve had mercury-based fillings in my mouth for over 30 years now with no problems like you describe and no other effects either. I say go to a different physician if you can and keep pushing until somebody figures it out. This is not normal and any medical personnel who just dismiss it like your dentist did should get no more business from you. In fact I’d complain about them. Cheers Patty – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Okay, I know I’m grasping at straws here! For the last 2 months I have been battling a terrible, disgusting taste in my mouth – sort of a sourish/sweetish but mainly metallic taste, and nothing seems to help it. In fact things like mouthwash, breath spray and sugar-free breath mints like Smints only increase it and make it 100 times worse. The only thing that helps marginally is brushing and gargling with baking soda. I’ve been to the dentist (told to get an electric toothbrush and to brush my tongue as well as my teeth) been to the doctor (tested for kidney and liver function – both normal), given up my calcium/magnesium supplement at the doctor’s suggestion – in fact I have given up *all* my supplements, and I still can’t get rid of it, though sometimes it is worse than others. Well, the last few days it has been especially hideous, and so in despair I was doing more web searching today, and turned up a site that also said the symptoms could be caused by mercury poisoning. Then of course they had to link to a site about a scientist who died a hideous horrible death after she accidentally spilled a teeny drop of mercury on her hand during an experiment. This made my day! Anyway, they listed reasons you should be concerned and call the doctor and they listed metal fillings in your mouth (yup, got lots of those), eating a fair amount of fish (yup, I’ve had tuna for lunch 5 days a week for over a year now since it is the only reliable low carb food in the cafeteria at work), coming in contact with a broken mercury thermometer (yup, my dog broke a mercury thermometer on my bed a few months ago). However *nothing* I have read indicates how much mercury would be likely to cause a problem. Re the thermometer for instance. I was more worried about my dog than myself since she had bitten the thermometer in pieces. I called Animal Poison Control. I was told to feed her slices of bread in case she had eaten any glass, and that the amount of mercury in a thermometer was not enough to be toxic even if she had eaten the bulb (which she hadn’t. I found the bulb intact and still filled with mercury on the floor next to my bed). Well I figured if it was not a problem for a 35-lb dog it was not a problem for me – until I read this web page. Maybe humans and dogs have different sensivities. So I’m just curious if anyone has any information on the subject. I called my doctor at work today (hard to do because I am in a cubicle with no privacy whatsoever, and I hate the thought of everyone else listening in on my business) but of course the doctor is not in and they just took a message and said they will get back to me sometime tomorrow. I thought in the meantime perhaps folks here might have some info since we seem to have an amazing number of experts on various subjects! — Debbie Cusick I plan to be a procrastinator some day if I ever get around to it. Check out the asdlc FAQ at: http://www.grossweb.com/asdlc
Response:
Did the dentist rule out an absessed tooth? Debby 310/200/150 – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Thanks. I really have no reason to truly suspect serious mercury poison. That’s why, as I said, I was grasping at straws! The last few days were so bad, the taste was the worst it has ever been, my entire tongue was so seriously painful that it was agony to even talk. My lips were numb. The taste was so awful it affected everything I ate or drank. Even water tasted hideous. Now I’m in "remission" again so things don’t seem as bleak. 
I’m really trying to keep track of what I eat to see what could trigger it off if it is a food thing. The only trigger I have found so far is eating any sort of breath mint or using a breath spray. Even sucking on a Smint for a minute or two is enough to set off an attack that lasts for days (yet until a couple months ago I used to use Smints and breath sprays all the time). Using Listerine mouthwash seems to set it off too (though I had used Listerine on and off for years with no trouble). However this last attack had me baffled. It *does* seem to be triggered by eating however, which is almost making me contemplate going on a fast! — Debbie Cusick I plan to be a procrastinator some day if I ever get around to it. Check out the asdlc FAQ at: http://www.grossweb.com/asdlc I really hope you get it figured out soon. It may be one of the more prevalent items in your diet. Try cutting out one item at a time for 3-4 days and see if there’s any change. Treat it like an allergy and detect the single item causing this. GOOD LUCK!
– * * * * * WEB PAGE NOW BACK ON-LINE * * * * * WEBSITE: http://debby.simplenet.com ____ __ __ | _____ | | | | __ __ | ) )/ __ | | / / ”’ | ) ___/| ) || ) | / / (o o) /_/
Response:
I’ve worked for a surgical supply company for 6 years and yes, we sell the mercury blood pressure units and thermometers, too! I’ve been told, I don’t know how many times, that exposure through the skin will not do a thing to a person and there are absolutely no studies or documents of any kind saying that there is! Many companies that are trying to sell non-mercury products tell you that there’s a problem, but no documentation. Unless you *swallowed* like a pint of mercury, I seriously doubt that this is causing your problems. I really hope you get it figured out soon. It may be one of the more prevalent items in your diet. Try cutting out one item at a time for 3-4 days and see if there’s any change. Treat it like an allergy and detect the single item causing this. GOOD LUCK!
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Debbie, until someone with *real* medical knowledge can jump in here <g, I’ll tell you what I was told some years ago when a patient had accidentally bitten off the end of his thermometor, and (apparently) swallowed the mercury. I was told that a blood test could confirm whether a person had gotten a lethal dose of mercury. There may be better ways to find out (this WAS years ago), or the person who told me could have been wrong. But you might want to look into it. HTH, Arlene Okay, I know I’m grasping at straws here! For the last 2 months I have been battling a terrible, disgusting taste in my mouth – sort of a sourish/sweetish but mainly metallic taste, and nothing seems to help it. In fact things like mouthwash, breath spray and sugar-free breath mints like Smints only increase it and make it 100 times worse. The only thing that helps marginally is brushing and gargling with baking soda. I’ve been to the dentist (told to get an electric toothbrush and to brush my tongue as well as my teeth) been to the doctor (tested for kidney and liver function – both normal), given up my calcium/magnesium supplement at the doctor’s suggestion – in fact I have given up *all* my supplements, and I still can’t get rid of it, though sometimes it is worse than others. Well, the last few days it has been especially hideous, and so in despair I was doing more web searching today, and turned up a site that also said the symptoms could be caused by mercury poisoning. Then of course they had to link to a site about a scientist who died a hideous horrible death after she accidentally spilled a teeny drop of mercury on her hand during an experiment. This made my day! Anyway, they listed reasons you should be concerned and call the doctor and they listed metal fillings in your mouth (yup, got lots of those), eating a fair amount of fish (yup, I’ve had tuna for lunch 5 days a week for over a year now since it is the only reliable low carb food in the cafeteria at work), coming in contact with a broken mercury thermometer (yup, my dog broke a mercury thermometer on my bed a few months ago). However *nothing* I have read indicates how much mercury would be likely to cause a problem. Re the thermometer for instance. I was more worried about my dog than myself since she had bitten the thermometer in pieces. I called Animal Poison Control. I was told to feed her slices of bread in case she had eaten any glass, and that the amount of mercury in a thermometer was not enough to be toxic even if she had eaten the bulb (which she hadn’t. I found the bulb intact and still filled with mercury on the floor next to my bed). Well I figured if it was not a problem for a 35-lb dog it was not a problem for me – until I read this web page. Maybe humans and dogs have different sensivities. So I’m just curious if anyone has any information on the subject. I called my doctor at work today (hard to do because I am in a cubicle with no privacy whatsoever, and I hate the thought of everyone else listening in on my business) but of course the doctor is not in and they just took a message and said they will get back to me sometime tomorrow. I thought in the meantime perhaps folks here might have some info since we seem to have an amazing number of experts on various subjects! — Debbie Cusick I plan to be a procrastinator some day if I ever get around to it. Check out the asdlc FAQ at: http://www.grossweb.com/asdlc Arlene 276/256/160 —started Atkins 2/21/99 Low-Carb Diet FAQ http://www.grossweb.com/asdlc/faq.htm Learn about Tourette Syndrome: http://tsa.mgh.harvard.edu/
Response:
Hi Debbie, I have the same yuck mouth very often. It is especially strong when I am following our woe to the letter. I find that upping my water intake alleviates the problem somewhat. And yes, I do drink a heck of a lot of water. Jean 230/199/148 3-15-99
Response:
how about the tuna, your eating? — read and post, everyday! its a commitment to yourself! rosie ALT.SUPPORT.DIET.LOW-CARB FAQ http://www.grossweb.com/asdlc/ ALT.SUPPORT.DIET FAQ http://asd.dozer.com
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -Unfortunately I gave up all my vitamins and supplements over a month ago! The taste went away initially and I thought I had solved it, but then it came back in force even though I was no longer taking any vitamins. It probably is food-related somehow. All the web sites I have found talk about bad breath as just one symptom among many, but in my case except for the weird breath I basically feel perfectly fine. Well, on my 3rd day in "remission" right now. Two things that I *know* aggravates it greatly are sugar-free breath mints (Smints for example) and sugar-free breath spray (Sweet Breath) so I have been avoiding them like the plague. Even a single squirt of spray or teeny bite of about 1/2 a Smint is enough to bring on a terrible attack that lasts 3-4 days. That’s the only "trigger" I have found for sure, but I have also had attacks when I have *not* had any mints or spray, so there must be something else there if I can but find it! — Debbie Cusick I plan to be a procrastinator some day if I ever get around to it. Check out the asdlc FAQ at: http://www.grossweb.com/asdlc My husband and I get that when our vitamin intake builds up in our systems. Try going off all supplements for awhile and see if that helps. It will usually go away in a couple of days after stopping the vitamin supplements if that’s it.
Response:
not a problem for me – until I read this web page. Maybe humans and dogs have different sensivities. Mercury poisoning can be cumulative. Bringing mercury into your body over a period of time can be detrimental, even if each time, the dose of mercury is small. Sarah Net-Tamer V 1.11.1 – Test Drive
Response:
Unfortunately I gave up all my vitamins and supplements over a month ago! The taste went away initially and I thought I had solved it, but then it came back in force even though I was no longer taking any vitamins. It probably is food-related somehow. All the web sites I have found talk about bad breath as just one symptom among many, but in my case except for the weird breath I basically feel perfectly fine. Well, on my 3rd day in "remission" right now. Two things that I *know* aggravates it greatly are sugar-free breath mints (Smints for example) and sugar-free breath spray (Sweet Breath) so I have been avoiding them like the plague. Even a single squirt of spray or teeny bite of about 1/2 a Smint is enough to bring on a terrible attack that lasts 3-4 days. That’s the only "trigger" I have found for sure, but I have also had attacks when I have *not* had any mints or spray, so there must be something else there if I can but find it! — Debbie Cusick I plan to be a procrastinator some day if I ever get around to it. Check out the asdlc FAQ at: http://www.grossweb.com/asdlc – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – My husband and I get that when our vitamin intake builds up in our systems. Try going off all supplements for awhile and see if that helps. It will usually go away in a couple of days after stopping the vitamin supplements if that’s it.
Response:
Yeah, my teeth are in lovely condition! I guess low carb is good for them. No new cavities or problems with them in the two years I’ve been LCing. I have had an absessed tooth a of couple times. Major pain. This is not nearly as bad. — Debbie Cusick I plan to be a procrastinator some day if I ever get around to it. Check out the asdlc FAQ at: http://www.grossweb.com/asdlc – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Did the dentist rule out an absessed tooth?
Response:
Thanks. I really have no reason to truly suspect serious mercury poison. That’s why, as I said, I was grasping at straws! The last few days were so bad, the taste was the worst it has ever been, my entire tongue was so seriously painful that it was agony to even talk. My lips were numb. The taste was so awful it affected everything I ate or drank. Even water tasted hideous. Now I’m in "remission" again so things don’t seem as bleak. I’m really trying to keep track of what I eat to see what could trigger it off if it is a food thing. The only trigger I have found so far is eating any sort of breath mint or using a breath spray. Even sucking on a Smint for a minute or two is enough to set off an attack that lasts for days (yet until a couple months ago I used to use Smints and breath sprays all the time). Using Listerine mouthwash seems to set it off too (though I had used Listerine on and off for years with no trouble). However this last attack had me baffled. It *does* seem to be triggered by eating however, which is almost making me contemplate going on a fast! — Debbie Cusick I plan to be a procrastinator some day if I ever get around to it. Check out the asdlc FAQ at: http://www.grossweb.com/asdlc – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I really hope you get it figured out soon. It may be one of the more prevalent items in your diet. Try cutting out one item at a time for 3-4 days and see if there’s any change. Treat it like an allergy and detect the single item causing this. GOOD LUCK!
Response:
A metallic taste sometimes comes with the diet, however, given your recent contact with mercury I would get tested just to be safe. Your probably fine but better safe than sorry. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Okay, I know I’m grasping at straws here! For the last 2 months I have been battling a terrible, disgusting taste in my mouth – sort of a sourish/sweetish but mainly metallic taste, and nothing seems to help it. In fact things like mouthwash, breath spray and sugar-free breath mints like Smints only increase it and make it 100 times worse. The only thing that helps marginally is brushing and gargling with baking soda. I’ve been to the dentist (told to get an electric toothbrush and to brush my tongue as well as my teeth) been to the doctor (tested for kidney and liver function – both normal), given up my calcium/magnesium supplement at the doctor’s suggestion – in fact I have given up *all* my supplements, and I still can’t get rid of it, though sometimes it is worse than others. Well, the last few days it has been especially hideous, and so in despair I was doing more web searching today, and turned up a site that also said the symptoms could be caused by mercury poisoning. Then of course they had to link to a site about a scientist who died a hideous horrible death after she accidentally spilled a teeny drop of mercury on her hand during an experiment. This made my day! Anyway, they listed reasons you should be concerned and call the doctor and they listed metal fillings in your mouth (yup, got lots of those), eating a fair amount of fish (yup, I’ve had tuna for lunch 5 days a week for over a year now since it is the only reliable low carb food in the cafeteria at work), coming in contact with a broken mercury thermometer (yup, my dog broke a mercury thermometer on my bed a few months ago). However *nothing* I have read indicates how much mercury would be likely to cause a problem. Re the thermometer for instance. I was more worried about my dog than myself since she had bitten the thermometer in pieces. I called Animal Poison Control. I was told to feed her slices of bread in case she had eaten any glass, and that the amount of mercury in a thermometer was not enough to be toxic even if she had eaten the bulb (which she hadn’t. I found the bulb intact and still filled with mercury on the floor next to my bed). Well I figured if it was not a problem for a 35-lb dog it was not a problem for me – until I read this web page. Maybe humans and dogs have different sensivities. So I’m just curious if anyone has any information on the subject. I called my doctor at work today (hard to do because I am in a cubicle with no privacy whatsoever, and I hate the thought of everyone else listening in on my business) but of course the doctor is not in and they just took a message and said they will get back to me sometime tomorrow. I thought in the meantime perhaps folks here might have some info since we seem to have an amazing number of experts on various subjects! — Debbie Cusick I plan to be a procrastinator some day if I ever get around to it. Check out the asdlc FAQ at: http://www.grossweb.com/asdlc
– 180/159.5/125 Restarted 5-10-99 Reference jeans 14/10/5
Response:
Okay, I know I’m grasping at straws here! For the last 2 months I have been battling a terrible, disgusting taste in my mouth – sort of a sourish/sweetish but mainly metallic taste, and nothing seems to help it. In fact things like mouthwash, breath spray and sugar-free breath mints like Smints only increase it and make it 100 times worse. The only thing that helps marginally is brushing and gargling with baking soda. I’ve been to the dentist (told to get an electric toothbrush and to brush my tongue as well as my teeth) been to the doctor (tested for kidney and liver function – both normal), given up my calcium/magnesium supplement at the doctor’s suggestion – in fact I have given up *all* my supplements, and I still can’t get rid of it, though sometimes it is worse than others. Well, the last few days it has been especially hideous, and so in despair I was doing more web searching today, and turned up a site that also said the symptoms could be caused by mercury poisoning. Then of course they had to link to a site about a scientist who died a hideous horrible death after she accidentally spilled a teeny drop of mercury on her hand during an experiment. This made my day! Anyway, they listed reasons you should be concerned and call the doctor and they listed metal fillings in your mouth (yup, got lots of those), eating a fair amount of fish (yup, I’ve had tuna for lunch 5 days a week for over a year now since it is the only reliable low carb food in the cafeteria at work), coming in contact with a broken mercury thermometer (yup, my dog broke a mercury thermometer on my bed a few months ago). However *nothing* I have read indicates how much mercury would be likely to cause a problem. Re the thermometer for instance. I was more worried about my dog than myself since she had bitten the thermometer in pieces. I called Animal Poison Control. I was told to feed her slices of bread in case she had eaten any glass, and that the amount of mercury in a thermometer was not enough to be toxic even if she had eaten the bulb (which she hadn’t. I found the bulb intact and still filled with mercury on the floor next to my bed). Well I figured if it was not a problem for a 35-lb dog it was not a problem for me – until I read this web page. Maybe humans and dogs have different sensivities. So I’m just curious if anyone has any information on the subject. I called my doctor at work today (hard to do because I am in a cubicle with no privacy whatsoever, and I hate the thought of everyone else listening in on my business) but of course the doctor is not in and they just took a message and said they will get back to me sometime tomorrow. I thought in the meantime perhaps folks here might have some info since we seem to have an amazing number of experts on various subjects! — Debbie Cusick I plan to be a procrastinator some day if I ever get around to it. Check out the asdlc FAQ at: http://www.grossweb.com/asdlc
Response:
Debbie, until someone with *real* medical knowledge can jump in here <g, I’ll tell you what I was told some years ago when a patient had accidentally bitten off the end of his thermometor, and (apparently) swallowed the mercury. I was told that a blood test could confirm whether a person had gotten a lethal dose of mercury. There may be better ways to find out (this WAS years ago), or the person who told me could have been wrong. But you might want to look into it. HTH, Arlene – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Okay, I know I’m grasping at straws here! For the last 2 months I have been battling a terrible, disgusting taste in my mouth – sort of a sourish/sweetish but mainly metallic taste, and nothing seems to help it. In fact things like mouthwash, breath spray and sugar-free breath mints like Smints only increase it and make it 100 times worse. The only thing that helps marginally is brushing and gargling with baking soda. I’ve been to the dentist (told to get an electric toothbrush and to brush my tongue as well as my teeth) been to the doctor (tested for kidney and liver function – both normal), given up my calcium/magnesium supplement at the doctor’s suggestion – in fact I have given up *all* my supplements, and I still can’t get rid of it, though sometimes it is worse than others. Well, the last few days it has been especially hideous, and so in despair I was doing more web searching today, and turned up a site that also said the symptoms could be caused by mercury poisoning. Then of course they had to link to a site about a scientist who died a hideous horrible death after she accidentally spilled a teeny drop of mercury on her hand during an experiment. This made my day! Anyway, they listed reasons you should be concerned and call the doctor and they listed metal fillings in your mouth (yup, got lots of those), eating a fair amount of fish (yup, I’ve had tuna for lunch 5 days a week for over a year now since it is the only reliable low carb food in the cafeteria at work), coming in contact with a broken mercury thermometer (yup, my dog broke a mercury thermometer on my bed a few months ago). However *nothing* I have read indicates how much mercury would be likely to cause a problem. Re the thermometer for instance. I was more worried about my dog than myself since she had bitten the thermometer in pieces. I called Animal Poison Control. I was told to feed her slices of bread in case she had eaten any glass, and that the amount of mercury in a thermometer was not enough to be toxic even if she had eaten the bulb (which she hadn’t. I found the bulb intact and still filled with mercury on the floor next to my bed). Well I figured if it was not a problem for a 35-lb dog it was not a problem for me – until I read this web page. Maybe humans and dogs have different sensivities. So I’m just curious if anyone has any information on the subject. I called my doctor at work today (hard to do because I am in a cubicle with no privacy whatsoever, and I hate the thought of everyone else listening in on my business) but of course the doctor is not in and they just took a message and said they will get back to me sometime tomorrow. I thought in the meantime perhaps folks here might have some info since we seem to have an amazing number of experts on various subjects! — Debbie Cusick I plan to be a procrastinator some day if I ever get around to it. Check out the asdlc FAQ at: http://www.grossweb.com/asdlc
Arlene 276/256/160 —started Atkins 2/21/99 Low-Carb Diet FAQ http://www.grossweb.com/asdlc/faq.htm Learn about Tourette Syndrome: http://tsa.mgh.harvard.edu/
