Andrew Cutler Chelation Protocol

Andrew Cutler Chelation Protocol Part 1

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Andrew Cutler Chelation Protocol

I have to be honest and say that in the last few weeks I have seriously doubted my decision to have my amalgams removed. I latched onto the positive, and chose to ignore the possible negative side effects that I might experience once they were removed.

I do feel total confidence in the dentist I chose, that he was qualified to do the job correctly, and that he protected me to the full extent that is possible. I had the materials sensitivity testing done; my dentist used materials to which I was least reactive. I knew that even though I was protected and did everything the right way, my body might react to the removal.

Even though I knew my body might react negatively, I chose to focus on what I'd read in Dr. Hal Huggins' book (*Amazon affiliate link) It's All in Your Head: The Link Between Mercury Amalgams and Illness where he said that some people feel great after they have their amalgams removed. Some people's thyroids start to work properly and their temperatures rise to normal 98.6°F. I chose to be optimistic. I chose to push away fears of the unknown as well as the possibility of what might happen get in my way. It was hard enough to make the appointments and keep the appointments!

It helped tremendously that I felt better after helped that I felt better after the first removal. Unfortunately, I began to feel worse after the second removal as I wrote in my last update post: My Latest Cherry on my GAPS Cake – Thyroid Support.

Things were going along just fine since starting on GAPS. Lots of little aches and pains subsided or went away entirely. My feet stopped hurting and I could wear pretty feminine shoes. My back stopped hurting… prior to GAPS when I was in bed too long (7 hours was the “limit”) my back would seize up, but now I can stay in bed for 10 hours or longer if I want. For someone who loves to read in bed at night before sleeping you don't know how much I missed being able to do that. I was functioning well in my daily life.

Although I don't know that I've ever had “normal” or shall I say “optimal” levels of energy, I was feeling much better after being on GAPS for a few months. Looking back on my life, I believe my energy levels were lower than normal. I remember when I was in grade school in the fourth grade hating to run and hating P.E. When we played softball I would volunteer to be the one that went way, way, way out in the field because no one ever hit balls that far and I could just sit down in the grass and look for four leafed clovers. I read many, many books in my childhood as that was my past time of choice – laying down and reading.

In the last three decades as an adult I experienced bouts of energy, and came to the realization they were hormonally connected. While tracking my fertility I discovered that these bursts of energy coincided with the few days prior to my cycle beginning. It's hard to keep your house clean when you only have good energy two or three days a month. In my 40s those urges started to come less and less, maybe once every three or four months. That makes it even harder!! Now that I've entered menopause I rarely feel those bursts of energy…

My point in saying all that is to relate that I have never had much energy. Still – I felt TONS better while on the GAPS Diet.

Then I had amalgams removed, began this chelating protocol and my energy levels dropped to the point that I began to lose entire days. I managed to continue working at my regular job, but thankfully I work at a computer, so am seated most of the time. What alarmed me was my energy levels dropped to the point where I was having to spend one to two days each weekend in bed.

This caused me to question my decision.

Obviously there's no going back!!

I must press onward and do the best that I can. Thankfully I think I am past the worst and have figured out how to tweak the protocol so that it is manageable for me.

The Andrew Cutler Chelation Protocol in a Mustard Seed

The days that one uses the chelation medication is referred to as a round. It is recommended to do 3 days on and then give your body a 4 day break to recuperate. Andrew Cutler's book recommends beginning with a higher dose, but some people have found that most do best beginning at the lower dosage of 12.5mg. DMSA (Dimercaptosuccinic acid) chelates mercury from the body. There is another medication called ALA (alpha lipoic acid) which is not taken until three months after amalgam removal and this removes mercury from the brain as this medication is said to be able to cross the blood brain barrier. My understanding is that you should do DMSA first, then ALA. I have not yet studied up on the ALA part but I think these are taken together. It is recommended to chelate from at least six months to two years or longer, and one is supposed to continue chelating for some time after they feel well to be certain they have moved the mercury out.

Follow me to the 2nd post in this series by clicking here: My Experience with the Cutler Chelation Protocol Part 2. I'm going to share my experience on my first four rounds of the protocol. Eventually I learn what my body needs in order to raise my energy levels.

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18 thoughts on “Andrew Cutler Chelation Protocol Part 1

  1. Hi Starlene

    Sorry to hear you are having such a hard time. It is especially discouraging when one is trying to help oneself to get better, then one feels worse. Have you seen this blog: http://mercurydiaries.com/ I met Daniel on the yahoo chelation Cutler group and is very kind. He had some serious health issues and after chelation using Cutler’s methods and lots of cleansing using herbs he is doing well. He wrote a book on his experiences you can learn of on his blog. He is also very helpful so may be able to give some advice if you write.

    Hth
    Monique

  2. Hi Monique – actually Daniel’s Kindle book is the book I started to read! I had heard others say that the 3 hour dosing is better but his book is what convinced me to try it. I have felt pretty good this weekend, thank goodness! Thank you for sharing his blog, I will check that out. And thank you so much for leaving me a comment. Best regards, Starlene

  3. I was thinking that you may want to contact dams international, and talk to Leo Cashman. Dams is a nonprofit group on mercury info. It would be interesting to see what he thought. I don’t know if he is a big believer in Cutler’s protocol or not. I think he thinks Chris Shade’s Intestinal mercury detoxification product is good. I used liposomal glutathione from DR vitamin solutions (the owner will also talk with you about any concerns), and of course vitamin C, vitamin E, milk thistle, trace minerals, cal-mag, B vitamins, and 5 htp, probiotics.

  4. Hi Kristie, thanks for the recommendations. I’m taking most of the vitamins you mention. Did you do a chelation protocol after amalgam removal?

  5. I worked on detox this way: I took liposomal vitamin C and Extreme Health USA Liver Support and the other vitamins mentioned above. (Vitamin E was the Garden of Life brand). Then I ordered and took liposomal glutathione. A little later (can’t remember when) I took detox + from the bulkherbstore.com. I also do magnesium foot soaks, and occasionally clay foot soaks. I tried to up my intake of raw fruits and veggies. I have rotated some herbs for candida: aloe vera, garlic, burdock root, and thyme. I occasionally take activated charcoal (that was in the detox + also). That is all I remember right now. 🙂

  6. I’m so sorry you had a negative reaction to the mercury removal. I know it’s very popular in the real food community right now, but I have known a number of people whose health has worsened after having it done, and now you’re one more. When I warn people about this possibility, I usually get shut down, with people saying those dentists must not have done it right. There’s a holistic dentist in my region who takes extreme precautions to do it right, yet people still react negatively. Not everyone – but enough people that I personally wouldn’t choose to get it done. I’m glad you are speaking honestly about your experience. I think it’s important for people to know there are two sides to this treatment story. One thing that would really support your chelation is either saunas (which greatly helped Carrie of Deliciously Organic) or lymph drainage therapy, which amps up the body’s ability to process the heavy metals you’re trying to clear through chelation. You can find a local practitioner on this website: http://www.iahp.com/pages/search/index.php . I’m sure you will get healthy again! I’m just sorry you had to go through this.

  7. Hi Eileen, thanks for stopping by and taking the time to leave me a comment. Thank you for your kind condolences but I have to say truly I’m extremely grateful that I’m no longer being exposed to that daily dose of mercury! Even though these past couple of months have been a rough patch to get through, I would not change anything. I think if I had somehow been able to know in advance how I would react it would have been even more difficult for me to follow through with the removal. As I mentioned I didn’t pay a lot of attention but I did know that some people have negative reactions. What I was certain of was that my reaction almost certainly would have been worse had I simply gone to my traditional dentist and had him do the removal. So I was aware of the risk I was taking – I just didn’t focus on that aspect. 🙂

    I think it’s good to warn people hence my post. On the other hand, I would still recommend amalgam removal as soon as possible. With what I know now, I just don’t know how optimum health can be attained while hosting mercury in one’s body.

    Of course there is a time and a place. As you may know if you’ve been following my blog, I’ve been on GAPS for three years. I’ve done a lot of healing so when the opportunity presented itself I was ready and jumped on it – even though I am not in perfect health. At this point, I’m wondering how much the mercury poisoning is holding me back from achieving perfect health.

    I’ve been thinking about getting a mini-trampoline for lymph drainage so thanks for the mention and this past weekend I asked my super handy do-it-yourself hubby to look into building me a homemade sauna! :-0 Traditionally I do not do “heat’ well since I do not sweat well – but I have also recently learned this is a symptom of mercury poisoning.

    Thanks for the wonderful comment. If you do have amalgams I hope one day you will feel well enough to have yours removed. My best to you and thanks again. ~Starlene P.S. Love your blog and share your GAPS testimonial posts on my FB page. 🙂

  8. Hi Kristie, thanks for your reply. I’m no expert but from what little I know there are only certain things that will actually move out heavy metals and one of those is the DMSA that I’m using. I definitely could be wrong. Were the products you were using to detox supposed to remove mercury and other heavy metals? I also more then likely have arsenic that I need to move out since our well water has contained it for years.

  9. Hi Starlene. That totally makes sense. I’m glad that you’re glad you did it. And you are way ahead of me on the sauna/lymph protocol! Awesome. A home sauna is on my dream list, too. Thanks for the compliments on my blog; it means a lot coming from you. ♥

  10. Hi Starlene! I have been thinking of you and hope you are doing well. I feel that I definitely got heavy metals out of my body. I am now wearing my old clothes that I haven’t worn in a few years. I have more energy. I feel good alot of the time. I sleep at night. I said healing scriptures alot, and worked on my diet ( dairy free, gluten free, homemade chicken soup, took all processed foods out, worked on eating more raw veggies and fruit, eat many gaps friendly starches but have never done gaps- still eat white rice.) I imagined my self healthy and pretty 🙂 And I do believe that clay and charcoal are very helpful for detox. And taking all the right vitamins and minerals and supporting the liver allows your body to detox naturally. I have also heard a doctor say that he uses zeolite (ACZ nano something) to detox and that if the person gets detox reactions even from the smallest dose
    than he backs off the zeolite and works on helping the liver and kidneys and than tries again. I kind of thought of detox in the same way- clear the detox pathways and then detox will happen more naturally and with less anguish to the person. That is what is right for me. I know that you will think things through, and with God’s help will figure out what is just right for you.

  11. Bless you for writing this. I had mine removed last fall through a conventional dentist (foolishly) and now I’m paying for it. Doing a DMSA regimen through my integrative physician + GAPS, and feeling absolutely horrendous the past few days. Pretty much the things that you mentioned. Came across this Andy Cutler info at the orthodontist’s office yesterday and that’s how I happened across this post via Google. My doctor has me on no additional support of any kind right now, and I see him in a couple weeks, thinking I’ll be addressing that, and whether or not I should be doing what I’m doing… best of luck to you and thanks again.

  12. Hi Kristie,

    I am about to get my amalgams removed and am looking for hope. I am a 25 year old and have been sick the last 4 years and just want my life back. How have you been doing on the Andy Cutler Protocol?! I would love to hear how things have gone!!!

  13. Hi Starlene,

    I’ve been reading up on the Andy Cutler protocol too & have been thinking about getting out my amalgams as I’m testing high for mercury in a urine test. Wondering how you are doing now? Anything you would have changed or done differently? I hope your health has continued to improve.

  14. Andrew Cutler is one of the *rudest* people that I have encountered. Whether or not his protocol works, he is extremely black-and-white in his thinking and will shame you on his Facebook forum (seriously!) if you suggest that people get tested for Lyme through Igenex, etc. Andrew, if you’re reading this, you really need to learn to be kinder to folks who are navigating some scary territory. His behavior is totally unnecessary, and I’d think twice before using this.

  15. Hi there and thanks for the great post. I’m currently in a similar boat as you’ve described above. Ive had my amalgams removed and am now trying to deal with chelation. My practitioner advised me to take 500mg of DMSA twice a week. After the second dose of this I ended up pretty messed up. My sulphur food tolerance is shot and I’ve got this nasty anxiety rearing it’s head again. Anyway, I’m considering the cutler protocol and am very keen to hear how you have been finding things recently?

    I look forward to hearing from you and hope your making great gains!

  16. Hi Ross – I’m sorry to hear about your experience. It sounds like using that amount twice a week moved some mercury and set it down, giving you redistribution symptoms. No fun. I was only able to chelate for a few months and then my mom moved in with us. I had to care for her and there was no way I could chelate through the added stress. She is still with us, and may be for another year or two but she is doing a lot better. At this point I still can’t think about chelating. I actually am holding up pretty well. I had to start working full time at my job since my boss fell and broke her shoulder so there is that added stress as well. I’m sorry to hear you are having anxiety. Have you checked into adrenal fatigue? Often in the early stages one has high cortisol and that can cause anxiety as much as the later stages when one’s cortisol has dropped low. Also, it can be difficult to chelate if you have adrenal fatigue, and finally if you have hypothyroidism which also can cause anxiety. My anxiety levels dropped significantly when I started on GAPS, moreso once I treated my adrenals and with thyroid medication I was able to slay the beast altogether. Now as long as I stay at my optimum dose for adrenal support and thyroid, I rarely experience anxiety. It is not a good feeling. 🙁 It is such a big puzzle to figure out. I wish I had the knowledge to invent a Star Trek like “doctor” which would contain conventional allopathic medical information, plus naturopathic, homeopathic, etc, and also I could tag specific things I’ve learned about (like GAPS, Cutler Protocol, Stop the Thyroid Madness protocol, etc.), tell him to treat me leaning to my understanding of my issues and get a step by step detailed chart of what to do next! Be sure to get Andrew Cutler’s book and read it through completely, and I also suggest joining the Yahoo group for guidance: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/adult-metal-chelation/

  17. Hi
    I’ve read your article. I have similar problems. But I didn’t understand exactly why you doubted your decision to have your amalgams removed ? Would it have been better to keep them ?

  18. Hi Piotr, no I do not think it would have been better to keep them. I’m just saying that due to the side effects I experienced afterwards, I was questioning my decision, but at the same time, glad I got it done.

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