Round 1: With the Bladder of a Pregnant Woman

The first round has been an interesting introduction to the world of low dose chelation. Let’s start with the dry numbers:

My initial concern was the rigorous schedule required to properly chelate. Having to drop everything every three- or four-hours to take a chelator seemed like a daunting task. Not that it’s hard to swallow a pill or two; it’s the fact that if I miss a dose I have to stop the round and wait days before starting up again. As someone who suffers every waking moment, the thought of setting my recovery back by simply missing a dose can add to an already stressful situation.

Then there are the supplements I take; 31 pills a day, to be exact. I do my best to take them throughout the day, minimizing the amount I take at a single session. With four sessions each day (one per meal and one before bedtime), a pill organizer, and no stress from accidentally missing a dose, supplements have been the easiest part of the protocol so far.

What I wasn’t ready for was the frequent need to visit the restroom. With all of the doses and supplements I take throughout the day, I end up drinking a lot of water. In between swallowing pills I drink even more water and beverages (peppermint and chamomile tea) to quench my thirst and help my body expel toxins. When you add it all up, it comes out to ~90+ oz. of fluids, and it has to go somewhere.

So, how did the first round go? Very well. With the aid of my iPod Touch and its built-in Clock app, I was able to schedule an alarm every four-hours with ease, including start and end dates. Carrying it wherever I went ensured I never missed a dose, not even by a couple minutes. With the exception of the 3am restroom breaks, I would say the round went without a hiccup.

I did experience a sinus headache on day two, but I chalk that up to staring at a computer monitor for too long, along with changing weather patterns. I have suffered from sinus headaches for many years, so I am not sure if it could be attributed to chelating.

I took my last dose this morning at 3am and haven’t noticed any adverse events since. Some people experience redistribution symptoms following the end of the round, but I don’t appear to fall into that category. I did experience horrible symptoms when I was taking a 500mg dose of DMSA once a day, three days a week, but that was at a much higher strength. It makes me wonder if I should increase the strength of DMSA, but I will hold steady for another few rounds.

One round down and 11 more to go before I introduce ALA (Alpha Lipoic Acid) into the mix.