It’s been nearly two-months since I first posted an article (and chart) outlining my dump/stall phase experience. As of the end of my last round, I have completed the equivalent of 48.24 (72-hour) rounds. The following chart outlines where my dump phase falls when mapped within figure 15 on page 52 of “Amalgam Illness: Diagnosis and Treatment by Andrew H Cutler, PhD.”

Based on my current symptoms, I feel that I more align with the green bar, leading me to subscribe to a chelation schedule that will most likely extend well beyond 12-months.

My recent symptoms-setback has forced me to reevaluate where I stand in treatment. I figured I would be part of the “stall phase” camp, those individuals that experience little to no symptom relapses, but rather a temporary plateau of symptom improvement. The last few weeks have opened my eyes to the possibility that a plateau was merely wishful thinking.

According to figure 15 on page 52 of “Amalgam Illness: Diagnosis and Treatment by Andrew H Cutler, PhD,” the dump phase is graphed to present itself somewhere between six- to nine-months following dental amalgam removal. Following this dump phase, symptoms again start to slowly improve.

I was curious to see where I was, so I created a new chart, based off of Dr. Cutler’s figure 15, and marked where my “dump phase” fell. First, I determined that my first recorded entry about symptom reversal was on September 7^th, 2014. I then calculated how many true rounds into the protocol I was. Since I have had a few rounds end early, using the current round count (46, as of this writing) would be incorrect. After crunching some numbers, I came to 42.19-weeks, or 9.7-months in.

In the chart above, the vertical bars represent two possible ranges my “dump phase” currently falls within. The darker bar represents where my “dump phase” fell if the journey lasts 24-months, whereas the lighter bar correlates with a 12-month battle. While I was hopeful that 12-months would work for me, the experiences of others have helped me redefine the finish line at 24-months or greater.

For the past few weeks, Mondays have been a bit rougher than normal. For a visual simulation of what I mean, I will now ask Garfield to explain:

Monday’s are one of the two worst days of the week for me. It’s the day I start my rounds, and it seems that I have issues with the first few doses. By Wednesday I am feeling (somewhat) back to normal, and Thursday — my first day off round — reminds me just how much is stinks to stop a round.

I have been making steady progress, albeit slowly, towards a time when my light intolerance, dizziness, vertigo, and eye fatigue will be manageable, and hopefully nonexistent. But it has been a journey, and I only notice my slight improvements when my symptoms return to their previous glory.

For the last few weeks, I have been feeling worse than usual. Activities like walking in the grocery store, turning my head at a normal pace, and looking at monitors/screens for short bursts have all been harder to do recently. Every week at the grocery store I am reminded how far I have come, now that I am being forced to experience it as I had just nine-months previous.

Last week I blamed a cold; I figured that the head congestion exasperated my condition, making me more dizzy than usual. I have no excuse for today. I woke up with my normal level of congestion (still chronic), and yet I was hit with a short bout of vertigo while walking through my kitchen. I was even forced to lower the contrast on my monitor to be able to look at it for any period of time.

I have no idea what could be causing these sudden increases in symptoms. Some online have written about a “dump phase”, which this could very well be. Reading the link from the previous sentence:

The dump/stall phase will NOT take years and years! Maybe a couple of months for most as the chart suggests, for a few rare folks longer (and/or maybe as Brian suggests, worse sfx for those with not only Hg + but also many other kinds of metals which cause bad synergies during the dump/stall?)

Based on the results from my doctor, mercury is not the sole heavy metal that I am dealing with. Aluminum and cadmium make an appearance, and arsenic had shown up on initial scans. Maybe what I am experiencing is the dump phase, only made worse by the fact that my body is a hoarder of different heavy metals.

Whatever the cause, I will continue fighting until I am better. I have made it this far, and I am not about to throw in the towel.