Long Term Effects of Mercury Poisoning

[Winikor]

In the late 60's, early 70's (can't quite remember) I had mercury poisoning from eating a can of tuna.  I remember being extremely ill.  I didn't eat tuna for about 10 years after, but when I started (I am a picky eater and eat only certain foods) I ate tuna for lunch every day for 30 years.  I noticed that I was getting confused, my memory is failing and I would want to say something and the words came out all wrong.  My husband said that I should stop eating tuna that it might be mercury poisoning.  My question is: if I had the high mercury poisononing way back then, does that leave my body?  What are the symptoms and long term effects of Mercury Poisoning?  What can I do to detox?  This might answer a lot of questions for me including severe hair loss and other physical problems I have faced since that time.  It would be a great help to me if you could shed some light on this subject.  Thank you.

[Winikor]

First of all, you are very funny.  Second, thank you for your suggestions and the time to respond.  However, in the late 60's (or early 70's) there was a problem with contaminated tuna with Mercury whereby many people got sick and, if I'm not mistaken, people may have also died.  If you do your research, you'll find that this actually happened.  I was one of those people that almost died.  It is only recently that I have focused on the Mercury problem, only because I have found I have certain symptoms that I can't explain.  I will do a search on the 'MSDA" and try to find out as much as I can.  My daughter is an accupuncturist and she's the one who actually has made me aware that my symptoms may come from the toxicity in my body, mostly from Mercury.  I am also aware about toxic tests, which I have every intention on pursuing.  Thanks again for your suggestions, your help and your sense of humor.  I needed that!

[caregiver222]

The liklihoood that you had mercury poisoning from ingesting a single can of tuna are virtually non-existent. I don't know who worried you about this, but they were wrong. The chances that this has happed is equivelant to the chances of you being beamed to the Starship Enterprise and discover Captain Kirk really exiosts. There is a good possibility the tuna contained bacter or mold that released neurotoxins that made you sick. That is a reall possibility. Mercury is very toxic and there are many discussions as to whether or not it can ever be totally removed from the syetm by chelation. There are screens today to determine your exposure. I can't vouch for the validity of the labs, however they can do hair-sample analysis reasonabley, and you can find these labs on the internet. Hair often contains evidence of toxins. Some of th mercury leaves, but there are many unanswered questions. For the record, I swallowed the mercury from a hospital thermometer (with the glass) three decades ago and suffed no ill effects. It broke and the nurse put the remains in an empty coffee cup next to the machine. I put coffee in and "down the hatch". I would avoid tuna because of the mercury, but I would not be overly concerned. It is possible that eating tuna for thirty years did cause some mercury poisoning, but that is water under the bridge. On the internet there is something the U.S. government puts out called the "MSDA". This established toxic thresholds for chemical substances. Do a search on a particuliar toxin and you will find the thresholds determined to be harmful. Unfortunately there is not much you can do about exposure at this late date. There is a good argument for what is called "chelation" therapy, but it is usually disapproved by insurance and the practicioners branded as quacks. The protocol, from the lierature, does appear to have substantive value in removing some mercury. The problem you will face is that you will encounter two kinds of medical practioners. (1) the ones who won't pay attention to you and (2) the quacks who are health nuts and out to sell chelation treatments. There are physicians in between, but they are few and far and hard to find. You require a thorough evaluation by a caring M.D. in person who will agree to perform and order specific toxic tests.