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QUESTION:
X-Ray fluorescence of bone test to confirm suspected lead poisoning leading to seizures,
01 Dec 2004,
USA
Hello, I used to live in an old house in Dorchester, Massachusetts. I don't know what year the house was built but it had a gas stove that had a pilot light that I had to light every time I wanted to cook, and it had an old bathtub with the paws that I loved to have take baths it. It was oil heated. It just so happens that I had my first seizure at 32 years of age while living in this house. I have never had a seizure or fainted or anything of the sort ever. The kicker is that my cat started having seizures as well. I had my lead level checked after I moved from the house and it was within normal range - so I was told. I just think it is real weird that my cat and myself are now having seizures and we never had them before. What tests would be able to have done that would be more specific regarding lead poisoning or cell damage from lead? My neurologist, although good man has no diagnosis. All of my testing comes back normal. I know this is not normal. Shawnda Rose |
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ANSWER: 01 Dec 2004 Dear Shawnda, X-ray fluorescence of bone is a valuable tool in assessing body burden of lead but it is only available in two places in North America ANSWER: 1. Dr Howard Hu, Harvard University, Boston MA 02101, United States of America, howard.hu[at]channing.harvard.edu 2. Prof David Chettle, Professor, Program Director for Health and Medical Physics, Department of Physics and Astronomy, McMaster University, 1280 Main St West Hamilton ON L8S 4L7, Canada, 905 5259140 ext 27340 FAX: 905 5461252 EMAIL: chettle[at]mcmail.cis.mcmaster.ca; chettle[at]mcmaster.ca WEB: www.physics.mcmaster.ca/research/HRM/HRMed.html; www.physics.mcmaster.ca/people/faculty/Chettle_DR_h.html Alternatively, you could contact The American College for Advancement in Medicine (ACAM), Suite 204, 23121 Verdugo Drive Laguna Hills CA 92653, United States of America on PH: 714 58376666, FAX: 001119494559679 WEB: www.acam.org and ask for a doctor in your area who could carry out urine chelation challenge testing on you (for lead and other heavy metals) to determine how much chelatable lead you have in your bones. I have previously only heard of children becoming lead poisoned from bathtubs due to their propensity to lick the cool leaded enamel of the bathtub and swallow bathwater but if the paint on the house had been dry sanded before or during the time that you were living there then it is conceivable that even an adult could become lead poisoned under these circumstances. Also, who knows the lead content of your drinking water? I find the statement "blood lead level within normal range" to be meaningless so if you could find out the actual number and unit of the result and the date of the test and tell me how long that was after you moved from the old house, then I would be happy to make a comment on it. Was your cat actually diagnosed with lead poisoning or was another cause for the seizures proposed? I look forward to hearing from you again. Yours Sincerely Elizabeth O'Brien |
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