Hi – new here and looking for insights and support. I tend to
research things and then decide what to do next.

I am over 50, f, and live in the Pacific Northwest US. I was raised
in the NW, but had spent about 20 years in the Midwest US working
before moving back. I have also lived in the southwest.. I was
forced out of work for health reasons and am now retired officially.

I have always been chemically sensitive I suspect. I showed my first
signs at age 10. At age 30 it manifested into food allergies. I had
hepatitis first as a toddler and a few other rounds of liver problems
since. The cause is unknown (isn't that typical doctor talk).

A year ago I got really sick. I was grasping at straws looking for
answers. We had acquired a used refrigerator and looking back, I got
sicker after working on cleaning the dusty junk under it on the coils
and fan; it has now been replaced. The road in front had weed killers
put on it in a routine spraying the month before I started cleaning
the fridge and that got me sick too. Even though I am to be notified
in advance I wasn't but I would have gotten sick anyhow.

In looking for answers, I had a DDI hair test run in October 2007. It
showed elevated arsenic and had the markers for adrenal failure (high
K and Na and low Ca and Mg). The primary care person I see had no
idea how to interpret it (she didn't order it either) and I got some
insight on a yahoo group and ended up buying Cutler's Hair
Interpretation book. The elevated arsenic made sense if the previous
owner of the refrigerator had put rat or mouse poison on it and I got
it on me somehow.

So I have spent this last year working on adrenal issues and dealing
with what I assumed was arsenic poisoning. I have attacked this with
supplements and I have to admit when I feel worse, I have a hard time
keeping them up. When I push things, I get more headaches, and have
strong smelling urine.

So fast forward to now. I ran another hair test a couple weeks ago.
This one still shows arsenic in the yellow zone, but now antimony is
also yellow. I also have a 4 fold increase in lead (still green) and
see ups and downs in other toxic elements. The adrenal issues are
better but still there. The potassium is still sky high, but not as
high. If it helps I can post the hair tests on photobucket.

I was looking for mercury as I still have my metal fillings. The
counting rules show "passing" – in other words none of them are met
but I understand the presence of these other toxins can mask that.

I don't know if the antimony is new or old stuff being excreted.
Where is the antimony coming from? I wish I knew. The bed is 10
years old but I added what was then a year old memory foam topper
(this was after I got sick). I had worked about 40 years ago for a
short time in electronics in plants with printed circuit boards and
soldering operations. I wasn't actively involved as I did clerical
and quality control work.

Our water supply is "safe" with levels < 0.005 - up to 6 is allowed on
the last test. I don't know about where we had lived before – haven't
researched that yet. I do read about antimony leeching into plastic
water bottles and well I do drink bottled water. At home I tend to
drink steam distilled. I do have a new distiller.

I do know they paved the roads recently here (first coat was July 17th
in front) and that work with asphalt and oil was pretty toxic and I
had been doing better before they started doing that again this
summer. .

My symptoms include some brain fog. My reflexes were shot a year ago
but are better. I have metallic tastes, gum irritations (but dentist
says things are okay) and distorted sense of smell. I had some pain
in the teeth with metal fillings during all of this and had rotten
tastes in my mouth around the same time. I have rounds of emotional
issues. I have ear pains too and hearing is super sensitive according
to my spouse. The distorted smells drive me crazy and I suspect I am
detoxing stuff and smelling that (and it is causing the gum sensations
but I really don't know).