Elizabeth,
Thank you so much for your prompt response. In answer to your question(s),
I was
exposed to lead while working in an old house (I am a contractor) and removing,
sanding
and generally breathing and/or ingesting lead paint particles. Needless to say
(I hope), I
am much more careful about my work habits and paying attention to the warnings
that
were already there for me.

As far as my levels go, I regret to say that I have only the one test to go
by as I was
dropped by my medical insurance on a technicality right after I was diagnosed
with a
"high" lead level. Regardless, I will be getting a new blood test for lead so I
can gauge
my progress, and I will most likeley have some more questions for you then.
Thanks again for your help and support; this has been a scary experience for
me and
it's good to be in contact with people who share my concerns.

sincerely, Saul




--- In LeadWorkers@yahoogroups.com, <egroup@...> wrote:
>
> Dear Saul,
> the good news is that your blood lead level will fall as long as you have
> identified the source/s and stopped the exposure. Sperm are apparently only
> affected by the blood lead level for the 4 months that it takes to make a
> sperm. We recommend therefore that you do not try to conceive until your
> blood lead level has been below 10 micrograms per decilitre (ug/dL) for a
> full four months prior to conception. As to how long it takes to get the
> blood lead level down to 10 ug/dL (ie how long will it be before you can
> start counting the four months), this is entirely dependent on the peak
> blood lead level and how chronic or acute the exposure was. In other words,
> if your blood lead level had been 26 ug/dL or higher for a full year before
> your blood lead level was tested (chronic exposure), then it would take a
> lot longer (unless you have chelation treatment) to fall to below 10 ug/dL
> than if your blood lead level was 8 ug/dL one week and 26 ug/dL for the next
> week (acute exposure) when you got it tested.
> If the result of 26 ug/dL was your first blood lead result then the best
> indicator as to how long your blood lead level might have been elevated is
> the RATE at which it falls or the length of time it takes to go below 10
> ug/dL. If it goes below 10 ug/dL in a matter of weeks then you know it was
> an acute exposure but if it takes months, you can be fairly sure it was a
> chronic exposure (unless there has been a failure to identify and eliminate
> sources and you are in fact continuing to be exposed to lead). Does that
> make sense?
> The bad news is that, according to the most comprehensive synthesis of
> research into lead, the "Draft Toxicological Profile for Lead" [Ref: Author:
> U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, Public Health Service, Agency
> for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), September 2005
> http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxprofiles/tp13.pdf ]
> page 28 - "High-level exposure in men can damage the organs responsible for
> sperm production."
> Do you have other blood lead results to give the picture as to the severity
> of your exposure? Were you exposed to lead at work? If so, it would be
> interesting to know what the work was.
> Best regards
> Yours Sincerely
> Elizabeth O'Brien, Manager, Global Lead Advice & Support Service (GLASS) run
> by The LEAD Group Inc.
> PO Box 161 Summer Hill NSW 2130 Australia
> www.lead.org.au
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "q22skidoo" <q22skidoo@...>
> To: <LeadWorkers@yahoogroups.com>
> Sent: Tuesday, September 12, 2006 3:01 PM
> Subject: [LeadWorkers] a question about plumbism and reproduction
>
>
> Hi. I'm a 35 year old male. Last year I was diagnosed with lead poisoning
> (my blood
> lead level was found to be >26 at the time I was tested). The symptoms come
> and go,
> but I'm dealing with them one day at a time.
>
> I have no children, but lately (for obvious reasons) I've been
> wondering about my
> ability to ever have them. Specifically, I'm wondering A. if a high blood
> lead level is a
> "death sentence" for a man's reproductive ability, and B. whether or not
> there are
> likely to be birth defects, assuming fertilization is still possible.
>
> I'd like to hear from anyone who has insight into this matter. Thanks.
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>