I was diagnosed with occular Myasthenia 11 years ago. I quickly discovered that I was exposed to toxic mercury vapors during removal and replacement of a large amalgam filling only 7 days prior tothe onset of double vision. I had an elevated ANA titer, elevated liver enzymes and rheumatoid factor. My eyelids started to droop shortly after the double vision.

I never took steroids or any of the drugs prescribed for Myasthenia, however I did recover slowly. I had all of my amalgam fillings removed by a mercury-free dentist and started taking many many supplements. It took 3 1/2 years for my eyelids to go back up. But I did recover. I encourage anyone diagnosed with Myasthenia Gravis to consider the possibility that your amalgam fillings, also called "silver fillings" can be at the root of your illness. There are many tests which you can have done (not blood) which can help you in determining if your fillings are causing your body to retain the mercury which is released from the fillings 24/7 from the date they are implanted. You can find the names of mercury-free dentists at the International Academy of Oral Medicine and Toxicology. Please, do not allow just any dentist to remove your fillings, as they are not taught to safely remove them.



Also, please feel free to write to me for additional information.

You have nothing to lose by looking into this possibility, and everything to gain.

Freya Koss
Wynnewood, PA

Not questioning the nasty effects that mercury poisoning can have on the body... but every resource I've seen clearly states that the cause of MG is UNKNOWN. There are links to abnormalities in the thymus in a percentage of people with MG but the link is still not understood. If you have a scientific paper that clearly identifies mercury fillings/poisoning as a cause of MG I'd like to see a citation so I can read it. Also, I'd be curious how they would test for mercury in your system without doing a blood test for it... I've worked at heavy industrial sites where mercury is a known byproduct and blood tests were how they tested for exposure - nurse on staff took a baseline blood test when you started followed by another every 15 days and/or last day at site.

If you said Low level mercury poisoning from mercury amalgam dental fillings can cause MG like symptoms I'd not have questioned a word you wrote. But saying it causes MG is a bit of a leap (without backing proof). I just think posting information like this without referencing to some science can lead people down the wrong track, especially with respect to your statement about never taking any of the medication for MG. Taking any drugs was a very hard decision for me as I have always tried to keep pharmaceuticals out of my system whenever possible... I used to refuse to take cold medication or even Tylenol, choosing to let my body take care of it instead. I take my MG medications and whatever else I need to now though.

Hello.

I'm sure you meant well, but telling people that you never took meds was a bit irresponsible.

All of us need our meds in order to survive and thrive. We did not make this decision lightly...........

All of my docs have assured me that MG has no known cause or cure, but that remission for life is a possiblility - I hope and pray for that daily for everyone on this site!

Please do not encourage people to not take their meds (or tell them that you BEAT MG without the help of meds)......I believe that none of us want to have to take medication, but unfortunately we all have to!

Since I have been diagnosed, many well meaning people have recommended all sorts of things to help me beat my MG, and I thank them all for trying to help, but for now I'm going to do everything my neuro tells me to do - or my onc - or my GP.............

I am glad to hear you are feeling better - hopefully we will all feel great this next year!!!!

Erin

Freya:

First, I would like to say that I respect the fact that you brought this issue up in the forums. I have also heard of this from many people over the years that I have had M.G. I too also had my hair tested for toxins, etc., sought advise from naturopaths (one of whom just about killed me)....all of it.

But remembering that MG affects relatively a small amount of the population, yet the majority of the population has fillings with silver fillings being the major choice. It makes you wonder why that would be the case. Why would the rates of MG not be through the roof? Could there be another underlying issue besides the fillings?

I would offer that it IS a possibility that it could have a correlation. I know of other cases of different illnesses where people have chosen to remove their fillings. Whether it helps or hinders is a personal belief for most. We all seek answers in every venue when we are sick, and we have the right to do that.

The fact that you have done your own research into your personal case and have undergone the expense of doing this... I am happy to heard that it did finally get your ocular issues under control, and hope that it continues to keep your 'symptoms' under remission. After all - none of us want this crazy condition.

On a personal note, I can say from experience as well, that I have had more than a dozen people tell me that they have the 'multi-level' marketing 'CURE' for my cancer - because they 'CURED' themselves of their cancer. Well - if that was the case, I don't believe they would be peddling 'multi-level' marketing products. If somebody truly had the 'CURE' for cancer, I'm sure they would be richer than Bill Gates and Oprah combined.

My humble thoughts, but again...a good thread on the forum.

Lydia

Hi Freya,

I was diagnoses with Ocular Myastenia Gravis about 6 months ago. I had signs of double vision for over a year. Cooincidentally over last 2 years I had my silver fillings replaced (about 4 of them). How would I go about finding if mercury poisoning was a possibility, please send me additional info about how I can look into this possibility. Thanks, billfig99 -**

Freya, My main concern is that you still appear to have ptosis in your right eyelid. Are you being followed by a neurologist? In spite of the cause, if you still have MG, you need a good neurologist to take care of you. You say that you "did recover slowly" but you are still exhibiting signs of MG.

Is this you? If so, you are very well spoken.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cpJtiA_HAT8

I agree that our environments are replete with toxins of all kinds, including vaccines, mercury in fillings and, honestly, too many sources to list. But I agree with everyone here, who are MG vets, that - no matter the cause of MG - it is a serious disease that needs ongoing evaluation and treatment. It is a disease that can kill you if you are not aware of what it can do to muscles and are not treated properly.

I appreciate you exercising your civic responsibility and trying to advocate for change in the safety of dental products and mercury. It figures that the Scandinavian countries are again on the leading edge of making changes!

Be careful out there. Going up against the FDA isn't exactly popular (with them).

If you experience any weakness, shortness of breath or difficulty swallowing, you need to be seen in an ER immediately.

Annie

Billfig99, I just noticed that this post is from 2008. You might want to do a new post if you need any more information from folks here.

Annie

excuse my prudeness, yet saying mercury filled amalgams cause mg is like saying that a parasite doesn't cause infection..if you get what I'm saying. mercury is no good to have in your system, it can cause many things and I think a sudden onset of this disease is definetly not one of them. I have seen several top notch specialists and never have they asked about fillings.

sorry if this comes across rude, yet I want people
to know I believe from my research that this is completely false..

Oh, Tyson, you're too smart and young to start pooh-poohing possibilities! Leave that to the older, stuck in their ways doctors.

The fact is that anything which interferes with the biochemistry of our bodies is potentially a cause of diseases, including MG. Toxins, viruses, drugs and so many other things taken internally can cause disease states, temporary or permanent ones. Researchers have only scratched the surface of what can make us sick.

http://emedicine.medscape.com/articl...overview#a0104

They have yet to determine whether or not there could be something that could reverse or "back engineer" MG and I rather doubt they'll come up with it in our lifetimes. Many drugs can make MG worse. If they would only concentrate their time on "if it can make MG worse, then what can make it better," they might come up with better drugs for us. Or, dare I say, a cure.

So while a lack of mercury has not been shown to get rid of MG, mercury in the body does affect acetylcholinesterase and, therefore, MG.

Since Freya is long gone (since 2008), I doubt this info will get to her anyway.

Annie

The cause of disease is many times un-known because like a car accident it can be caused by many things, and more times then not it is caused by more then one thing. Most disease are probably what we call- multifactorial. eg-a combination of genetic and enviromental factors. Many times they are the result of over-reaction of our normal defense and repair mechanisms.

For instance celiac. People who have an immune system that is prone to react to gluten, can have a severe and at times life-threatening inflamatory response once exposed to even trace amounts. Whereas others with a somewhat different immune system will have disturbing symptoms but of a much less significant severity. And most of the population can have large amounts of gluten without any consequences.

As to mercury. Trace amounts are probably not harmful in most people, but it is possible that it may harmful in some who are more sensitive to it. This is probably true for almost every substance. It is a huge leap to attribute an autoimmune disease to amalgam, just because the first symptoms were evident after a visit to the dentist. By the same token you could attribute leukemia to ingesting pickles ( we had a patient who was confident that his leukemia was the result of rotten pickles he accidently ate).

coincidence is widespread, causality is sparse. finding the needle of causality in the haystack of coincidence requires meticulous and well-planned research. Even then, mistakes can happen in the understanding of the mechanism of disease.

When such connections are found it is a true celebration for science and for medicine. The discovery of the lack of vitamin B12 as the cause of a fatal debilitating illness; The discovery of insulin; The discovery of the genetic defect responsible for a certain type of leukemia which eventually led to a targeted and very effective treatment .

As to myasthenia, I may be overtly optimistic, but I do think that alongside those who think that the world is still flat, there are others, and there is some progress in the understanding, diagnosis and management of this illness, over the last few years.

There is even a very interesting and innovative clinical trial looking at improvement of muscle contractility in myasthenia. http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/N...thenia&rank=18. So, yes, it seems there are some who are thinking. Even though I wish there were more.