HEAVY METAL POISONING

• by staci
• 2011-09-10 11:09:36
• Complications
• 7296 views
• 36 comments

My father had a documented allergy to potassium dichromate (hexavalent chromium VI) and his cardiologist and pacemaker company rep overlooked this allergy (documented on his medical record) and installed a pacemaker that contained this poison. My father over the past couple of years experienced classic symptoms of heavy metal poisoning and was treated for each problem as it occured by the appropriate MD.
1) 6 months after implantation of the PM Dad experienced bilateral leg rashes/ezema-saw dermatologist and given steriod cream to control. Heavy metal poisoning causes rashes.
2) 9 months after implantation, it was noticed that for the past few months he was experiencing dementia type behavior-Mom took him to a geriatric internal medical doc that specializes in memory loss and was given prescription for namenda--never saw a change in his mental status only ever increasing diminished thought processes and memory loss. Heavy metal poisoning causes delerium and dementia type behavior.
3) few months later Dad was found to have severe anemia. Bone marrow biopsy revealed no iron stores and was treated with heavy doses of ICAR-C plus and it did increase his RBC and H/H counts. Heavy metal toxicity causes hemolysis which destroys RBC.
4) couple more months passed and Dad was being treated for corneal ulcerations. Despite agressive treatments by the opthamologists, these ulcers never healed. Heavy metal poisoning causes eye ulcerations.
5) during the treatment for the corneal ulcers Dad needed his cream refilled for the leg rashes and saw the Dermatologist again, this time the Doc saw several "precancer" type spots and froze several off and prescribed a stronger steriod cream for leg rash. Heavy metal poisoning causes hyperkeratosis.
6) BAM! All at once Dad had changes in his mental status and coordination--almost stroke like behavior. Taken to ER at local hospital and admitted.
7) Within hours after admit to the hospital, Dad was diagnosed with encephalopathy-spinal tap done and battery of testing done on spinal fluid which revealed no viral or bacterial infection.
8) within 24 hours after admit Dad experienced severe respiratory distress and was placed on a ventilator for support.
9) 7 days later he was weaned off the vent only to suffer exteme mania for the next few days and then placed back on vent.
10) Dad continued to get worse and although it was mentioned several times to the Docs and medical staff of his allergy to metals, they shrugged off my pleas for help and/or laughed at me and my family.
11) renal failure sets in requiring dialysis
12) It seemed that Dad was losing the battle, and after requesting/demanding the testing for chromium and offering to pay for it, the Doc finally ordered "urine and blood testing for chromium.
13) The urine and blood had to be sent to an outside lab for testing.
14) Urine test can back positive for chromium and nothing was done by medical staff
15) Blood came back positive for chromium 5 hours before Dad died.

Now I sit here and type this message to all that might read it in hopes of saving a life. I wish to file a medical malpractice suit against the Cardiologist and PM Company rep that installed the pacemaker and overlooked Dad's allergy to the metal. Wrongful death suit because of my dad's extreme suffering and eventual death. Failure to diagnose the poisoning--they really did laugh at me when I suggested that this might be the root cause of his failing health. But so far I have been unable to locate an attorney that can even understand the issues I listed above and that my Dad died as a result of something that was put in him to help him live and it ended up being detrimental and causing his death.

I can only offer the advice of making sure to have testing for metal allergies done if the doc tells you that you need a pacemaker, defibrillator, stent, knee implant, ect. Once any of these items are implanted into a human body the removal is more detrimental than the reason it would be needed in the first place.

Yes, hindsight is 20/20 and now I have lost my dear father and best friend. Please be aware and know how horrible this has been for my Dad and family. Educate yourself and know that if I did not eventually reasearch Dad's allergy, his listed reason for death on the death certificate would be cardiopulmonary arrest not heavy metal posioning and we would not have had that closure. Really, doesn't everyone die from cardiopulmonary arrest?? otherwise they would be alive?? Just making a statement here.