Patient Instructions for Chelation Therapy

Congratulations, you’ve just started on a program of chelation that will aid in your overall health and reduce total body burden. Chelation is useful to both draw out heavy metals and toxins from your body and to improve the function of vital organs like your heart and brain. Chelation is generally well tolerated and in the past 30 years it has been performed worldwide in many diverse clinics on millions of patients. The only contraindications to chelation therapy are active liver or kidney disease, pregnancy or breast feeding, and a known allergy to one of the chelators. . If you have an allergy to sulphur please let your doctor know as DMSA is a related sulphur compound and may show cross-reactivity. Severe allergy is rarely seen and your doctor will monitor you throughout your chelation process to prevent any possible complications.

Typically your doctor will recommend a schedule of chelation that includes EDTA, DMPS or both chelators intravenously. EDTA chelation is typically scheduled no more than twice week and DMPS no more than once every two weeks. Depending on your treatment schedule it is also possible to receive both chelators in the same treatment.

Reactions and Detoxification Effects:

It is possible for you to have a temporary reaction from chelation therapy and there is no need to be alarmed. These effects are rarely serious or result in complications, but they may indicate a need to appropriately modify your chelation program and should be reported to your doctor or laboratory technician. If you experience any of the following or other unusual symptoms during the chelation treatment please let your lab technician known right away.

• Cramping, numbness, tingling or other discomfort at the infusion site or generally
• Mild allergic reaction including sneezing, watery eyes, nasal congestion
• Hypoglycemia or low blood sugar. If you have diabetes or difficulty with blood sugar control bring snacks with you and feel free to eat during your appointment
• Arrhythmia or change in heart rate is very rare and should be reported
• Many of the effects are a result of the detoxification process that occurs in your body following a chelation treatment. Mild symptoms can be normal and pose no harm, but may indicate that detoxification is too rapid and can be mitigated by a slower or lower dose of chelator.
• These may include:
• Slight fever occurring 4-8 hours after infusion that may be accompanied by chills, thirst or sweating
• Fatigue and malaise following infusion for up to 48 hours
• Increased urination
• Headaches, decreased appetite, nausea or vomiting, intestinal cramping (may not be directly related to treatment)

Prepare for Your Chelation Days:

1. On the day of your chelation treatment avoid taking any mineral supplements as these trace minerals may bind to the chelator and be inadvertently excreted. You should continue all prescriptive medications and other supplement unless advised differently by your doctor.
2. Bring a liter of purified or distilled water (not mineral water for reasons above) to sip during your treatment. We have filtered water onsite please ask the lab technician to get you some and maintain hydrated!
3. Eat a full meal before treatments and bring snacks to avoid low-blood sugar or hypoglycemic effects. If you are diabetic this is especially important and you may want to focus on a protein snack-we have protein bars and juice available for purchase.
4. Diabetic patients should be careful to monitor their blood sugar during and after chelation therapy. If you are on insulin your doctor may recommend that you decrease your dose slightly (25%) before chelation therapy.
5. You may feel tired, dazed or poorly after the first few infusions. When scheduling your first chelation treatment you should arrange to take a cab or have someone else drive you home in case you do not feel capable of driving yourself.
6. While you are going through your chelation treatments it is important to replenish your mineral and vitamin levels (some are inadvertently bound and excreted during a normal chelation treatment). Your doctor recommends receiving a vitamin and mineral repletion IV every 3-4 chelation treatments and this will be built into your program. Taking vitamins and minerals orally on your non-chelation days is also important. The following can be purchased in the Integrative Dispensary and are highly recommended:
   1. Multivitamin: one of
      1. Core Level Health Reserve Nutriwest-2 pills 1x/day (preferred)
      2. Biohealth Matrix Physica-2 pills 1x/day (alternative option)
   2. Chlorella Supplement: one of
      1. Prime Chlorella Pure from Sunshine Prime Chlorella-5 pills 1x/day (preferred)
      2. MetaChlor Physica-2 pills 1x/day (alternative option)
   3. Calcium Magnesium 1:1 ratio Biomed-2 pills 1x/day at night
   4. Coenzyme Q 10 Signature-1 pill 1x/day

NOTE: At this dosing the regime should cost ~$150 for a two month supply