Malabsorption & prioritizing supplements/$$

[Guest guest]

The hair tests for myself and my 2 NT kids presented all-low, which I understand

is

evidence of malabsorption.

I'm on round 5 of 25 mg DMSA. The kids just added in ALA to DMSA this round.

Based on the hair tests (malabsorption) and general good things I've read about

enzymes,

and my youngest kid's improvements on enzymes, we are all taking digestive

enzymes.

Houston's Peptizyde and Zyme Prime, 3x/day with meals. We are also taking

probiotics,

2x/day, rotating Culturelle, Houston's Suprema Dophilis, and one product from

Vitamin

Shoppe (whose name I can't remember).

When my youngest gets irritable and cranky in disposition, I'm guessing, and

taking that

as a sign of yeast. I give Houston's No Fenol and a drop of GSE in an empty gel

cap away

from meals, 1x/day, for 1-3 days. I've ordered some Candex as another option to

ward

off yeast.

I've read a lot on the Autism Mercury list about yeast, and it still confuses

me. The mantra

over there seems to be " assume yeast " and " you know you've got yeast if you

treat for it

and you/your kid feels better " .

We are making an effort to reduce sugar and high glycemic index carbs, but it

isn't easy

since we are vegetarian, and I don't want to load up on sulfur foods. On my

wish list is to

test for plasma cysteine levels, but I don't see where that money is going to

come from

right now (we have health insurance, but our deductible is huge).

I was working out our budget for chelation, and the digestive enzymes,

probiotics and

yeast protocol are by far the most expensive part, costing us more per month

than all the

" basic " supplements and chelators.

The kids and I are definitely functioning and consider ourselves very, very

lucky. I am

probably " moderately poisoned " , based on Andy's description in Amalgam Illness.

" On deck " of things for me to try are: taurine, and acetyl-L-carnitine based on

reading AI.

Okay, my question. Did anyone else here have an all low hair test and do you

have

anything you can add to the subject of malabsorption?

It's obvious that budgeting for chelators and basic chelation support

supplements are a

priority. Can anyone comment on how to determine whether the extra expense of

$120

per month for three of us to be on digestive enzymes is worth it? Or how much

yeast

protocol is necessary? Candex, 1x/day, for three people would be very costly

too.

Sorry to ramble, but it would be helpful to read how other people prioritized

expenditures.

Thanks,

in Illinois