I have had a casual interest in the subject for several years, but became
more interested in late November when, after resuming taking tenormin
for high {*filter*} pressure, I developed angina pectoris (heart pains). I
decided that, facing bypass surgery, it might be worth giving chelation
therapy a try.

(Note: EDTA is disodium ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid, typically
administered by injection of a solution of 500ml Ringers, consisting of
10-15cc EDTA, 10-15cc ascorbic acid (Vitamin C), 2cc lidocaine, 3cc
magnesium, 2cc B-complex, administered over a period of about 3 hours.)

After 9 treatments, over a period of 2 months, I can report the following:

BEFORE                              AFTER

Angina upon walking more than       Slight discomfort if I run or rapidly
about 100 feet briskly.             climb stairs, but no longer from walking.

5, slowing rising.      BP of 132/84, falling.
Drowsiness, fatigue, shortness      Alert, well-rested, no shortness of
of breath.                          breath.

{*filter*}ly discomfort in legs.         No more discomfort.

Mild arthritis, especially in       No more arthritis symptoms.
hands.

Muscle stiffness, creaking joints.  Muscles more limber, no more creaking.

Calcium deposit on knuckle.         Calcium deposit shrinking rapidly.

Varicose veins in feet, ankles.     Varicose veins reduced by about 40%.

Cold hands, feet.                   Warm hands, feet.

There have also been other general improvements in health and comfort.

Tenormin was discontinued prior to beginning chelation therapy, and has
note be resumed. (One of the side-effects of tenormin is heart failure!).
Vasotec had other undesirable side-effects.

The chelation therapy is self-administered. It is supplemented with a
course of vitamin and mineral tablets, and I have begun to eliminate
sources of free-radical production from my diet to the extent possible
for someone who eats out all the time.

Chelation therapy has been attacked on the grounds that it does not
reduce arteriosclerosis plaque or have a lasting effect. Its defenders
claim that whatever its effect on plaque, it seems to reduce the
impact of plaque, and that its effects are indeed lasting with some
maintenance treatments at the rate of say, one every two months or so.

Based on my experience, I must side with the defenders. There is not\
placebo effect here. I know how to counter for that.

Comments would be welcome.

More information on chelation therapy can be obtained from:

American Academy of Medical Preventics
6151 W Century Blvd #1114
Los Angeles, CA 90045

International Chelation Research Foundation
3218 Pauline Dr
Chevy Chase, MD 20815

These addresses may be out of date. I haven't checked them lately.

BP of 142/105, slowing rising.       BP of 132/84, falling.

Based on my experience, I must side with the defenders. There is no

Don't get me wrong -- I'm glad you're feeling better and all, but how
do we know it's the chelation and not your new diet, for example?  And
are you getting more exercise than you were before?  There are so
many variables here that attributing the results to a single cause
seems awfully shaky to me.

  -- David Wright, Hitachi Computer Products (America), Inc.  Waltham, MA

     but you're free to disagree, you poor deluded creature

I am taking more vitamins now, but was also taking a supplement before.
This course differs mainly in including more minerals of the kind that
chelation therapy might deplete.

Eating habits haven't changed that much. Mostly less fried foods, no butter
or margarine, no salad dressing, etc. But I never ate much of those anyway.

I used to run a lot, but have not been exercising beyond short walks. I
want to get the angina down a lot more before attempting real running.

Incidentally, BP is now down to 122/82, and seems to have stablized at
that level.

Just a data point.

I have noticed that my veins, which I can examine more easily than my
arteries, since more of them are just under the surface of my skin,
seem to have gotten larger and softer since beginning chelation therapy.
If the same thing is happening to the arteries, this could explain
increased {*filter*} flow even though plaque reduction is not very great.
Might also make the plaque more permeable to the flow of oxygen.

I recall news reports of a family in Italy which is free of cardiovascular
problems, seemingly as the result of an inherited trait which involves
the production of a protein that protects against cardioascular disease.
One wonders whether that protein might operate similarly to EDTA, and
whether this might involve a gene that our ancestors had but lost, like
the gene to make Vitamin C.

Tried aspirin. Helped a little, but not nearly enough.

You might want to take another look at EDTA chelation therapy. Note that
this is the disodium variety, not the one used in most other chelation
therapy.

Work is being done on testing several candidate "drano" {*filter*}. I am
hoping chelation therapy will hold me until one of them pans out.