Just had a Lead Toxitity Blood Test....High

[afish4570]

What are my options.... Any one else had this.....I don't see any search method on this forum. I go for another test in two months. afish4570:groner::groner::groner:

[GabbyM]

Stop microwaving food on made in China plates and coffee cups.

[303Guy]

What are your actual results? I'm going for a second test soon to see whether mine is coming down. I do believe I was inhaling oxide dust from my casting process.

Chinese home homoeopathic remedies are said to be high in lead too.

[TomBulls]

I just got my annual check up at the VA, and my blood work came back with everything in the clear. Cholesterol levels are PERFECT, and everything else is WELL WITHIN normal. I'm only 29 years young, so all that might change in ten years! I hope you get it figured out. Casting lead needs good ventilation, so I hope you are able to figure out how to do it without creating a risk to your person.

-thomas

[afish4570]

Thought I was careful. Not breathing fumes from casting, try to stay upwind when casting outside of garage etc. I might have absorbed some by bore solvents contaminated with lead while scrubbing barrels (bores). I began using the dry method with a patch on brass jag with a piece of chore girl....This works quickly and with less contaminates slopping around.....Been wearing nitrile gloves too....afish4570:cbpour::cbpour:

[GabbyM]

Besides the major cause of lead poisoning in the USA which is lead in glazed dishes used in microwaves. Made in China dishes are all marked micro oven safe. Well DUGH.

For us casters it is a big no no to use a vacuum to clean up around the area. Vacuuming blows the fine particle dust into the air where it never was before. Use wet towels and mops. What’s even more ominous is a vacuum used in the casting room then drug around the entire house with lead in it’s dust bag. Any particles fine enough to be absorbed pass right through a dust bag.

Afish4570 how many times per week do you heat up your coffee in a glazed mug using a microwave oven?

[cody9999]

Donate blood. As your body makes new blood your lead levels will drop.

[Lefty SRH]

I honestly believe my lead numbers are coming from my tumbler. I've since moved it outside and keep it in a large plastic storage box.

[GabbyM]

I honestly believe my lead numbers are coming from my tumbler. I've since moved it outside and keep it in a large plastic storage box.

Tumbling bullets or cases. Dust from primers has lead in it I'm told.

Bullet collators can expose you to lead dust also.

[popper]

Take high doses of vitamin C.

[Gunslinger]

What was your number??

I've had mild-moderate lead poisoning for 3 years now. The highest I was ever tested was 60 µg/dL 6 months ago - which is fairly high! I never showed any symptoms. I started using Chlorella Pyreniodosa about a year ago and my lead level has now declined to about 30!

Some people say not to worry about it and just cast upwind. Well...... I did... and still got lead poisoning! Some people say that lead doesn't give hazardous vapors before its boiling point. Well... that's wrong - got lead poisoning anyway!

Now I cast with a mask containing carbon filters driven by batteries which blow fresh air in my face constantly. Some people will without a doubt laugh and say it's not necessary. I say it depends on the amount of boolits you cast. If you cast a few hundred a week, fine.... you can do without. But I cast 50.000+ each year so for my the mask is well worth it!

[Tech2]

Eat foods high in turmeric. It's a good chelating agent.
Yellow mustard and curries are great sources.

[BD]

I've needed to watch my lead levels since I was a teenager, initially due to lead body work in classic cars. Over time I've learned that the most significant shooting related exposure is the indoor range, followed by the dust from your tumbler. Lead Styphnate in the primers is the cause. The most common solution is to stop shooting indoors completely, and to wash your brass in soapy water prior to tumbling. With basic precautions, casting plays a pretty insignificant role.

Also, try using only clear glass with a paper towel over in the microwave. It's not just lead from Chicom pottery that's a risk there. There's also the flex agents from various plastic ware to be concerned about.
BD

[Cadillo]

What are my options.... Any one else had this.....I don't see any search method on this forum. I go for another test in two months. afish4570:groner::groner::groner:

What were the numbers?

[rexherring]

Take high doses of vitamin C.

That is correct, one of the few things that help bond to the lead and will slowly reduce the levels. Find the timed release stuff or it'll just pee out quickly.:)

[mold maker]

I'd seriously look for other lead sources. Levels as high as 60 come from serious intake.
Are you sure you wash every time before touching your face, eating, or smoking?
Add some Mineral Spirits to your tumbler to avoid the dust. Put used dryer sheets in the tumbler to absorb lots of the lead dust. Use fans in windows or doors, to create positive dust removal from your area. Don't allow dust to remain where you (and others) can contact, at a later time.
All these are just good health habits that should already be in place.
I'm 70 and have cast since the early "60s. My lead levels have never been over 4, which the Dr says is perfectly normal for the area. I do eat fruit and take a daily Vit C, or I could just be lucky, but luck isn't my strong suit.
I'll bet you have another source besides casting.

[44man]

It has to be another source. Maybe the water too.
Be careful or you will need to change your name to "Metal Man" Lead in your butt, gold in your teeth and silver in your hair! :holysheep

[scb]

I don't see any search method on this forum.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/imagehosting/27944fe8f75f08fe8.jpg

[303Guy]

Casting upwind is the wrong thing to do - that'll guarantee getting vapours and dust in your face! Use a side wind. The wind on your back causes a vortex to swirl up in front of you. Ever past wind with a strong wind to your back? Not that I'd know 'bout it. [smilie=1:

[afish4570]

Eat foods high in turmeric. It's a good chelating agent.
Yellow mustard and curries are great sources.

Thanks for the suggestions..... I will not microwave my coffee to warm it up anymore. I have been taking 500 mg. of Vit. C daily for years as well as Calc. , Zinc & magnesium too. I was the fired cases in soap and water before tumbling and add 2" pieces of dryer sheets cut to the tumbling media. The cases are not decapped until after polishing. I thought I was following pretty good prevention by washing often and before eating etc.Will keep you posted. In two months the Dr. wants another blood test. I have a tick borne illness babesiosis microti which is like malaria (not as common as Lyme & Ehrlicliosis which is like syphylis ) so I don't think I can donate blood. I will ask my Dr. though. afish4570

[para45lda]

Wow. I guess we will soon know what the doctor considers a "high" number.

Maybe he thinks 30 is a high number.

Good luck.

Wes

[fishindad]

Tumbling bullets or cases. Dust from primers has lead in it I'm told.

Bullet collators can expose you to lead dust also.

Interesting. Yet another reason I like this forum. I am moving my tumbler out to the garage!

[sig2009]

Stop eating lead!

[R.M.]

Some people are just more prone to it, just like some people are more prone to catch a cold or flu.
Sounds like you're taking most of the precautions. Re-evaluate what you're doing. Maybe you're missing one small thing. Good luck.
Oh, and some Dr.s don't know squat about lead poisoning. They seem to believe that the numbers that apply to children are the same for an adult. They are not.

[buletdoc]

I have ben casting for several stores since '90. at first i smelted range lead, used 4 cav. molds, hand counted, handled bullets when removing from water bath. Also handled each bullet when sizing. Only once was lead level high, about 21 the doc said. Wanted me to lay off casting for 3-4 mo. I started taking Garlic tablets cause of something I read. went back in 3 wks. & was told level was down & could start casting again. Also try orange juice maybe instead of vit. c tablets.

[jcwit]

I casted since the 1960's, inside. Have my levels tested now twice a year, a few years ago was having tests done every quarter, just tossed in the lead test with other tests. Have never been higher than 6.

Molten lead does not vaporise till one get to 1100 degrees, which is way to hot for casting. You'd have to wait forever for the sprue to harden.

I'll bet your problem is elsewhere.

[MtGun44]

DANG IT! A number of people have asked it and you are ignoring the critical
information.

WHAT ARE THE NUMBERS!

Docs are largely full of baloney on this and scare people all the heck with numbers like
15 or 25, which are NOT a real problem!

If you don't have the numbers, get them and relax until you do.

Also LEAD VAPORS are mythical, lead does not vaporize significantly at casting temps,
hard fact. Most lead is ingested via the mouth due to eating, drinking or smoking with
lead contaminated hands.

OSHA says that a lead worker can test at 39 for every day of his life and nothing needs
to be done about it. There is a limit of 10 FOR CHILDREN, that does not apply to adults,
and many docs are not aware of this.

You CAN be a careful active caster and test at 5 or 10, but it takes a bit of hygiene and
care but nothing heroic, and not worrying about the non-existent stuff like the phony
'lead vapors', while ignoring the real threats of ingestion.

Bill

[thebigmac]

HEY FISH--- WHAT'S A 'toxi tity'. I've heard of "nice-firm-large-outstanding-& much more but, no toxi.....

[white eagle]

don't sweat it
just keep up good house keeping and good hygiene you'll bounce back

[303Guy]

I'd say that most adults will not show signs of lead poisoning at 'normal elevated levels' but some might. Avoid dust forming practices in the casting and smelting procedures and keep a stream of air flow away from your entire body during casting and melting. My practice was creating dust which in inevitably got onto me into my face! I was way too casual about handling lead. I will be taking it seriously from now on. It's kinda like a gun - to be handled with care.