Had mine checked this week. It came back at 20.6. They said if I don't stop doing what I am doing, they were going to turn me into public health dept.:evil:
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Had mine checked this week. It came back at 20.6. They said if I don't stop doing what I am doing, they were going to turn me into public health dept.:evil:
I just went to the doc for annual physical and got the lead test for the first time. 39. Not good according to them. No symptoms other than the usual age related ones. Doc wanted me to lay off casting/shooting for a couple of months (like that's going to happen). I don't eat/drink while casting/shooting, use ventilation when casting, and wash up after every session. Many years of shooting at semi-outdoor ranges. I am going to start using a 3M respirator and gloves while casting and emptying tumbler to see if that helps before I get retested in a couple of months. One way or the other, I am going to continue to enjoy my hobby.
The thing is, some people have "high" Pb levels despite, as far as they know, not being in contact with Pb. Others, who work with it all the time, have low Pb levels.
I get tested occasionally, and I have been at 6 since the '80s.
The "real" question is, what level is of REAL medical concern and not just the latest "downsized" level from the bureaucracy to keep us "safe?"
I asked my doc. and she asked why??? She asked if i use ventilation and wash up/no food or drink while casting. since i do she said not to worry but tested me anyway came up a 4. so all good here. she builds stained glass windows and doesn't feel that testing with out symptoms is really needed.But stressed proper handling of lead...really stressed...
I agree with noylj. I could have been born with lead levels this high, and so far I see no reason to be alarmed. I lead a reasonably healthy lifestyle, eating a bit too much and drinking a bit too much whisky (not according to me), and have encountered none of the posted effects of lead poisoning. As I stated, I will use the respirator while casting and be more aware of the issue, but I will continue to cast and shoot. I think a lot of this is the government protecting us from ourselves, which I don't need. This was turned into the county health department by the doctors office. I can hardly wait to hear what they have to say.
I had a blood draw yesterday. This will be the first ever lead test for me. Results will take a while, as the lab said they have to send it out to another lab. Reason is, I mentioned having a 'sweet' taste after shooting at the local indoor with my cast boolits to my doctor. I still think it might have something to do with the vaporized bees wax in my lubes. I assume all bees wax has a fair amount of honey still in it ( I caught my old dog, Bud, chewing into a bag of the wax once. Must be tasty ). I do have some muscle weakness and achy joints in my shoulders, elbows wrists and fingers. But hey, I'm 60, and have worked since I was thirteen years old, so...duh.
wallenba, that sweet taste is airborne lead. Most indoor ranges give you this unless they have quality air treatment. Don't be surprised if your level is elevated.
Ah, the sweet taste of lead. You know, they say the only thing that takes that taste away is... beer.
No respirator is needed. There are no lead fumes while casting. Temps just aren't high enough. You could keep your face over the melt for days and not have any problems. You may want a face shield.
There are, however, lead compounds in the dross and the "dirt and dust" that can be generated. It is the transfer of this solid matter, via hand-to-mouth, that can cause problems. Keep the area clean and use a damp cloth the wipe down and wash those hands for at least 30 seconds in warm water with detergent/soap.
Again, all I shoot is indoors and my blood lead level is STILL 6 after more than 35 years.
I have lived since the early '50s with warnings about not ingesting lead paint, etc. We are still getting the same lead levels on urban children and the obvious lead sources are long gone. Maybe someone should actually look into the cause and track from birth. Maybe certain individuals simply HAVE high lead in their system. Maybe they simply retain it better than the rest of us. Maybe there was a health reason for this retention in centuries past. Maybe drawing straight lines to determine danger levels is not the way to do science--since science found that out at least a century ago? Maybe those protecting our health are really more concerned with controlling out lives? Maybe, since we are not drinking water and wine stored and transmitted in lead containers and pipes, we might actually have eliminated the real causes of acute lead poisoning and maybe we are sweating over the last 1% that has NO effect on life and where the costs far outstrip any benefits?
Ask your doctor for the figures on deaths by acute lead poisoning in the US.
[QUOTE=noylj;1643352] Maybe certain individuals simply HAVE high lead in their system. Maybe they simply retain it better than the rest of us.
noyjl, I agree with your thinking. Maybe it is like cholesterol (mine is high according to them), that it is something that I am going to have no matter what I do. Wonder why I get to retain things like lead and fat instead of something good? :???:
A lot of accumulating is based on infection, not on what is accumulated. If you have an infection tendency you are likely to accumulate a lot of bad stuff. Your tendency for infection is generally based on loss of sleep (ability to recupurate) and diet.
This is why there are no real evidence that a low cholesterol intake automatically lowers your cholesterol values, but there are plenty of studies showing that a lower intake of refined sugars and oils lowers infection tendencys, which with time lowers accumulated malignants.
I'm quite certain my high lead was from lead oxide dust. I was covering my melt with sand which held a build up of oxides and every time I disturbed this some dust would get released into the air and I obviously inhaled some of it. I won't use that method again and I will ensure adequate ventilation.
Did I have symptoms of lead poisoning? Yes I did. That doesn't mean it was from the lead and probably wasn't but it could have been. I'll be having my second test soon.
I was tested 6 or 7 years ago, I do not remember exactly what my numbers were but my Doc said I was at the very low end of normal.
Michael Grace
Just for %&% and giggles I had the lead content tested the last time I had blood work. It was at the low level of what is considered detectable. As a kid, my Dad and I cast 1,000's of bullets in the basement - no ventilation, no fans. I have spent a lot to time both shooting at ventilated indoor ranges and in reloading. I suspect that there is a natural variation for individuals as with most health related things and that some individuals are more susceptible than others.
Just had my level tested and it is 14. Cast/shot lots of bullets, but I've also stripped TONS of lead paint from my house both inside and out. Wore either n95 resp or n100, but guarentee some of it came from the paint./ Dan
Today,
I visited a new Doc.
My former Doc has moved onto greener pastures.
I wasn't looking forward to this because of the quesionaire others have told me about...
do you own any Guns ?
are they loaded ?
where do you store them ?
well, the New Doc is a great guy. very understanding. No sure questionaire. He wanted to take some blood tests for other things due to my High BP meds.
So I asked for a Lead test.
He questioned WHY ?
I gave him a line of BS about Lead at work, I just don't trust him enough yet.
Anyway, I'll post in a couple days when the lead test comes in.
Jon
How much do the lead tests run when they are not covered by insurance?
silvercreek,
that's a good question. I do not know, but will find out in about a month when the bill comes. I suspect it'll be in the $80 to $150 area.
I did get a call this afternoon from the nurse, she said my Lead level was 8.
I guess I am doing something right. between smelting scrap (outside) and casting and reloading and tumbling brass in the house (I do add liquid car wax to the corn cob media, it helps keep the dust down) I was worried it'd be high...that's why I asked for the test.
Jon
Made a phone call, $61 from Labcorp...
This was not necessarily a good idea. Better to say something like "just curious", or make up a ridiculous story about getting cheap dental fillings in Tijuana and wonder if they might have used lead instead of silver because they taste funny. (ask stupid questions, get stupid answers)Quote:
He questioned WHY ?
I gave him a line of BS about Lead at work, I just don't trust him enough yet.
You don't really want him reporting your boss to OSHA if the tests came back high.