My first encounter with Dr. Cutler and our subsequent back and forth in the Yahoo group. This took place in 2010. I labeled it "Met the Great Man Himself."
REBECCA: So, last Friday I went to the Biotics Research "fest" and paid $150 to hear Andy speak and also for that got a nifty blue bag with a lot of propaganda and a few useful plastic items with logos on them.
ANDY: I didn't even end up with the 'swag bag.' ;-(
REBECCA: Andy's lecture was low key.
ANDY: I am on the downside of the sore throat and lingering cough that is going around, I was a bit concerned that I wasn't quite 'up' enough, but the audience members I talked to thought it was fine.
REBECCA: He had a power point presentation
ANDY: The conference asked that it be that way.
REBECCA: in the same font he uses in his books with no bells and whistles. He covered all the essential stuff from his books without getting excited: tests, chelation protocols, half life, hair tests and supplements. The audience seemed pretty attentive. Maybe there were about 150 people.
ANDY: That seems about right.
REBECCA: I got to ask my question about the challenge tests. I asked this in order to educate the public. really. Dr Shcenck said he was not convinced by the answer. (You need to read the book, Dr. Schenck. Find the time to read it!) The rest of the audience also seemed pretty upset by what he had to say about alpha lipoic acid. "No, it is not a good idea to take 250 mg twice a day. No, that is huge amount and the wrong schedule."
ANDY: Yes, it is the alternative medicine community's contribution to the mercury holocaust, to go along with the carelessness of the mainstream doctors and dentists in loading us up with the stuff in various forms.
It's difficult to know exactly how to present the classic message "the emperor has no clothes." I am sure it will ever be thus. Progress consists half of figuring out cool new things, and half of figuring out something we thought was a good idea, isn't. One of the problems with health care providers being trained instead of educated is they have a really hard time with the second part of progress - even though that's been the human condition for millenia, they're surprised when it comes up yet again.
REBECCA: Afterwards, there was an excited little group around Andy in the lobby asking questions and I listened in to all that.
ANDY: It was actually a very good interaction! They were genuinely interested. Unlike some mostly MD groups I've interacted with, they didn't spend a lot of time making statements to me or pontificating, They asked pointed and relevant questions and made sure they understood the answers, and why I gave them. Very refreshing, actually. They may or may not have agreed with me, but at least they understood what I was saying before they decided.
REBECCA: I also asked about my hair test which I took while chelating and taking minerals, He agreed it was probably useless. Some of the practitioners who asked questions seemed really wonderful and I wish they lived around here rather than in St. Louis,
ANDY: I was pretty impressed by the lady doctor from St. Louis as well.
REBECCA: and some seemed to be trying to figure out their own problems or relatives' problems. My dentist was hell bent on finding out what supplements to take to keep from killing himself.
ANDY: I would clarify this by saying that he was not asking any questions relating to supplements that prevent suicidal ideation, or that address depression. He was asking what supplements might protect him against mercury since he is exposed every day, day in and day out. BTW, he is taking the best care I've heard of a mercury free dentist taking to protect himself from exposure at the office which suggests he takes the same kind of care to protect his patients.
REBECCA: One comment Andy made about the ALA was that taking large doses is like Russian roulette. People who play that don't all get killed. I will keep this analogy for the challenge tests, too.
ANDY: Yes, it seems to be a very good analogy in terms of communicating and getting people to think.
REBECCA: I took two and nothing happened, but I'm not doing any more, for sure!
Andy is a rather stout person with masses of grey hair in a ponytail and a big grey beard, too. He has a big prominent nose and also very prominent eyes. I liked the way he looked but then I am a fan. People have been commenting on his personality and about that I would say, the guy is a scientist and an engineer. My son-in-law, who I live with, is also a chemical engineer and he has a very similar manner.
ANDY: Yes. I'm very much the geek. My online persona is somewhat different, largely due to the invective I heap on DOCTORS WHO DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT MEDICINE when I'm trying to get people to not hurt themselves (or put themselves at risk playing the health care equivalent of Russian Roulette).
REBECCA: It is not very "touchy feely" but rather gets straight to the point. To counteract that, I found him to have excellent manners. I imagine he does not suffer fools gladly and, sensitive as I am, I also did not want to display too much "mercury nuttiness." The guy must have some reserves of patience to deal with the likes of us!
I also met another "fan" there whose name, I think, was Karen.
Kris, actually.
REBECCA: She had a really good handout, "Chronic Mercury Poisoning, A Summary of the Science," and has a blog at mercuryandmore.weebly.com.
So, I am so glad I went! It was very exhausting for me and I got all excited. At one point people were asking ME questions about the protocol and I was answering like a pro!
ANDY: Well, you are in one sense. You actually did it. That's a lot more experience with it than they have - and VERY practical!
REBECCA: After that I went to a family barbecue and had a hamburger and a gin and tonic and got sick as a dog and spent all yesterday in bed with what seemed like a brick in my digestive track. Happy to say I am all well now. Rebecca Lee
ANDY: It was nice to meet you!
Hopefully more chelation will make meetings, family barbecues, interesting food, etc. just run of the mill everyday occurrences instead of stressful and physiologically demanding events.
Andy