stepnmud#33546 Posted September 5, 2012 Share Posted September 5, 2012 Blood lead level tested 30 mcg/dl recently while undergoing some other blood work and I requested the lead test. I have a family doctor and in a good way (kind of of a Nut) that I like but don't want to visit anymore than needed. Anyhow apparantly 10 mcg/dl or 10 and below is roughly considered to be of no concern for adults from the little bit of info. I've searched. Doc. said to come back in 30 days and have blood levels checked again to see if it went up or down. There are several SASS wire searches that can be found and seems like the brass tumbling may have more to do with elevated blood lead levels than other aspects like reloading,shooting, casting bullets. I did cast about 10,000 bullets last year in Oct. and had lots of ventilation and fan blowing the whole time, but since I don't know what BLL was at that time, it may have been more or less. Have purchased the De-lead soap and De-lead wipes from Dillons and wash more often and throughly. Also have gone to a wet rotary tumble with Thumblers Tumbler and stainless steel pins., nice to not have the dust from the dry vibrator and quietness of the rotary plus shiney new look brass. Will have to see if the results change in 30 days with new BLL test. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yusta B. Posted September 5, 2012 Share Posted September 5, 2012 Mine was about that level. I started wearing a good quality respirator while casting & made dang sure I washed good before eating. Mine went down to 12 in 4 months. YMMV Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wyatt Posted September 5, 2012 Share Posted September 5, 2012 Last year my levels were at 24.7. A few months ago my level was at 13.4. Now in the past year I have had some health issues and am not shooting as much but not a lot less. I think the biggest factor in the drop is because I was told to stop smoking and did. So....I gotta ask.....do you smoke? Wyatt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oklahoma Dee Posted September 5, 2012 Share Posted September 5, 2012 Hey Cowboy, If theres sumthin ya need me to do, let me know. I remember when Badlands Ben was selling that handwipe stuff back when he was makin bullets. I bought some and used it up. Never got anymore. But the last time I had my blood tested for lead, about 2 years ago, I was aok. Anyways, get it reset to a good level. Oklahoma Dee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stepnmud#33546 Posted September 6, 2012 Author Share Posted September 6, 2012 Last year my levels were at 24.7. A few months ago my level was at 13.4. Now in the past year I have had some health issues and am not shooting as much but not a lot less. I think the biggest factor in the drop is because I was told to stop smoking and did. So....I gotta ask.....do you smoke? Wyatt Not since 1985, but do smoke that Goex fairly regular. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cliff Hanger #3720LR Posted September 6, 2012 Share Posted September 6, 2012 Something to research for yourself. It's important. --------- Doctors follow government numbers. BUT the numbers published for doctors are for children under 12 years old. Because doctors do so few lead level test they do not know the requirements for adults and place child level treatments on you. In children high lead levels in blood is considered 10ug/m3. ---------- In an adult up to 40ug/m3 before any action is needed. 50ug/m3 before a worker is remove for the work place. Doctors only seem to know the 10ug/m3 level set by feds. It's for children, not adults. United States Department of Labor regarding Lead Levels in workers. If your doctor says you have a problem at 10ug/m3, you should direct them to the Government information on Blood Lead Levels in working adults. A couple of years back I went through this with my doctor. She as going to put me on lead remove drugs. But part of the treatment is to be removed 100% from the lead environment for a year(+) while being treated. A few years back 100ug/m3 was the standard. Two year ago my level was 27.6ug/m3. Below the 40ug/m3 required to take action. I am a commercial caster and FFL ammunition manufacturer. I handle lead every day. My doctor gave me the 10ug/m3 speech. Turned me in to the California Health department which I received many letters from. I then took in several pages of OSHA standards and explained she needed to read this stuff. And I was not going to enroll in the treatment program. My lead level has gone down but that is due to production being down 62% over the past year and a half. Fewer new customers. Be safe. Do not eat, drink, smoke or handle the phone while reloading. Wash your hands often before touching any thing you may touch when not reloading. Take your shoes off before going in the house. Leave them on the porch outside. Clean up your work area often with a damp cloth. Not wet. I recommend not using chemically treated wet wipes. They do clean your skin but also remove any protective oils on the skin that could resist air born lead dust. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snakebite Posted September 6, 2012 Share Posted September 6, 2012 If anyone tells you that it is safe at 30, then they are not totally informed. It effects some people more that others. My Kidneys were failing and they could not find the cause. Then they tested for lead. They immediately started me on a chelation program to lower the lead level. It started working on the blood right away, but it took a while to get it out of the bone. As it came down, my kidney rate of failure decreased. They finally got the lead out, and the kidney function stabilized. They don't regenerate, but at least I don't have to go to dialysis. I do have to stay away from pain meds... so it's a bitch dealing with the arthritis! Snakebite Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Okie Sawbones, SASS #77381 Posted September 6, 2012 Share Posted September 6, 2012 Doctors follow government numbers. BUT the numbers published for doctors are for children under 12 years old. Because doctors do so few lead level test they do not know the requirements for adults and place child level treatments on you. This statement is outdated. The Centers for Disease Control's (CDC's) Adult Blood Lead Epidemiology and Surveillance (ABLES) program that monitors laboratory reported elevated blood lead levels (BLL), defines elevation as greater than or equal to 25 mcg/dL among adults. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Okie Sawbones, SASS #77381 Posted September 6, 2012 Share Posted September 6, 2012 As it came down, my kidney rate of failure decreased. They finally got the lead out, and the kidney function stabilized. They don't regenerate, but at least I don't have to go to dialysis. I do have to stay away from pain meds... so it's a bitch dealing with the arthritis! Snakebite This statement by Snakebite should be taken to heart, and is why people should be checked. Many of the toxic effects of lead are reversible if lead poisoning is identified early. However, high level lead poisoning, or moderate poisoning over long periods, can result in irreversible damage to the central and peripheral nervous systems and kidneys. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Utah Bob #35998 Posted September 6, 2012 Share Posted September 6, 2012 I don't smoke. I don't eat or drink while reloading. I tumble brass outside and wear a mask when emptying. I wear gloves. I don't cast lead. I'm a confirmed coward. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cliff Hanger #3720LR Posted September 6, 2012 Share Posted September 6, 2012 Cliff Hanger...."Doctors follow government numbers. BUT the numbers published for doctors are for children under 12 years old. Because doctors do so few lead level test they do not know the requirements for adults and place child level treatments on you." ----- Okie Sawbones...."This statement is outdated. The Centers for Disease Control's (CDC's) Adult Blood Lead Epidemiology and Surveillance (ABLES) program that monitors laboratory reported elevated blood lead levels (BLL), defines elevation as greater than or equal to 25 mcg/dL among adults." ==================== First, I did not quote anything from CDC. I deal with OHSA and US Department of Labor as a business. These are the rules and laws I have to follow. Not CDC. Two, I must be mistaken by using outdated material. The page I linked to with the standards on it was updated, Sept 5, 2012. That was yesterday. How current would you like the information to be? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Okie Sawbones, SASS #77381 Posted September 6, 2012 Share Posted September 6, 2012 I don't smoke. I don't eat or drink while reloading. I tumble brass outside and wear a mask when emptying. I wear gloves. I don't cast lead. I'm a confirmed coward. Inorganic lead is absorbed from the lungs or gastrointestinal tract. In adults, absorption of lead via the respiratory tract is the most significant route of entry. Respiratory exposures can occur with activities such as scraping/sanding/burning leaded paint from surfaces as well as from various smelting/burning processes. Organic (tetraethyl) lead that is found in gasoline can be absorbed via the skin. I never wear gloves when reloading, but I don't put my hands to the mouth, or eat anything until I have cleaned my hands. My last lead level was 7 mcg. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Okie Sawbones, SASS #77381 Posted September 6, 2012 Share Posted September 6, 2012 Cliff Hanger...."Doctors follow government numbers. BUT the numbers published for doctors are for children under 12 years old. Because doctors do so few lead level test they do not know the requirements for adults and place child level treatments on you." ----- Okie Sawbones...."This statement is outdated. The Centers for Disease Control's (CDC's) Adult Blood Lead Epidemiology and Surveillance (ABLES) program that monitors laboratory reported elevated blood lead levels (BLL), defines elevation as greater than or equal to 25 mcg/dL among adults." ==================== First, I did not quote anything from CDC. I deal with OHSA and US Department of Labor as a business. These are the rules and laws I have to follow. Not CDC. Two, I must be mistaken by using outdated material. The page I linked to with the standards on it was updated, Sept 5, 2012. That was yesterday. How current would you like the information to be? It appears OSHA and the CDC do not agree. I am only stating that I do not give patients children's levels, rather adult levels from the CDC trial program. Don't get yer feathers ruffled -- not my intent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.