Cobalt and Chromium levels

[Vt waddler]

Since there have been no studies on what is considered high ion levels, how does one establish acceptable parameters? I have an odd ball rash on my neck, so I've been have various blood test to determine if I have an allergy or such. My cobalt level is flagged high (0-0.9 ref range) @ 1.7/ my chromium level is at 3.4 again flagged high with a ref range of (< 0.3)..So what is this actually telling me? Again, I can find no studies done on the subject.

Tia,
waddler

[susannatuttapanna]

Did you every get a response to your post? I've now just had bloodwork and it shows an elevated Cobalt reading. Have you had further testing? Did you have to have revision surgery? Did your side effects go away?

[Dannywayoflife]

I've not read up too much on this issue if I'm honest. But those figures don't seem that high to me. I do know that your levels can be highly effected by food intake and supplements such as vitamins.
Also I do know that these tests can only be accurate if performed in a certain way did you have it done by one of the labs that carries these out regularly?
Is your device placed properly? As high ion levels are generally associated with a malpossitioned device.

Danny

[hernanu]

Hi,

I did some looking into this earlier, when I got back my metal levels at my two year checkup.

My post covers what I found,

http://surfacehippy.info/hiptalk/hip-stories/both-hips-done-recovering/msg37982/#msg37982

An award-winning study by researchers from Belgium identified safe upper limits of 4.6 ug/L for chromium and 4.0 ug/L for cobalt in unilateral metal-on-metal hip resurfacing arthroplasties and 7.4 ug/L for chromium and 5.0 ug/L for cobalt in bilateral procedures.

These values are stricter than the UK study found, so even with the stricter guidelines that this study identifies, the safe range is higher than what you have, waddler.

My surgeon said that he would be fine with a reading from either metal at or below 7 ppm. Mine fell below 3.5, so I was satisfied, being a bi hippy.

susanna - you haven't mentioned what your readings were?  We do have a metallic implant, so our levels will be elevated, it depends what the readings are.

Have you spoken to your surgeon, or an HR surgeon about your levels?