In 1997, my therapist told me that my leaking amalgam fillings were the reason I felt so poorly. I found it hard to believe that the NHS would use mercury, which is classed as toxic waste, in tooth fillings so I sought two further opinions. These tests also showed high mercury leakage. A test from a specialist dentist established which filling had the highest electric charge, and this was removed first.

I had been ill for the past 35 years of my life but, obviously, had no idea that I was slowly being poisoned

My symptoms up to this year included chronic short-term memory problems (such as walking into a room and forgetting what for, forgetting peoples names, losing the thread of my thought mid-sentence), slurred speech, blurred vision, a fuzzy head, swollen tongue and throat, a metallic taste in my mouth, asthma, IBS, pain in arms and legs (for 17 years), tingling and numbness all over, leg weakness (such that I had to give up driving), food allergies, chronic fatigue and collapsing after using an escalator. I couldn’t enter a shop because clothing and carpets made me feel ill.

For the last few years of my illness, my symptoms were made worse after I had a nickel-backed crown put in. Not only did I have to give up work, but I also couldn’t wear any jewellery, especially earrings, which would make my ears itch. This year, I’ve tried wearing earrings again, and I can leave them in for as long as I like without any ill effects at all.

People are driving with fuzzy, unclear heads and not thinking straight. This may be why cars shoot across in front of you at turnings, because the driver forgot he saw a car coming. I can now look back and see how my driving had deteriorated over the years. Now that I can drive safely again, it concerns me that there are others on the road affected by the mercury in their teeth, but completely oblivious to the fact. It took me three years of special detoxification to remove all the metal from my brain and body.

The majority of doctors don’t believe people who arrive at surgery with a long list of symptoms, and many are referred to psychiatrists. When patients manage to have a mercury test, this often comes up negative as the correct procedure for such a test hasn’t been followed. - Pam Clayton, Irthlingborough, Northants