Treatment hard to find for miner

When Roger LeBlanc gets tired his left lung hurts.

For 12 years he slept sitting up in a chair so he wouldn't choke in his sleep.

LeBlanc, an Eel River Crossing resident, said it took a long time for his lungs to improve after 17 years working in a zinc and lead mine in Bathurst.

"I was spitting up black."

Then in 1998, two years after he stopped working in the mine, his lung started to bleed from silicosis, which is caused by exposure to silica dust.

Silica dust is often released during mining and can damage the lungs.

There is no cure for silicosis and LeBlanc was on long-term disability until he turned 65. But silicosis wasn't his only problem and LeBlanc learned he had a build-up of heavy metals in his body. The metals have damaged his kidneys and liver.

LeBlanc said he had to go back to work, even when he knew it caused health problems.

"I had no choice if you want to keep what you want."

There were no treatment options available in New Brunswick at the time and he learned about a doctor in North Bay, Ont. who treated heavy metal poisoning.

The treatment called chelation therapy uses chemicals to bind with the metals and draw them out of the body.

The chemicals are fed through an IV and the metals released through the patient's urine.

LeBlanc said he started going to North Bay in 2006 and received 30 treatments in the first four months, then another 15 the next year.

"It's no cure, but it's gonna help me live longer."

Each treatment cost him $128 on top of the money spent on travel and accommodations.

The treatments weren't covered by Medicare and LeBlanc had to pay for it all out of his own pocket.

Since then, he found a naturopathic doctor in Miramichi who provides chelation therapy.

LeBlanc said the drive to Miramichi from Bathurst wasn't bad and his wife would go with him every time.

"It's better than going to Ontario."

In October, he had to stop the treatments because he couldn't afford them any more, but said he stills feels OK. "I feel not too bad."

LeBlanc said it didn't take long for the treatments to start to have an effect and he felt better after the first 10.

"It's a miracle, let me tell you."

He doesn't know when he will be able to start treatment again and said he didn't want to stop and hopes to go back soon.

LeBlanc said he doesn't know the effect stopping treatment will have on his health and knows he still needs them.

"I bet I would be dead if I didn't have those treatments."

Crystal Charest is the naturopathic doctor who provided the chelation treatments for LeBlanc at the Westview Chiropractic Health Centre.

For confidentiality reasons, Charest couldn't discuss the specifics of LeBlanc's case, but she said he did have high levels of heavy metals when she first started his treatments.

"He was a pretty severe case."

Charest is the only person who offers chelation therapy in the province and it has just started to become available as a treatment in eastern Canada. Chelation therapy is a good treatment for all stored heavy metals, she said.

"We get a really high storage in bones."

Charest said many people have chronic exposure over many years and the metals build up in the bones.

"Some people don't detoxify as well."

Testing can show how bad each case is, she said adding, "We tend to see patients that have long term problems."

Charest said heavy metal poisoning symptoms can be very generalized, which is why they test patients if it is necessary.

After a round of treatment, Charest collects a urine sample with the metals drawn out from the chelation and sends it to a lab for analysis, she said.

"A urine sample gives us an overall picture of what's in the body."

Charest said the therapy has amazing effects for a lot of patients and can be life saving.

LeBlanc knew it wasn't a cure, but said the chelation therapy was helping him live longer.

"I'm the living proof."