Hair test is less than $100 and you can get yourself in most states of the US. There are 600 posted here.
http://livingnetwork.co.za/chelationnetwork/hairtest/hairtest3/


They include instructions for getting the test.

#477 is from one of the moderators of one of the yahoo chelation groups. He had high copper and was able to get it under control in a few months.

I really think you'd be wise to check before just assuming.

Btw. A. Cutler writes that copper and mercury produce very similar symptoms. Of course they are especially nasty when present together. Hg messes up the liver and you don't get rid of the copper as well. I think Hg also messes up some of the MT proteins that the body uses to detox other metals.

I would recommend ARL labs for a hair analysis. And yes that sounds exactly like a copper detox. If you are uncomfortable just slow it down. And yes detoxing copper will help your insomnia, but as the copper leaves it is going to irritate everything and make the insomnia temporarily worse.

You could try Calcium/magnesium to try to keep your system slowed down while it is detoxing, you could also try taking your supplements only in the morning so that hopefully by the evening it has cleared out of your system.

I would strongly recommend a hair analysis or another form of mineral analysis and then a nutritonal balancing plan, I spent a lot of time shotgunning and i wish I hadn't. Just lowering copper may be helpful, but usually there is a lot more going on with our bodies than just that.

I agree with Seattle. It is easy to waste years trying to self navigate and guess at what your body needs. The ARL lab will send you a 25 page report on what is going on and design a protocol just for you.

In my "humble" opinion, zinc can definitely give you die-off symptoms and thus cause the headaches...but molybdenum should really help with this, not make it worse. The zinc, by killing yeast, could have released some toxic metals. You may want to use something like chlorella to help absorb and expel them...taking it with breakfast so it doesn't keep you awake at night.

You also may have already been low in manganese and taking the zinc is pushing the manganese lower. Migraine headaches can be a symptom of manganese deficiency. I have experienced every single mineral that I have taken pushing another too low, they are constantly either synergistic or antagonistic to each other, thus a hair mineral analysis can be helpful but is not really as timely as would be desired because you really can change the situation quickly depending on the amount you are taking. Once you get to know your body signs you may be able to tell when you have reached good balance or not. In the past I have pushed my manganese too low by taking too much magnesium, potassium or zinc, or using too many liver-cleansing herbs.

Here is an article about the nutritional deficiencies from being on the pill...in particular, the following is mentioned:
"He and other authors also suggest that the increased blood levels of copper generated by oral contraceptive use may contribute to Depression and emotional symptoms; additional manganese and zinc may reverse these symptoms."

http://www.leaflady.org/bcpillnutrition.htm


Hope this helps....I do know that manganese is also a mineral, like iron or copper, that you do not want to be too high in, nor too low. I recently added manganese back into my supplements and my appetite is stronger, I feel like I can taste things better and my body strength also feels stronger. I am definitely a believer in going slow and steady instead of fast and furious. I believe if it is right for you, you should start to feel a positive difference within a few days to a week.

Have you been checked for Marfans Syndrome? Pectus excavatum, myopia, stretch marks and "double" joints are all markers for Marfans. If you have Marfans, you should under the care of a Dr who specializes in patients with Marfans, which can affect the heart and other organs.