Episodes

In this episode of the Heavily Metalled Podcast, Shari sits down with returning guest Dr. Laura Duzett — physician, pathology resident, nutritional therapy practitioner, and author of The Low Nickel Diet Cookbook — for a conversation about systemic nickel allergy, mast cell activation, histamine pathways, and the immune mechanisms behind chronic symptoms in sensitive patients.Together, they explain why nickel hypersensitivity is far more complex than the typical “jewelry rash” many physicians ...

After surviving breast cancer, Val Johnson believed she was finally moving into healing and recovery. Instead, what followed was years of escalating neurological symptoms, muscle spasms, severe pain, heart rhythm abnormalities, inflammation, weight loss, nervous system dysfunction, and repeated medical dismissal — all while breast and abdominal surgical clips and biopsy markers remained inside her body.In this deeply emotional and eye-opening episode of Heavily Metalled, Val shares her lifel...

In this episode of Heavily Metalled, Shari sits down with Keslie to share a striking parallel in their journeys with Tarlov Cyst Disease and metal hypersensitivity.Both women underwent surgery with Dr. Rudolph Schrot M.D., Chief of Neurosurgery in Sacramento, CA—one of the few neurosurgeons in the U.S. specializing in Tarlov cysts—where metal craniofacial microplates and screws were used to close the exposed sacral bone where it was exposed and used to access the sacral nerves.What follo...

What happens when one of the world’s leading educators on metal hypersensitivity becomes the patient?In this deeply personal and groundbreaking episode, Dr. Scott Schroeder, DPM, FACFAS—an internationally recognized foot and ankle surgeon with over 30 years of experience—shares the journey that changed everything. After decades of observing unexplained post-surgical symptoms in his own patients, Dr. Schroeder began asking questions few were willing to explore. What he discovered would not on...

Madelung’s deformity is a rare congenital condition affecting the forearm, often treated with surgical implants. But for some patients, implanted hardware can trigger far more than a structural issue.In this episode, I’m joined by Stacey Parkinson, a young woman from England who underwent arm and wrist surgery for Madelung’s deformity—and soon after developed a range of alarming symptoms, including severe eczema, heart rate irregularities, chest pain and blood pressure instability.Less t...

Travel with Dewayne to North Texas where after 20 years of intractable pain due to metal allergy, he gets a DOUBLE HARDWARE REMOVAL (Lumbar and Cervical Spine) for his birthday! In a groundbreaking first for the Heavily Metalled Podcast, Dewayne comes to my hometown in DFW, and has this life-changing surgery with MY incredible neurosurgeon, Dr. Gregory Smith, D.O. I am with him, chronicling his journey every step of the way! When I met Dewayne, he was about to give up on life. I said “No way! “I...

In this episode, I sit down and bring you up to speed on Shari’s world. I have now had my 48th surgery and in TWO short years have two new chronic diagnoses. Ugh! We are going to talk about how Tarlov Cyst Disease, which you may or may not know about, Lipedema (mainly women) and other connective tissue disorders like Ehlers Danlos Syndrome (EDS/hEDS) and others are very commonly seen with systemic metal hypersensitivities. You’re going to learn about why I’ve slowed down (and that I’m still aliv...

In this episode, we sit down with the team behind OSSIO Fiber, a new class of bio-integrative fixation technology designed to offer surgeons an alternative to traditional metal implants. Instead of leaving permanent hardware behind, OSSIO Fiber is engineered to provide strong, stable fixation while gradually integrating into the patient’s natural bone over time.We explore the science behind the material, the motivation for developing a metal-free solution, and how this technology is shaping ...

Our guest in this episode, Jen, suffers from Chiari Malformation - A syndrome where brain tissue extends into the spinal canal, estimated to affect approximately 1 in 1000 people.Jen bravely underwent Chiari Decompression surgery to relieve pressure on the brainstem, cerebellum and spinal cord, but immediately knew something was wrong due to a litany of pain and symptoms following her surgery and the implantation of titanium mesh hardware.After much research and many tests, Jen was able to c...

Welcome to our Heavily Metalled Season 3 Opener and a Heavily Metalled FIRST! In this episode the renowned metal allergy expert Dr. Scott Schroeder takes metal allergy questions, along with Linda Nelson, CEO of MELISA Diagnostics, on our first ever community Q&A recorded LIVE, along with many questions sent in by our Metalhead audience!We’ve got questions about implants, surgeries, testing, diet, pre-operative preparation and much, MUCH more!In this episode you will learn:How you can e...

Our guest today, Barry Walsh, has an incredible story about allergies to an IV filter, as well as spinal fusion hardware implanted after a 40 foot fall at a construction site. Prior to surgery Barry was a wealthy & successful construction contractor in New York City to many big name celebrities and organizations. After his fall he became homeless, gaslit, dismissed by medical professionals, locked up in psych wards repeatedly and lived in his car until a hero surgeon believed him and started rem...