Lead Exposure?

So my neighbor did some demolition work over the weekend. A crew basically tore down part of his house with hammers just leaving the frame. They didn't block it off and a lot of dust and paint chips got onto my property. I'm concerned about lead and asbestos since the house was built in the 60's. I'm trying to get the inspection records from the city if I can because I'd be shocked if they didn't test for it in California. I'd also be shocked if there wasn't lead paint. Anyway, I'd like to get a blood test for my own piece of mind since I walked by the area and through some dust. If I get one now and maybe one 3 months from now I can feel good about not being exposed. What is the easiest way to do it? Is there a mail in test or a quick place I can go? How big of a deal is lead? How do you know if you were exposed years ago? Does it just do it's damage and get out of your body or does it stay?

It stays....it gets stored in your bones...when they turn over, it releases more lead into the blood stream.

There's a 6 million dollar test (an accurate one) and one that is cheaper. Chelation challenge test (collection of urine 24 hours).

What's the accurate test? I've heard they can x-ray your bone but it seems like that would only show a huge exposure that would have put you in the hospital. A blood test is only for recent exposures correct? There are apparently hundreds of thousands of kids who have high lead levels (probably millions of adults who were poisoned as kids) and it doesn't seem like anyone cares or knows what to do. My neighbor just tore part of an old house down in an area with a lot of kids and didn't take any precautions to contain the dust and this is in one of the most highly regulated states.

ngb wrote:What's the accurate test? I've heard they can x-ray your bone but it seems like that would only show a huge exposure that would have put you in the hospital. A blood test is only for recent exposures correct? There are apparently hundreds of thousands of kids who have high lead levels (probably millions of adults who were poisoned as kids) and it doesn't seem like anyone cares or knows what to do. My neighbor just tore part of an old house down in an area with a lot of kids and didn't take any precautions to contain the dust and this is in one of the most highly regulated states.

It's a 24-hour (urine collection for heavy metals) with chelation provocation. A lot of people test high for lead.
In my opinion you're better off treating it than bothering with the test, because it will be cheaper to do so.

http://www.iherb.com/Now-Foods-Modified-Citrus-Pectin-800-mg-180-Vcaps/8647

The proof that it's doing something, usually will result in either improved morning "preponderance" or other
manifestations. It could also result in some temporary detoxification reactions. If you try taking another test,
it will cost a lot of money without any real advantage.

CS, do you know what the shelf life of MCP is like? I have a bottle of NOW MCP lying around that I bought two years ago.