Testing It Up

There has been a lot of buzz since “Entourage” star Jeremy Piven dropped out of the Broadway play “Speed-the-Plow” due allegedly to mercury poisoning.

While there are people who feel that anything health-related should be respected and not taken lightly, there are also a significant number of people who think that Piven is blowing things out of proportion and that he is using an otherwise benign medical condition to get out of the “Speed-the-Plow”.

Last January 15, the actor made a guest appearance at Good Morning America and spoke out about the issue. According to Piven, he had been suffering from symptoms of mercury poisoning one week into rehearsals for the play. The symptoms were said to have started manifesting themselves as a result of Piven’s diet for the past twenty years, where his only source of protein was fish.

Piven had six times the normal limit of mercury levels in the human body. Because of this, Piven, allegedly under doctor’s orders, left the Broadway play barely two months after it opened in New York after he passed out in his home.

Mercury poisoning or hydrargia is a disease that results from exposure to mercury or its compounds. It can cause damage to the brain, kidney and lungs, and can result in Hunter-Russell Syndrome and Minamata disease.

Physical symptoms that may indicate mercury poisoning usually include sensory impairment, disturbed sensation and lack of coordination. The severity of the manifestation of symptoms is normally associated with the dose and method of exposure to the element, among other things.

Piven’s declaration is clouded by reports that he has been partying the night away in New York City prior to dropping out, which lead people to question whether he had indeed been suffering from symptoms. There are also reports that he had been complaining about the play and have been trying to find ways to get out of his contract.

Tags: disease, health, jeremy piven, lung, mercury, symptoms

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