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Mold Toxicity

Autoimmune Diseases | Last Active: Jun 10, 2023 | Replies (135)

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@glenb

Hello this is Glenb and I have been going through a horrible experience with mold for over 3 years. I moved into a house and within a few months I began having all kinds of crazy symptoms: headaches, rash, hypertension, fatigue, joint pain , trouble swallowing and choking, and many more and this progressively got worse and to the point where I felt on fire most of the time. My head felt like it was on fire. I went to 15 doctors and they kept referring me to more specialists and finally they were about to send me to Mayo Clinic or Cleveland Clinic.i had a family doctor, cardiologist, oncologist, pulmonologist, Dermologist, kidney, ENT, so many I cannot remember all and I am on the road right now . My IGE level was elevated to 12 times the normal, my BP got as high as 223/118 , I went to the ER several times . I was hopitalized for a week because they thought I had a heart issue . I had dozens of lab tests, sonogram, chest X-ray, cat scan, MRI, bone marrow procedure where they took sample it out of My spine ( not a good experience ) because they thought I had an auto immune: mast cell disease which is not good, colonoscopy, endoscopy, enhanced swallow text , and many more. The more my Friends and relatives thought I was crazy, the more symptoms I would get and the others had gotten worse to the point where I felt like my Brain was on fire and I was starting to question my own sanity.
Then we found the mold. It was very bad. It had been growing for what appears to be years between the exterior wall and the inside wall .
Mold inspectors came out and found 3 of the most toxic molds there is and they did air quality test and it was 300ppm outside and 18000 ppm inside . It was very bad . It was in the AC/heat system also. Well not very many doctors know anything about mold and the health insurance industry tried to sweep in under the rug so to speak, because there are millions of potential cases and law suits were beginning to emerge . This is why you see major medical institutions making statements about how there is no proof about toxic mold causing specific medical problems . You can even go back to older articles and Mayo even had mad similar claims; but it is slowly changing. In the last 18 months or so I am seeing more info and major
Medical institutions stating that it can cause organs to shut down, cancer, lung damage leading to death, diminished cognitive ability ( brain fog ) , and ravages immune system.
Well I guess I am a bit lucky because so far not much lung damage and no cancer yet, but I have all of the rest . There no cure. There are some treatments to help your body eliminate the mycotoxins, which is a must or like several “ doctors “ have told me if I do nothing it will eventually kill me . I am 67 ( high risk group ) sand Medicare will not lay for the blood test . I haven’t tried to appeal this and it probably will probably pay eventually . The urine test is the least expensive and they will pay for that and according to the specialist I go to now if you have mycotoxins in your urine they are in your blood . They also did a nasal swab , not sure what they call it but it was not fun and I had fungi and bacteria from the mold there. My body is producing way too much histamine now which causes so many problems . Any allergy I had before they seem like they are 10 times worse now . I forgot to mention : I have adult asthma now so I carry an inhaler 24/7 and have to use it frequently. I live in DFW Texas and it was difficult to find a doctor to help me . I had UTSW set up an appointment with a immunologist ( took 3 months ) and his office called and cancelled 2 days prior and doctor said he does not treat mold . It is crazy . This is a real issue and there are probably thousands of people that are having a variety of symptoms and don’t even realize they have been exposed and doctors have misdiagnosed and labeling it auto immune ( which they don’t know that much about ID either ) it is shameful what the health insurance big bucks has covered up . I got lucky and was referred to a Dermologist that actually spent 2 year off of work dealing with personal mold poisoning and she has helped me with much info . She told me that 75% of people metabolize the mycotoxins and eliminate these naturally but 25% of people don’t , I am in that lucky group. Check the laws in your state and there may be something about mold and landlord tenant statutes where they have to refund you and you move . I would get out of ASAP. The longer you stay the more damage to your health. Contact me and I will be glad to give you all the info I have . I don’t want any money or anything out of this . I want this information to get out to as many people as possible . I hired a lawyer and going after the people on the house legally because we have proof they were aware of it . Take care . Good luck . Glen B

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@glenb Wow, this mold in your system sounds just awful! I am so sorry. Is anyone else infected or do you live alone? And I can’t see how you are supposed to ‘stay at home’ during this pandemic. Is it possible for you to move out while you investigate what to do?

@glenb I found this article which may be of some help. It has a section for finding a physician, also. I know that now may be a crazy time, but have you thought about contacting the CDC (centers for disease control)?
https://www.survivingmold.com/diagnosis . I wish you the best

I consulted with someone about whether I could maintain the air quality in the living space with high quality hepa air purifiers and dehumidifiers if the landlord chooses not to remediate the mold at the source. In other words, if the mold continued to grow under the floor/basement, spewing spores into the living space, whether I could essentially eliminate enough of them to create healthy indoor air quality.

He said he could not say for sure. He had no answer to that. The mold specialist submitted a report to the landlords and said that the remediation needed was not all that expensive and consisted of laying a moisture barrier sheet over the dirt basement floor and installing a dehumidifier in the basement (there may also be some leaky pipe but he did not see standing water. He also did not really enter all the way - it is a crawl space rather than a full-height basement. The furnace is down there.) So, after they received this report and contacted me, they mentioned nothing about this, only that I can take the cost of air purifiers and dehumidifier out of my rent for the living space. Nothing about remediating the basement or the source of the mold growth.

Making matters worse, of course, is the fact that I am working from home due to Covid/social distancing requirements. I hardly go anywhere but when I do, I smell like mold! I had to go to the grocery today and when I was in the car I smelled my hair - I have long hair - and it smelled strongly of mold.. That's pretty bad. It's strong enough that I basically smell like mold.

I just moved in. I have lived here less than a month and often have a low grade headache from it. My eyes got itchy but that is better now. But my breathing is tighter, like there is pressure on my breast bone.

I have sprayed mold killer on everything, even though the mold growth is actually not in the visible living space. I have aired out the house a lot. I have run fans out the window in the worst room. All of that helps but I am wondering if I should even try to make this place livable. I dread moving, but I think I have to face up.. They do not plan to remediate it, even though it is not that expensive in this case, I am told.

What do you think? Bail or try the hepa air purifiers?

Glen,

Need your help. My symptoms are just like yours and doctors have not been able to find anything for over 2 years. Just found out yesterday that a house i visit 3-4 times a week is crawling with yellow mold. Getting air tested tuesday but all of my symptoms are just like yours. Calling all my doctors today to get a urine test and anything else they suggest. Looking for answers fast. Thanks in advance.

How are you now! I’m having this issue. I know I need a swab my problems lye in my sinus I think which is making it difficult to breathe. I was there only 10 months. I have been out all most 3. When does this breathing issue end?

Severe mold toxicity is a genetic defect. Approximately 25% of the population have the gene. I would know, I have it as well. You can’t sue someone for your genetics. And I totally understand, you want someone to be responsible for your illness, but sometimes it just is what it is. Good luck.

@glenb - could you share the name of the dermatologist? I'm in DFW as well.