Most of us think of mold illness as a super rare thing that only happens if there is visible black mold and obvious musty smells in your environment. I have learned so much from top mold illness experts over the last five years. One of the things I’ve learned is that, In most cases, the person never sees, nor suspects, mold in their environment. We can have the cleanest home or even have a relatively new home and have hidden toxic mold behind dry wall, in the HVAC, in the rafters and many other hidden places. I personally had black mold up and down the back wall of my house for several decades and never knew it! The few times I ever complained to a contractor about a musty smell, they blamed it on the drain pipe in my laundry room. And then you just become nose blind to any smell. Since it was completely behind the drywall up against the brick we never saw it until many years later. In those 15 years, within months after I moved into that house, I began to notice strange symptoms like heart pounding, post nasal drip, on again off again fatigue, stiff joints, stomach issues and headaches, anxiety and depression. All of it was written off as stress related and I was told by my many different doctors that they simply could find nothing wrong with me except high Epstein Barr viral titers and I was later diagnosed with “chronic fatigue syndrome” and “ fibromyalgia”
Another thing I have learned is that not everyone living in a mold damaged home will get sick. In fact genetics do play into this- you can have five people living in one home that is moldy and water damaged and four will be perfectly fine and only one sick. That makes it even more confusing to diagnose. Top mold expert Dr. Ritchey Shoemaker taught us that those with the HLA DRB1 genetic mutation will react to mold far more than those who do not have that mutation. He also tells us that 25-30% of the population have this genetic mutation. More and more functional and integrative doctors are now testing for this gene if mold illness is suspected. Undiagnosed lyme disease, heavy metals or industrial toxicant presence in the body, your ability to detoxify, parasitic infections and diet can all also play in to the more severe cases. That is why recovery from mold illness can be highly individual. There is not a simple three step easy process to regaining your health, but the good news is that YOU CAN regain your health fully like I eventually did!
So what are some common symptoms of mold illness? Classic symptoms are unexplained respiratory issues. Sinus and lung issues plague a number of people, though not all. Other symptoms can include : Insomnia, fatigue, joint stiffness and pain, muscle stiffness and pain, kidney and liver issues, IBS, all manners of gut symptoms, strange rashes, depression, anxiety, urinary and reproductive organ issues, ears and throat issues, tinnitus (ringing in your ears) heart racing, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, neurological issues of all sorts including neuropathies, and even autoimmune illness.
So where do you start if you suspect mold is playing into your situation? I find that in the beginning, testing your body is far better than testing your home. Home testing overall is tricky and you really want the right person doing it. I have seen many people spend tens of thousands testing and remediating mold from their home, or moving and not getting the symptom relief they were looking for- though some do. That is because most people who get as sick as I did have several root causes and not just the mold. I like the Great Plains mycotoxins panel, others working in this space like Real Time Labs urine panel or Vibrant America’s mycotoxins panel. Other helpful labs are the C3A, C4A, TGF Beta MMP9, and more. The key is finding a functional or integrative doctor trained and willing to order this kind of advanced testing for your body. Call the local integrative or functional practices in your area and ask if they are testing for and treating mold illness. I use Zyto Elite scanning to help give clues around mold illness. It is considered accurate though non diagnostic by the FDA. In a session with me we use it as a screening and prioritizing scan. If Zyto leads us to believe that mold IS a significant issue for you then doing the true diagnostic tests can be done. At that point getting stored mold toxins out of your body is critical for full recovery. This is accomplished with either prescription mold binders like Cholestyramine or Welchol, or with natural supplement binders that also help to safely and effectively move the mycotoxins out and relieve symptoms. Trying to do extreme mold avoidance in the Ohio Valley where I live is not a great strategy. But you can get fully well in spite of what part of the country you live in. Having a doctor, or a trained wellness coach like myself, can help to guide your detox process if you feel mold may be playing in to your symptoms.
If you would like more information, or would like to schedule an appointment with me, call our office!
In good health, Theresa
