Mold Recovery: Three Factors
originally posted June 5, 2014
We hear frequently from customers who want to know “How long will my recovery from mold exposure take?” Recovery time is dependent on several different factors, as with so many health issues there is no ‘simple’ answer to this question. Besides the obvious point of how well you adhere to the required regimen, there are three basic factors that dictate the length of time it will take to cleanse your system.
First: Time Length of Mold Exposure
The single greatest factor in your recovery from mold is time of exposure. If you have been living in a house with a substantial mold problem for years, you are highly likely to have a fungal build-up in your body. This can take the form of fungus balls in your sinuses. It can be Candida in your gut. In extreme cases mold can be stored in and around the organs of your body.
The more mold that builds up in your body the longer it takes to remove, and the more powerful the anti-fungal you will need to stop your symptoms. If it took years to create the problem, it could take more than a year to undo it. And that is assuming that you have completely remediated the mold source and/or moved out of the problem environment. If you continue to put mold into your body you may never get truly well, you will only succeed in reducing your symptoms.
Second: Type of Mold
The second issue to consider is the type of mold to which you have been exposed. There are really just two types of mold for the purpose of this discussion: poisonous and non-poisonous.
Ninety percent of all molds are inert to most of the population (meaning they don’t trigger any reactions from the immune system). However, they can and do cause BIG problems for people with fungal allergies. For these people mold disrupts the normal immune system function and creates a vicious cycle of progressive disease. That disease can eventually do permanent damage to the pituitary system, but that is in very advanced stages.
If your exposure is to the other 10% of the mold family that produces poisonous mycotoxins, your recovery will take longer. You may be familiar with some of these already: Aspergillus niger, Stachybotrys, Fusarium moniliforme, and Alternaria are your major culprits. The body begins to absorb the airborne poisons almost immediately after exposure. Mycotoxins have the ability to disrupt normal cellular activity in the body such as RNA, protein and DNA synthesis (and yes, those are as important as they sound). Unfortunately, these more toxic molds are the ones that seem to thrive best in damp indoor environments. To compound matters it is not uncommon to have several varieties ‘blooming’ in the same place creating a compounded ill effect. Mycotoxin is a slow acting poison which builds ups and causes damage over time. To get rid of this poison the body has to heal damaged tissue and process it out through the liver.
Third: Degree of Sensitivity to Mold
The third factor to consider in recovery time is to what degree are you sensitive to mold? Sensitivity is important because, you will be exposed to mold in your daily living. Mold is nature’s way of breaking down dead matter and it is present in small amounts almost everywhere. In fact, mold likely comes into your home every time you open your front door.
We are all sensitive to some degree to mold exposure, but it is a pretty big issue for fungal allergic people. (About 16-20% of the population is estimated to be genetically predisposed to fungal allergies.) Also, the older you get the more sensitive you become. Because as we age, beginning around age 20, Thymus Hormone production decreases and by the late 40s the gland produces very little. The hormone created by the Thymus is the fuel that runs your immune system. This is why older people get sick more often than young people and why your reactions seem to worsen as the years go by. There are always exceptions and there are many young people who are highly sensitive to mold, but the vast majority of severe sufferers are over age 35.
Mold Exposure: The long and the short of it…
Most fungal allergy sufferers can withstand small doses of mold. But prolonged exposure increases sensitivity thereby slowing the recovery time. This is why it is so imperative to make sure during your recovery that you are living and working in clean environmental air.
So assuming that your mold exposure is relatively short, the recovery can be fairly quick. People often see results in just days, by following our protocol. Now, if you have had a relatively short exposure to mycotoxins it will likely take several weeks to get relief from your symptoms. As we stated earlier, if the exposure to mold has been prolonged your recovery could take up to a year and involve environmental steps, sinus washes, as well as diet and nutritional supplements. The good news is that our system is scalable so if you are having severe symptoms due to longer term exposure you can add product to speed up the healing process.
If you would like more information on mold allergies or how to treat your environment check out the other great articles on this site. Also visit Micro Balance Health Products for mold cleaning solutions for nose, clothes, and home.
This is for DR Dennis-
I was exposed to black mold in my home for months in 2021, took me about 7 months to get better from that once I left my home , along with binders and Begi Nasal spray. I got retriggered with mold exposure on vacation in Septer of 2023 and have been dealing with it for almost a year now. I have gotten rid of most of my symptoms, except my sever nasal dryness, blockage and nasal headaches. I have been taking the Begi Spray and Intraconazole. Is there anything else that you might be able to offer me? I am desperate for some help?
Thank you
I would suggest getting a sinus CT to check for polyps and consulting with an ENT who treats fungal sinusitis. I would also suggest the nasal rinsing with Nasopure and CitriDrops Dietary Supplement added as well as the Sinus Defense 2.0. If you have an obstruction as indicated on a CT, you may need surgery. If not, being out of the exposure and consistent irrigation and treatment could be the key to relief.
Hello, I am a 20 year old female and I’ve been exposed to toxic, velvety and also black mold for about 8 months, and also toxic sewage. I’ve had trouble breathing ever since I moved in, and just assumed it was from my cigarette smoking habit combined with my asthma. I didn’t think much of it, until recently it got progressively worse. My symptoms are severe shortness of breath, chest tightness and chest pain, extreme anxiety, extreme depression, elevated blood pressure, and occasional fevers, sweats, and chills.
I went to the ER for the first time after 8 months because I had just realized it was mold toxicity. The doctor did a chest x-ray and told me that I had mold exposure, but my lungs were functioning just fine and my oxygen level was fine too. I was also told I had very low potassium. I was given Prednisone for my symptoms and diagnosed with acute unspecified bronchitis. It’s been almost a week and there has been no change in my condition, it actually feels like it’s getting worse.
My question is: how long until I can breathe again? I really can’t breathe. If I take 30 breaths, only 1 or 2 of them will be where I actually be able to get a breath.
It’s important to note that I just now was able to move out two days ago. Also, my boyfriend has had no issues at all. But, I was there a lot more than he was. I really need help I feel like I will always have to live with this… :((
You have taken the first important step and that is to move out of the house with the mold. However your belongings are likely contaminated and may still be making you sick… YOu can order some mold plates from Microbalance health products and do “tap testing” on your mattresses and furniture and clothing, as well as your boyfriend! Also, you really must quit smoking. I realize it is very hard but many people do not realize that most tobacco is contaminated with mycotoxins and so they are just bad on many levels. Once you have gotten these things addressed then you can begin to lower the inflammation that leads to breathing problems and more, following the steps in many of the articles on the website.
I wish you the best in your recovery!
Hi. I am currently on vacation in Maine. I’m in a hotel room that has mold in the air conditioner. Exposure so far has been 2 days. One more night. I cannot change rooms as the hotel is fully booked as are the other hotels in the area. What are my chances of getting sick from this vacation?
Unfortunately, travel can pose a whole set of challenges, as we have no way of knowing ahead of time if hotel rooms are safe or not. In your case I think that nasal irrigation with CitriDrops Dietary Supplement along with the CitriDrops nasal spray will help Continue this daily after you leave the hotel for at least a week or two. In the future, carrying along the mold spray, and candles if allowed, will decrease the amount of “hit” that you might get. Certainly, if this sets you back in a bigger way, then advancing your detox strategies before inflammatory responses get more complicated is a good idea.
My home
Had mold in
Plenums in hvac and also in wall behind sheet rock. It was tested to be chaetimium. It has all been remediate. My questions is my home now safe? Do the spores stay at a high count even after removal? I am so worried about this. I want to feel safe in my home. I now have a new hvac and hopefully mold is gone but I have been living here 2 years and didn’t know it. The humidity all of a sudden became a problem in my house. We still haven’t fully figured that out. I am panicked my ac has been blowing high levels of mold spores for a very long time.
Hi, Lisa,
I am going to try to jump in to help answer your question. My best advice is to test if you still feel uncomfortable in the home. I would test belongings, air in the rooms where you spend time, and dust. If finances allow, I would also advise doing an EMMA test to see what your current exposure risk is as that test is a mold and mycotoxin test. If humidity is a problem, you need to have the new HVAC system assessed to make sure it has been ducted correctly and sized correctly for your home. It may also be wise to look into having a whole-home dehumidification system installed. When done correctly, these systems will dehumidify and filter the air before it goes into the plenum to be pumped throughout your home. Not only does this control indoor humidity, but it also prevents mold from growing on your coil and inside the plenum because it keeps moisture and dust out. Long story short, a house can be made safe after mold. BUT you have to look under all of the rocks and do all of the things to make it so. This may require further cleaning, further fixes, dehumidification, filtration, whatever, but it can be done. I encourage you to keep trying to uncover the cause of the humidity issue and to maintain your new system so that it doesn’t have an issue in the future. Mold is sort of an ongoing process. There is also maintenance involved that is well worth the work.
Oh man, my heart goes out to you Rebecca. ❤
hello Iam In Australia which dieot take tests or cutres ould and mildew including accountability in sale or rental properties. I was wondering if you could tell me how many years can an infection last if untreated? I worked oi a 20 storey building which already had water damage and mildew in the walls, asbestos and bug infestation such as ticks In Australia
although the most condensed of poisonous insects and dangerous creatures …Medical Board does
MOT believe in mould or mildew poisoning
Therefore I had never heard of this! I have tried to obtain my insurance on this as well as compensation with others that got very ill too.
I still have all of these symptoms. Can you still be experiencing this illness nearly 25 years later..? I am in p[ain and have not been offered testing or any medication. I st possible that
infection caused more immune problems. My homes have not had mould.
Thankyou Louise
Hi, Louise,
It is possible to be sick from mold for many years. There are doctors in Australia who treat mold. The ISEAI.org website has doctors who understand mold listed who are in Australia. There are also naturopathic doctors who treat mold. We would advise reaching out to one of them to do some testing to see if you are having issues with mycotoxins in your body. They can also help you with healing and recovery.
I ACTUALLY WANTED TO ASK DR DENNIS A QUESTION. I HAVE BEEN EXPOSED TO SEWAGE TOXINSCAND BLACK MOLD FOR A YEAR. I HAD PRETTY MUCH OUTGROWN MY SEASONAL ALLERGIES, UNTIL I MOVED TO THIS APT. THE SMELL WAS UNBEARABLE, AND IT TOOK 9 MONTHS TO GET THE LANDLORD TO CLEAN UP THE SEWAGE THAT LAY IN OUR APT COMPLEX BASEMENT. UPPER RESPIRATORY INFECTIONS, BUT FOR THE MOST PART MY EYES BEGAN TO BECOME IRRITATED, ITCHY AND INFECTED OVER TIME. I HAVE MOVED OUT AS OF A WEEK AGO, AND ALTHOUGH MY EYES AREN’T AS BAD, TGEY STILL ITCH AND WATER AS WELL AS FEEL LIKE SOMETHING IS IN THEM. I JUST CALLED MY FAMILY DR TODAY, BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH I’VE MOVED, IT’S STILL CAUSING ME LACK OF SLEEP, AND I CAN’T GET GLASSES UNTIL THRY HEAL. WHAT US YOUR SUGGESTION TO HEAL QUICKER, AND WHAT CAN I DO NATURALLY TO HELP MY EYES HEAL. In agony in Pennsylvania
If you brought things from the moldy apartment with you, they may be contaminating your current space. I would try to get rid of any porous items and use the EC3 Laundry Additive to clean washable items. You can also fog your current space to decrease residual exposure. I would consult with an eye doctor about proper cleansing procedures to mitigate allergies. I would also suggest a good quality HEPA air purifier and filtration system in your bedroom and rooms where you spend the most time.
Hi, I am lost and exhausted. I need help and I don’t know what to do. My current symptoms are blocked nose, sinus pressure, sneezing, running nose, sinus headaches, brain fog, exhaustion, sore joints more so when more tired, forgetfulness. I get really stuffed up and sneezy at work, and the same if I have my car aircon going. But also I sneeze immediately, numerous times as soon as I walk under a heatpump thst blows warm air on my face. I feel relief when I’m outside in fresh air. Fumes from cars now make me cough. I have post nasal drip and need to constantly clear my throat.
History – I moved into an old villa that seemed dry and I always had the heatpump going. But the walls were waterstained. The walls are rough sawn kauri and had strange marks on them. The wind would blow through the floorboards and blow dust around. I noticed strange marks on the walls when I moved in and the landlady said it was not mold and told me to clean it with bleach. Over some time I noticed the strange marks/stains on the wood were 3dimensional then realised it was mold, which I could not clean off as the wood was so rough. My partner and I would wake up at night short of breath. I got continuous sinus infections, lots of antibiotics and steroids. We now live in a dry, newer home and put in new aircon units. But now I work in an office so cold I sit there shivering during the day. Within 5 minutes of being in the building I start sneezing and get a blocked nose. I can’t take lunch breaks because I’m too busy, though getting fresh air helps.
I don’t know what caused this and work get annoyed I am ‘always sick’. But I’m not sick! I’m trying to figure out why I’m having these allergies. All I can guess is that from living in the moldy house for 5 – 6 years (and getting sinus infections) living with that mold, now I feel like my immune system is in overdrive and and temp changes like freezing aircon at work or aircon in my car or when it’s too hot in the house, I’m reacting like I would with allergies. Do you think my symptoms at the top of this novel were initially caused by the mold exposure? Which now makes me sensitive to other things? I don’t go outside and sneeze etc say if it was pollen season, just mostly when aircon/too cold/too warm is involved. Is mold in my body making my immune system over react to basic things? I live in New Zealand and have no idea who to contact. I feel our country is behind in these things. A specialist has put me forward for surgery to ‘de-bulk’ my nasal passages’ but I don’t see at all how that will stop my symptoms. How would widening my nasal passages (nothing to do with my sinuses) prevent my body creating so much mucus? Or prevent me from reacting so badly in the office with aircon? It makes no sense to me.
I am sorry that this is such a novel. I’m just desperate to figure this out. Work is pressuring me to have the surgery too. But widening my nasal passages makes zero sense in stopping the reactions I am having! I really appreciate any advice! I have been told to do a sinus rinse twice daily but I’m worried as I’m quite stuffed up and my ears feel blocked when I have so much mucus. Do you think mold caused this / continues to as my immune system is weakened? Thank you So much! I just can’t find anyone that goes beyond telling me to use nasal sprays and take antihistamine tablets (which do Not seem to do anything!).
Your symptoms do sound environmentally triggered. How is your current home? Tim Dorrington in NZ is an authorized distributor of Dr. Dennis’s products. He is a mold inspector and remediator. It may be worth having him come to take a look at your home and advise you on mold. If it is mold, fixing it and limiting exposure will bring long term relief. Sinus surgery can help, but not if you continue being exposed to the mold. The company Microfix in NZ also sells many of Dr. Dennis’s homeopathic products and his sinus protocol for mold. Often if those things work when other things have not, you know the cause is likely mold and not traditional allergies.
Oh man, my heart goes out to you Rebecca. ❤
Hi Rebecca,
Im from NZ also but now live in Aus. All the symptoms you described I have also, just a few ideas you can look at which have helped me immensely – look at your diet, cut out sugar and caffeine, I found I was sensitive to a lot of things that caused me inflammation, make sure your gut is not leaky (this causes an auto immune response in your body which triggers allergies) a product I am using and would recommend is Gut Repair by mybrainco. I was just checking out this mold thing myself and I was watching a doctor on Gaia and she said it would be advantageous to raise Glutathione levels, Ive only found one company that does this and I have just ordered my first batch, its called Continual G. Hope this helps.
Can potential mold symptoms persist after remediation was completed, or is it only during exposure? We had an area under the kitchen sink remediated 4 months ago (v. high Aspergillus & a few others). I don’t know the length of exposure, but suspect 6-12 months. We did not get post remediation testing. My toddler had a rash and stuffy nose during exposure, but both of these went away after remediation. However, both my older daughter and I have persistent candida (GI tract); she’s also had a more severe allergy season (symptoms worse outside than inside), while I recently developed neurological symptoms. Can mold do this after exposure, or should I suspect ongoing exposure? My husband never developed symptoms. Thank you in advance!
Many remediations are not thorough enough. Even after a minor issue, a deep clean of the surrounding home is always wise. You could be getting continuing exposure, or you could just have the GI tract colonization. Nasal colonization is also common. Young children always bounce back quickest, according to the literature, so that is not surprising. It would be wise to do some plate testing, I like the EC3 Mold Test Plates, of all rooms in your home to see where spores counts are highest. If you find an issue with that screening method, further investigation of the home to find and solve that problem is in order. If you do not find high counts, I would suggest deep cleaning all rooms with HEPA vacuuming and fogging with EC3 or hiring a professional company with non-toxic products to do it. The IICRC is a good website to find these professionals. I would also recommend finding a practitioner to do urine mycotoxin testing on you and your daughter. If levels are high and continue to be that way, it is likely the exposure continues. It is also totally normal for all family members not to be affected. There are genetic variables that make some people more susceptible to mold-triggered illness than others. Also, it is my guess that you are in the home longer and more than your husband? If that is the case, your exposure is greater and more prolonged. Mold truly is not good for anyone, so solving the problem will benefit everyone in the home.
I had mold remediation done in my home a few weeks ago. I was exposed to mold for a few years. I was diagnosed with mold toxicity by my dr. and my urine test came back high for ochratoxin. I noticed I’ve been sensitive to the chemicals the remediation company used on the walls and such, although they said the smell should go away as time goes by. The smell is much less intense now than before, but I can still smell it sometimes. My hair is still falling out in the front of my head and some days I feel this intense burning pain all over my body, it’ll go away and get better a few days and then the burning sensation comes back. My question is, is this due to the mycotoxins that’re still in my body or is it a combination of the chemicals that are still in the house? Thank you.
The ongoing symptoms could be from the mycotoxins or the chemicals used or a combination of the two. By chance was ozone used in the remediation process? That seems to aggravate chemical sensitivity. Without knowing your specifics, it is hard to direct you but continuing detox with glutathione and binders would certainly seem in order in any event. Sauna therapy may be helpful for you as well, but do so carefully and don’t overdo it.
What my post deleted?
Hi Dr. Dennis. I am need of some help. I have a few issues to discuss so bare with me please. I was having horrible heartburn from pretty much everything I ate or drank. I had an upper GI done and was told to avoid certain foods and to take Prilosec. Which I did for 8 years, from 2005-2013. In 2013 I went to my moms house and cleaned up a lot of mold off of the walls of her house. 2 weeks later I started have a runny nose head aches wheezing, then with in a few weeks I broke out in hives from head to toe! Big huge masses of hives everywhere. I went to a allergist and got a test done and was told I was allergic to a household mold. Not putting to and to together I never told my allergist. I had to go see my PCP to have a chest X-ray done and they found a mass of something in my lungs but never told me what it was but told me it was pneumonia which I ended up having for 3 months. So I had to take 2 doses of strong antibiotics ( the 2 week doses) the first dose worked for ten days then I felt like I had pneumonia all over again. The second dose I felt better finally when the dose was over. Within about 4 months I started having blood sugar issues. I was told by 1 endocrinologist I have reactive hypoglycemia. I’ve had this for 8 years now still to this day. I have changed my diet for this new life style. I stopped taking the Prilosec 8 years ago but am now back on them for 3 months because of GERD. I still can’t breath the greatest with going for hikes and still have some form of hives still to this day. Do you think my health issues are caused by the mold exposure?
This is from Dr. Dennis:
Your condition is likely mold-related. Reflux is related to mold in 2 main ways:
1.When patients have an IgG allergy to Candida, which is present in everyone’s gut the immune reaction to fungus causes inflammation which leads to food allergies and both food allergies and the immune reaction to candida cause reflux separately or together.
2. Environmental air fungal load is key: Fungus in the air goes into the nose, sinuses, and lungs. All fungi have the same cell wall structure, a 1-3 Beta glucan structure, so that when you breathe in mold, it causes a systemic immune reaction ( in mold sensitive people) that causes a cross reaction to the gut Candida, present in all people, (much like if you are sensitive to penicillin you also react to Amoxicillin because it’s the same chemical structure.) So now the Candida in the stomach causes inflammation which drives reflux.
Hello,
I’m in need of some advice.
My mom and I have been living with Penicillium and stachybotrys Mold for years now. I have since moved out. My Mom and I both suffered from memory loss and my skin has been flaking off and very dry. My one cats has asthma that I blame on the mold and my other cat seems to have a breathing problem as well. At the moment my mom has such a bad memory though, she has a loss of words when she talks and her joints are hurting everyday. We think we have the mold removed but I’m so worried for her. I don’t know what to do for her. What can she do to get better faster?
Is she still being exposed to the mold in her home? If so, that really needs to be taken care of. With mold, eliminating the exposure is the MOST important piece of the puzzle. Once that is solved, then true healing can begin. To help your Mom get mold toxins out of her body, she will need to work with a mold-literate practitioner or a doc trained in environmental medicine. Here are websites to find someone in your area to help her: http://www.aaemonline.org, http://www.iseai.org. For implementing some things on your own to help her, here is a link to the Protocol Guide to Treating Mold-Triggered illness from the Micro Balance website: https://microbalancehealthproducts.com/protocol/ There you will find a step-by-step guide to treating mold in the environment and body with product recommendations.
We think all the mold had been taken care of. She’s having someone come back to test the air and such for the mold. We’ve read that we have to get rid of basically everything in the house that can absorb mold, like clothes and couches but she can’t bring herself to do that.
Thank you so much for the info and the links I’m excited to check them out and I’m betting my mom will be excited too!
Look at the products from microbalancehealthproducts.com. The Laundry Additive and Fogger with the Mold Solution may be ways to continue to bring the mold counts down inside her home and treat her clothing and belongings. Getting rid of things that are contaminated is always the best way to go, but if that is too hard for her, using their products may be an option? Getting rid of anything is hard. She just has to realize that regaining her health opens life back up for her, so that she can get new things and continue making precious memories.
Hello, I’m currently dealing with the same thing. My face was peeling for months around my nose, eyebrows, hairline & scalp. The doctors know very little about mold exposure. I’m currently in a hotel healing because me and my children had to move. What’s been working for Ilya is the paleo diet. You HAVE to eliminate sugars and gluten completely. Also, I’m going the natural way. For my peeling skin I’ve been using almond oil with drops of geranium oil inside and it’s healed in 3 days. I also included black seed oil in my routine and the headaches have stopped!!!!! Also take vitamin d oil or supplements (fish oil) and get you some magnesium because mold takes those vitamins away from us. I’m sorry your dealing with this as well as me and my children and it’s a under treated condition. Last but not least pray first before anything!
Hello! I am reacting terribly to outdoor mold spores. This has never happened before and this is my second season in Texas plus I was pregnant the first season. Do u think all this is coz I have mycotoxins in my body? Will I ever heal? I flew to a frnds place which has no outdoor mold spores at the moment. I have had terrible mold sickness
Sometimes our bodies react more because our total body load for all environmental toxins has increased and what used to be your “threshold” for exposure has decreased as a result. We can offer diagnosis based on your symptoms, but you could do some mold/fungus focused interventions to see if they help. If they help and you find relief, then you likely are dealing with something as it relates to mold. Have you tried nasal rinsing with saline, CitriDrops Nasal Spray, and Sinus Defense? Those are all great homeopathic interventions that could really help with symptoms of outdoor mold allergies. Also, you should consider testing your indoor environment for mold. Outdoor mold allergy is often exacerbated by indoor mold exposure.
I’ve been searching and searching for answers and I’m still not sure I’ve come to exactly the right place.
My whole childhood, I lived off a dirt road that was fairly busy for a dirt road. Anytime I cleaned in my bedroom, especially my closet… my eyes would swell up and water and itch and basically look like my eyelids turned wrong side out. This would be accompanied by an itchy throat sometimes as well. We always assumed I had a dust allergy. I moved out and never had an issue again. Until I was 35 and I was staying at my girlfriend’s house for a month. Same thing started happening. Dust seemed unlikely in the urban setting. But I noticed her bathroom has some mold in it. Every time I’d leave her house, my symptoms improved. So now I was wondering if the allergy was maybe mold too. No further issues once I left the house for good. 2 years later, my mom passed away and my brother got her house. He informed me that when he gutted it, all the closets were full of mold. Especially the one I grew up in. Okay, so now I’m thinking allergy is mold and not dust.
Now I’m 40 and 7 months ago suddenly started experiencing very mild breathing issues. I have been diagnosed with mild asthma, but it has ONLY ever been brought on by exercise. I’ve lived in fire country and nothing has ever bothered it other than exercise. But there I was with breathing issues. They feel different than exercise asthma. They have progressively been getting worse. I initially buffed at the idea of it be allergy related. I had lived in my suite for 2 years and nothing in my environment had changed. Plus, my standard reaction of eye swelling and itching and throat itching hasn’t occurred. I’ve had tons and tons of blood work done. Saw an ENT. I Had a spirometry test (came back positive for mild asthma the same as before). I’ve tried numerous inhalers and none have helped. Though they have never helped with my exercise induced asthma either. In the blood work I was tested for Aspergillus Fumigatus Specific Allergen IgE. Came back undetected. And Aspergillus Ab. But that was sent out and I never heard anything. I assume that’s because it was also negative. My landlord had a guy come into my suite to check for mold. But all he did was check the baseboard for water damage. Which he found in the bathroom. He said that there could be mold there but he doubted it. I also should mention that I do live in the pacific north west and my suite backs right up to the forest. I went away to San Diego for 10 days and I feel like my symptoms improved a little, but did not ever go away. I also live with somebody and they experience symptoms.
So here are my questions. My tests show negative, but could I have an allergy to mold? If so, how do I find out? How likely is it that mold could be causing me symptoms with my lungs but my eyes are totally fine when that was my main symptom in the past? I’ve tried looking for a specialist to really check for mold properly, but I don’t know what to look for. Are there specific tests I should request? And lastly, how long would I have to be away from the mold for my symptoms to resolve? I’d be willing to go stay somewhere else to test this.
I’m sorry to bombard you. It’s been 8 month with no answers and I’ve been slowly getting worse. At this rate, I fear what condition I’ll be in, in another 8 months Any guidance would be so very much appreciated!
You may be doing the wrong kind of testing. You can be prone to mold-induced illness but NOT have a mold allergy. Here is an article explaining just that: https://www.sinusitiswellness.com/mold-allergy-vs-mold-illness-why-ruling-out-an-allergy-to-mold-does-not-rule-out-mold-toxicity/
Additionally, there are many lab tests to do that would help to diagnose and look for an inflammatory response to mold that would create the symptoms you describe. Here is more on that: https://www.sinusitiswellness.com/why-lab-tests-are-only-part-of-the-picture-for-making-a-mold-illness-diagnosis/
Finally, if there is evidence of water damage that was never addressed, there is likely mold behind those baseboards. You should look for an Indoor Environmental Professional to help you. Even if you do not own the suite, it is better to do the testing yourself, because you then own the report and can ask that whatever issues you find be addressed by the property owner. Most states have renter’s rights when it comes to the safety of the home. I hope that helps.
Hi Catherine,
Thank you for your response. I know I wrote a novel. :) I will definitely look into the information you provided.
My landlord did have somebody come in and look, and he was a mold specialist. But the guy didn’t really do anything. I’m assuming my landlord didn’t want to pay for a more thorough inspection. But I’m only assuming that. The suite is only 3 years old and I think that is his thinking around that. The shower was leaking and that was the cause of the water issue around the baseboard in there. The leak has been fixed, but the baseboard was never removed. I’m more than willing to pay for somebody to come out myself, I’m just unsure of what exactly to request. Perhaps calling around will answer that for me.
Thanks you again! I’m really getting frustrated and desperate to get to the bottom of this.
You would just need someone to come to see if that area needs to be remediated professionally in order to remove hidden water damage or mold growth. The http://www.acac.org website is a good place to find a qualified professional in your area. I would not open it up or attempt to do it yourself, because if there is mold growth, you will further expose yourself to try to pull off or replace the baseboard without proper containment.
I should have read your links before posting my comment. How on earth do I find a GOOD mold specialist? Just taking a look online at the ones around here, they mostly talk about air samples being the best. After reading your link and other links of that… seems that is not true. Also it seems this can get quite pricey. While I’m willing to stick this on credit to pay for it, I fear I’m going to pay 1K or more and maybe not get an accurate inspection. Any tips on filtering out the good from the not so good inspectors?
I live in Vancouver, Canada so unfortunately our resources may be different. I can’t seem to find much about mold illness and any doctors who really talk much about it. I’ll keep digging though.
Thank you again!
Go to the http://www.iseai.org website. They list doctors and IEPs by location. That is a great resource for both. There are some listed in Canada.
You might also want to try a self home mold air text called mymolddetective. We used this just to prove the mold was there and then the landlord was forced to do further testing. Just be sure to keep all your correspondence with your landlord via email so there is proof you reported the mold. It can get tricky with landlords not wanting to test the air. This is an inexpensive option to let you know if you need to do further testing.
I am a Health Coach assisting people to recover from mold illness. Take a dust sample called an ERMI. Use a company called Envirobionics. The ERMI is easy to take yourself. It is around $240. You collect dust on a swifer pad (buy new box from store to use) & a new box of zip locks to place the swifer pad in. Close it tight and send to Envirobionics. The ERMI will tell you how many mold spores (specifically the ones that grow in water damaged buildings) are present. It also includes commonly occurring out door molds which make their way inside. I can assist you in interpreting the results if you need help.
Hi. I have been dealing with mold in my clothes for 2 years (although it is not black). I used to wash my clothes like crazy, bought a dehumidifier and used to have it on all day every day. I oved out of my apartament and I started getting mold in my clothes again. bought borax to put in the washing machine and have been washing y clothes on 60 degrees.
A month ago I started noticing my skin was extremely dry and it started getting worse. I couldnt work out what it was. I then learned I had iron deficiency too. I now think I do have mold toxicity. My partner has been getting horrible skin rashes and also bad allergies and siometimes neurological symptoms. I had just bought chlorella, activated charcoal and bentonite clay which Ive started today. I am having 2 caosules of activated charcoal, one heaped teaspoon of bentonite clay and 10 tablets of chlorella. I also ordered modified citrus pectin which I will get in the next few days. I am desperate.
I am wondering if its ok to take them all together and if it will make a difference.
Thank you
Silvia
Hi, Silvia,
It sounds like you need to test your home to see what is causing the mold issue, or if not your home, you need to identify where and how you are being exposed. The mold is not likely to be so prevalent in your clothing without a source to get the spores into the clothing in the first place. It could be the washing machine or something else. I say this, because while binders can be very helpful, the main thing with mold is to eliminate the exposure so that you body can heal and can respond favorably to interventions. Since you have iron deficiency, you should work with a health practitioner to decide on binders and how many and how often to take them. Binders do bind to things other than just toxins and can create additional issues with nutrient deficiency or with the body’s ability to excrete of your detoxification pathways aren’t opened up. So, I guess the best answer is that binders are wonderful tools, but #1 is eliminating the toxic exposure making you sick, #2 finding a pracitioner to guide you with a regimen that will address your unique symptoms and body so that you can detox but can also heal and not set yourself back further. I hope that makes sense.
Hi, Silvia,
It sounds like you need to test your home to see what is causing the mold issue, or if not your home, you need to identify where and how you are being exposed. The mold is not likely to be so prevalent in your clothing without a source to get the spores into the clothing in the first place. It could be the washing machine or something else. I say this because while binders can be very helpful, the main thing with mold is to eliminate the exposure so that your body can heal and can respond favorably to interventions. Since you have iron deficiency, you should work with a health practitioner to decide on binders and how many and how often to take them. Binders do bind to things other than just toxins and can create additional issues with nutrient deficiency or with the body’s ability to excrete of your detoxification pathways aren’t opened up. So, I guess the best answer is that binders are wonderful tools, but #1 is eliminating the toxic exposure making you sick, #2 finding a practitioner to guide you with a regimen that will address your unique symptoms and body so that you can detox but can also heal and not set yourself back further. I hope that makes sense.
It’s your washing machine. You can look up how to clean mold out of washing machine. I have a top loader. I clean out my washer At night so that it can soak overnight. I put it on hot, extra large load, keep top up so it doesn’t cycle through (do not put top down until morning), keep adding the hottest water you have with a bucket until you reach maybe a centimeter below the rim and then add about 3 cups of NEW bleach (bleach loses it’s effectiveness very quickly). After about 8-10 hours close the lid and let it cycle through… Should take care of the problem.
ERMI test shows there is a mold in our AC closet. We were told it’s $20k to take AC out, remediate mold and put back. We can’t afford to do that and can’t afford to move out. We are interested in doing a fogging treatment then getting a whole house IQ Air Purifier system installed. Is this an ok alternative to having the demo done? My husband has the HLA gene and was diagnosed with CIRS and symptoms keep getting worse. We are going to start the protocol but can’t afford to remediate the house. What are your thoughts?
No, fogging is not remediation, unfortunately. It would be a temporary Band Aid and with a mold sick person, it is not the way to go. If you can show that a water event caused the mold, you can get some help with your homeowner’s insurance. There are also options of getting additional bids on the same work. Something like fogging can help once the work is complete to clean the air post remediation, but instead of remediation, it is not advisable. The area needs to be contained with proper things set up to protect the rest of your home, so it is best a company trained in mold remediation do the work. The IQ Air is a wonderful system, but also cannot remediate a mold problem. I really would advise seeing what you can do to do the work. You will save a lot in the long run, because his health will improve.
Dr. Dennis, It’s incredible how no doctors know anything this, my husband has been to multiple doctors and specialists in the last 10 years including PCPs Allerigists ENTs et and none have heard of the HLA gene and mold toxicity and are not willing to look into it. We found a functional practitioner doing the shoemaker protocol but no MDs there to prescribe one of the important binders needed to detox. Very frustrating. Any thoughts on how to proceed? Austin, Texas. Thanks.
Hi, Theresa, the Shoemaker protocol is not the only way to go. If you are completely out of the moldy environment, aggressive binders are not always necessary. Dr. Dennis has lots of success with is patients using the sinus protocol, an antifungal diet, detoxification support like enzymes, vitamins, minerals, and bile builders, Sinus Defense, and a gentle binder like Zeolite, GI Detox, or coconut charcoal. Depending on the mycotoxins/molds he has been exposed to, sometimes there are actually better binders than Cholestyramine. The functional practitioner he is working with should have some advice on docs who will prescribe the meds he needs. There is also the option of telemedicine with a mold doctor outside of Austin.
Have sinusitis for 3 weeks thought I was getting better but went to the Legion basement and had a bad reaction to the musty smell, could be mold. I stayed for 40 minutes until I couldn’t breathe any longer and now waiting for the congestion to go away. How long does it take to go away after exposure? My sinuses are real bad.
You could have a sinus infection triggered by the mold exposure. I would advise finding an ENT in your area who treats fungal sinusitis. If you are no longer being exposed, antifungal nasal treatments, and possibly something to address the infection would then offer you relief and improvement. There is also the Sinus Treatment protocol that could help.
It’s good to know that mycotoxin builds up in your system and causes problems over time. Ever since my boyfriend and I moved into our new house two weeks ago, we have been having strange respiratory and allergy-like symptoms. It may be a good idea to have the house checked for mold so that we can avoid long-term exposure.
Thanks for this article. I believe it has helped me understand an illness after being exposed to mold at work. I already have a mold allergy as well as asthma, and am 56 years old. The mold was on wet cardboard saturated with leaking beverages both alcoholic and non that had been sitting unnoticed for sometime. On one such package, the mold growth was at least an inch high. The illness kept me home a few days with typical respiratory allergy-like symptoms.
I hope you are feeling better now and that the mold has been addressed so that you are not re-exposed. Thank you for reading and for writing!
Can mold exposure cause you to smell something strange like exhaust or ammonia when you’re not around these things?
It sounds like you have become hyper-aware of smells in general. This is an indication of multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS) which is very common in mold-sick people. Dr. Tanner has an excellent article on MCS. Treating it involves many of the same things as treating mold illness, but sufferers also benefit from nervous-system specific interventions, like DNRS and limbic system retraining programs.
I thought I had a UTI, but the test came back negative. After four months of suffering the symptoms I began to wonder if there was something in the water. I did water test, but they all came back negative. I looked in the back of my toilet tank and it was covered in black mold growing in the bottom and sides of the tank. Could it be that for the last four months in Covid quarantine I have been exposing myself to this toxic toilet and I have a mold allergy that is mimicking a urinary tract infection?
Hi,
Your pain may be toxicity induced. Things like candida can also contribute. Here are some articles for further reading that you may find helpful:
https://www.sinusitiswellness.com/the-role-of-mold-and-candida-in-hormonal-autoimmunity-in-females/
https://www.sinusitiswellness.com/sinus-allergies-and-treatment-how-muscle-joint-pain-fibromyalgia-gastritis-gerd-relate-to-sinusitis/
https://www.sinusitiswellness.com/hormone-imbalances-and-syndromes-in-mold-injured-patients/
I know this is off topic but is there any chance you have any knowledge palatal myoclonus or a palatal tremor? I’ve seen several doctors and neurologist idiopathic after all the test and MRIS but the clicking in my ears is so loud you can hear it across the room and the pulsing of my palate is well over 200 times a minute. After experiencing this for over 3 years and going to the doctor’s many of them for over a year now they just keep sending me to different people even going as far as to tell me it’s just a tick when I actually feel pressure moving around my sinus cavity 24/7 and the head and neck and shoulder movement I can’t control. There are several other symptoms that go along with it I’ve been given countless medications but nothing seems to stop it.
Do you have reason to believe it is associated with mold or some sort of environmental trigger? If there is a fungal ball in your sinus cavity (sinus CT reviewed by a trained ENT – I would recommend Dr. Dennis if you are anywhere near Atlanta) that is full of mycotoxins, it could be secreting those inside the sinus and causing the tremors, etc. If this is something you can associate with a move to a different home or finding mold in your home, some sort of fungal sinus issue could be the culprit.
I believe I’m infected with mold.
Having post nasal drip and swollen eyes including bad breath.
I will appreciate any help that will assist me in managing bad breath while I loom for a way in treating the mold infection
Diagnosis is key in treating halitosis. While trying to get this diagnosed, you could try something to aid with the congestion, like nasal irrigation with a Nasopure and Citridrops to see if this helps. Gargling with the CitriDrops could also help. Histamine Relief also sold by Micro Balance could aid in the allergic reaction that could be causing the swollen eyes as well. If it is mold, figuring out what in your environment is the main problem and solving that will do a lot for your symptoms too.
I have been going through this since April. I’ve been going to Ent doctor telling them I feel like I can’t breathe clearly on one side like in my throat they gave me antibiotics didn’t work the cat scan said I have blockage behind my node and throat, then suggested ballon surgery which I did in May. Still have the same problem then said I had lpr. Went to another Ent said no lpr. Went to a Dentist had a toothed pulled last week that was in my sinus cavity. Still have this issue which is giving me asthma and anxiety feeling. I’m the only one suffering in my home. The basement and garage was full of mold. We leave in Oct been here since last October. They just start taking it out after 8 months of begging. They had fixed the water from coming in first. It’s like I don’t know what to do if the mold is fully gone. If this my issue I want to get my family out of here
It sounds like the sinus issues are triggered by the mold. Just because your other family members don’t have the sinus problems, does not mean that the mold is not affecting them. Mold can cause anxiety, anger, depression, joint pain, insomnia, and much more. I would definitely focus my energy on getting out of the home as soon as possible. Also, try not to take things like mattresses, sofas, pillows, and anything that cannot be washed or wiped down with you. You need to start fresh and get your body out of the exposure, so that you can heal.
hi there, first of all, i would like to thank you for all the great answers here but i would like to ask about my problem. i lived in a appartment with black mould for 10 years. now, it’s been 4 years that i moved out. i had runny nose all the time and the feeling of being sick. i will always take advil cold and sinus. my main problem is chronic sinus inflammation and severe headache. the ent doctor said no polyp in my nose but all inflamed and we need to do some allergy test but it’s all suspended due to
covid19. i take dymista nasal spray twice a day and i feel much better. do you think the long time exposure to mould is the culprit for my chronic sinusitis? thanks for your precious time and efforts. good day.
Chronic exposure leads to heightened sensitivity. If fungus/mold triggered the sinusitis, you may still be reacting to mold in your current situation, even though it is much less. Simple things like air purification, using a homeopathic nasal spray like CitriDrops for fungus, and just keeping your environment and your diet as mold-free as possible will likely bring huge benefits to your health. Thank you for writing and take care!
I’ve been going through this a month-and-a-half also been going to doctors letting them know that my breathing is really bad I have asthma and I’ve been inhaling mold they had to take a covid-19 test to make sure it wasn’t covid-19 thank God it wasn’t but I’m still hard to breathe it feels tight
Hello i have been living in a house for a year and a half now and i have seen mold growing on ac window units and window seals. Since moving to this house i have lost almost 40 pounds. I feel sick all the time. I feel like i have something stuck in my throat all the time, get bad head aches. feel angry, irratable, nausea, body aches. Abdominal pain, forgetful like i have memory loss, irregular heart beat, anxiety, severe depression. Could all this be caused by the mold? The weight loss? I weigh 139 lbs and i normally weigh between 180 to 185. How can i get tested to see if this is my problem? Please help im desperate on what i should do. Im 39 yrs old and dont have a primary physician.
Hi, Jay,
If you see mold on the AC units and around the window, then there is definitely mold in your indoor air. I cannot say that all of your symptoms are from the mold, but it is likely that the mold has depleted your immune system and is a contributing factor to what you are experiencing. Weight loss is a symptom in many mold patients, especially when accompanied by the other symptoms you list. Do you own the home? If so, you need to have the mold issues fixed by a professional. If not, you need to photograph the mold and inform your landlord. That must be fixed as it is not safe. There is urine mycotoxin testing that can be ordered by the patient in certain states. Real Time Labs and Great Plain Labs both offer it. There is also blood mycotoxin testing from MyMycoLab. What would be better is to find a professional to help you to get your environment right and mold-free. No clinical intervention can overcome breathing moldy air. Once you get to safe, mold-free environment, see if your symptoms improve. Look on this site for the environmental and body protocols. Those are simple interventions you can take to start to heal yourself. If symptoms continue, look for a doctor in your area trained in environmental medicine at http://www.aaemonline.org. I hope that helps.
hi , not sure if this chat still open , i have mould toxicity and my symptoms are blurred vision , chronic sinusitis for about 4 weeks now, brain fog, irritability and fatigue, i did a full body detox no long ago and i also though i was having reaction to all the toxins coming out of my body .
i havent finish my detox i would like to take my parasite tablets but im not sure if i could now that i know im suffering from mould toxicity, does anyone knows? what shall i do?
thank you
ISABEL
It would be smartest to do what you can to get out of the moldy environment before continuing to do further detox. Unfortunately, trying to detox while still in the moldy environment can be like bailing a leaking boat. You will be working your body so hard, but still filling it with toxins. The most important part of healing truly is breathing clean air in a safe place. It is the hardest part for some, but the most beneficial. Once that piece is in place, everything, including detox will go smoother.
Hello, I recently moved from living in a water damaged moldy apartment for years. It also had black mold exposed that I didn’t notice and didn’t think was harmful. Then during Covid I didn’t leave and was sick for weeks and weeks. The apartment then “cleaned” it by scraping it off and bleaching it. After that I couldn’t step foot in it without feeling miserable. I’m out now but feel it’s on my clothes even after washing multiple times. I’m still sick with symptoms like swollen eyes and even throat feeling like there’s something in it. I also have become depressed and anxious effecting sleep, relationships etc. Do you think I need to throw away my clothes? How do I detox with black charcoal? Thanks for the help!
Max, you should buy some inexpensive EC3 Mold Test Plates and TAP test your belongings and clothing to see if they do, in fact, have mold. If furnishings have mold and are non-porous, you can wipe down and clean thoroughly with EC3 or peroxide. If they are upholstered porous items, you should discard them. You also should likely purhcase new pillows and a new mattress. Your clothing can be soaked and washed with HOT water and EC3. Then, you will need to thoroughly HEPA vacuum and clean your new place to get rid of any spores and mold fragments you brought with you. You should then begin irrigating your nose with nasal wash and an antifungal, like CitriDrops. The Sinus Defense would also be helpful. Charcoal can be a good binder, but must be taken away from other supplements. Coconut charcoal is usually well tolerated. If you have eliminated exposures and are treating your nose and body, you should feel better soon. If you don’t find a mold-literate doctor in your area to help test and guide you further.
I’m having these same exact symptoms currently. I’ve been going to the doctor since February. I’ve also been having a lot of nausea. I just located mold under my bathroom sink from and old leak that was repaired. They removed it immediately. It’s a terrible feeling.
Hello,
Don’t know if you’re still commenting. I have been exposed to many different species of mold for 8+ years. I seem to have every symptom under the sun, but the one that truly scares me is systemic swelling, some of which is quite severe and has a tendency to worsen quickly and stay that bad. I’m sleeping in a “safe environment”, a rental for people with MCS and environmental toxin disease that is supposedly mold free. It’s tiled, there are no cabinets so that the water pipes can’t leak anywhere save on tile should they leak, and furniture is mostly metal and glass, and there’s an air filtration unit.. Since moving to it (I’m still packing up things from a moldy apartment, so I do spend some time there each day before decontaminating shower before bed in safe place), my swelling has worsened even more. My left hand/fingers and foot/toes look like balloons, and the right side is catching up. My face is swollen, particularly around eyes and eyelids, and getting worse. My belly looks like it could explode any minute. Does any of this sound like detox? I can’t imagine that this symptom should get worse. I’m on cholysteramine, mast cell stabilizers, anti histamines, low dose naltrexone, and anti inflammatory supplements. I wash my laundry with EC3, and clothes that were in the moldy environment get triple washed including with borax. I’m not noticing the wheeze I had developed, or heart palpitations as regularly, but sleep is still elusive and my nose is constantly stuffed and my eyes are always watering. I will talk to my allergist/immunologist about fungal sinusitis at least. Still, I’m at a complete loss. Why would my systemic swelling worsen? I meet so many mold-exposed, biotoxin illness patients who aren’t swelling.
I’m sorry you have had such a hard time. One thing to keep in mind is that the symptom response can be very individual. Your swelling may be the manifestation of that response, which could affect another patient in an entirely different way. I do think the first steps are to see if you are still holding on to fungus in your body and with the nasal symptoms would definitely want to rule that out. Sinus xrays or CT scan could reveal a fungal ball, but bear in mind these can be tiny and hard to detect. A thorough sinus culture for fungi and mold would also be recommended. If all of that is negative, then an environmental medicine doctor could dig deeper to see what other issues may be disrupting your immune system and prescribe appropriate treatment.
Best wishes to you.
I have discovered a severe mold infection in my apartment. It is everywhere. I am planning on moving within the next month – is it worth the time (and money) to get someone in to clean the mold? Will an additional couple of weeks in my apartment cause additional health issues? I seem to be ok, I don’t have any noticeable or severe reactions – I know there may be issues that I don’t see – but my partner has been suffering a constant sore throat, sinus issues and headaches which have mystified drs. Despite that fact that we are leaving this apartment, will the extra 2/3 weeks make a difference? We are really quite concerned for his health.
I would try to leave as soon as possible–length of time living in the mold does influence length of recovery. Do not take items that cannot be safely cleaned or washed with something non toxic like EC3 with you. You do not want to risk contaminating a new safe living space.
I came home after a weekend away in October and started having severe shortness of breath almost right away, and went to urgent care within three days. Since normally only cats and sometimes smoke give me asthma, I was utterly confused about what it could be, and it took me a month to realize it was for sure something in the house and not just me, and longer yet to determine it was mold. We had it tested and there was toxic mold growing in the garbage disposal. Since then we’ve had the mold removed, and the house fogged and scrubbed, have air purifiers all over the house, bought our own massive scrubber and do all the laundry in vinegar and Borax. When we retested there was no more toxic mold. It’s helped, but I’ve still had reactions. All lung. I was waiting until we could finally open all the doors and windows again, thinking it would help the asthma, but it hasn’t. It seems to have made it worse. And now I’m terrified the damage is irreversible. And that I’m allergic to every kind of mold now. Fresh air used to be my cure-all. We can’t move until fall and I don’t know what to do and I’m scared the exposure’s been too long, even if it’s just residual spores. I don’t have anywhere to go.
Have you tested your car? There is often some additional exposure that you aren’t considering. Also it could just mean that you need to take some steps with your body to clear the mold. Sometimes, it just needs a bit of a push in the right direction to get better. That can include dietary changes–no mold diet–there are many online resources, things to treat the nasal passages for fungus, like the CitriDrops Nasal Spray, and a dietary supplement that can address candida and yeast in the gut. CitriDrops Dietary Supplement and Candida Rid are good. Every person is different, and the mold you were exposed to can also make an impact on how long recovery takes. I would keep digging with your environment. Also drinking tap water or out of a refrigerator dispenser that is moldy can be sources of exposure.
Thank you. I think the car has mold spores, if not mold. It has porous surfaces on the floor and ceiling. That is very confusing about a no-fungal diet — does that mean I’m allergic to all mold now? Edible mushrooms included? I’ve ordered some nose spray etc. I don’t have any symptoms except persistent lung inflammation, but that’s enough. We’re going to re-sanitize the house. But I’m getting scared I’ll never heal. I’m thinking there are still mold spores here that may not be at toxic levels but are toxic to me. Also my lungs are so weak humidity and probably dust and mites are getting them too. I have an appointment with an allergist Monday. Thank you for your help.
No mold diets aren’t usually forever, but are a way to eliminate fungus from the body. Mushrooms are a fungus, so yes, it would mean to mushrooms for a bit. There are LOTS of resources for Candida Diets online. Keeping dust and humidity to a minimum indoors will be your best friend right now as you recover. Recovery is possible, but sometimes takes some focused effort and lots of avoidance to kick it off. You can purchase some mold test plates to test your car. If that is a source of exposure, you will need to clean it to help your body recover.
I believe that my family and I have been exposed to mold for several months. My symptoms include temple pain/headaches, light sensitivity, fatigue, neck pain, 1 sided body pain, foot and hand tingling, ear stoppage, felling of fluid in brain moving when laying flat, sinus pain, headache & when leaning forward. My child has had a few nose bleeds and is constantly runny nose, coughing, and itchy eyes. Is any of this NOT related to mold symptoms? Could it be something else? We are in the process of doing an at home test not. 2 days ago I found mold on a pillow and a window pane. This was removed.
Is it possible that spores have gone throughout the house? If so, How would you advise we fix the problem? Should I start to see gradual improvements now or could I still feel the same as when the mold was still in the home.
If you see mold, there is mold. The testing needs to diagnose how big the problem is. You can find certified environmental inspector or a building biologist to help you. The symptoms do sound like mold, but could always be other things too. I would try finding a good environmental inspector and also you could try leaving the home for a week–try to take none of the belongings that are in the home with you. See if symptoms improve and you feel noticeably better. This is often a very strong sign that your environment is causing illness.
Hi there. My husband and I had gotten a couch from a friend about 6 months ago. I had moved the cushions around before,but I never turned them over. I decided it was time to flip and switch the cushions when I did there was black mold everywhere. We both have been sick,but thought it was the weather and actually blamed Covid 19 at one point. We have had headaches,nausea,sore throats,coughing,wheezing,runny noses, fatigue,burning itching and watering eyes and depression. I am immunocompromised due to several health problems including non alcoholic cirrhosis of my liver. my husband has had cancer. Should we seek medical attention? We immediately got rid of the couch and I scrubbed the floors and anything that touched the couch got washed in hot water with baking soda.
You have done the right thing. See if you start to feel better. Usually if the exposure is just one item, removing it and cleaning will get rid of the symptoms. If you continue to feel unwell, then I would seek the help of a medical practitioner.
How do you know if remediation worked? I’m detoxing now. I’ll have 20 good days then 7 bad. It’s like a roller coaster. It would be financially devastating to leave our house.
Things like the VCS test and mycotoxin urine tests can help. You can also do some simple environmental tests to see if your environment is safe.
Hello I am 20 years old and I have asthma.
I’ve been living in a appartment for 3 years and some mold (about 1ft x 1ft) started developping in my bathroom. Since it started developping, I am coughing alot and my cardio got really worse. I cleaned the mold with a bleach solution with a N95 mask and there is no more mold right now.
I am scared that I might have permanent lung damage and I won’t be able to do anymore sports because of this.
So my two questions are:
Is there any chance that I’ve got permanent and irreversible lung (or other) damage ?
If the damage are not permanent, how long will it take me to recover from this ?
Thanks alot, I hope you can help me out :)
Hello.
as long as you are not living in ongoing mold and your asthma is being adequately treated, you should not have any permanent lung damage. Asthma in and of itself can be damaging and it is important to address it and manage. Mold can surely cause and aggravate it
That said, there are better ways than bleach to treat the mold. if it is persistent you would be much better off to move or require that the management fix the problem.
Hello O have been living in a rental for 2 years. I recently found out their is dampness in basrment, and what I believe to me mold on the lower walls where leaks are. I have been short of breath, heart papulations, higher blood pressure, dizziness and nausea. The Landlord says house was inspected..no mold. I don’t believe that. I am moving in another few weeks. Do you think this is mold related and will a 2 year recovery take long?
Getting out of the mold is the first step. Recovery is different for everyone. It is hard to say because it depends on so many other underlying things as well.
Recovery is individual for each person. Inspections are different for each company–some are not so good. Your symptoms could be mold, but they could also be other things. I am happy you are moving. Once out of the mold, see if your symptoms improve. You can also go to AAEMONLINE.org and ISEAI.org to find practitioners who treat mold in your area.
Recovery is different for everyone. Getting out of the exposure is the most important thing. You are likely sensitized to mold now, though, so doing the environmental protocols and the body protocols detailed on this site would help speed your recovery along.
I am an avid pot smoker and I recently realized one of the strains I’ve been smoking for three months has a mold infestation. I just found out two days ago and immediately have stopped smoking at all. My symptoms included nausea (especially when eating), diarrhea, runny nose, and acute anxiety. Within the past two days the diarrhea has increased along with the nausea. From the looks of it I don’t think it’s Mold Poising but I want an expert opinion just to be sure. I don’t know if that matters, but I also only smoke out of a 6 inch mini bong.
It is not at all uncommon to find mold on marijuana. The conditions upon which it is grown and dried are quite favorable to molds. Another concern is that many are also treated with pesticides so the chemical content of those can be fairly high. Looking at your urine for mycotoxins and environmental toxins would show if you have accumulated these. Great Plains laboratory offers both of these tests, and you may want to contact them to see if you can get a kit or request that your physician do this.
Can prolonged exposer to Mold create symptoms such as numb feet and hands ?
Yes–and tingling and electric/static shocks. Definitely look for symptom clusters over one symptom, though.
I was exposed to mold three years ago for about two years. I have been unable to work since 2017 due to depression anxiety PTSD symptoms insomnia difficulty concentrating ADHD like symptoms it’s absolutely debilitating. How long after a mold exposure can you get a test for mold poisoning? I guess what I’m asking is my doctor never didA mold poisoning blood test at the time. But all these years later three to be exact I would like to be tested so that I can find a doctor to put me on the correct treatment plan.
Hi, Laurie,
There is no “lab” test for mold toxicity per say. Here is an article that explains testing that comes together to give a diagnosis for mold toxicity. Did you test the home or location where you were exposed? If you have evidence of the mold in the space where you were living, and have “mold-positive” readings on some of these labs in the article, then you should likely start some of the treatment protocols for mold. Resources to find a doc in your area can be found at http://www.aaemonline.org, and http://www.ISEAI.org. Here is the link to the article: https://www.sinusitiswellness.com/why-lab-tests-are-only-part-of-the-picture-for-making-a-mold-illness-diagnosis/
Hello,
Today I decided to paint the concrete block in my basement. When I got to the last wall there was a few blocks covered in what looked like to be black mold. I painted over a few of them and then stopped. A few hours later I got a sore throat and ear ache and a pretty bad headache. Do you think I am having a reaction to the mold I was exposed to?
There is definitely a strong probability. It would be wise to get a professional environmental inspection to find out what is causing the mold growth, so that you can stop the cause, properly remediate the mold that is there and get on with your life. It can really affect your health if you have a moisture issue.
So I work in the Hemp industry and when someone dumped a bucket full of moldy weed into the moldy weed bag it air-asoled and I took a deep breath not knowing. Symptoms included immediately bad taste bite in the back of throat, instant nausea and dry heaves and became lightheaded and sick to my stomach. Do I have cause for concern for my health and should I go to the hospital?
You are likely having an acute reaction. If the symptoms persist, you should seek medical help. Looking at your urine for mycotoxins and environmental toxins would show if you have accumulated these. Great Plains laboratory offers both of these tests, and you may want to contact them to see if you can get a kit or request that your physician do this.
Hi, I just wanna ask is it too late to throw all of our stuff that we brought from our rental house that’s has molds on it, moved to our new house that we bought? All of our other stuff are in the new house now, we didn’t know all of this that it could be contaminated. What we should do? Thank You and I will really appreciate for the response. Please and thank You.
It is not too late. If you find you are reacting to things brought into the new home, you can remove them, HEPA vacuum the home and fog with EC3. Then, HEPA vacuum again. Do this routinely for a few months to tackle mold spores. You can also wash your clothing and bedding with unscented detergent and EC3 Laundry Additive. Make sure to allow things from the moldy home to soak for at least an hour in the EC3 and detergent before allowing the wash cycle to complete. Also, after fogging change you air handler filters to MERV 11 or higher and control humidity inside the home. Keep it below 50%.
I was expose to mold for 61/2 years . Didn’t relise untill we moved .the first year I went to the doctor atleast 30 times I had bad allergies and migraines. But unfortunately my dr thought it was hormonal and being 50 to 57 .we try alot of things I also tested positive for a,a, my neck was was inflamed with arthritis. My whole body would be in pain . I had a low temp fever . But the craziest part the mental illness. Was off the chain my adhd came back with a vengeance PTSD. Anxiety I’ve been on alot of meds .thank god my psyche dr seen my detestation .and then while we were moving we seen the mold it made since I thought I was crazy and now we have some what a answer to it all .its been 4 months and I still have these problems what can we do to go forward . I feel like they dont take this serious .and I’m just crazy I just want to feel better . Will i ?
The best thing to do is to find a mold-literate doc who can help you get your brain and body back from the exposure. Good resources include http://www.aaemonline.org, http://www.iseai.org, and the practitioner list at http://www.paradignchange.me. Please let us know if you have further questions.
I have been suffering for more than 2 years. i lived with Statch for more than 4 years. We moved out when it was discovered.
Ever heard of it taking so long for somebody to recover?
Yes. Recovery takes different lengths of time for everyone. It can depend of length of time in exposure, current living conditions, other infections, viruses, or parasites, or if you are also dealing with thyroid issues, heavy metals, hormonal issues, etc. I do not know your current treatment or modalities, so it is hard to get more specific. I will say that with most people who are not getting better, there is either current mold exposure, or an underlying issue.
Hello,
I have had various health problems for about a decade (I’m only 33).. I have lived in 6 different places in the last 10 years. One place had very bad mold issues that we had to move out of (that was 6 years ago). Is it possible to still be sick from mold exposure from 6 years ago? My husband and I both had mold tests done and have 2 that registered pretty high. I am not sure if it is a current exposure or not. My health has taken some weird turns the last couple of years (we bought our most recent home summer of 2016). We are currently on a bitters and binder protocol but I am feeling slightly down and defeated at how big of a task this is with all the unknowns. The money is adding up and I can only work part time due to my health. Yikes!
The main thing, but the hardest thing with mold is removing yourself from the exposure. The simplest test to see if you are still being exposed is go somewhere for a long weekend and take NOTHING from the home with you. No laptop, no clothing, no nothing. If you take a cell phone, wipe it down with alcohol wipes. Buy cheap toiletries and clothing just for the weekend. Find a place to go that is mold-free and that you feel good in. If you notice symptoms improve tangibly, then it is time to investigate your living space. For anyone who has been exposed, healing also means mold maintenance and hygiene in your current space–even if it is mold safe. You are sensitized. You are going to react more than the average person. HEPA vacuum, use the EC3 products on your laundry and surfaces, change your HVAC filters to MERV 11, keep indoor humidity below 50%. All of these things are as important as your supplements to your health. Bitters and binders are good, but things like an antifungal dietary supplement, glutathione, phosphatidylcholine, drinking clean water, and eating clean food are also important. Also beneficial would be something like Sinus Defense, which is similar to LDI in that it helps your body become more resilient to mold antigens by calling on the innate immune system to be more efficient at binding and excreting mold toxins on its own. Hope that helps.
In August of 2018, my family and I moved into a relatively old house. I don’t believe the landlord had it inspected before we moved it. About a year ago, the ac unit began leaking into my in-laws bedroom and water flowed under their floor boards. The landlord did nothing about it. A few months later, there was a leak in the ceiling of my son’s bedroom. On Christmas day of 2019, our septic tank was blocked and flooded both our bathrooms. Since the beginning of November, we have all been sick with what seems to be a really bad cold that just won’t go away. My 3 year old has a servere dry cough as well as my mother and father in-law. Does this sound like mold exposure or am I just over thinking it?
Sounds like mold exposure. I would do to the ACAC.org website and search for an environmental inspector in your area. You want a visual, mechanical, and mold inspection. Alert your landlord that you would like the home professional inspected in writing. State that you would like a professional certified by the ACAC. You also do not want an inspector who also does remediation. Conflict of interest. Ask the landlord to reimburse you for the inspection. Say that your family is sick because of the mold that has grown from the water damage and flooding. If they do not pay, state that you will deduct what you pay from your next month’s rent until the results come in. Have the results electronically sent to you from the inspector, so that you can forward them to the landlord. Your results should be grounds to break your lease without penalty and to move out. Retain all correspondence. Best thing to do is to leave and get to a safe place with as little belongings as possible to see if you improve. Whatever you take should be washed with EC3 Laundry Additive, or cleaned thoroughly with EC3 MOld Spray. If it is porous and not washable, discard. If you are better away from the home, have a positive mold inspection, then BINGO. It is best to move and to not allow the landlord to try to fix it as they will likely not do a good job.
I learned a lot reading through this. Iv been living in a house with mold for three years now and just recently released all my symptoms iv been going to get checked out are related to mold illness. Iv been to my primary care several times he thinks I’m depressed. Been to a neurologist. He thinks I’m depressed. I’m far from a depressive person. This past year I went to a holistic doctor that I did a lot of test with and thinks I have leaky gut and once I changed my lifestyle to help with the gut and detox it really helped but when fall came around I turned the air on not aware of the mold yet everything came back all of stage 2. Called my holistic doctor and sent me a urine test and am now waiting the results. I did the eye test and passed that. And he started me on advanced silver, glutathione, prevalite along with a list of other stuff I was taking to heal my gut. I’m planning on moving even tho the owner is trying to fix the mold. But I’m not sure if I throw all my clothes away in the move or can be cleaned I am getting a new bed tho. And is the slow detox the fastest way or is hyperberic a better way to go. And how do I know my new place I move into is safe? That’s what worries me the most I just want my life back. I also bought an air purifier from enviroklenz with uv light. Thanks for all the response you have shared it definitely helps I’m looking forward to hearing your thoughts.
Hi, Garrett,
Getting your environment right is the hardest but MOST important piece of this puzzle. Can you get some EC3 Laundry Additive and some of the candles for your current place until you can move? Moving would be best. I would get rid of anything that cannot be properly washed or HEPA vacuumed and wiped down with EC3 or hydrogen peroxide. Anything stuffed or upholstered should go. Mold toxicity is more of a “poisoning” not an allergy. Detox is key. The hyperbaric and what you are currently doing are good. You should also see a good endocrinologist for a thyroid and hormonal panel. The Sinus Defense is excellent for building innate immunity without inflammation. Remember on the purifier you do not want ANYTHING that emits ozone or byproducts. You also cannot kill anything with a UV light that is not sucked inside the machine. UV can be sort of hoaxy that way. You just concentrate on getting out of there and to a safe environment. Keep up the detox and maybe use a good binder, like Coconut charcoal or chlorella. Additionally, for help with the apartment search here is a link to a good article: https://moldfreeliving.com/2018/07/24/find-mold-safe-rental-property/
You can also do plate testing or an ERMI test before signing a lease. Good luck! You CAN get your life back.
Hi I hope someone can help. Long story short I had a sick cat and he Peed on my couch outside I tried to clean it and dumped a bunch of cleaner on it but I never let it dry properly out in the sun so on these cushions I think there might have been mold because I’ve been having all of the symptoms runny nose blocked eustachian tube‘s feeling tired and unwell I have been sleeping on this couch for a year and since I’ve been sleeping on this couch I have had All of the symptoms do you think even though I couldn’t really see a lot of mold that it still could have been mold related
It could be from mold, from cat urine still in the couch, or from chemical residue from the cleaning products used to clean it. The mold could be within the cushion filling, so it might be invisible to the naked eye. I would recommend getting rid of the couch and sleeping somewhere to see if your symptoms improve. It seems as if you suspect that, it is best to discard the couch for your health.
I had exposure to mild last summer from, I believe, an evaporative cooling system. About a week after I started using it, I started to break out in a horrible rash. I still have some itching and bumpy skin on my lower left leg. It itches sometimes and I cannot stop scratching it. I have been out of the moldy house now for about two months but still have the remnants of the rash. Will it ever go away? I sure hope it will go away. The landlord in the house refused to investigate it so I could know for sure. He was nasty to me when I ask him to look into and told me I had to leave the house which I am very glad I did. I still have some asthma and shortness of breath also.
Some of your belongings and clothing may have been contaminated by the mold and are now causing you ongoing symptoms. You may find treating your furnishings with EC3 per package instructions and washings your clothing and bedding with Ec3 Laundry Additive helpful. The asthma and shortness of breath could improve with that treatment as well. You should look into finding a environmentally-trained physician in your area to help look into evidence of mold exposure and into helping you recover.
After taking a urine test they found mold within my body… I have severe symptoms that made me take a medical leave.. I am currently seeing a naturopathic doctor who has given me charcoal. What kind of mold diet do you mean? I am only eating oats and various vegetables (all organic). Protein is always 100% grass fed. Also can mold affect your throat? I have Barretts and was wondering if that was possible? My throat feels raw..
Hi, Sarah,
No amount of treatment or binders can work if you are still being exposed to the mold that is making you sick. Test your environments and get out of the exposure. Avoidance is the best way to detox the body. There are may iterations of a “mold” diet. Doug Kaufmann’s antifungal diet and Dr. Dennis’s diet guidelines are great places to start. Here is a link to an article on Candida as well: https://www.sinusitiswellness.com/tthe-candida-diet-4-steps-to-treating-yeast-overgrowth-sinus-infection-side-effects-caused-by-mold-ingestion/
GERD and Barretts is often a sign of Candida overgrowth and many mold patients struggle with it. Taking a bile builder, like bitters, or a digestive enzyme is also a good idea as these conditions are often a sign of poor bile flow and sluggish digestion. Getting this under control will undoubtedly help your throat. Soothing saline nasal washes are also helpful to rid the body of the mold that enters through the nose and to help soothe the connection between the nose and throat.
My wife and I purchased our home 2 years ago (2017) and have been doing gradual cosmetic improvements to the interior. She suggested three weeks ago that we change all heat/cooling registers (in the ceiling) since some were discolored and others had been painted. When I removed the first one, there was black mold around the inside of the opening, and slightly into the duct. Three years prior to our purchase, one of the water lines in the attic froze and burst, requiring the sheetrock ceiling to be replaced in the middle of the house. I replaced all 15 registers. Of those, eight in the center of the house, had black mold, . So, checked youtube and found a video that explained everything. When the sheetrock was replaced and the ceiling sprayed with textured material, it was done with the registers left off, leaving the rough surface sprayed inside the opening and slightly into the duct. Over time, dust struck to the texture, then heat and cooling caused moisture to stick to the dust, creating mold. I cleaned all 15 openings and sprayed with Tea Tree Oil (recommended in the video). My wife learned last week (October 2019) that she has asthma but failed to tell her doctor about the mold. He prescribed an inhaler to give her relief. She has also had sinus issues for several years. As for myself, I don’t think this affected me like it did her. If we hadn’t changed the registers, we may never have learned about the mold.
Stories like yours are, unfortunately, incredibly common. Homes and HVAC systems are no configured and built to accommodate moisture. Then, the moisture causes mold growth on the building materials that are essentially the perfect food for mold. I’m happy you found the likely source of your wife’s asthma and sinus issues. It will help to do things like fogging your indoor environment and using a high-quality air purifier in your bedroom. I would also encourage her to find a qualified ENT in your area that treats fungal sinusitis. They can help her to get rid of any fungus in her sinus or nasal passages that continues to give her trouble. Now that you have handled the source of the mold, be mindful of whatever spores escaped into your home and indoor air. Having your ducts checked for moisture and possible installing a whole home dehumidification system will also ensure that the problem does not come back. Thank you for writing.
I have had all kinds of testing done and everything comes back normal. I found mold in my attic just recently from a leaky roof real close to my bedroom. My symptoms are more like extreme flu with nausea and all over body nerve pain at some times waves of really really bad fire pain . Not respiratory at all. Really struggling. Not sure how long I have been exposed just know it’s been serious enough I’m send me to the hospital. Taking cholestyramine 4 times a day as prescribed my my doctor but wondering if I need something beyond that to get rid of what’s in my body . Any recommendations would be appreciated. We did purchase several air doctor purifiers
It sounds like symptoms of mold toxicity, which the binder will help with. You need to have the leak repaired and properly remediate the mold. You also need to do testing to see what other areas in the home should be treated for mold. The most important issue is not returning to the exposure, so that everything you do can work. Purifiers are helpful, but cannot solve a mold problem. Make sure your diet is clean, and that you are doing things to help natural detox. Work with a mold-literate doc to complete proper detox. Even without respiratory symptoms, things like nasal washing, Sinus Defense, and CellTropin can be tremendously helpful. The main thing is to get the environment clean.
Don’t know if you’re still replying on this topic or not but my wife and I were visiting family and stayed the night for basically a week. (5-7 days) she has asthma and she was getting short of breath within the first night stay, about the 5th-6th the symptoms were getting worse and worse and that day we went to the doctor found out it was more than likely mold in the house, and there was. She has the symptoms of being exposed to the mold, she has all of the stage 1 symptoms, has only one 1 of the stage 2 symptoms. How long do you think it will take for her to recover and be completely gone as if she has never been exposed to it? And will her breathing go back to completely normal or will she stay short of breath? And how long will it take for the mold spores to be completely out of her lungs and body?
If you see it I would really appreciate a reply back!
That is a difficult question to answer given we do not know what molds were present and we are dealing with asthma. First, get out of the environment. The good news is that if it isn’t massive mold overload, she should feel better once she is away within a few days to a week. There are factors that will impact her getting better. Mold free and clean air environment will have the most impact. Rinsing the sinuses twice a day will clear out mold and mucous. This is the first thing you should consider so that the spores making her feel sick are removed. Remember that you can carry mold with you on clothes and in your car. EC3 mold solution sprayed or fogged liberally will help reduce air counts and remove mold spores from your car or at home. An air purifier will help any room. There are also portable air purifiers that go around the neck that will keep her air around her immediate air.
The immune system will get back to normal once breathing fresh air, especially when sleeping. Good luck!
Cesar
I’m not a physician and do not have all the details. Here is what I can tell you:
– rinsing the sinuses regularly will help remove any mold that has accumulated in the sinuses.
– Good indoor air quality in your home makes a big difference. An air purifier helps.Testing the home will ensure you do not have a problem at home.
– Each body is different and whether she inhaled any mycotoxins produced by mold is important. Toxins have to be metabolized and excreted by the body. Sleep and nutrition play a big role in your body’s ability to remove the toxins
– She can see a naturopathic doctor or integrative or functional medicine physician that treats environmental illness if she wants a professional opinion on the how long it will take. An exam and diagnostics may be required.
Thanks for the question!
Thank you for your information and knowledgeable content. I lived in a home with mold exposure for 16 years. How long do you think my recovery will take?
Im on a strict anti-fungal diet.
Thank you for your comment. A strict anti fungal diet will be very helpful. There are many variables that determine how long it will take to feel better. Exposure to mold inside and outside your home, having a low mold count in your home makes a big difference as continued exposure delays healing (immune response to inhaled mold significantly decreases healing ability), whether you have reached your toxic load or not, whether you diet has mycotoxin contaminated foods like grains, nuts, and coffee, and whether you are diligently rinsing you sinuses (regardless of whether you have sinusitis or not).
I have heard several months or longer. I have also heard of very immediate responses for patients who diligently follow protocol for their body and their home. Patients who regularly fog their homes with EC3 mold solution seem to be the patients I hear from sooner to have quicker relief. This is because regular fogging reduces the mold air count way down and consistency doesn’t let it get high.
Depending on these variables, you healing will be quicker with vigilance.
Good luck,
Cesar
Your recovery will likely take the rest of your life. This means that you will ha