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Hi,
I'm terribly sorry to hear what you are going though. Mold exposure is the single worse nightmare I have ever experienced in my life. I moved into a new apartment like you back in Aug of 2008 and shortly after that, that is when all of my symptoms started (symptoms Judy like yours). It took me 2 years to figure out that it was mold causing my sickness. As soon as I found out I moved. I started to get a bit better, but I was still experiencing a lot of the same symptoms. I had another mold test done on my new apartment and had discover that I had cross contaminated it by bringing all my belongings from my old place. Once I realized this I decided to move again, this time buying a brand new condo and starting over with everything new (except for my clothes which I washed very well.)
I have been in my new condo now for almost a year and I'd say my health is about 80% better. I'm able to exercise and eat most foods again however there are still a few foods, mainly caffiene and alcohol that I have a hard time tolerating. Also something new that I've noticed too that I've developed a chemical sensitivity. When I bought my new mattress and couch I had terrible terrible headaches and burning watery eyes from them. It's finally starting to ease off now as most of it is done offgassing, but this is just another symptom of my new reality after mold exposure.
It's extremely discouraging and after a while it starts to become not only a physical issue, but also a mental issue when you seem to have no where to turn to and no one to help you. People think you are making it up, that you're a hypochondriac because your list of symptoms seems so far fetched. And honestly, if I hadn't experienced it first hand myself, I would also probably have a hard time believing something could be so evil.
So my friend, my only advice to you is you HAVE to get out of that environment. It is the only way you're going to get better. It's impossible to get all the most spores out of everything, impossible. Even if you kill the mold spires so they can't grow, you may still be effected by the dead spores.
Until you can move I highly suggest you invest in a quality hepa air purifier. I went through a few until I finally bought the best out there and it has helped me greatly. It's called IQ Air health pro plus and it is quite expensive and the replacement filters are also quite expensive but it works! It filters out particles down to 0.0003 microns which is way smaller than the smallest mold spore. I had it in my transitioning apartment after I realized I had cross contaminated and it helped a lot. I also have it in my new condo now and have it running 24/7. Another good brand out there is suppose to be Austin Air. I've never used it begire so I can't rate it for you but when looking for my air purifier I read many good reviews on it.
One last thing that can help you is to try and eat well. Eat lots of vegetables and drink lots and lots and lots of water. Mold also loves sugar so keep sugar to a minimum. Try to limit meat and dairy as yhey both increase the acidity in your body which does not help your body heal. Also a must is to supplement your body with a probiotic. Your intestinal track is like 70% of your immune system and mold tends to kill all the good bacteria in there so it's very important you replenish them with a good strong probiotic so you can strengthen your immune system and start getting better again. One other thing I take as well is vitamin C, it's just good overall for your body.
So my friend, from my terrible experience with mold, this is the best advice I can give you. Also try and get outside and do as much exercise as you can in the fresh air. Getting fresh air into your lungs will help the healing process as well, even if it's just for a walk.
I wish you all the luck in the workd and please don't give up, you will feel better again, I promise. If you have anymore questions that I could help you with feel free to email me at markdsavoy@hotmail.com.
The best of luck!
Cheers,
Mark
I’m sorry this is so long but I desperately need help.
I think there’s mold in my house. When I first moved in 10 years ago, I was very healthy. Then I started to feel sick all the time and I broke out into terrible, painful cystic acne all over my face, chest and back. No acne medication would work – only full spectrum antibiotics. I have some nice pitted scarring as a result which basically ruins my face, not trying to be vein. I still get acne and I still get pockmarks as a result of it. I’ve been off and on antibiotics since living here, in and out of doctor visits trying to figure out why I felt sick. I missed a lot of school as a result of this and flunked a grade more than once. I used to get straight A’s but my concentration started falling poor. Then I started getting panic attacks out of nowhere. Psychiatrists /psychologists would ask me if anything tragic has happened to me and I could never think of anything, therefore I have no clue why I have panic attacks. They just happen spontaneously. I also wake up with anxiety.
In the past 2-3 years things started getting even worse. I always wake up with a headache, sneezing attacks and a runny nose. Sometimes feeling dizzy and weak. Sometimes I’ll even wake up feeling nauseous with a sour stomach, I thought I was pregnant for a good while when this started. I’ve had hair loss, thyroid issues (hyperthyroid), no energy, blurry vision, poor wound healing etc. I have also started to lose a bunch of weight with no intentions, I am now underweight at 108 and I stand 5’6. I now have multiple food intolerances. I get sick if I eat dairy, I’ll have terrible muscle aches and a feeling of sickness if I eat gluten, I’ll get horrible brain fog and a headache if I eat any grains, fruit, nuts or seeds and none of these digest. I'd see undigested food in my stool. Fruits cause diarrhea for me. I feel shaky if I eat any simple carbohydrate. I think the food intolerances are an indirect cause of just mold, but I could be wrong. I think most of it has to do with all the antibiotics I’ve taken since moving here though. And what sucks is my father lost his job late last year and I was under his health insurance, so I’ve had to figure out most of these things on my own, and sometimes with the help of a naturopath (natural doctor).
I dust everything in my room (wet the areas first so it doesn’t go airborne) every few days since dust piles up quickly, but this brings little to no relief. I also have a mattress protector and clean my mattress with a HEPA vacuum every 2-3 weeks. I clean all my blankets and pillows at least once a week. I have a HEPA room air purifier as well.
My house has always had a musty smell ever since I could remember. I remember walking into the house and asking my mother why it smelled like dirty socks or sometimes even a urine smell. The smell is worse when it’s raining. I also feel worse when it’s raining. We don’t leave any fruit out in this house because they go bad quickly. I’d use a rag to wash my face with and the next day the rag would still be drenched. We always have to completely dry clothes, running the dryer a couple of times, before taking them out or else they’ll quickly start smelling of mildew. Mildew also grows VERY quickly in the restrooms. And I’m thinking the exhaust fans are instinct and not working correctly. Honestly the landlord never wants to fix or replace anything. My father isn’t the best handy man but has had to make more repairs to this house than the landlord ever has in the past 10 years.
In the past 2-3 years when things have been getting worse, there has been a deep crack forming at the corner of my wall. I also have a deep crack all across my ceiling that I’ve sealed up myself since the landlord did nothing about it. It seriously looks like part of my roof is about to fall in.
Over a few months ago when it was still cold out, I went haywire on my room and even wiped down every inch of the walls with a solution of vinegar, water and lavender/tea tree oil. This is when I noticed mold growing on my window seal. I took precaution and cleaned it up best I could.
The only place in my house I feel better at is in the living room where coincidentally there’s no air conditioning vent (the living room used to be a garage but we made it part of the house). I moved my bed into there for about a month and never woke up feeling like I do when I’m in my room. I should also mention there were dark marks forming at the top of my room’s air conditioning vent, I showed it to the landlord and she said it was from air escaping from the vent. I guess condensation? Doesn’t that make a perfect environment for mold to grow? She didn’t seem concerned in the least bit, just like with the deep cracks I showed her. Which brings me to my next problem.
How am I supposed to go about all of this? I have been going crazy trying to think of a way. My health is deteriorating and I have no money to do this all myself, nor should I have to because it is also my landlord’s problem, at least in my opinion. The thing is, she had to replace a bathtub because the pipes were rusting and it wouldn’t drain out, about just a month ago. I’m honestly surprised she paid for it all. But before leaving she said and I quote, “I can’t keep making repairs on this house or I’ll have to sell it. Either that or I’m going up on the rent.” Since my father lost his job of 25 years and was the main source of income, we can’t afford her to do neither one. There are a total of 6 people living in this 3-bedroom house for only $925, you can’t find that anywhere else here.
To be honest and blunt, my landlord is and always has been a cheap$@$. Partly because my parents tolerate it and she knows it too. I don’t want her to threaten my family about kicking us out if this mold issue is huge and the house needs a lot of remediation. I think that’s what she’d do, she’d rather kick us out and have others move in. Though I really don’t think anyone would want to move in the condition this house is in, she'll need to spend money to fix it up anyway.
How should I bring all of this up to the landlord? Or should I even? Do I list my symptoms to her? What if she doesn’t bring the right people in to take a look or even think mold is never an issue? What if mold really isn’t the issue and I’m just imagining things (which I highly doubt)? What should I do if she threatens to kick us out or go up on the rent? Should I offer to pay half of costs or is it her responsibility? Should I try to take some things into my own hands before/instead of telling her?
Does anyone have any ideas of what step by step I should take? Please, please advise. I should mention that I have a half sister with down syndrome I share a room with, and I have been seeing her mental disability worsen. I also have a twin brother with adult autism, I don’t share a room with him but his condition has gotten a lot worse, which I don’t know is a coincidence or not.
Thanks in advance.
Hi, I know this is a very old post, but I was wondering if you were able to find a solution. The place where I live has mold and seems to be making me ill as well. (I live with a family member). I've been trying to come up with a solution for quite some time. I've thought about moving often, but it's never that simple when you are chronically ill, disabled and very low income. I was just wondering if you found a way. Hope you're doing well.
I wonder what the record is for reviving ancient threads
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