Apologies for not coming here more often, and when I do, just whining. I have not gone thru old posts to see if this has been discussed, but even if it has, it may well bear doing so again.
Please keep in mind that my LLMD is an true infectious disease Dr/ Internest. He researches, publishes and also attends Lyme conferences. He works a lot at the hospital w/ AIDS patients and treats MS patients. (and yes, many of them have Lyme.) His main work is w/ immune suppressing disorders. He publishes papers on these diseases.
My LLMD is very excited about this. He said he has only most recently gotten into this research and he's been doing it for about a year.
He has found a pretty outstanding relationship between his chronic Lyme patients who are not getting well w/ treatment, and black mold poisoning. Appx 80% of his chronic Lyme patients who have been treated, but who have improved have tested positive for black mold. In studies he has found that appx 57 out of 65 Lyme patients who are not experiencing improvement test positive for black mold.
We have known for years that it is extremely toxic and can make people very sick. With enough toxins, the immune system is suppressed.
Many people contract Lyme and get over it. Many, who get treated at the onset get cured. Many who get treated for late stage Lyme get better. But far more do not. So his theory is not weird, it makes sense. Some of you here get well, but many of you do not. Being poisoned w/ black mold will prevent you from getting better, even w/ treatment.
Go back in your memories, even tho most people do not recollect any black mold poisoning. This Dr has onepaitent whose job at one time was cleaning out grain elevators. He said the mold was overwhelming and he was very sick for 3 weeks. He has tested positive, so he has been poisoned by black mold for over 15 yrs now. And his lyme is not getting better.
Ok, to try to get this done briefer, it is not just old house and not just leaking roofs. He has a patient w/ a new house who did not know that water was leaking behind the wall and under the bedroom window. Flooding basements, pipes leaking behind walls, damp basements, and public buildings,as well.
A lot is not clear yet and he is still researching this and he is excited because the patients he has treated are getting well.
The bad news is that there is only one lab in the country that does this test and it is $525 and has to be sent off. He said there is only 1 reliable lab in the country who does this test, eve tho it is pretty easy. He gave me the codes so that I can call my insurance and tell them my Dr has ordered this test but that no in-network labs have this test. So there is a possibility that my/your insurance would then cover it. I will find out.
The good news is that it is a very simple and very accurate test and it is very easy to treat. (urine sample mailed off) There are no false positives. My Dr really wants to know, as he is studying all of this. He also studies the genetics involved in all immune suppressing illnesses and states that seems to be play a part. Tho typically, if a person is sick, the rest of the family is also tested and he has found family members that are sicker than the patient who has Lyme.
I am interested in learning more from those of you who know more. Has anyone tested for this?