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Posted 10/29/2013 6:06 AM (GMT 0)

    This is kind of off topic, but I was wondering if anyone knew of a good doctor  who specializes in environmental medicine in or near Delaware. From what Ive read online, many doctors that treat lyme also treat other diseases such as mold sickness and the toxins produced by them. Ive been trying for months to find someone who can help me, so far Ive had no luck at all. Anyone who knows of someone please let me know.

  Thanks in advance!

Posted 10/29/2013 12:27 PM (GMT 0)
Hi shann123. I went to the Academy of Environmental Medicine website: http://aaemonline.org/
There you can do a search by State to find Environmental Medicine physicians. You might also try the Allergies/Asthma forum if you haven't already and do a "search" on the topic. I have not found a doc yet. Would love to talk to you more about your symptoms and compare to mine. You can private message me if you know how, but I haven't figured it out yet and cannot find it in the reading materials at the top. Good luck!

Post Edited (SouthernChick) : 10/29/2013 5:30:28 PM (GMT-6)

Posted 10/29/2013 10:58 PM (GMT 0)
bump
Posted 10/29/2013 11:31 PM (GMT 0)
I haven't figured out how to "private message" anyone or receive messages from anyone and cannot find it in the topics at top. Anyone?
Posted 10/30/2013 4:40 AM (GMT 0)
 hi southernchick, Im not sure how to send a private message either? But I would love to talk to someone who might be going through the same thing as me. I looked all over and cant seem to find anything about private messaging.
Posted 10/30/2013 4:42 AM (GMT 0)
do you have a facebook account?
Posted 10/30/2013 12:45 PM (GMT 0)
Yes, but according the the forum policy we cannot post personal info. Tell me what your symptoms are. My allergist finally agreed to send blood work to be tested for systemic mold yesterday - yay!. Where it is being sent concerns me, however, but we will see what happens. I have been exposed to mold in both my home and in my work environment. I have a complicated situation where I have good reason to have mold sickness, Lyme, and my indicators also point to Lupus as well, so I'm just trying to muddle through until I can get some answers. I don't yet have an LLMD because I will have to travel in order to find one, but I have been communicating with a Nurse Practitioner who was a Lyme patient herself. My symptoms included joint pain - knees in particular; sharp shooting pains in muscles; muscle weakness; headaches; some definite inflammation involving my lungs, heart, brain - I felt like everything between my stomach and the top of my head was swollen; shortness of breath; fatigue; brain fog; memory loss; confusion; getting lost; sleep disturbances; and did I mention fatigue? If I can rule out mold sickness, then I will move on to trying to figure out whether Lyme or Lupus. I think t would be disastrous to throw antibiotics used to treat Lyme to a patient with mold sickness. I have been sick for three months. You can also see my posts in the Allergy/Asthma forum. Would love to hear your story!

Post Edited (SouthernChick) : 10/30/2013 6:50:50 AM (GMT-6)

Posted 10/30/2013 7:11 PM (GMT 0)
Thank you, countryair. When I signed up with HealingWell, in my Profile, I indicated that I wanted my email address shown in my posts. However, I've never seen it and I did sign up for an "@healingwell.com" email address. Still trying to figure it out.....
Posted 10/30/2013 7:22 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Shann,

There is a specialist in MD. I had a friend that was deathly ill from mold toxicity. Not sure if he is taking new patients or not but should be able to at least give you a referral. I am in DE myself! You can actually add your personal email. No need to use healingwell. Click on My Profile (upper left tab) Then click on Edit Profile - you will see a space to add your email - directly below it there is an option to allow users (only registered members) to see your email. Check yes or no. turn


~beth

To send me an email just click on my username opugirl.

Posted 10/30/2013 8:54 PM (GMT 0)
In order to save preferences in your profile, you need to be sure to scroll down to the bottom of the page and click the "submit" button before leaving that page.
Posted 10/30/2013 10:01 PM (GMT 0)
Great - thanks ya'll! I have edited my profile so that if someone clicks on my name I should get an email. Non-techy person here..... Thanks again.
Posted 10/30/2013 11:56 PM (GMT 0)
Hi southerngirl, Ill try to explain this without rambling too much. I lived in an apartment from 2005 till 2009, at which time the ceiling in the kitchen would leak whenever it rained and there was brown staining on the ceiling,which the landlord never did anything about.about one year before moving out (2008) I started getting headaches all the time and some slight sinus pressure.Never thought too much of it.Moved out of the apartment in December of 2009 and continued having headaches.In 2010 the sinus pressure became more severe and I began having problems with my vision, then a few months later started getting episodes of vertigo and having problems with anxiety and panic attacks.I didn't have any insurance at the time so trips to the ER were frequent.For almost 4 years now I have been coughing up this stuff,its chunky and clear and looks like clusters of worms.Weird! Had no idea what was wrong with me and neither did any doctor either.I had no idea that mold could make you sick like that until I came across something online and I knew instantly that that's what was wrong with me.Finally about 8 months ago I was able to get some insurance.I went to see my PCP and told her about all my symptoms and he looked at me like I had 2 heads.I insisted that she have the stuff that I cough up everyday cultured.It came back positive for candida dubliniensis and aspergillus niger!I cried,Finally Ill get better!She referred me to an infectious disease specialist and put me on an antifungal.When I went to the ID Ihad only been on the antifungal for 2 weeks.He wouldn't give me anymore and said since I have a competent immune system that it would only cause an allergy and didn't give me anymore meds,that the meds should have killed it.Yet that was 6 months ago and still I cough up the same weird stuff everday and feel as sick as I ever did if not worse.My symptoms are dizziness,fatigue,joint and muscle aches,swollen lymph nodes,headaches,facial and sinus pain,weakness,heart palpitations,eye pain and blurring vision,nausea,forgetfulness,and the wonderful worm like stuff that I cough up everday that is supposed to be gone! 
Posted 10/31/2013 12:31 AM (GMT 0)
opugirl, I sent you an email! blush
Posted 10/31/2013 1:09 PM (GMT 0)
Oh, my! I have all the symptoms you have except for the coughing up. I don't seem to cough or wheeze but have had terrible shortness of breath episodes. I have been exposed to mold in my home and my occupation. You have probably already seen this site: www.survivingmold.com/. I know there is a clinic in Florida but it is expensive (for me, anyway). They treat mold and Lyme. Do a search at top of the Lyme forum page for Sponaugle Clinic and you will see lots of info that was recently posted. In a surprising turn of events, my allergist sent off my blood for analysis for systemic mold, so it will be interesting to get results and I'll keep you posted. Once I know whether or not I have mold issues, I will move forward with another Lyme test. It def sounds like you need treatment, and finding an environmental medicine physician or at least an intergrative medicine physician might be best. I have been denied treatment in an ID office because I mentioned the word "Lyme," altho she said it was because I was referred "out of system" in which she contracts. LOL! My insurance doesn't even cover office visits and I am a cash payer but she couldn't treat me! Wouldn't even talk to me! I am seriously thinking about biting the bullet, getting a 2nd mortgage on my home, and going to the Florida clinic just to get it all over with! Have heard nothing but good things about it. Do keep me posted, and feel free to click on my forum name to email me if you want.
Posted 10/31/2013 3:43 PM (GMT 0)
Yes our symptoms do sound similar! The test that your having done for the mold is probably the same test that I was just reading about online- mold antibody panel. Im  gonna ask my ID to do that and also candida and aspergillus antigen essays and candida and aspergillus antibody levels. And the other night I came across a urine test for various different mycotoxins. Have a feeling that Im going to have a hard time getting him to do it, but well see. All he keep saying is that "he doesn't think this" and "he doesn't think that".Ive been tested for lyme disease quite a few times in the last 4 years, along with other infectious diseases. Each doctor that I see knows that Ive been tested for all these things ,and it was negative, yet they test me again and again. But the one thing that Ive tested positive for (fungus) has never been repeated, and is treated like its of no significance. I don't get it! I cough this stuff up everday. Never coughed it up before I was sick. Foolishly I thought that when my fungal culture came back positive that would be the turning point towards recovery, sadly I was wrong. But I wont give up, Im not stopping until Im better. Sooner or later I will find someone who will help me and that's what keeps me going everday!
Posted 10/31/2013 5:11 PM (GMT 0)
Well speaking of mold, we had our house tested for mold levels. My daughter was sure she was sensitive to mold. We sent samples of dust from 2 rooms for ERMI testing. Just got results and we are in the 75th+ percentile which is not good. Has anyone else had this testing done? And what do we do now??
Posted 10/31/2013 5:36 PM (GMT 0)
That is a tough one CD. Mold remediation is prohibitively expensive. Insurance in most cases will not cover it. It must be disclosed when you go to sell the house (if you are aware of it).

Some things you CAN do, when you can open windows in the spring summer and fall. Fresh air Wahoo! Many people think they are not capable of removing mold in their own houses and that isn't true. Bleach, vinegar, ammonia and a bunch of other common things kill mold. Be sure to research proper personal protective equipment before doing this (goggles, gloves, mask) and which cleaner to use. It is best to do this in the cooler months.

When you can, remove carpeting and install ceramic/hardwood floors. I have installed ceramic floor and it isn't hard to do AT all. The only thing you need is a wet saw and hopefully a handy friend might have one. The costs to do this isn't bad. Lowes/HD have tile for 0.99 cents a sq ft. Try not to have lots of clutter in the house as it attracts dust and mold.

For those that are looking to buy or rent....OLDER HOUSES ARE BETTER. Plaster, brick - are wonderful. Drywall is mold heaven if there are leaks. Also, of course - look for any signs of leakage, water issues and fix them as soon as possible!

Here is one good link I found

http://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/eh/mold/clean.htm
Posted 11/1/2013 1:21 AM (GMT 0)
Shann123 - have you seen a pulmonologist? Take a sample!
Posted 11/1/2013 1:29 AM (GMT 0)
southernchick- its weird of you to ask, I just made an appointment today for the end of November.Got a copy of my chest ct today from 2 months ago and it shows 3 nodules on my left lung and 2 nodules on my right, my PCP never mentioned it to me and I only found out when I requested a copy of my CT. confused
Posted 11/1/2013 1:57 AM (GMT 0)
Good for you for taking control of your medical issues! I, too, have what was termed "calcifications" in my lung. I wasn't allowed to see the x-ray.
Posted 11/1/2013 5:17 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks opugirl. We live in a 35 year old home. We do plan on replacing the carpets with hardwood in the next year or so, so hopefully that will help. I will check out that link.
Posted Today 3:36 PM (GMT 0)
I have suffered from mold illness/exposure for 15 years.....only dx'd in 2006. When you are super sensitive, you can't tolerate "normal" amounts of mold. Remediation of homes for sensitives are not usually good enough. I have been to 2 mold docs (sinusitiswellness.com is Dr. Dennis, ENT....treated mold 30 years, recently inventing a homeopathic/transfer factor type spray that he's told me great stories about.....I had to stop due to expense). He is truly a genuine doc who wants to help his patients.....wrote off my sinus surgery last year (I was desperate for relief....now think it could be due to Bart I have so many sinus issues as well as the fungus/mold). I will say when I first went to him he told me to move out of my house into a tent in my driveway if I had to. I thought he was nuts & quit going t him only to return later.....he was right. I moved out of my home (mold plates weren't bad actually, but I react severely there), into my camper and got my life back functional-wise. I'm not 100% but getting out of it helped tremendously. Unfortunately I was bitten by ticks & lyme sx flared bad. Dr. Dennis was the doc who had me tested for lyme, said w/o mold exposure lyme would've stayed in remission. He said bleach just "pisses mold off", I've seen other info where it doesn't actually kill mold. Being a sensitive (having genetics & exposures) I was warned not to be present for remediation of any kind & also not to use abx for lyme disease (as someone stated above). I was told when looking for another house to find one about 8 years old, not too new or too old, however I do think the older houses, providing they haven't leaked/had water damage being built w/o drywall is better. sickbuildings yahoo site had someone building a non-toxic, mold free house awhile back....good site for info. Dr. Shoemakers' books Surviving Mold & Mold Warrior tells what happens in the body, lab testing to get, etc. I had the HLA genotypes done & learned I have 2 genes for mold sensitivity, none for chronic lyme. Wish you well. It's been a long journey for me, one that is not over by any means. Once I get a mold-free home again, I will have to part with all my belongings or risk contaminating my home with mold again. Many have had that happen. It's been very difficult but when you are able to function better, there is a positive. Some day maybe they will find help for us with mold/lyme.....it's hard to find presently. Wish you well. If I can help in any way, I'd be happy to share more. :)
Posted Today 3:37 PM (GMT 0)
I have suffered from mold illness/exposure for 15 years.....only dx'd in 2006. When you are super sensitive, you can't tolerate "normal" amounts of mold. Remediation of homes for sensitives are not usually good enough. I have been to 2 mold docs (sinusitiswellness.com is Dr. Dennis, ENT....treated mold 30 years, recently inventing a homeopathic/transfer factor type spray that he's told me great stories about.....I had to stop due to expense). He is truly a genuine doc who wants to help his patients.....wrote off my sinus surgery last year (I was desperate for relief....now think it could be due to Bart I have so many sinus issues as well as the fungus/mold). I will say when I first went to him he told me to move out of my house into a tent in my driveway if I had to. I thought he was nuts & quit going t him only to return later.....he was right. I moved out of my home (mold plates weren't bad actually, but I react severely there), into my camper and got my life back functional-wise. I'm not 100% but getting out of it helped tremendously. Unfortunately I was bitten by ticks & lyme sx flared bad. Dr. Dennis was the doc who had me tested for lyme, said w/o mold exposure lyme would've stayed in remission. He said bleach just "pisses mold off", I've seen other info where it doesn't actually kill mold. Being a sensitive (having genetics & exposures) I was warned not to be present for remediation of any kind & also not to use abx for lyme disease (as someone stated above). I was told when looking for another house to find one about 8 years old, not too new or too old, however I do think the older houses, providing they haven't leaked/had water damage being built w/o drywall is better. sickbuildings yahoo site had someone building a non-toxic, mold free house awhile back....good site for info. Dr. Shoemakers' books Surviving Mold & Mold Warrior tells what happens in the body, lab testing to get, etc. I had the HLA genotypes done & learned I have 2 genes for mold sensitivity, none for chronic lyme. Wish you well. It's been a long journey for me, one that is not over by any means. Once I get a mold-free home again, I will have to part with all my belongings or risk contaminating my home with mold again. Many have had that happen. It's been very difficult but when you are able to function better, there is a positive. Some day maybe they will find help for us with mold/lyme.....it's hard to find presently. Wish you well. If I can help in any way, I'd be happy to share more. :)
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