I have CIRS from mold. I also had positive DNA Connexions results for Lyme and ehrlichia. I was being exposed to mold at home and at work. I left both places 2 years ago and have been living in a less moldy place, but have made no real progress. I believe recovering when mold is an issue is far more difficult than Lyme alone.
I had all my amalgams removed this summer. That did not bring any progress for me either. I believe mold and CIRS (I have one of the multi-susceptible genes and the Lyme gene) are my primary issues and Lyme/co are secondary.
Removal from mold exposure is absolutely necessary. If I spend an hour or more in a much cleaner building, I can feel the difference. Depending on where you live, getting away from moldy buildings can be very difficult.
My mother and I have been house hunting since the end of June. We've looked at about
80 houses already. Half to 2/3 of them, I couldn't even go in because they were either moldy or I couldn't stand the chemicals from either fragrance or off-gassing from new paint, carpet, or floors. We found one where I fell in love with the huge, beautiful lot and the very affordable price. We put it under contract and had a home inspection and I did an ERMI test for mold. I had some reactions every time I was in the house, but I kept trying to convince myself I was reacting to the fragrance and not to mold.
I did an inspection myself, checking everywhere for signs of mold, water stains, leaks, etc. The place looked very clean and well maintained inside and out. There were no smells inside or out. There were no recent renovations and everything but the carpet and paint in 2 rooms were original to the 13 year old house. The carpet was,about
3 years old and in good condition.
The inspector used a moisture meter and an infrared camera in some places and found nothing. I suited up and went in the attic with him. I saw nothing that looked amiss until the very end. When I looked more closely at the rafters, I could see some light gray spots or streaks on some of them. He rubbed it, took a picture, and cited microbial growth in the inspection report. I sat tight until I got the ERMI results, still thinking it could be a good house. I was wrong. The total ERMI score (Group I and II combined) was 32.07. According to Shoemaker, OSHA considers anything over 30 to be a cause for concern. The total score was close to the moldy house I fled from. HERTSMI-2 was 6. HERTSMI-2 in the house I'm in now was 4 at the time I tested 2 years ago, and I've only declined since being here. We backed out of the contract 2 days ago.
There's a lot more to this than what little your doctor has told you. You will need to learn a lot on your own. Most doctors are not good patient educators.
If I had it all to do over again with the knowledge I've accumulated over the past 3 years, I would have spent a lot less time and money on doctors and would have simplified my treatment choices and done things in a different order. I would also trust my reactions over what I can readily see and smell and analyze in terms of probability of mold being present.
I know I'm saying too much and overwhelming you, but you can re-read and ask questions when you're ready. Here's my advice:
1- Do Your Research
You need to know more than your doctor has told you. The top authority on Mold and CIRS, which you have a genetic susceptibility for is Ritchie Shoemaker. Thoroughly educate yourself on his work and his protocol and measure everything else you hear or read about
mold against it. Sign up for emails and newsletters. Understand thoroughly what CIRS actually is, how it is diagnosed and treated, what an ERMI and HERTSMI-2 are and how to interpret them.
www.survivingmold.com.
I did not follow his treatment protocol with cholestyramine because it was too strong for me. I wish now I had gotten into a cleaner environment to start with and had taken much smaller doses of cholestyramine and gone slower with it.
To learn about
mold avoidance and cross contamination:
paradigmchange.meFor detailed information on all things mold and CIRS:
www.biotoxinjourney.com2- Do the ERMI test on your home and workplace if you are going to stay there, EVEN IF you think there's not mold there. Test don't guess. If you move or change job
locations, do the ERMI first.
Post Edited (WalkingbyFaith) : 9/21/2018 8:58:00 AM (GMT-6)