Diagnosing mold toxicity

My LLMD wants me to test for mold toxicity. Apparently some test I had shows I'm susceptible to it. I feel skeptical though because my symptoms don't line up with what I've read about it, although I'm not sure if I've read the most accurate info. I live in the desert and my house is dry as a bone. Also, I recently visited my mother back east and her house smells musty and I could even see mold in some places. It didn't bother me a bit. In fact I felt relatively good when I was there.

I would go ahead and test for it anyway but they want almost $1000 for this testing, which also involves two sessions of IV glutathione, not included in that price. I have no idea how much extra that is. I'm afraid to ask. Regardless, I simply cannot afford this testing.

I know some of you here have mold issues so I thought I'd ask about this. I'm wondering, what kind of treatments are there for mold toxicity? Aside from haviing mold removed from your surroundings, of course. I've heard there's something called cholestyramine, I think, but I believe it's prescription only? If so, are there any natural treatments for mold I could try to see if any of my symptoms improve? Are there any less expensive types of testing for mold toxicity? Also, I'm curious what symptoms any of you might be having that you attribute to mold toxicity.

I've read some pretty crazy scenarios regarding mold, where some people had to get rid of all their belongs and even sell their home or pay a fortune to have it treated. I can't even afford the testing let alone replacing all my belongings. Is this something that happens often or only in severe cases?

Thanks for any input you can offer.

Thanks much for answering, Pirouette. I did some more googling and then looked over my test results again. Yes, it was the HLA test and I am mold susceptible and multi susceptible according to it.

I've lived in some moldy places in my lifetime (Florida, southeast Texas) but never had any symptoms like they describe until after I was bitten by a tick. The symptoms seem the same as Lyme disease from what I've read. How would one know the difference?

The mold thing has been a rabbit hole I just don't want to go down but I guess I'm going to have to explore it. It's too bad the CSM is prescription since I'd have to go through the LLMD to get it. They will want me to do all the testing I described first. They are two hours away and I have zero hours of sick time at work so getting there for multiple glutathione IVs is going to be hard, even if I can scrape up the money. We're going to be moving soon so maybe I can get whatever new house we buy tested to make sure it's mold-free. Then perhaps taking more easily accessible binders can help? Activated charcoal? Diatomaceous earth? I'll have to read up more.

Sigh. This is just what I need.

Manzanita2 said...
Then perhaps taking more easily accessible binders can help? Activated charcoal? Diatomaceous earth? I'll have to read up more.

Sigh. This is just what I need.

modified citrus pectin does the same thing colestyramine does, and its super cheap.

I have no doubt in my mind that mold in a building is a health hazard. Not one. But some of the mold testing stuff has me really uneasy. Shoemakers the only one to really make the HLA connection and I have mixed feelings on the man. A lot of his "mold testing" stuff is just testing basic inflammatory markers which may correspond to a number of other illnesses. I went through it myself and wasted a lot going down the mold rabbit hole. Yes we found some and spent a lot on reworking the house. I can't say i noticed a difference from it. Or the cholestryramine. And at the end of the day the only thing that helps is antibacterials. And my symptoms are distinct of Lyme. It walks like a duck and quacks like a duck so... Again I am 100% of the belief that mold is underemphasized in conventional medicine. I'm just not of the belief that good enough research has been done to diagnose and treat it. Focus on what you know to be true first. Then if you feel like you've done everything for Lyme and are still struggling you can come around to this issue again. Or you can do some basics right now if it doesn't take much out of you. But I wouldn't put all your eggs in this basket when there's a more obvious problem (aka Lyme)

I'm guessing they want you to do the realtime labs mycotoxin urine test. It's very pricey and if you don't have the money I would almost just assume you have mold and try some binders. Although different binders are used for different molds. Neil Nathan has a pretty good book on mold. I did the realtime test and had gliotoxin positive which can be mold or candida. I always have success with modified citrus pectin (NOW brand). It binds something so that I can sleep better. If I forget to take it I have major insomnia. I've read the MCP is a much weaker version of cholestyramine (CSM). I have not tried CSM, but have taken welchol and noticed no benefit from it. Other binders would be bentonite clay, charcoal, chlorella, etc. Also if you have access to FIR sauna it can be helpful along with liposomal glutathione.

I do not have the HLA mold gene but do have the Lyme gene (15-6-51).

astroman said...
Lapis_29 - Perhaps you could describe your symptoms you get in the presence of mold? This would help people wondering this.

.

first is lung issues, tightening in chest, heaviness when breating, then overal sick feeling, then nausea, then more sick, then SUPER tired but still sleep like sht, no energy at all, extreme fatigue, feeling even more sick etc.

removing the mold is the only treatmtnet that really works. MCP helps a lot though

Lapis_29 -

I'm definitely going to look into MCP but I am dubious it has the same effectiveness as PURE CSM. Welchol is cr*p - it's mostly fillers and I wouldn't go near it. But the CSP does things no other binder has done in my body. And the $ is every bit worth the benefits. I would love to have a cheaper alternative, though. If you have any links you could post I would appreciate it.

btw - I have those sx - all from babs. Hard to tell what is what. My HLA result was neg but we remediated black mold from the house a few yrs ago. But I'm surrounded by mold on trees and plants. I had a bush in the back yard next to my bathroom window I keep open all the time and it was covered in black mold until I would wash it down once a week. Then it stopped growing. But it's pretty common.

Astro -
There is also a gene that makes people immune to Lyme. I've often wondered how that might have informed the bioengineering of Lyme........................

Why couldn't we all have a little western fence lizard in us?

-p

Pirouette said...
Lapis_29 -

I'm definitely going to look into MCP but I am dubious it has the same effectiveness as PURE CSM. Welchol is cr*p - it's mostly fillers and I wouldn't go near it. But the CSP does things no other binder has done in my body. And the $ is every bit worth the benefits. I would love to have a cheaper alternative, though. If you have any links you could post I would appreciate it.



-p

looks like I was somewhat wrong, both reduce cholesterol the same, but CSM has more bile binding properties. '

-----------------------------

Effects of amidated pectin alone and combined with cholestyramine on cholesterol homeostasis in rats fed a cholesterol-containing diet

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.carbpol.2009.12.034

Abstract

The effects of amidated pectin (N-octadecylpectinamide) and cholestyramine on cholesterol homeostasis were compared in female rats fed diets supplemented with cholesterol at 10 g/kg. Amidated pectin and cholestyramine were added at 50 and 20 g/kg, respectively, alone or in combination. Both sorbents, alone or combined, significantly decreased concentrations of cholesterol in the serum and liver.

Amidated pectin significantly increased the faecal excretion of neutral sterols, and to a lesser extent also excretion of bile acids. In contrast, cholestyramine significantly increased the faecal excretion of bile acids only.

Quantitatively, the greatest faecal output of total sterols was found in rats fed both sorbents, however, the increase was moderate and statistically non-significant in comparison with output of sterols in rats fed amidated pectin alone.

In conclusion, amidated pectin and cholestyramine demonstrated a similar cholesterol-lowering effect; however, the modes of action of each agent differ.

I have little experience with diagnostic tests but plenty of evidence of mold exposure and experience with attempting to recover a mold sick building. Fixing the leak is paramount.

I didnt get rid of all of my belongings and I hope that wont prove to be a mistake. I know porous items are likely to retain spores. The books that are likely contaminated have all been placed in a room where the lights remain always on.

We continuously ozonate the house with a commercial ozonator. You cannot be in the room when this is on so we rotate and do some rooms while we are out.

This isnt an end all solution for many have said they react to dead mold or fragmented mold spores as well. I do not seem to have this problem that I am aware of.

Concrobium mold spray has been applied to everything (attic also) with a cold foggger several times. Once we used Kleen Free (enzymes) which I have mixed emotions about.

We installed an attic fan which exhausts to apply negative pressure to the house and use it when its not raining.

As far as internal body cleansing goes some have said clay like Redmond and Bentonite have helped them with mold. I have little experience with these binders as I did not want to take them while on all the meds (I remain only on Fluconazole q72 hrs).

I may add them in the clays in the future but I am more focused on the preventing cancer from the aflatoxins that I have likely been exposed to. This is why I have added Fucoidan. It seems a bit strong and I cannot take this on a constant basis, so I am cycling it.

MCP did help and I still use it daily in large amounts 6000mg with 3200mg of Monolauren. Chlorella seems to have helped and I use it to a lesser extent.

I have added Red Raspberry Leaves but I cant say if its helping at all.

Although humidity has much to do with mold growth, spores exist in places that are arid also. Mold can grow with nothing more than a little short term humidity and dust as its food source.

It is humid where I am currently and I have thought of moving to a drier climate but I know of one person who did that for work and unfortunately got a bad case of cocci after moving. He will never be the same again as it got too far along before he treated.

I believe he got the cocci working in the oil fields of Texas if my memory serves and I do not know where in Texas as this is a friend of a friend and all second hand anecdotal info to the best of my memory.