I’m very sensitive to both mold and chemicals so it’s sometimes hard for me to differentiate between the two, especially since they both seem to be in the same places. I have eventually seemed to tease out that smells like fragrance bother me much more in a moldy environment than in a clean building, but of course the differences in chemicals among fragrances and the total amount of chemicals matters, too.
With mold, it’s immediate and delayed. Immediate symptoms usually are one or more of these: sensitivity in my scalp; burning in my tongue, mouth, or face; a dirty feeling on my face or in my mouth; when I breathe the air feels dirty and my nostrils or throat burn; my nose or face goes numb. Less frequently: numbness and buzzing in my legs starting in my feet; dizzyness; nausea. I interpret these last ones to be more dangerous mold and are not encountered as frequently. Additionally, I sometimes have allergy symptoms with mold - itching skin especially face, itchy eyes. I tend to think this is due to active growth or wet allergenic mold.
When I am doing better, I can recover somewhat by washing my head, face, and arms when I get to the house.
Delayed Reactions:
- I sometimes go in a building and “adjust” to the atmosphere and think it’s not too bad even though my split second initial reaction to the building is suspect. Then after I leave and get in the car, I start having symptoms.
- Back in November, I had a bad exposure to mold in a Sam’s store for about
an hour. I didn’t realize it was from mold until I returned to the store and saw the area from a different angle and spotted extensive mold all over giant HVAC ducts directly above where I had been standing in line for an hour earlier that day. As a result, I had SEVERE muscle pain in my upper arms, neck, and other areas for days to a week after.
Reverse Reactions: I still don’t know how to interpret this.
- I have been living with relatives for almost 3 years. This house has mold but was not as bad as mine. HERTSMI-2 here was 4 when tested almost 3 years ago but had more water damage since. I have always been and still am reactive in this house and have not been able to get clear. Additionally, I leave the house for hours almost every day and spend hours in the car and other buildings.
- At times when I return to the house, I feel better for a few minutes and then start to have symptoms such as numbness and muscle pain or weakness.
- I often feel better away from this house and feel worse when I return. Occasionally, it’s the other way around.
Flares:
- Yes, flares of infections, herxes, etc definitely cause mold sensitivities (and chemical sensitivities) to significantly worsen for me. Or is it the other way around???!!!
- I go around in never ending circles due to the complexity of so many simultaneous toxic insults and my lack of ability to be in a clean, stable, stress free environment.
Right now, I have been having MCAS symptoms where I react to everything - food, herbs, supplements in addition to mold and chemicals. I have been having SEVERE muscle pain and joint pain, weakness but n addition to allergic feelings in my throat, abdominal tension, intestinal inflammation, headaches, and more. I believe bad mold exposure and intense stress triggered this. I hope and pray it passes and isn’t permanent, but it’s been ongoing since Wed of last week with no relief. Additionally, had to throw out the air mattress two days ago because there was mold on it. Haven’t bought anything new because it all smells toxic. Slept on a pallet on the hard tile floor last 2 nights which doesn’t help the awful body pain or stress. So many problems we have to deal with.
Edit: I should add that when I was in constant exposure in my old house, I had heart palpitations, waking up not breathing, night sweats, internal tremors, loss of balance, zombie like states at times, blurry vision, bumping into doors and walls, visible muscle tremors in my legs, feeling my body sway back and forth when standing still, feeling my head vibrate with my pulse, severe muscle and joint pain and stiffness, intestinal inflammation, onset of IBS, asthma like symptoms and much more.
Post Edited (WalkingbyFaith) : 6/3/2019 8:13:48 AM (GMT-6)