Mold related illnesses may be one of the most prominent health issues that doctors are missing today. They can be a true hidden illness that goes undiagnosed for years. What a scary thought!
There are potentially millions of people who are currently suffering from a mystery illness, and their doctors don’t have a clue what is causing their ailments. They are often referred to doctor after doctor, repeatedly being turned away.
Mold toxins are so unique, and their effects are wide and far-reaching. Symptoms of mold related illnesses are complex and they can be mistaken for many other illnesses. All of this makes it difficult for doctors to find the correct diagnosis.
Recovering from Mold Related Illnesses
Mold spores are present in the air around us at all times. Under the right conditions, these naturally occurring and often very resilient spores easily take root. They can grow in your home, in your office or even in your food. Molds create toxins (mycotoxins) that can affect how you feel, the way you think, and shorten your lifespan.
Find the Right Doctor
This all sounds pretty scary, and it is. But there is good news. Once you receive the correct diagnosis and realize that you have in fact been poisoned by toxic mold, you can start the road to recovery. Recovering from mold related illnesses requires an integrative approach that many doctors are not familiar with as they have not been properly trained in mold poisoning. Your general doctor may miss symptoms or attribute your symptoms to another issue. Finding a specialist who is trained in mold will allow your recovery to be successful.
Identify the Source of Mold
Before you can recover from a mold related illness, you must first identify and remove the source of mold. Mold can be anywhere, but there are probably some clues to help you narrow it down.
- Where do you spend your time? (home, work, other)
- Are any people around you affected? This can give you important clues. If no one at work has any symptoms (for example), the mold issue may not be there. Use caution here though as mold has different effects on everyone. Some people may not be affected at all while others get very sick quickly. As already mentioned, mold is sneaky and presents itself in many different ways.
- Is there a place you may be forgetting? Think car, school, RV, boat …
- Could it be in the food you eat?
- Has your home or another location you frequent been exposed to a flood or water damage in the past?
You may need the help of professionals to narrow down the source of mold you’ve been exposed to. If you suspect it is in your home or vehicle, hire an inspector who is trained to track down mold. If you believe it may be at your workplace, contact someone in the safety department or your boss. Elevate the issue.
Identify the Type of Mold
There are many different types of mold, and their toxicity levels, as well as their treatments, vary widely. If you want the best chances of recovering completely from mold related illnesses, it is critical to know the exact type of mold you were exposed to. It is also helpful to know (if possible) how long you were exposed to that mold before seeking treatment.
Remove and Remediate
It goes without saying that the mold must be removed so that you can begin your recovery from mold related illnesses. Identifying the source of mold and type of mold won’t do you much good if you don’t then fully remove and remediate.
Consider hiring a professional mold remediation company to come in and fully remove the mold. While it may sound plausible to do it yourself, it likely isn’t the right decision. The fact that you have mold related illness means that the mold is likely toxic. Exposing yourself or anyone else to the mold is not responsible. Professional remediation companies will take all of the safety precautions necessary to ensure the mold is completely removed from your home or wherever it has been found. They will also take the necessary steps to keep the mold from spreading or getting into the air. Mold remediation is a serious undertaking, and it is one that is best left to the professionals – especially if you are suffering from a mold related illness.
Avoid Mold Exposure in your Environment
No matter where the mold exposure orignally came from, once you have been exposed and have come down with a mold related illness, you will be more sensitive to mold in the future – even in the foods you eat. Even very small exposures can trigger major reactions in your body as you recover. They can even trigger a relapse after you have made a full recovery. So it is important that you take steps to make your environment as mold-free as possible. Educate yourself on which foods are most susceptible to mold contamination and avoid them or take extra precaution. Train yourself to look for evidence of mold in your surroundings.
Commit to a Potentially Long Recovery
Mold related illnesses can often go undetected for long periods of time, and they can cause serious health issues that take time to heal. Depending on your illness, your recovery can take months or years. Make a commitment to allow your body the time to heal. Give yourself grace when you aren’t feeling well. Get rid of as many chemicals as you can so that your body can detox. Be prepared mentally for the healing process. You may need to take time off of work, give up strenuous activity and make other major lifestyle adjustments.
Conclusion
Mold related illnesses can change your life. If you are one of many people who have been affected, know that you are not alone. There are resources available to you including specially trained doctors, therapists, and laws to protect you. While the recovery may be a long one, your health can absolutely return to the pre-mold state. You can live a long, healthy and full life. Start your recovery now and commit to living a mold-free life going forward.
Have you been affected by a mold related illness? We’d love to hear your symptoms and your recovery story!
4 comments
I have heard other people say they would never, ever, live in a house that has been remediated bc you cannot get rid of all the toxins and all your possessions must be thrown away (unless non porous) to prevent cross contamination when you move. I would actually love to move but cannot afford to at this time. Wondering if people have been able to stay in their home after remediation? I can’t imagine throwing away all my books, papers, furniture, etc. I have asked this question to the many mold remediation companies and Mold Inspectors I have talked to and most say you can stay and just clean the mold inside carefully. There are horror stories on FB. People living in tents in their back yard, screaming I should leave my house immediately even though there is no where to go (but there is the yard, I am told) Interested to know what people have experienced and hope all are not horror stories :)
Beth,
Thanks for chiming in. The horror stories you’ve read and heard about do, indeed, happen. Homes become absolutely unlivable–sometimes even the flooring and drywall has to be removed and replaced with anti-fungal materials. But, these are the most severe cases. As you know, most occurrences of mold have more to do with home hygiene and maintenance than anything else. Potential renters and home buyers should always investigate properties for mold before signing a lease or making a purchase. Even if a home is spotless and seems in good condition, it is still possible to spot evidence of mold growth or the potential for mold growth. That aside, you’ve asked for stories of hope. I have one for you:
I lived in Michigan for some time. Michigan has an intensely-humid climate with high heat during the summer months. It also gets heavy rain and snow fall throughout the year. Needless to say, it’s a very damp place to live a lot of the time. Mold grows quickly in Michigan homes and the new home I moved into in eastern Michigan was no exception. It was a modular home. It looked absolutely spotless and well-kept. I investigated nearly every nook and cranny before moving in, and I honestly felt it was not only the right fit for myself and my family, but also a safe choice.
After we moved in, I began to notice that my boys would cough lightly in their sleep. At first, I thought nothing of it, but then I began to get itchy eyes, foggy brain, and a general feeling of malaise. Finally, after about a week, I decided that the mold symptoms were too obvious to ignore, so I investigated the children’s room more thoroughly. I opened their closet and found mushrooms growing in the corners. I knew that where there are mushrooms in a home, there’s bound to be mold.
Sure enough. After calling the landlord and having his handyman take a look-see, there was a black mold infestation so severe that the flooring and parts of the walls had to be removed. What had happened was that there was plastic lining beneath the modular home that had somehow been loosened at the edges. This allowed moisture from the humidity and even water (from rain drain/drip off) to directly fill the lining and cause it to bulge like an upside-down waterbed beneath the modular home. It was the perfect environment for black mold to thrive in–not to mention mushrooms! Thankfully, the landlord and handyman agreed that it wasn’t just something to shrug off or put bare minimum effort into. They went above and beyond to remove everything, do a thorough cleaning, and to replace everything with the best anti-fungal materials on the market.
When I had discovered the mold, I removed all my children’s items from the room and had them sleep in my room. I did a thorough cleaning of EVERYTHING in the house (using apple cider vinegar for some items and super anti-fungal essential oils for others), but I did throw away whatever items had been in the closet. I focused on a detox for my children and myself. Within a few days, my children exhibited no signs of symptoms. I, myself, am very sensitive to mold, so it took awhile for the foggy brain to lift and for me to regain my energy. But, alas, the remediation and detox were a success and we are all in very fine health. We also still have the items that were in that house, though we did move from there eventually for a new job elsewhere.
While mold infestations are truly terrifying–and I would never want to encourage anyone to be careless or feel at ease about mold–there are plenty of success stories out there.
hello, thank you sharing your story! how did you use the ACV for cleaning? Did you add it to the laundry when washing? Did you use it full strength or diluted?
Help! My daughter has been living in a rental apartment FILLED with mold growing out of control. She is getting so sick and the doctors just laugh at her when she mentioned mold. I am getting afraid for her life! Her two children are having symptoms also and everyone has a constant headache. Colds, fever, coughing, brain fog, bloody noses, throwing up or diarrhea, swelling in her hands and feet and legs now with INTENSE STINGING PRESSURE PAIN, cracked hands and feet in her skin, fatigue, not absorbing iron, passing out, dizzy infections. No one can diagnose her! Help we live in Missoula MT is there any doctor here? She is giving up because of all the pain and weight gain when she and my 7 year old granddaughter watch what they eat. Mood swings. Mold now in every roommate, even throughout washing machine and bleach won’t get rid of it. It is everywhere!