Mold

Mold can be an extremely debilitating issue for some people, even in those without Lyme. Mold also tends to be a large limiting factor in people being able to address and treat Lyme. Addressing any mold exposure is key to recovery.

Depending on if you were exposed outside the home or if it is in fact, in your home, many people find it essential to remove themselves from a mold environment.

What Problems Does Mold Illness Create?

Mold illness was virtually unheard-of decades ago, but it is quickly becoming recognized as a leading cause of chronic illness. Exposure to mold, and other microbial toxins, can trigger a chronic inflammatory cycle that the body has a difficult time turning off. This chronic inflammation can wreak havoc on the body causing widespread dysfunction and resulting in a wide array of seemingly unrelated symptoms. This inflammatory cycle has a name: Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome, or CIRS. CIRS has been implicated as the root cause of many chronic illnesses including Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS), Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS), Fibromyalgia, and more.

 It is important to acknowledge that mold illness is not the same as a mold allergy. Instead, it is an illness that develops after exposure to water-damaged buildings that harbor mold, bacteria, or other microbes, leading to a build-up of toxins in the body that trigger chronic inflammation. While many people who are exposed to these toxins have no problems, about 25% of the population has a genetic susceptibility to developing CIRS. This subset of the population has faulty HLA DR genes. When these genes are faulty, the normal inflammatory response and the ability to clear toxins is faulty, too. This results in a vicious cycle of inflammatory substances entering the body with no effective way of clearing the substances or lowering the inflammatory process.

 The HLA DR genes can also be associated with a higher likelihood to develop chronic Lyme disease, likely because of reduced capacity to eliminate toxins and modulate the inflammatory response. In fact, many chronic Lyme patients also have concurrent mold illness. Recovery and/or remission is dependent on identifying all factors that may be inhibiting healing. If a Lyme patient is not responding to appropriate treatment, mold illness and CIRS should be considered.

 Laboratory tests for identifying HLA DR genetic predisposition are available from many commercial laboratories.

 What are the symptoms of mold illness?

 The symptoms of mold illness can be present in any or all body systems. Some of these symptoms include:

  • Fatigue

  • Weakness

  • Muscle cramps, sometimes severe

  • Pain (joint pain, muscle pain, “ice pick” pain)

  • Headaches

  • Brain Fog

  • Light sensitivity

  • Respiratory (cough, shortness of breath, sinus problems)

  • Nervous System (mood swings, confusion, disorientation, focus/concentration problems, word recollection issues)

  • Excessive thirst

  • Increased urination

  • Static shocks/numbness/tingling/tremors

  • Increasing chemical and environmental sensitivities

  • Gastrointestinal (nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, weight gain)

 Many of the symptoms of mold illness/CIRS overlap with those of other illnesses, including but not limited to Lyme and other tick-borne illnesses. To investigate the possibility of mold illness, you can take an online screening test developed by Dr. Richie Shoemaker, a leading authority on environmental illness.

How is mold illness diagnosed?

Proper diagnosis of mold illness can be difficult, especially for health care providers who are not familiar with it. Unfortunately, mold illness is often misdiagnosed as Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, MS, PTSD, anxiety or depression. Too often, patients are not believed and are told their symptoms aren’t real or that what they are experiencing is all in their head.

Diagnosis can be made empirically based on symptoms alone, but there are valid testing methods that can be used to verify or solidify a mold-related illness diagnosis.

 Testing methods include:

  • HLA DR genetic testing

  • Blood test to screen for inflammatory markers such as VIP, MSH, C4a, and others

  • Organic Acids test to check for the presence of certain toxic metabolites

  • Mycotoxin urine test to check for the presence of mold toxins

  • Visual Contrast Sensitivity screening

  • Environmental testing for the presence of mold or other biotoxins

As for environmental testing, it is important to note that the mold and other microbes responsible for causing CIRS are not always visible. Microbial growth can be inside walls or under carpet or other flooring. Special environmental testing can be performed to help identify the source of the microbes. Visit survivingmold.com for a more comprehensive review of recommended tests and their significance in diagnosing mold illness.

How is mold illness treated?

Treating mold illness and recovering from its effects is a multi-step process that involves a combination of treating the patient and treating or remediating the environment.

It is best to work with a professional. Click here to search for a mold literate professional in your area.

Shoemaker Protocol for CIRS/Biotoxins (Mold)

This protocol involves 12 steps and must be followed in the order given (survivingmold.com). Think of it like a pool--you want to treat the water but you have to know what's in the water to treat successfully. See photo below for the process. I have included two quotes that convinced me in addition to my physicians referral to the process. The prescription to rid the body of these biotoxins is cholestyramine, or CSM.

Pros: Detoxifies the body Removes cholesterol from the body Eliminates amylose and starches from diet and causes weight loss Removes mold toxins from the body and Lyme toxins Can be compounded to use Stevia Covered by insurance if not compounded Light has orange flavor A binder that doesn't add anything to your system*

Cons: Light Contains nutrasweet Regular contains sugar Causes reflux and gas Powdery drink Can damage teeth Causes nausea and constipation Interferes with Levothyroxine Must wait 30 minutes to eat Cannot take with other medications/supplements Can be very expensive if not covered by insurance People have found the compounded version to be "bad" Time consuming Powder sticks to teeth Have to drink it all and lots of water LAB WORK Genetic test;

Pros: Shows results for mold susceptibility Monitors progress from treatment Cons: Expensive test May not be fully covered by insurance Test not always performed correctly/scores skewed Environmental test; Pros: Can identify where, if any mold is in your environment Some companies offer clean up Some companies take samples and send to lab for you You can rent the pump and cartridges for $25 and $55 (10 cartridges) and lab fee is $125 with a 2 week turnaround time

Cons: Can be expensive when done by some companies Time consuming if doing it yourself Must be repeated Major clean up can be costly Some people must move out of their homes leaving everything

*References: (How it works) http://biotoxinjourney.com/mold-testing/ (Guidelines) https://seekinghealth.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Keith%20Berndtson%20-%20Guidelines%20for%20using%20CSM-W%20(1).pdf

The Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.