Rapidly increasing allergies or autoimmune?

[lespatsmom]

I am at my wit's end, slowly putting the pieces together, and am hoping someone may have insight into my situation. Four years ago we moved into a new house and I immediately started having allergy symptoms that worsened every spring, along with unexplained swelling and fatigue. Nothing ever showed up in tests. Then, last summer I became very ill and we discovered that we had been living with toxic mold growing behind our walls. We had several rooms remediated and rebuilt courtesy of the builder, and work hard to keep things as mold-free as possible. I tested mildly positive for allergies to candida and several types of mold about this time last year.

In the past year, my allergies have worsened, and I suffer from chronic muscle pain and stiffness in the neck and shoulders, along with sinusitus and occasional asthma, and night sweats. I am a 43-year old female My salivary glands are not functioning properly, and I just had my four bottom molars removed and am scheduled to get the rest veneered. My allergist suggested shots but wanted to test me for other inhalants, so I took tests for pollen and dander four days ago. Many of the skin areas became huge--pet dander grew to 60 mm--and stayed big all day, and I developed hives and was dizzy and disoriented. The next two days after the skin tests I had extreme fatigue, dizziness, tingling and numbness in my arms and face, and severe muscle stiffness...like days when I have bad allergies, only tenfold.

My question: I go back to the allergist today. If I reacted like this to skin tests, should I even consider trying shots? I'm afraid I'll get sicker. Also, with the dry mouth, and all the accellerating symptoms over the past years, is there something bigger like autoimmunie issues going on?

[MoldInfo]

For additional information about the health effects of mold, check out the Global Indoor Health Network at http://globalindoorhealthnetwork.com.  Be sure to read GIHN's position statement which discusses the diagnosis and treatment of illness caused by mold.

[debborah1]

     whoops I wasn't finished. When the rheumatologist gave me steroid shots in my shoulders all my symptoms disappered for a month! But came back with a vengence and a tiny rash. My regular Dr. only has pain drugs to offer yet my research shows (IV) Vitamin C can only help! As well as E, lyposomal glutathione, Cognitex Basics and BioPQQ, probiotics etc. I am considering  all vegetable shakes with whey protien rather than the veggie fruit shakes I eat once a day. Table sugar is poisen to people like us, especially. , So I am working with a "Life Extension" Naturopath and going semi-vegetarian as long as it takes.  

[debborah1]

    I am also at my wits end. My problems began post hysterectomy along with heavy mold exposure 20 years ago. After tearing a rotater cuff threw me into intermittent "cytokine storms" I learned I had developed the type of shingles (sene) that does'nt rash or a tiny one with just tingling. It has progressed to herpes zoster neuralgia which is all your symptoms plus pain.
   I am looking into hyperbaric chamber treatment, as well as others that most main stream medicine doesn't offer.

[margypops]

Get a heavy metal blood test for toxins ..

[TheLightSeeker]

I just wanted to clarify that BioSign Laboratory Corp. does testing of
human samples, blood, urine and saliva for mold. NOT air or material samples!

[TheLightSeeker]

Hi lespatsmom.
Welcome to the forum.
Sorry for all your suffering.
It seems that you might have a mycotoxic infectious condition.
Mycotoxins can remain in the body several years, even after
removing or changing the mold environment!

Symptoms of Toxic Mold Syndrome

The mycotoxins produced by toxic mold create environmentally toxic air that affects the body’s myelin, depleting this important substance that covers the nerves. The nerves are thus exposed without protection and fail to function correctly. This affects essential components of the body, including: the immune system, the nervous system, the respiratory system, the skin, and the gastrointestinal system. When toxic mold causes neurological problems, it can be devasting when children are involved, since their brains and other organs are not fully developed.
Symptoms of black mold and toxic mold exposure include:

• memory loss
• anxiety
• personality disorders
• nosebleeds
• shortness of breath
• abdominal pain
• hair loss
• skin rashes
• fatigue
• numbness in extremities
• headaches
• mood swings
• pain in the extremities
• cough
• sore throat
• rectal bleeding
• tremors
• fibromyalgia

Source: Allergyescape.

Also suspect is the possibility of co-infections starting from your oral cavity
The connections of chronic diseases and dental infections, gum disease,
and other related issues have been established in many scientific studies.
FMS, CFS, Arthritis, Parkinson's, Heart Disease are just some of the diseases linked to oral infections and including dental procedures!

Without wasting time consider:
-"Oil Pulling" with Extra Virgin Coconut Oil.
It will eliminate Billions of Toxins and harmful bacteria form getting into your body. Do a search for that
Consuming Extra Virgin Coconut Oil 2T daily to start and increase gradually up to 4T daily by replacing all your cooking oils with EVCO.
It is antifungal,antiparasitic,antiviral and antimicrobial.
Go to the coconut research center website for details.

- Get a mold expert to THOROUGHLY inspect your house.  
You may still be breathing -and your family too-toxic air.
If  tested positive for mold, consider moving out of the house.
I don't want to sound as an alarmist here, but this may be affecting your health and your families health very SERIOUSLY.
Do some research and you'll find out that you may be in a legal position
to seek compensation for damages, in regards to this issue.
There are thousands of law firms that represent victims of such situations
all over the country.

Allergist.
This is serious. Allergy shots are based on immunotherapy.
Allergy shots decrease sensitivity to allergens and often leads to lasting relief of allergy symptoms, however what you are suffering goes way beyond that. I think it is not within the scope the specialty of the allergist,
that you will find effective treatment at this point.

Can you temporarily stay somewhere else (should your house be found
unhealthy to inhabit)?
Can you find a holistic doctor than can treat your "Systemic Infectious Condition" and rebalance your immune system?
I can offer you suggestions on many things you can do, however,
I strongly believe you need a holistic doctor to act as your Health Coach
and help you return to normal health again.
Conventional medicine, unfortunately cannot address issues like yours
properly. (This is my personal opinion)

For informational purposes only-this is not an endorsement-you can check out "BioSign Laboratory Corporation" as they seem to have a very high
"hit rate" of over 96%, indicative of their accuracy of detection of high levels of mold in the testing of samples.

Post again if you need more info or pm directly.
I can help you this.
Take care.
Niko

[itsme23]

Could your diet have something to do with it? I have had all these allergies for years, turned into asthma, then I recently started to journal my diet and symptoms after I ate.. Cut out all wheat and gluten... Found out I have a wheat allergy..  Look into celiac disease or some kind of food allergy..