Mold Toxicity- My Journey
What is mold toxicity?
Mold toxicity is a disease caused by exposure to mycotoxins, which are naturally occurring toxins produced by certain molds (fungi) and can be found in food and water damaged buildings. While others have no symptoms, in others it can present as allergies, asthma, digestive issues, neurological issues and even cancer.
Older buildings are more susceptible to water damage, but new buildings are not an exception. Mold can start to grow on a damp surface within 24 to 48 hours, and it does not care how old your house is. If it has the opportunity to grow, it will, and the worst part is that you don’t always see it.
My exposures
I spent at least half of my life in mold. Every exposure caused more severe symptoms than the the previous one. Unfortunately, I didn’t know toxic mold can cause so much damage until I was 31 years old. Looking back, I realize I have been sick from mold so many times in my life. The last exposure was the hardest and the recovery was not an easy one. My body is still healing from it.
Symptoms
So many unexplained symptoms and conditions people suffer from are actually mold toxicity.
This a list of most of the symptoms I have experienced myself:
POTS (Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome)
Vertigo
Headaches that never go away
Occipital Neuralgia
Stabbing pain through the head
TMJ (extreme)
Depersonalization
Cognitive impairment
Sinus infections and pain
Cough with green mucus
Shortness of breath
Bladder pain and frequent urination
Gut issues that worsen instead of improving- SIBO, leaky gut, candida, dysbiosis
Light sensitivity and poor vision
Fibromyalgia
Reactivated Epstein-Barr
Mast Cell Activation/Histamine Intolerance
Numbness and tingling
Crippling anxiety
Internal vibrations
Hormonal imbalances
How did I get so sick?
My lifelong gut issues worsened in 2017 and I was put on PPIs. In 2018 I had a bad case of food poisoning while I was on vacation. The months after the food poisoning were an absolute nightmare. My diet was very restrictive and I was eating mostly soups and vegetables cooked very well. I couldn’t tolerate raw vegetables, fatty foods or much meat.
Mold exposure followed after the food poisoning. My symptoms started in 2018 and I only figured out mold was making me sick in 2021. My health was declining rapidly and I was developing all these weird symptoms. I felt like I was dying.
I also had my gallbladder removed, sinus surgery and my SIBO numbers on the breath test were off the charts.
The reason why I got so sick? Poor gut health! Undiagnosed gut issues weakened my immune system, which made me susceptible to mold toxicity, then mold toxicity worsened my gut issues and caused many other symptoms.
Genetics play a role as well and I do have the HLA-DR genes, but after being sick from mold many times, I can tell that the exposure following food poisoning was far worse than any of the previous ones. I was bedridden and I had to stop working, which has never happened before.
Suspicions & testing
In 2020, I started suspecting mold might be an issue. In 2021 I was convinced it was mold that was making me sick and I told my neurologist about my suspicions. He agreed that toxic mold could cause POTS. I ordered the urine mycotoxins test from Realtime Lab and yes, I had mycotoxins in my body. I also found the mold. I was scared and relieved at the same time. I finally had some answers!
How I got better
You probably heard this, but getting out of mold or having it remediated is truly the first step to take towards healing, and that’s what I did. Our bodies are amazing and resilient. Some find that they start detoxing as soon as they leave the environment that made them sick.
I have used lots of binders, herbs, biofilm disruptors, vitamins and minerals, liver support, mast cell stabilizers, castor oil packs. I also took the MYC kit from Cellcore and that is when I saw a big improvement in my symptoms.
The approach that has helped me the most was Dr Jill Crista’s approach. I highly recommend reading her book- “Break the Mold”.
I had the luck to have good practitioners help me get through these rough times. Feeling validated and understood is priceless, especially when you deal with conditions that some do not believe in.
Don’t blame yourself or others
I blamed myself so much for this in the past…. I asked myself: “Why did it take me this long to figure this out? Why didn’t I fight harder for myself? Why didn’t I take something after that food poisoning?”.
I also blamed doctors and practitioners for not figuring this out for me, then I realized that at the end of the day, I was the only one responsible for my wellbeing, and that I had to be my own advocate and fight for myself. They did not have bad intentions, they just didn’t know these things.
I have a different mindset now. At the time I just didn’t know better! Now I am proud of myself for fighting and not giving up, for finding the root cause of my issues, and for doing everything I could to get better.
Be kind to yourself. Healing takes time
Healing takes time, healing is expensive and it’s never linear. There will be ups and downs. Be kind to yourself and be patient. The healing process is not always easy, but it’s worth it!
My progress
My POTS is mild now. I am not bedridden any longer. I do not have occipital neuralgia and fibromyalgia any longer, among many others. I can exercise, I can go hiking, I can work again. It took a few months for me to start seeing improvements.
If you are reading this, you are a fighter!
If you think mold is making you sick and came here to read my blog, you are a fighter! Good job for taking steps towards improving your health! Millions of people worldwide suffer from diseases caused by environmental toxins such as toxic mold and spend their entire lives without knowing what’s making them sick. Keep reading, keep fighting!
Listen to your gut! If you feel that something is not right, look into it.
