Q:
Hi Dr Evans! I’ve been reading your blog for awhile now and love it!
I could really use your opinion of something, For the past 3 months I’ve been suffering from a constant  dizziness, swaying and imbalance  paired with brain fog, neck pain, facial/jaw pain, my head feels completely full, and feels like my heartbeat is beating in my head.
I’m also tired all the time despite 9-10 hours of sleep a night, I wake up and I feel like I need to  go back to sleep. I realize these symptoms are very common and boring…  but they have all been constant for 3 months and I have no idea why! I am  not anxious or stressed – no heart palpitations or anything like that. CT  head & amp; sinus was clear, chest xray clear, bloodwork clear, cultures clear,  ears and hearing  looked fine said ent and now i’m awaiting an MRI because an  ER doc suspected M.S !Â
My ENT said its probably allergies but my sinuses  are completely clear and I have never had allergies to anything. I have  however recently noticed a good amount of black mold all over the bathroom  ceilings and corners of the walls. I whipped out the bleach and  went to town a couple days ago but symptoms are still here so I doubt that  was the problem. My family is very worried and so am I, I’m only 22 and have been healthy up until now. Does M.S. seem likely? I know  it’s  impossible to diagnose someone online but wanted your opinion.
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Thank you in advance!!
Ms. N
A:
Wow, you’ve got a lot going on. I think you should go back to your
primary physician. I also think you need your house inspected by a
professional because of the mold. As you said, it is impossible to give
you a definite diagnosis in this forum, but your primary doctor should be
your point person on this. If MS is a consideration, you should also see
a neurologist. When patients have a complex array of symptoms, it can
take time, and multiple visits to get to the bottom of it.
Good luck!
{ 17 comments… read them below or add one }
How difficult is it to remove black mold on your own? Is it better to call someone in to do it or can I get it done myself?
Hey. I just wanted to my experiences over the past year. It started with me feeling tired all the time despite getting a full night’s sleep, and then other symptoms started popping up. Like imbalance, vertigo, and some vision problems. I went to the hospital and was diagnosed with MS after some spinal fluid was taken and an MRI was given. I no longer know what to think because somehow I got on the conversation of allergies with my sister and father, and mold came up!..I know there is mold on the house, expecially where I was located most of the time. So now I’m wondering if the mold is the real cause of my issues! I couple days ago I was reading a site that lists a bunch of different symptoms that someone exposed to mold can have. There’s a lot, and everything that was bothering me is there! Now there is one issue, I do have lesions on my brain and spinal cord, but is it possible that something else caused them? I’m not trying to deny the MS if it’s really MS. Multiple Sclerosis could just simply be called multiple scars…because that’s what is is. But are the scars the thing that makes the disease?
I had the same symptoms!!! It is mold, I did all the test and they told me it was possibly the start of MS. I decided to try a natural approach since the meds made me feel worse. I tried changing my diet, I stopped eating foods with gluten. Keep a journal on your symptoms especially in fall and spring. Stay somewhere other than your house for a while. I found a very bad case of mold in my 3 year old home, it CAN effect any home! I moved and my life is getting back to normal! In the future they will talk about the link between mold and many diseases. No doctor could help me, even once I found the mold they told me I would be coughing not experiencing tingling, pain and brain fog.
Good luck.
Many people do not know that they have mold growing in their homes and do not know why they are becoming ill. The common side effects of mold include coughing and sneezing and can easily be misdiagnosed as the common cold or allergy. Short term exposure to black mold can cause a large variety of flu like symptoms ranging from stuffy nose and itchy eyes to skin rashes and nausea. If long term exposure to mold occurs the side effects can become deadly. Serious side effects include cancer, miscarriages, still births and even bleeding in the lungs. This serious bacteria is also known to cause athletes foot and jock itch which can be difficult if not impossible to treat and can be easily spread from human to human.
I think it is IRRESPONSIBLE for a commercial mold remover to even suggest that cancer is a “side effect” of long-term mold exposure! Where’s the evidence for THAT whopper?! Let’s hear from physicians or health researchers about mold side effects NOT from someone who gets paid for removing mold! I hope readers will ignore “east coast mold remover.”
If your body has to cope with toxins for too long…..and certain molds are very toxic….cancer is very possible and there are doctors that would support this! Check out Dr. Richie Shoemaker, he has helped thousands of people sick from environmental toxins.
Amy is there any way to contact you directly? I saw your posts here and on another site and they encouraged me (which says a lot if you knew how discouraged I am). My symptoms are very similar to what you’ve all described here. I’m pretty sure I’ve been exposed to mold . The house I’m renting has a lot of water damage and I work at home (add to that being trapped by snow in Feb and I was exposed to moldy areas 24-7). I’m out of the house temporarily (staying with friends) but not getting better “fast enough” and I’m scared I never will. I’m looking for rentals but still haven’t returned to work and hard to rent when I can’t even work (and I work from home!!). The worst part is the fatigue and brain fog. After I a week I thought I’d feel better by now. I could really use the “ear” of someone who HAS recovered so I can “know” that I will too.
I work in a small office and we have black mold due to poor ventilation .The ceiling tile had mold on it and it was removed and replaced. Before it was replaced I took pictures and notified the safety person over where I work. Me and my coworkers are suffering from hearing loss to head aches and joint pain. Its a very large company but they are acting like its nothing and are even trying to cover up the mold. What action should I take to protect my health? I am tired all the time. Can’t sleep well ever because my joints hurt so bad.I sleep with ice packs to relieve the pain.
looking for a list of long term side effects to black mold exposure
Tracy, just saw your comment and now its Novemeber. You can contact me through my email. ajbotello01@gmail.com
I think my job is making me very sick. There is mold everywhere, black , grey, green, it’s horrible. Can’t find anyone who will do anything about this. Me, and everyone who works here have symptoms of one kind or another, nero, cough congest, feeling strange, migraines, heart palputations, blurred vision, ear infections, the list goes on-and-on. We don’t no where to turn. Person who owns building will not do anything and continues to ignore the situation. We are scared, memory loss from time to time arms tingling numbness…The person that owns building has a fungus infection in lungs, has to be on antibiotics for 6mos. Claims it is from garden. Is there a mold test that can be preformed to find out if you have mold exposure? HELP!!!
my question is can black mold cause some congestive heart failure
Ha, I’ve read your info and it has my eyebrows up in the air. My husband he’s 28 now but 2009 we had black mold in our home and in Dec 09 he was diagnosed with MS, our daughter who is 5 now, was having ear infections like crazy, she been havin tubes put in her ears and today, 1-1-2012 she just had her tonsils, adenoids and I’m wondering is this stuff still growing in my home? Kendrall been having ear aches that’s last from 3-5 days, headaches and all. But after reading and still doing some more research on this, I’m calling the doctors and my insurance company as well to have this home checked. We been here since 2006 and we just founded out about the mold in our home in Aug 2009 then my husband got down sick. If you haven’t been to see a neologist see one. Keep me posted or if you have questions or concerns
sir_kens@yahoo.com
Mrs. Kim
If you are experiancing Black Mold Symptom’s, this would be better than having MS.
Being dianosed with MS not 3 & 1/2 year’s ago, I can only wish your Situation IS the Other, my Friend. MS suck’s, You know WHAT!
I’m hoping the Better for You, OK?
Danny.
To end, the above remedies migh not be of much help control a mold infestation that is way too extreme.
But, it could be passed along from person to person.
Use a clean washcloth to help make the surface dry.
Also visit my web blog – Mold Testing Portland
Mycotoxins/mold poisoning is serious . The foremost authority is Dr Shoemaker and he has also trained physician that are knowledgeable on how to treat the cascade effect that mycotoxins/mold spores have it is pretty intricate pathway disruptions and a systemic infection with multiple organ involvement . I was so ill I would of rather died than go through that again ever in my life, seriously dying would be easier but my religious beliefs kept me carrying the faith and hope that an answer would come. 25 % percent of people have the genotype for reaction to mold I think it is best to have zero exposure even if your not sensitized So according to my friend who once was a professor in biochemisty and once a head scientist for pharma, – Some mold are carcinogenic;” so the person that made that statement about it being cancer causing is correct.
We had hidden leak in our new house I was so sick by two years I was totally debilitated, So many doctor had no idea even the professor at the university here at the medical school director infectious disease specialist basically said, I did not have an infectious disease . My MD had me on Choleystyramine before we even found the mold he was treating the clinical expression plus he is a highly respected sought after diagnostic expert. I was not getting better until we discovered the mold and moved into a furnished condo and did not cross contaminate our new environment and then I was on the Choleystramine that binds all the mycotoxins that sends it out of the body d and I was on some homeopathic stuff to help get the stress off the organs
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