symptoms (I'm new to this group -- help!)

[Guest guest]

I'm new to this message board, and I'm curious if anyone is having

the same symptoms that I am, and I could really use some advice on

how to handle some things.

I've worked in the same school building for almost 5 years. Over the

first two years, I had chronic sinus infections, headaches, arthritis

symptoms in my feet and knees, and terrible fatigue. I saw a

rheumatologist, who treated my arthritis symptoms, but a cause of the

symptoms was never found - I was told it must have been some kind of

a virus. My ENT said he thought my building was making me sick, but

I didn't take that too seriously at the time. I had sinus surgery

the following summer to help alleviate my sinus problems. I worked

in a different part of the building the following two years, and my

symptoms gradually disappeared. I still had an occasional headache,

only a couple sinus infections, my energy returned, and I had no

arthritis symptoms. I did, however, develop vitiligo and irregular

heartbeat during this time. Again, my symptoms were treated, but no

cause was found.

Because of cutbacks, I was transferred back to my previous job this

school year, and I am now back to the same part of the building I was

in the first two years. Within the first couple weeks of school in

September, I was having headaches again, so I completed an air

quality complaint form. Didn't hear anything; my emails and voice

mails went unanswered until January. I finally was told that the air

quality was okay - no problems. In the meantime, the fatigue had

returned, as had the arthritis symptoms. I've basically been on an

antibiotic for a sinus infection since October. The vitiligo flaired

up again, and I continue to have the headaches.

By this time I was convinced there had to be something there, so I

requested a copy of the testing company's report. I was told the

carbon dioxide level tested out just fine, and they gave me the

numbers. I asked how the allergen testing came out. " Allergens? We

didn't test those -- would you like us to? " Yes! A few weeks later

I was informed that a " low level " of mold (cladiosporium) was found

in the drapes, and they would be removed. Finally! I started

investigating cleanup procedures on the web, but when I came back to

school after a weekend, they had been removed. I asked someone who

happened to be there when the drapes were removed if the custodians

had taken any precautions, like wrapping them in plastic before they

removed them or somehow sealed off the area, and the answer was no.

This person told me there was a " ton " of dust on the floor. Yikes!

The custodians who removed them didn't even take any personal

precautions like masks, gloves, etc.! I asked another custodian who

wasn't involved with the removal if they had washed down the floor or

anything afterward. " They must have cleaned up because there isn't

any dust on the floor now. " It was obvious to me that the floor (or

anything else in the room) hadn't been washed down. Within 5 minutes

of being in that room, my eyes burned, and within an hour, I had a

headache. I could almost see the mold spores floating around in the

air!

The following morning, I ended up in the ER with severe abdominal

pains which turned out to be a kidney stone. Is it just a

coincidence, or could that be caused from mold exposure? I found a

few websites that listed kidney stones as one of the side effects,

but the urologist said he had never heard that and he would be really

surprised if it was. My family doctor seems more knowledgeable about

mold exposure, as well as more open to the possibility, and I have

just recently had several blood tests done to eliminate other possibe

causes. I'm anxiously awaiting the results. But even if all the

blood tests come back negative, all it proves is that it isn't

something else. Is it possible to prove that all these symptoms are

side effects of mold exposure? I've now heard from three other

people in my building, but in a different wing, who also have had

trouble with chronic sinus infections.

I still believe there are other mold sources in that room, but our

head of maintenance doesn't seem too knowledgeable about mold, and I

just don't think a complete, comprehensive testing was done. I'm

feeling so frustrated, and I'm just not sure what I should do. Any

suggestions? I love my job, but I can't help but feel like I'm

poisoning my body. Any one else had these same health concerns?

Thanks so much for listening to my long story.

Bonnie