Allergy Testing?

[Guest guest]

I’ve been on this group for several months now, and getting the individual

emails daily, and unless I’ve missed it along the way, I don’t recall anyone

else saying anything about getting tested for allergies to mold.

I worked for my former employer for 6 ½ years. A couple months after I

first started, I got really sick with a sinus infection and bronchitis.

After that I started to have chronic sinus infections and upper respiratory

infections, until last year when my illness gradually got worse to the point

of difficulty breathing (plus the constant headaches, body aches, post nasal

drip, vocal chord dysfunction, skin rash, fatigue, “brain fog”, mild

depression and chronic cough – to name a few). It wasn’t until this January

(2005) that I noticed what appeared to be mold on the insulation that was

visible when the suspended ceiling tile collapsed due to water damage.

When I mentioned the possible connection to my family doctor, she performed

a blood test for allergies to mold. That came back negative. She referred

me to an allergist. They performed a skin prick test, which came back

negative. Then they performed the intradermal allergy test, which also came

back negative (I now believe the nurse who performed it and read the results

did it wrong). The allergist referred me to an ENT. Then I got frustrated

and found an environmental doctor.

This environmental doctor performed a Provocation/Neutralization allergy

testing. He tested me specifically for the molds that were found on the air

quality report from the one the landlord had done, as well as the

independent inspection that I paid for. He was able to reproduce my

symptoms in a laboratory setting – determining that I am allergic to the

molds – and then take away the symptoms with a neutralization serum. I then

bought this serum mixture of all the molds and injected myself twice a day

for about a month. Now after I have a re-exposure or symptoms, I give

myself an injection of the serum and it helps. I am basically “healed” now.

Allergies were mentioned quite frequently in my unemployment and worker’s

comp hearings. I also had to go to a doctor chosen by the WC defense

attorney to perform an independent medical exam and additional allergy

testing (like the first allergist performed – skin prick and intradermal).

Thankfully, he also determined I am allergic to mold. Had this doctor not

diagnosed me with mold allergies as well, I think I would be in for a major

battle proving the link between the mold and my illness. This IME doctor

also told me to stay away from water-damaged buildings.

I don’t know if this will help anyone else or not, but maybe if you have an

allergy test performed – whether or not it comes out positive – that could

be a step towards getting the doctors to believe that your symptoms are

related to mold exposure… especially if it were to come out positive.

Everyone knows that allergies can sometimes be debilitating, causing severe

reactions like anaphylactic shock and asthma or even death. It’s not just

allergies to peanuts, shellfish, bee stings, etc. that can cause those major

problems… but, molds as well. No one knows that better than this group. I’

ve learned so much from you all and I thank you!

I’ve read Dr. Shoemaker’s “Mold Warriors” book and think it/he is brilliant

(and not just because he used to live in my area) and a lot of it mirrors my

life over the last 6 years of my long, low-dose exposure to molds in a

water-damaged building that was never repaired; however, for those who

cannot get to Dr. Shoemaker’s, or Dr. Schaller’s, or cannot tolerate the

treatment, I know from personal experience that there is another treatment

that worked for me (the neutralization allergy serum).

God bless,

Kim