more info on my case

[Guest guest]

Thanks to those who have responded to me. I am very sorry that this

is a wider problem than I realized and hope everyone can get help. I

was not exposed to the toxins but for a few months. I worked for a

gas/convience store and was transfered to a " new " store they had just

opened. The " new " store was an old mechanics shop. They did not empty

the oil pit before we started working there. When you walked into the

building, there was a strange odor. We did everything we could to get

it out of the building. The only thing that helped was AFTER my

coworkers and I got sick, they emptied the oil pit. I cleaned the

building my self. This included dust and mold. I also cleaned oil and

grease off walls. I was cleaning a vent in a bathroom and found an

old bird's nest. I would vomit and have diaharea every day I worked

in that building. When I started there I was a very big girl,

weighing over 235 lbs and wearing size 24+. I am now a size 12 from

being sick there. I had headaches and would lose my train of thought

all the time. We kept telling our home office there was something in

the building making us sick but it wasn't until a co worker called

and told them she was going to the ER with chest pains and would try

to file a work comp claim that they listened to us. This was over 4

years ago that I was exposed and I am still haveing health problems.

I got arthritis at age 31?? I was admitted to the hospital to rule

out cardic problems but was diagnosed with Acid Reflux Disease. I was

told I had gotten sick so much the lining of my esophagas was

probably eaten away. The doctor I went to at the time knew of Sick

Building Syndrome was but not well educated on it so she did not feel

she could run tests or give me an accurate diagnosis of SBS. I was

sent to an Occupational Doctor who dealt with back injuries by the

company I worked for. He knew nothing about SBS except what my

coworkers and I told him, so he decided there was nothing wrong with

us. I am 36 years old now and have a hard time working and then doing

the normal things parents do without being totally exhausted. I am

prone to respritory illnesses and get sicker than " normal " people do

with them. I went to an enviornmental doctor but his treatment was to

give me injections of yeast which made me even sicker. At that point,

I gave up and hoped every thing would go away. I was under the

understanding that if I left the building. I was ok. I think I am

still suffering from the effects even now.I do not know if I am

correct on my thoughts of still being affected. I apologize for

rambling. I have since moved from the state where this occured and am

living in Pa. I want to go back to school but I am not able to

fulfill that dream because I am just too tired. I am not trying for a

lawsuit as it would probably be too hard to prove anything as it has

been so long ago for the exposure but I would like to find a doctor

that deals with this and see if treatment can help me. Thank you so

much for listening to me and anyone who would like to contact me is

more than welcome. I read some posts and will try to get to talk to

Dr. Shoemaker from land but he is almost 4 hours away from me. I

am close to Philadelphia and would like to know the type of Doctor I

could contact and see if there is one there. The kicker to this

story, the reason I need to find out if i am still suffering from

SBS, is my 14 year old daughter asked me why I was sick all the time.

I feel so terrible that my daughter has that worry on her mind and I

have no energy to do things with her. She is actually the one to

suggest that maybe the building is the cause of my problems now. I am

proud of her for being so smart and want to be able to not have to

force myself to go to her school programs or have her not go to

important things because she knows how tired I am and how much I hurt

all the time. Thank You,

Loretta