AM I HALLUCINATING?

[Guest guest]

AM I HALLUCINATING? It's the wee hours of the morning, and I am

checking the day's upcoming weather, on www.weather.com , and look what I find,

below. This is almost a perfect explanation of everything we have been saying

for years. Weather dot com is one of the most popular, respected web sites on

the internet. Millions of people will be reading this information, at least for

as long as they can sell advertising space.for providing the information. So, I

am posting this, in the hope that when I wake up, I will read this posting on

Sickbuildings, and realize that I was not just dreaming this, while I was

asleep, or hallucinating that I had really read this, due to lack of sleep. Am I

hallucinating this, from lack of sleep?

Joe

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Indoor Mold

Health Effects of Mold

Generally, the majority of common molds are not a concern to someone who is

healthy. However, there are some individuals, especially those who have existing

health concerns, who may be sensitive to mold exposure. How can molds

affect my health? If you have allergies or asthma, you may experience skin

rash and itching, running nose, eye irritation, cough, congestion, and

aggravation of asthma. Also, if you have an immune suppression or underlying

lung disease, you may be at increased risk for infections from molds. Just

because you live in a dry climate, don't think you're off the hook. You may

experience a reduced incidence of mold growth, but by no means is your

environment immune to infestation. Severe effects Some researches

believe more serious effects may result from mold exposure, including fever,

flu-like symptoms, fatigue, respiratory dysfunction (including coughing-up

blood), frequent and excessive nose bleeds, dizziness, headaches,

diarrhea, vomiting, and liver damage. Severe reactions may also occur among

workers exposed to large amounts of molds in occupational settings, such as

farmers working around moldy hay. Such symptoms may disappear when exposure to

mold no longer exists. Other health problems may be permanent Some people

reportedly have taken extreme measures to combat severe mold reactions. One

California family claimed that exposure to mold infestation caused a number of

their illnesses, including respiratory problems, nose bleeds and rashes. They

burned their home to the ground, believing that it would cost less to simply

rebuild than to remove the mold. In Texas, a couple#'s 11,500 square-foot home

was quarantined after molds were thought to have caused stomach problems,

diarrhea, vomiting, severe respiratory scarring, and other illnesses in their

son, as well as severe memory loss in the husband, ultimately resulting in his

inability to work. Microbial volatile organic compounds

Substances known as microbial volatile organic compounds (mVOCs) are

another source of health problems caused by mold exposure. These compounds are

produced by fungal metabolism and are released directly into the air, often

giving off strong or unpleasant odors. Exposure to mVOCs from molds can irritate

the eyes and respiratory system and cause headaches, dizziness, fatigue, nasal

irritation and nausea. It's important to realize that research in this area is

still in the early stages. Mycotoxins When necessary, some resourceful

molds produce toxins in defense against other molds and bacteria called

mycotoxins. Depending on exposure level, these mycotoxins may cause toxic

effects in people, also. Some symptoms may include fatigue, nausea, headaches,

and respiratory and eye irritation If you or your family members have health

problems that you suspect are caused by exposure to mold, you should consult

with your physician. Is there a test to determine if I

have been exposed to mold? Some physicians recommend testing for

mold-specific antibodies. The presence of antibodies only indicates that you

have been exposed to a substance at some time. However, it does not tell you

when you were exposed, where the exposure took place, or how much of the mold

you were exposed to. Having a positive test for mold-specific antibodies alone

is generally not sufficient to prove that any health effects were in fact caused

by exposure to mold. Are there any medical tests available to determine if

I am allergic to mold? There are medical tests to determine if you are

allergic to a particular substance, such as mold. These can be performed on skin

or blood, although skin tests are considered more reliable, yield results more

quickly, are less expensive than blood tests and are generally considered more

sensitive. Skin testing may be recommended for individuals with year-round

symptoms thought to be caused by an indoor allergy.

The RAST (radioallergosorbent) test is a blood test that detects levels of

antibodies to particular allergens. The test is expensive to perform, and

results are usually not available for about two weeks. What type of doctor

should I see concerning mold exposure? You should first consult a family or

general health care provider who will decide whether you need referral to a

specialist. Such specialists might include an allergist who treats patients with

mold allergies or an infectious disease physician who treats mold infections. If

an infection is in the lungs, a pulmonary physician might be recommended.

Patients who have been exposed to molds in their workplace may be referred to an

occupational physician. Sources: Washington State Department of Health;

California Research Bureau, California State Library; National Center for

Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control & Prevention; Illinois

Department of Public Health