Mycotoxin exposure - question

[Guest guest]

I had a traumatic/life changing exposure to mycotoxins in in 2002 that

took years to recover from and I was left with severe MCS. But then I

stabilized finally, got married, had a baby and thought life was pretty

good again. I've had a few contamination issues, but none with

mycotoxins so they eventually were cleanable...

until now. I can't believe this and am looking for advice.

The other day I tried to go to a mom's group with my 8 month old baby.

My gut knew before I entered the house but I didn't listen to it. It

was an old icky house -- and sure enough, I could feel mold when I went

inside. I let my social etiquette brain override my instinct and

stayed for an hour. I had a severe headache/twitching/teeth pain, the

typical I get with black mold.

When I left, I took off my sweater coat and bag and threw them in the

back of the car. I went home, stripped, showered, soaked the clothes

in vinegar and put the baby down for a nap. I unfortunately had to

leave the baby's clothes on when I put her back into the car seat -

it's really cold out (we're in Colorado).

Ok - so that's the background. Since then, my house and car are

causing the same severe headache reaction - the same exact, top of the

head, headache. I washed the clothes and hung them dry but finally

threw them outside in a bag. I took everything out of the car, bagged

it, and it too is outside. I cleaned the house and car. I can't

really air anything out because it's freezing outside, with another

storm coming this weekend.

I'm clearly dealing with mycotoxins but exhausted because my priority

is the baby, I'm alone all day, and I'm near incapacitated with this

headache. What do I do at this point? I had hoped it was small enough

it would clear but I might have made the problem worse somehow. I've

been running Borax through my washer and we need to wash everything in

the house/laundry/sheets/etc but I'm afraid the washer is contaminated

now and might make things worse.

I can't sauna because I'm breastfeeding. I'm taking tons of Vit c and

oxygen. help?

Jill

[Guest guest]

You sure do have a dilemma. I wish I could tell you more to do than

what you've already tried. Maybe try using vinegar/water mix to wipe

out the car. I use vinegar and water to clean walls, floors etc. If

your clothes, sheets etc. are still bothering you throw them out,

sorry to say or maybe try using baking soda in your washing machine.

As far as your headaches since you are breastfeeding there's not much

you can take to alleviate the pain. Wish I could be of more help.

Maybe someone else knows some better suggestions.

Dana

--- In , " jbeansved " <Jsverdlove@...>

wrote:

>

> I had a traumatic/life changing exposure to mycotoxins in in 2002

that

> took years to recover from and I was left with severe MCS. But

then I

> stabilized finally, got married, had a baby and thought life was

pretty

> good again. I've had a few contamination issues, but none with

> mycotoxins so they eventually were cleanable...

>

> until now. I can't believe this and am looking for advice.

>

> The other day I tried to go to a mom's group with my 8 month old

baby.

> My gut knew before I entered the house but I didn't listen to it.

It

> was an old icky house -- and sure enough, I could feel mold when I

went

> inside. I let my social etiquette brain override my instinct and

> stayed for an hour. I had a severe headache/twitching/teeth pain,

the

> typical I get with black mold.

>

> When I left, I took off my sweater coat and bag and threw them in

the

> back of the car. I went home, stripped, showered, soaked the

clothes

> in vinegar and put the baby down for a nap. I unfortunately had to

> leave the baby's clothes on when I put her back into the car seat -

> it's really cold out (we're in Colorado).

>

> Ok - so that's the background. Since then, my house and car are

> causing the same severe headache reaction - the same exact, top of

the

> head, headache. I washed the clothes and hung them dry but finally

> threw them outside in a bag. I took everything out of the car,

bagged

> it, and it too is outside. I cleaned the house and car. I can't

> really air anything out because it's freezing outside, with another

> storm coming this weekend.

>

> I'm clearly dealing with mycotoxins but exhausted because my

priority

> is the baby, I'm alone all day, and I'm near incapacitated with

this

> headache. What do I do at this point? I had hoped it was small

enough

> it would clear but I might have made the problem worse somehow.

I've

> been running Borax through my washer and we need to wash everything

in

> the house/laundry/sheets/etc but I'm afraid the washer is

contaminated

> now and might make things worse.

>

> I can't sauna because I'm breastfeeding. I'm taking tons of Vit c

and

> oxygen. help?

>

> Jill

>

[Guest guest]

Wow. I have so much sympathy for you, sorry you are having such a hard

time right now. There are some steps you can take. Do you think you

might want to hire some help until you can get things under control?

When I first joined, people suggested to first make one room the clean

room, so there would be one safe place in the house. It really did

help to do things step by step.

It is such a difficult situation. some of the things that will

detoxify the mold, the toxins, and the voc's from the mold make me

very sick by themselves. So managing how to clean is important for me.

Another group mentioned that Molybdenum was helpful in recovering from

the mold, in doses of 150 mcg a couple of times a day. I suppose you

could try it, the baby was also exposed, so it might be ok even if

nursing. Solgar brand was what worked for her. I am planning on

getting som emyself, if they have it at the store.

If you want to email me directly, I might have other ideas, depending

on what is going on with you. For example, is your car ok now? or is

it still contaminated? The washer can be cleaned using ammonia, but

that is pretty bad stuff. Now that it is winter here, I can't use it

indoors, unless someone else were to do it when I am gone, and then

they aired the house out.

Best Wishes,

>

> When I left, I took off my sweater coat and bag and threw them in the

> back of the car. I went home, stripped, showered, soaked the clothes

> in vinegar and put the baby down for a nap. I

[Guest guest]

One often overlooked chemical for destroying mycotoxins and MVOCs is

potassium permanganate. It is pretty inexpensive and is a very

powerful oxidizer. Only a few pinches of it in a liter of water can be

sufficient to inactivate mold toxins.

In my country you can buy small quantities of it in any pharmacy. In

USA I think you can buy it over the Internet and in stores that

specialize for camping equipment (permanganate is used to treat water).

The brown stains it leaves afterwards can be removed with weak acids

such as citric acid or vinegar.

Potassium permanganate in weak solutions is not so corrosive on hands

as bleach, but one must be careful not to ingest it and avoid any

contact with eyes.

Here's one text about it:

-------------------------------

https://repositorium.sdum.uminho.pt/bitstream/1822/5612/1/Mycol_Res2006-Paterson\

%5B1%5D.pdf

Potassium permanganate under alkaline conditions appears to be

effective for a wider range of mycotoxins and for more situations than

bleach, a point that appears to have been overlooked. The use of an

enzyme to degrade the toxin might be practical technically

but is probably not yet feasible as a routine or emergency

procedure. Sharpira (2004) provides extensive details on

decontamination of foods.

--------------------------------

Google for potassium permanganate, there are lots of places where it

can be bought.

There is also one animal feed additive that inactivates trichothecene

mycotoxins by enzymatic action of certain benign bacteria. It's called

Mycofix 3.0 (or Mycofix Plus). I use it to wash my clothes and things

that become contaminated. I use it only on the outside (I don't eat

it). I am not sure if you can obtain it in USA because it is produced

in Austria by a company called Biomin (www.biomin.net).

-Branislav

>

> I had a traumatic/life changing exposure to mycotoxins in in 2002 that

> took

[Guest guest]

Thanks for this info- I happen to have some lying around, and it

doesn't smell as bad as ammonia, I suppose. I have been hesitant to

use it as I have not used it before, and am unfamiliar with it's use.

It used to be available from pool supply houses, for use in destroying

odors. I got it to use in my drains, then got shy.

What sort of things do you use it for?

>

> One often overlooked chemical for destroying mycotoxins and MVOCs is

> potassium permanganate. It is pretty inexpensive and is a very

> powerful oxidizer. Only a few pinches of it in a liter of water can be

> sufficient to inactivate mold toxins.

>

[Guest guest]

>

> Thanks for this info- I happen to have some lying around, and it

> doesn't smell as bad as ammonia, I suppose. I have been hesitant to

> use it as I have not used it before, and am unfamiliar with it's use.

> It used to be available from pool supply houses, for use in destroying

> odors. I got it to use in my drains, then got shy.

>

> What sort of things do you use it for?

>

>

I think it works on many surfaces except for some sorts of plastic,

paint and enamelled metals which can absorb toxins deep inside them. I

cleaned one carpet with it when nothing else could help. Also some

clothes. Even some paper documents. I use only a pinch of it (probably

15-20 tiny crystals in a glass of water). Thee stronger the solution

the better, but stronger solutions will more easily stain.

It doesn't have any smell actually. It leaves a smell of freshness

because it destroys chemicals which do smell.

Here's some more info:

http://www.epa.gov/ogwdw/mdbp/pdf/alter/chapt_5.pdf

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potassium_permanganate

The reason I think it works for me is that it degrades semi-volatile

organic compounds (MVOCs) to which I have become sensitized.

I would very much like to hear if it will work for you and other

people in this group.

-Branislav

[Guest guest]

Please, in general, *watch out* that whatever you try to use to clean

things isn't itself toxic!

You *probably* can wash the clothes normally, and shower.

You could be ill simply from spending that hour there, rather than the clothes.

[Guest guest]

Branislav,

I would agree that potassium permanganate is a great oxidizing agent

and is likely to destroy most mycotoxins but I would add one very

significant caution.

The dry crystals when mixed with pure organic liquids such as

antifreeze or glycerine ignite explosively, so great caution should

be exercised when transferring the crystals during use.

The brown color that develops as the permanganate reacts (with

organic compounds) to form manganese dioxide can easily be eliminated

with the addition of dilute hyrdogen peroxide solution.

To eliminate a skin infection, years ago I used to soak my feet in

very dilute potassium permanganate solution. The doctor who

recommended this treatment added this precaution. Don't add so many

crystals to the bucket of water that you can't see your feet. It

doesn't take more than a few crystals to turn a bucket of water so

deeply purple that the water is opaque.

May

May Indoor Air Investigations LLC

>

>

[Guest guest]

Gosh, I would give anything to no more about science like this. I could so many

neat things with my microscope. I hate that it takes growing old to find out

what your real intrests were when you  (I in this case) were in school. Now it

is so difficult to retail most of it. I admire you guys. I have not been able to

get Jeffs books yet either. I kno0w that would help some.

By the way, I hope you dont mind Jeff. I have not read them but I have Carls and

Shoemakers but I advertise all of you guys books as favorites on my live page.

Ok, done ranting...

Chris...

From: jmhiaq <jeff@...>

Subject: [] Re: Mycotoxin exposure - question

Date: Sunday, December 21, 2008, 10:53 AM

Branislav,

I would agree that potassium permanganate is a great oxidizing agent