Re: scared and confused

[Guest guest]

This is a particularly good time to move. A few years ago I had to face the

same thing and since most people don't move in the winter, someone agreed to

month to month until spring/summer. I stayed there longer but he figured it was

better than no renter at all.

Sometimes those long term hotel rates are better than renting by the time you

consider cost includes everything and no lease though.

>

> Im sitting here thinking about when I'll have to move out of this hotel room

and into a an apartment and Im scared as hell. I've taken every precaution not

to cross contaminate my environment but it seems that I've failed on every

attempt. What happens when I move into a an apartment, sign a lease and drag

those same spores with me? How am I ever going to get over this, how will I ever

survive? I dont know what to do or who to turn to anymore.

>

[Guest guest]

Barb I was just thinking the same thing. By the time I consider what it's going

to cost me to get a small inexpensive tv, a tv stand, coffee pot, a small table,

microwave, a futon to serve as a sofa and a bed than add my utilities onto that

it maybe less expensive to stay where Im at.

I received an email about my truck and the reason why I think it's toxic fumes

that could be possibly coming from the vehicle is when Im done driving and come

back into the hotel room my brain fog clears and I feel better. If the truck was

contaminated wouldnt I have cross contaminated my room by now and experience the

same symptoms that I'm having in the truck?

>

> This is a particularly good time to move. A few years ago I had to face the

same thing and since most people don't move in the winter, someone agreed to

month to month until spring/summer. I stayed there longer but he figured it was

better than no renter at all.

>

> Sometimes those long term hotel rates are better than renting by the time you

consider cost includes everything and no lease though.

>

>

[Guest guest]

Tug,

You might just be still sick from the mold exposure. Even after I moved from my

moldy home, I was still sickly. I finally got well with the help of a terrific

family doctor who left his practice in the later stages of my healing process.

Thankfully, I found a wonderful allergist who has kept me well. The bad thing,

I did not find a good doctor until after I moved from my moldy house so like

most with a mold illness, I felt I had to suffer through it alone.

Anyway, now it has been approx 2 years since I left the cabin, my lung functions

are great now. One would never know I use to take inhalers 4 times a day and

kept a constant cough. Never the less, it took almost a year after moving to get

to a point where I was not so sick. I do have nodules on my lungs which I have

x-rayed every 6 months. I am sure the nodules are from the mold and just scar

tissue but to be on the safe side, I get the x-rays at the advice of my MD.

Also, after my main car tore up about 2 months ago, I am back driving an old

K-car which I got to restore. I thought it was making me sick during my whole

mold saga so I stopped driving it. Now that I am car less, I have to drive it

and it is not making me sick at all.

When our bodies get in such a weaken state EVERYTHING will make us feel sick.

Do you think your hotel is OK? I have problems going to hotels. I have found

that many of them don't change their filters on the heating and ac unit.

Also, when we are sick with mold, we tend to over sterilize EVERYTHING in an

effort to get rid of the mold. In doing so, we expose our already weak immune

system to more chemicals that our weak bodies don't need...this in turns makes

us sicker.

Anyway, if your clothes and truck are clean and your hotel room is clean and has

clean filters and all, your body might need a little more time to recover. For

some of us, recovery takes time. I am still pretty sensitive and I will react

to things most people don't react to. I pretty much know my trigger points

these days and try to avoid the things which make me feel sick. Even my husband

makes me sick if he goes outside and smoke. The smell seems to drift through the

house even though he smokes outside.

Hang in there Tug, for some of us, healing takes a little time. Take care of

yourself, get plenty of sleep, take your vitamins and etc. Being away from the

source of your illness is the first step to wellness. Things will get better.

J

>

>

>

> Barb I was just thinking the same thing. By the time I consider what it's

going to cost me to get a small inexpensive tv, a tv stand, coffee pot, a small

table, microwave, a futon to serve as a sofa and a bed than add my utilities

onto that it maybe less expensive to stay where Im at.

>

[Guest guest]

Tug, do you smell any antifreeze when around your truck? just wondering, a tiny

bit of it can affect me pretty bad. also, I used to work on my own car but after

my exposure I couldn't even pop the hood without the smell getting to me. it

just wiped me out to go to the gas station too. getting caught in trafic jams

was miserable, so I kept a mask in my car,lol's which really wasn't any help but

I got alot of funny looks. now when I look back at I'm ammased I wasn't in any

recks, a few close calls. be careful.

> >

> > This is a particularly good time to move. A few years ago I had to face the

same thing and since most people don't move in the winter, someone agreed to

month to month until spring/summer. I stayed there longer but he figured it was

better than no renter at all.

> >

> > Sometimes those long term hotel rates are better than renting by the time

you consider cost includes everything and no lease though.

> >

> >

>

[Guest guest]

I'd like to agree with Jackie on this-even after I cleaned up my environment I

was still mold sick for weeks and weeks. The first time it happened I was

frantic looking for what was bothering me. Of course, never found it and by that

time I was better. Mold sickness is a funny thing-it makes you super hyper

sensitive so that everything little thing bothers you for a long time.

I still think cross contamination is possible but when you wash something a

million times I think it's a semi-safe bet that it's not the clothing, it's you.

Is there an environment in which you feel any relief? Because that's a good sign

that your room is the culprit. Until I felt the same inside and outside my house

I was never sure whether I had gotten rid of all the mold.

>

> Tug,

> You might just be still sick from the mold exposure. Even after I moved from

my moldy home, I was still sickly. I finally got well with the help of a

terrific family doctor who left his practice in the later stages of my healing

process. Thankfully, I found a wonderful allergist who has kept me well. The

bad thing, I did not find a good doctor until after I moved from my moldy house

so like most with a mold illness, I felt I had to suffer through it alone.

>

> Anyway, now it has been approx 2 years since I left the cabin, my lung

functions are great now. One would never know I use to take

[Guest guest]

I agree with Jackie as well and as far my any odors from my truck it has an ever

so slight chemical smell. I didn't drive it yesterday so it may not even exist

anymore.

I woke up with a killer headache this morning and during the night my left ear

had a sharp pain, it was so bad it woke me up no less than 3 times. At one point

I even put my head under the pillow thinking it would some how stop my ear from

hurting.

The Dr originally put me on Diflucan for 2 weeks, after the second week I felt

so much better. Now that Im off Diflucan and am taking Sporanox my symptoms are

returning. I called the Dr's office last week and asked if I could continue with

the Diflucan but they said no and would think about putting me on Nystatin but

never called in the prescription.

I've had some blood work done right after my second week of Diflucan and my

liver enzymes were perfectly normal, why he would have a problem prescribing it

again is beyond me.

> >

> >

> >

> > Barb I was just thinking the same thing. By the time I consider what it's

going to cost me to get a small inexpensive tv, a tv stand, coffee pot, a small

table, microwave, a futon to serve as a sofa and

[Guest guest]

Speaking of this, it makes sense, because though cross contamination is surely

real, there is a level at which it doesn't seem possible (ie washed clothes many

times etc).

I know my apt had a mold that was toxic to me but I also have lyme which made me

so sensitive and sick. I am considerng what to bring with. I brought clothes

down here, so I could have totally contaminated this hotel room, theoretically.

I have work to do, so I brought down some research papers (printed out new and

put in plastic folders, nonetheless). I can't " wash " my shoes. So I could

contaminate everything everywhere I go. But who can go naked and shaved head

into a new environemnt????

I am thinking I will bring my kitchen utensils, my clothes wrapped in plastic

(so I can wash them--I threw out anthing that can't be washed, or gave it away,

to people who don't react at all), glass and metal tables and two hard wood and

metal chairs, where the wood has a modern shiny surface. If anybody thinks that

will cross contaminate me, well it seems hopeless. I'm not in that place with

the source of the mold, am not bringing upholstery or even wood furniture

generally. I guess there's a point where you just have to draw a boundary line.

Our car is theoretically totally contaminated too since we were in it up there

and are in it down here.

I still have lots of symptoms that may be chemical, mold (mold is everywhere

after all; I'm in a pretty clean upscale hotel but I think the bathroom has a

slight mold odor at times). Without doing radical mold avoidance in a tent in

the desert, it's hard to avoid mold.

>

> I'd like to agree with Jackie on this-even after I cleaned up my environment I

was still mold sick for weeks and weeks. The first time it happened I was

frantic looking for what was bothering me. Of course, never found it and by that

time I was better. Mold sickness is a funny thing-it makes you super hyper

sensitive so that everything little thing bothers you for a long time.

> I still think cross contamination is possible but when you wash something a

million times I think it's a semi-safe bet that it's not the clothing, it's you.

> Is there an environment in which you feel any relief? Because that's a good

sign that your room is the culprit. Until I felt the same inside and outside my

house I was never sure whether I had gotten rid of all the mold.

[Guest guest]

it sounds like chemical sensitivity to me. I think theres different levels of

it, from chemical sensitivy to toxic encephalopathy.

>

> I agree with Jackie as well and as far my any odors from my truck it has an

ever so slight chemical smell. I didn't drive it yesterday so it may not even

exist anymore.

>

> I woke up with a killer headache this morning and during the night my left ear

had a sharp pain, it was so bad it woke me up no less than 3 times. At one point

I even put my head under the pillow thinking it would some how stop my ear from

hurting.

>

> The Dr originally put me on Diflucan for 2 weeks, after the second week I felt

so much better. Now that Im off Diflucan and am taking Sporanox my symptoms are

returning. I called the Dr's office last week and asked if I could continue with

the Diflucan but they said no and would think about putting me on Nystatin but

never called in the prescription.

>

> I've had some blood work done right after my second week of Diflucan and my

liver enzymes were perfectly normal, why he would have a problem prescribing it

again is beyond me.

>

[Guest guest]

maybe Tug cross contaminated his truck, but I dont think the chances of cross

contaminating a hotel room from his truck is very likely to happen. sounds like

a chemical smell from the cleaning of his truck or just the usuall

oil,antifreeze,ect. smells of a automobile is affecting him because he's

hypersensitive, or chemical sensitive.

it's probaly going to be awhile before he can start reconizing and putting

together smells and effects caused by them. your body has to have a healing time

to some extent before the reactivity, with as what I see it, depending on what

organs were affected and how bad,

sepertates, calms down from a pretty constant state to a re-exposure state

before you can start making much sence of anything.

advoidance and time. advoidance of chemicals and molds/mold byproducts at a

level that causes a reconized responce, in other words, a place were you fell

much better and are able to function somewhat with a clear head,so to say. trial

and error, we all have to find our way. theres no one that can say what someones

elses comfort level well be. you cant, just like the levels of damage and

effects, so are the levels of advoidance and even cure. thats the way I see it.

--- In , " cocopollyphenol " <cocopollyphenol@...>

wrote:

>

> Speaking of this, it makes sense, because though cross contamination is surely

real, there is a level at which it doesn't seem possible (ie washed clothes many

times etc).

> I know my apt had a mold that was toxic to me but I also have lyme which made

me so sensitive and sick. I am considerng what to bring with. I brought clothes

down here, so I could have totally contaminated this hotel room, theoretically.

I have work to do, so I brought down some research papers (printed out new and

put in plastic folders, nonetheless). I can't " wash " my shoes. So I could

contaminate everything everywhere I go. But who can go naked and shaved head

into a new environemnt????

>

[Guest guest]

>

> Im sitting here thinking about when I'll have to move out of this hotel room

and into a an apartment and Im scared as hell. I've taken every precaution not

to cross contaminate my environment but it seems that I've failed on every

attempt. What happens when I move into a an apartment, sign a lease and drag

those same spores with me? How am I ever going to get over this, how will I ever

survive? I dont know what to do or who to turn to anymore.

>

> I came into this hotel with a single pair of pants, a sweat shirt and a pair

of shoes that had been washed no less than a dozen times with detergent, borax

and microban. I have since bought 3 pairs of pants 4 sweatshirts and a heavy

jacket due to the cold. It's obvious I wont be able to take these things with me

because they now carry the same mold spores I tried so very hard to leave

behind.

>

> What about my truck, it's been remediated twice once with ozone another with a

non-toxic, botanical based product but yet everytime I get in it for any

considerable amount of time I get light headed. 15 minutes after getting out of

my truck I feel ok and my brain fog clears.

>

> How do I get past this, how do I move forward, how do I leave the micotoxins

behind?

I think that the idea of " leaving the mycotoxins behind " is not the right

question.

This isn't a " do it once and you're through " deal.

Hopefully you'll eventually get to the point where you're skilled enough to be

able to deal with the mold effectively and where your reactivity goes down

enough that cross-contamination of the type you report (which may actually be

real) won't bother you as much.

The thing that people always overlook is the presence of this stuff in the

outside air.

I find that the outside air is MUCH more bothersome to me at this point than the

vast majority of buildings or objects, if I'm in the wrong location.

Being able to get to a place with really good outside air on even an occasional

basis will make any exposures you get in buildings or on objects much more

tolerable.

I've seen a few really reactive Moldies inadvertently move to a place with good

outside air and get better, but I've yet to see any live in a place without good

outside air and get better (unless they make an effort to get out to a good

place on occasion to " refresh " or " break the response " ).

Where are you living now?

Best,

[Guest guest]

to bad this isn't just about mycotoxins. I believe pretty strongly that

mycotoxins themselfs play a large role in organ damage but no roll in chemical

sensitivity reactions. voc's from mold is another story. if mycotoxins are in

the air so much, and caused a chemical sensitivity reaction, I'd be reacting all

the time. givin I live in a moldy state. but it's not the case and considering

what happened to me with my mold exposure, I've came a long way in recovery.

now how in the world have I managed to do that in the moldy " mycotoxin " state of

missouri ?

>

> > >

I think that the idea of " leaving the mycotoxins behind " is not the right

question.

>

> This isn't a " do it once and you're through " deal.

>

> Hopefully you'll eventually get to the point where you're skilled enough to be

able to deal with the mold effectively and where your reactivity goes down

enough that cross-contamination of the type you report (which may actually be

real) won't bother you as much.

>

> The thing that people always overlook is the presence of this stuff in the

outside air.

>

> I find that the outside air is MUCH more bothersome to me at this point than

the vast majority of buildings or objects, if I'm in the wrong location.

>

> Being able to get to a place with really good outside air on even an

occasional basis will make any exposures you get in buildings or on objects much

more tolerable.

>

> I've seen a few really reactive Moldies inadvertently move to a place with

good outside air and get better, but I've yet to see any live in a place without

good outside air and get better (unless they make an effort to get out to a good

place on occasion to " refresh " or " break the response " ).

>

> Where are you living now?

>

> Best,

>

[Guest guest]

I would like to thank everyone for their replies. I live in Colorado and with

the all the snow we've been getting the amount of mold in the air is minimal.

The weather here has been extremely cold but today turned out to be a nice day

(mid 40's) so rather than drive my truck I walked/ran to Walmart which is 2

miles away.

While I was walking, my thinking was clear, my skin wasnt itching but I did have

a slight nose bleed which reminded me that I was far from over this. I honestly

believe that if I lived in a warmer climate I would recover from this much

faster only because I could get out more and rather than drive my truck I could

ride my bike to wherever I needed to go.

Hopefully March will warmer than usual and I can break out my bike and spend

more time outside

Tug

> >

> > Where are you living now?

> >

> > Best,

> >

>

[Guest guest]

even driving in traffic is a sorce of exposure to chemicals and gases.

traveling around in a rv is a sorce of exposure. I didn't drive almost three

years, didn't really go anywhere, was doing much better but a trip to maryland

set me back. I know that as well as I can fell in my space, that a job that may

not contain mold or mycotoxins to a irritating level but say just having to be

around people with prefumes, ect. would last about two days. a job around no

people but some chemicals, cleaning products and or dust, ect. would last about

two days. I haven't heard anything convencing yet that would lead me to believe

that a certain way of doing things brings complete recovery where one can go

back to their past lifestyle wiether they would want to or not. there are many

forms of filth out there and when your reactive to filth, theres more to avoid

than just mold and or mycotoxins. I haven't seen anything yet that proves that

it's

only the mycotoxins in everthing that we react too, so until that happens, if it

does, I cant say I react to only mycotoxins.

really the only places that might be a constant year around outdoor air

" problem " as far as mold is conserned might be the tropics, but I dont know

that. the winters are moldy in nevada, the summers are moldy in missouri.

chemicals are everywhere all the time.

>

> >

> > > >

> I think that the idea of " leaving the mycotoxins behind " is not the right

question.

> >

> > This isn't a " do it once and you're through " deal.

> >

>

[Guest guest]

Dave,

I am curious, you felt better walking/running to Walmart, what about

when you went inside Walmart, did you feel sick inside with all the new

plastics, fragrances, etc.?? Sue

>

>

>I would like to thank everyone for their replies. I live in Colorado and

>with the all the snow we've been getting the amount of mold in the air

>is minimal.

>

>The weather here has been extremely cold but today turned out to be a

>nice day (mid 40's) so rather than drive my truck I walked/ran to

>Walmart which is 2 miles away.

>

>While I was walking, my thinking was clear, my skin wasnt itching but I

>did have a slight nose bleed which reminded me that I was far from over

>this. I honestly believe that if I lived in a warmer climate I would

>recover from this much faster only because I could get out more and

>rather than drive my truck I could ride my bike to wherever I needed to go.

>

>Hopefully March will warmer than usual and I can break out my bike and

>spend more time outside

>

>Tug

>> >

>> > Where are you living now?

>> >

>> > Best,

>> >

>>

>

>

[Guest guest]

I thought of something else: this may be just my crazy thing but I sometimes

develop symptoms of my mold sickness (like my eyes hurting really badly) when I

become very stressed. It's a new thing and only started with my MCS but until I

figured it out whenever I started to feel bad I'd run around my house like a

crazy person wondering what was going on. It took a little while before I

figured out a hugely stressful experience could really trigger my MCS.

Just something to think about because we are all kind of stressed.

>

> I'd like to agree with Jackie on this-even after I cleaned up my environment I

was still mold sick for weeks and weeks. The first time it happened I was

frantic looking for what was bothering me. Of course, never found it and by that

time I was better. Mold sickness is a funny thing-it makes you super hyper

sensitive so that everything little thing bothers you for a long time.

> I still think cross contamination is possible but when you wash something a

million times I think it's a semi-safe bet that it's not the clothing, it's you.

> Is there an environment in which you feel any relief? Because that's a good

sign that your room is the culprit. Until I felt the same inside and outside my

house I was never sure whether I had gotten rid of all the mold.

>

[Guest guest]

Sue I don't think I felt quite myself when I was in Walmart, I didn't feel that

bad but definitely wasn't myself, hard to explain. I remember walking back to

the hotel all I could think about was running thinking if I could get my blood

flowing it would help release some of the toxins in my system. Needless to say I

ran most of the way back and when I wasnt running I was walking pretty fast

>

> Dave,

>

> I am curious, you felt better walking/running to Walmart, what about

> when you went inside Walmart, did you feel sick inside with all the new

> plastics, fragrances, etc.?? Sue

>

> >

[Guest guest]

Dave,

sounds like another indicator of chemical sensitivity, walmart's air

quality is horrible, even to me (doesn't make me sick but it smells so

horrible in there, all the new offgassing plastic). sue

>

>

>

>Sue I don't think I felt quite myself when I was in Walmart, I didn't

>feel that bad but definitely wasn't myself, hard to explain. I remember

>walking back to the hotel all I could think about was running thinking

>if I could get my blood flowing it would help release some of the toxins

>in my system. Needless to say I ran most of the way back and when I

>wasnt running I was walking pretty fast

>

>

[Guest guest]

Yes, in late 1999 ,I was in the hospital for an operation-suddenly I was MCS ,

like I was in 1991 from a mold exposure. I was there for 15 days, they put a

sign on the door,NO CHEMICALS, and my mom brought me filtered water in a glass

jar, as I could not tolerate the plastic, after I recovered, it went away. I

have heard many people with cancer develope chemical intolerance.

>

> I thought of something else: this may be just my crazy thing but I sometimes

develop symptoms of my mold sickness (like my eyes hurting really badly) when I

become very stressed. It's a new thing and only started with my MCS but until I

figured it out whenever I started to feel bad I'd run around my house like a

crazy person wondering what was going on. It took a little while before I

figured out a hugely stressful experience could really trigger my MCS.

> Just something to think about because we are all kind of stressed.

>

>

[Guest guest]

I asked Wal-Mart what was making me ill in their stores.   They said they use

Pine Sol to clean the floors, I can't be around Pine Sol.

From: sue <svican@...>

Subject: Re: [] Re: scared and confused

Date: Thursday, February 11, 2010, 8:59 AM

Dave,

sounds like another indicator of chemical sensitivity, walmart's air

quality is horrible, even to me (doesn't make me sick but it smells so

horrible in there, all the new offgassing plastic). sue

[Guest guest]

>

> I would like to thank everyone for their replies. I live in Colorado and with

the all the snow we've been getting the amount of mold in the air is minimal.

>

> The weather here has been extremely cold but today turned out to be a nice day

(mid 40's) so rather than drive my truck I walked/ran to Walmart which is 2

miles away.

>

> While I was walking, my thinking was clear, my skin wasnt itching but I did

have a slight nose bleed which reminded me that I was far from over this. I

honestly believe that if I lived in a warmer climate I would recover from this

much faster only because I could get out more and rather than drive my truck I

could ride my bike to wherever I needed to go.

>

> Hopefully March will warmer than usual and I can break out my bike and spend

more time outside

Outdoor toxic mold actually is much worse in the winter, especially from

November to February. Snowstorms and rainstorms tend to be especially bad.

There are parts of Colorado that are very bad with regard to toxic mold, and not

necessarily the ones you would think. Telluride and the surrounding area (e.g.

Montrose/Ouray) are especially bad these days, for instance.

Cities everywhere tend to be bad. My increasing belief is that ski resorts are

almost universally extraordinarily bad. It's interesting to speculate on why

that might be....I'm not sure yet.

It's great that you felt better walking to the store today. Although there are

some places (e.g. Lake Tahoe) that can be spectacularly good at some moments and

horrifically bad at others, your feeling good while you're outside is a good

initial sign.

If you want, please write to me and let me know exactly where you do live.

And where are you thinking about taking the car to altitude? Obviously you

won't want to do it to a place (like Telluride) that we know is bad.

Most Moldies do much better in the warmer months. I'm counting the days!

Best,

[Guest guest]

even if they used clean green cleaning products, the merchandise is

poisonous and offgassing, the store is full of offgassing cheap plastic

stuff made in china, chemically scented candles, pesticides, and more.

And there is a good documentary on Walmart, and if you saw it you would

likely try to avoid shopping there: no environmental controls on chinese

production, slave chinese labor, disregard for US environmental laws,

mistreating of US employees, and more is laid out in this documentary,

now I can't say whether things have changed at Walmart since then, but I

wouldn't count on it.... That said, where I am staying in Sedona there

aren't many shopping choices and I have lowered my standards and shopped

at the nearby Cottonwood Walmart twice, back at home though where there

are more shopping choices, and no nearby Walmart, I would not shop

there. I think Target is a better alternative, but that store is also

filled with lots of offgassing plastics.

I think the US public fools themselves if they think they are getting

bargains at Walmart or other discount stores. We go there and buy all

this cheap poorly made plastic stuff that doesn't last anyway, mostly

what we don't need but have been led to believe by the media that we

need to live fulfilling lives, but there are a number of reasons these

goods are so cheap and they include no pollution controls in China. A

doctor once told me it takes about 7 days for the polluted air to blow

over to the West Coast (where I live) from China, so we pay for those

discount prices whether we like it or not. More recently I saw that

scientists are monitoring the pollution blow over from CHina on Mt.

Bachelor in Eastern Oregon. THey can tell from the type of particulates

whether it is local polluting sources or from China... There truly is no

escape but each of us can vote with our pocketbooks by trying to buy

more locally made, organic clean food and goods, and to think twice

before buying made in CHina, cheap plastic stuff or stuff period...

my 2 cents...

sue

>I asked Wal-Mart what was making me ill in their stores.   They said

>they use Pine Sol to clean the floors, I can't be around Pine Sol.

>

>

[Guest guest]

Hey , a few comments:

1) I always feel better outdoors, no matter where I am, nor the weather.

2) Your altitude experiment--could you take two items you know are contaminated

(by your reaction) and leave one in a backyard of a friend at a lower altitude

and one in a backyard of a friend at a higher altitude? And then say 3 weeks

from now test, or 3 months, whatever. It would be useful to have a benchmark for

how long it would take to decontaminate and at what altitude, for items one

wants to keep...

3) I really worry about cross contamination. I had a migraine last night, with

all the stuff I think of as mold related (cracking joints, wheezing, stuffed

sinuses etc). It has been rainy and cold here and I'm in a hotel room waiting

for my apt to be vacated, and the hotel was fine for the first couple of weeks.

So if it's " moldy " now I worry that some things I brought with had time to

release spores and grow somewhere. I sure hope not. I cannot figure the cross

contamination thing out very well beyond taking all washable clothing, and

washing it before bringing it into the house, and taking only metal/glass

furniture, and then other smaller stuff (kitchen items etc). It's not like my

place was growing visible mold but it was definitely mold contaminated, probably

in the wall cavities. I simply don't have the $$ or ability to leave everything

including work behind. I'm throwing out all but about 30 books needed for

work--and having those wrapped in plastic and boxed up so that I can open them

up outside when necessary.

>

> Outdoor toxic mold actually is much worse in the winter, especially from

November to February. Snowstorms and rainstorms tend to be especially bad.

>

> There are parts of Colorado that are very bad with regard to toxic mold, and

not necessarily the ones you would think. Telluride and the surrounding area

(e.g. Montrose/Ouray) are especially bad these days, for instance.

>

> Cities everywhere tend to be bad. My increasing belief is that ski resorts

are almost universally extraordinarily bad. It's interesting to speculate on

why that might be....I'm not sure yet.

>

> It's great that you felt better walking to the store today. Although there

are some places (e.g. Lake Tahoe) that can be spectacularly good at some moments

and horrifically bad at others, your feeling good while you're outside is a good

initial sign.

>

> If you want, please write to me and let me know exactly where you do live.

>

> And where are you thinking about taking the car to altitude? Obviously you

won't want to do it to a place (like Telluride) that we know is bad.

>

> Most Moldies do much better in the warmer months. I'm counting the days!

>

> Best,

>

[Guest guest]

--- In , " cocopollyphenol " <cocopollyphenol@...>

wrote:

>

> Hey , a few comments:

>

> 1) I always feel better outdoors, no matter where I am, nor the weather.

>

> 2) Your altitude experiment--could you take two items you know are

contaminated (by your reaction) and leave one in a backyard of a friend at a

lower altitude and one in a backyard of a friend at a higher altitude? And then

say 3 weeks from now test, or 3 months, whatever. It would be useful to have a

benchmark for how long it would take to decontaminate and at what altitude, for

items one wants to keep...

>

> 3) I really worry about cross contamination. I had a migraine last night, with

all the stuff I think of as mold related (cracking joints, wheezing, stuffed

sinuses etc). It has been rainy and cold here and I'm in a hotel room waiting

for my apt to be vacated, and the hotel was fine for the first couple of weeks.

So if it's " moldy " now I worry that some things I brought with had time to

release spores and grow somewhere. I sure hope not. I cannot figure the cross

contamination thing out very well beyond taking all washable clothing, and

washing it before bringing it into the house, and taking only metal/glass

furniture, and then other smaller stuff (kitchen items etc). It's not like my

place was growing visible mold but it was definitely mold contaminated, probably

in the wall cavities. I simply don't have the $$ or ability to leave everything

including work behind. I'm throwing out all but about 30 books needed for

work--and having those wrapped in plastic and boxed up so that I can open them

up outside when necessary.

That's a really good idea for an experiment. I'll try to do it sometime.

Perhaps others here (especially those who have belongings that they'd like to

reclaim) will consider doing it too and then report the results.

The fact that your hotel feels worse now, when it's rainy outside, makes me

think that it's the weather rather than something different going on with the

hotel or with your stuff.

Even if it still feels better outside than inside, the weather likely is still

affecting you since the " total mold load " that you're experiencing is higher.

Good outside air dilutes any mold you're being exposed to, making it less

potent.

I suggest waiting until the weather gets better before worrying about it at all.

Perhaps you then could report here about whether it's gotten better?

Best,

[Guest guest]

actually it's the air in the fronts before the storms thats bad, not during the

rain itself. and when it starts drying up and things become airborn again.

>

> Good outside air dilutes any mold you're being exposed to, making it less

potent.

>

> I suggest waiting until the weather gets better before worrying about it at

all.

>

> Perhaps you then could report here about whether it's gotten better?

>

> Best,

>