Re: I lost my voice. Is there a home remedy? Do HEPA & carbon A/C filters help?

[Guest guest]

The vocal loss is something that I experienced as well. When I was teaching, by

noon, I could not talk well and it hurt to make it through the afternoon. It is

an area which I would like the docs address. I used to do a lot of singing with

the children so I used my voice everyday for work, and am a non-smoker, so I

feel especially robbed. And, I would work on " retraining " if it is not too " far

gone " and would be interested in what treatments mold exposed people have found

successful for their injured voices.

There are so many other physical issues like fatigue and respiratory problems

that the " vocal thing " has been on the back burner, I think. Thank you for

raising the issue.

>

> Could losing one's voice be mold-related?

>

> I think it's my new job, working with all this used-clothes. There are new

dust-bunnies to sweep up every day. My throat was already occasionally sore,

due to the occasional mold-exposure when it rained, but w/ my new job, every day

at work, I lose my voice. One day I sorted clothes most of the day for the

first time and the next day I woke up and could not speak at all.

> Today it rained hard and we noticed that the roof leaks in 2 different places.

It's obviously insulated up there, and then covered that's covered w/ plastic.

>

[Guest guest]

Gargle with salt water? That helps in general but if you are consistently

exposed to irritants you are not going to get better. I don't say this lightly

because I also had to quit working because I got so sick, but you need to find

another job.

>

> Could losing one's voice be mold-related?

>

> I think it's my new job, working with all this used-clothes. There are new

dust-bunnies to sweep up every day. My throat was already occasionally sore,

due to the occasional mold-exposure when it rained, but w/ my new job, every day

at work, I lose my voice. One day I sorted clothes most of the day for the

first time and the next day I woke up and could not speak at all.

> Today it rained hard and we noticed that the roof leaks in 2 different places.

It's obviously insulated up there, and then covered that's covered w/ plastic.

>

> I've worked in a cotton factory before. Everyone eventually came down with

" bronchitis " from all the cotton floating in the air. It was bad.

>

> I'm trying kelp for the iodine to help my throat, but I need something that

works good. I'm daily exposed to this cotton-dust working with used clothes,

and NOW I suspect the major problem was the leaking ROOF!!! ARGH, this problem

is every dang where! They need to fix that immediately. I like working my rear

off over there, except for the sore-throat & losing my voice. I can barely

speak in a monotonous low-toned gravelly voice, & half the time it's just a

whisper. It hurts to swallow. I feel better when I sleep outside, but it's

getting too hot, and the mosquitos make a net-hat & blankets neccessary, which

makes fresh air difficult, and getting too hot.

>

> Even earthclinic lacks a good remedy for laryngitis. Obviously, the best

solution is to find a job that does not have a mold problem, but I'm lucky to

have a job making what I am. The job market is tough. I wish there were

another solution. Hey, you know what I could do? I could sneak some carbon

filters over the air-filter. I change them every week. They are not nearly

mold-quality filters. THey suck. Wish I could staple a HEPA & a carbon layer

on the back of them & see if it makes a difference.

>

[Guest guest]

Carbon HVAC filters will probably not make a difference if your exposures are

related to the sorting of old clothes. The carbon is for voc's. Improved

particluate HVAC filtration is also not likely the answer. The particulates will

get to you before entering the HVAC system. Is it possible to wear a respirator

while sorting the clothes? Of course your employer would be required to comply

with OSHA regulations for respiratory protection.

Connie Morbach, M.S., CHMM, CIE

>

> Could losing one's voice be mold-related?

>

> I think it's my new job, working with all this used-clothes. There are new

dust-bunnies to sweep up every day. My throat was already occasionally sore,

due to the occasional mold-exposure when it rained, but w/ my new job, every day

at work, I lose my voice. One day I sorted clothes most of the day for the

first time and the next day I woke up and could not speak at all.

> Today it rained hard and we noticed that the roof leaks in 2 different places.

It's obviously insulated up there, and then covered that's covered w/ plastic.

>

> I've worked in a cotton factory before. Everyone eventually came down with

" bronchitis " from all the cotton floating in the air. It was bad.

>

> I'm trying kelp for the iodine to help my throat, but I need something that

works good. I'm daily exposed to this cotton-dust working with used clothes,

and NOW I suspect the major problem was the leaking ROOF!!! ARGH, this problem

is every dang where! They need to fix that immediately. I like working my rear

off over there, except for the sore-throat & losing my voice. I can barely

speak in a monotonous low-toned gravelly voice, & half the time it's just a

whisper. It hurts to swallow. I feel better when I sleep outside, but it's

getting too hot, and the mosquitos make a net-hat & blankets neccessary, which

makes fresh air difficult, and getting too hot.

>

> Even earthclinic lacks a good remedy for laryngitis. Obviously, the best

solution is to find a job that does not have a mold problem, but I'm lucky to

have a job making what I am. The job market is tough. I wish there were

another solution. Hey, you know what I could do? I could sneak some carbon

filters over the air-filter. I change them every week. They are not nearly

mold-quality filters. THey suck. Wish I could staple a HEPA & a carbon layer

on the back of them & see if it makes a difference.

>

[Guest guest]

I lost my singing voice, and I was a singer, during this dark healing

journey.  I have had mold exposure, but also other things, and I haven't been

sure which one or ones have been the culprit.  I'm grateful to read others

sharing this symptom.  I went to a Voice an Swallowing Center and there was no

change physically in my chords, my lungs have been imaged and nothing found, but

I have had breathing issues.  I hope that as healing is done for the mold, my

voice may return as well..

The vocal loss is something that I experienced as well. When I was teaching, by

noon, I could not talk well and it hurt to make it through the afternoon. It is

an area which I would like the docs address. I used to do a lot of singing with

the children so I used my voice everyday for work, and am a non-smoker, so I

feel especially robbed. And, I would work on " retraining " if it is not too " far

gone " and would be interested in what treatments mold exposed people have found

successful for their injured voices.

There are so many other physical issues like fatigue and respiratory problems

that the " vocal thing " has been on the back burner, I think. Thank you for

raising the issue.

>

> Could losing one's voice be mold-related?

>

> I think it's my new job, working with all this used-clothes. There are new

dust-bunnies to sweep up every day. My throat was already occasionally sore, due

to the occasional mold-exposure when it rained, but w/ my new job, every day at

work, I lose my voice. One day I sorted clothes most of the day for the first

time and the next day I woke up and could not speak at all.

> Today it rained hard and we noticed that the roof leaks in 2 different places.

It's obviously insulated up there, and then covered that's covered w/ plastic.

>

[Guest guest]

No telling where the clothes have been if they are used clothes, could even be

from moldy house but all the particles you must be breathing in wouldn't be

good. Can you wear a mask? The ones from " I can breathe " are fairly

lightweight ones that are tolerable for longer hours. www. icanbreathe .com

>

> Could losing one's voice be mold-related?

>

> I think it's my new job, working with all this used-clothes. There are new

dust-bunnies to sweep up every day. My throat was already occasionally sore,

due to the occasional mold-exposure when it rained, but w/ my new job, every day

at work, I lose my voice. One day I sorted clothes most of the day for the

first time and the next day I woke up and could not speak at all.

> Today it rained hard and we noticed that the roof leaks in 2 different places.

It's obviously insulated up there, and then covered that's covered w/ plastic.

>

> I've worked in a cotton factory before. Everyone eventually came down with

" bronchitis " from all the cotton floating in the air. It was bad.

>

>

[Guest guest]

Glad to see we're all in this together.

The mold that was at my home gave me eye-headaches and a scratchy throat.

The mold at work offers no headaches at all, just a scratchy-throat that has

turned in to laryngitis & I often cough up slight-green chunks of thick mucous.

Different strains, I suppose.

I found out today that the huge 25' high mountain of " bagged " clothes that we

have is not even required to be there in the center of our work-place. The

district manager likes it there because she says it is " job security " , but we

get twice as much clothes in (in donations) than we can sell, every day. And

the roof leak was looked at by a plumber who " could not find a leak " , so it has

been left unrepaired! That's outrageous! This non-profit major corp, where I

work, makes +$2500 a day, pays about 5 workers $10/hr, & 2 managers. If they

are supposed to be making the world a better place through their charity, why

dont they start by fixing their leaky roofs so their employees do not get sick?

If you ask me, this national non-profit organization is just the next Enron.

All the profits go to some locked out account that the board-members are going

to retire on some day, and all the doners are ignorant chumps. Most of them use

the place as a garbage dump, for the most part, anyways. They somehow figured

out a system to make each employee work like hell, cutting corners so we get as

little break-time as possible, with draconian rules who's first magnitude of

punishment is being fired. " Good " eh? I could think of better. Most

non-profits are worse than the one I work for. I'm just glad it's an income for

now. I'll be looking elsewhere soon, unfortunately.

[Guest guest]

I'm takeing dayquil right now. I dont take the full dose at one time, just about

a teaspoon and let it coat my throat. be careful not to get over recomended

daily amount. helps with the sore throat.

I fell like going back to bed so I dont think the say up part is helping me or

affecting me. I couldn't tolerate it for awhile after my exposure so it may vary

for others. my stomach still doesn't like it but at least I can swallow without

so much pain.

the glands in my neck are puffy and my ears hurt.

I dont think most people understand how mold can be involved in these types of

symptoms,alot of people around here are haveing running/stuffy

noses,sorethroats,ect. they always think it's a summer cold. right now the mold

outside is pretty active from all these rains

.. after I pointed it out to some family last night they did realize that yes,

the air was smelling very moldy. when it get's like this it's not so much a

factor in the daytime with wind and sun, but at night it's like everything in

the air just hangs around and floats in air where your breathing,I have to stay

inside with ac that's atleast a little cleaner than the air outside during these

evenings when it gets like this.

>

> Glad to see we're all in this together.

>

> The mold that was at my home gave me eye-headaches and a scratchy throat.

>

> The mold at work offers no headaches at all, just a scratchy-throat that has

turned in to laryngitis & I often cough up slight-green chunks of thick mucous.

>

> Different strains, I suppose.

>

> I found out today that the huge 25' high mountain of " bagged " clothes that we

have is not even required to be there in the center of our work-place. The

district manager likes it there because she says it is " job security " , but we

get twice as much clothes in (in donations) than we can sell, every day. And

the roof leak was looked at by a plumber who " could not find a leak " , so it has

been left unrepaired! That's outrageous! This non-profit major corp, where I

work, makes +$2500 a day, pays about 5 workers $10/hr, & 2 managers. If they

are supposed to be making the world a better place through their charity, why

dont they start by fixing their leaky roofs so their employees do not get sick?

If you ask me, this national non-profit organization is just the next Enron.

All the profits go to some locked out account that the board-members are going

to retire on some day, and all the doners are ignorant chumps. Most of them use

the place as a garbage dump, for the most part, anyways. They somehow figured

out a system to make each employee work like hell, cutting corners so we get as

little break-time as possible, with draconian rules who's first magnitude of

punishment is being fired. " Good " eh? I could think of better. Most

non-profits are worse than the one I work for. I'm just glad it's an income for

now. I'll be looking elsewhere soon, unfortunately.

>