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Symptoms of Mold Exposure




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March 21, 2016 by Andrea Fabry 21 Comments

Are you wondering if you or a family member is suffering from a toxic mold exposure? Toxic mold and its related contaminants can wreak havoc with our immune system. Women often have different symptoms than men. The myriad of health problems may surprise you!

When it comes to toxic mold, we assume there are respiratory issues, but these symptoms of toxic mold exposure may surprise you!

Symptoms of Mold Exposure

It is often assumed that mold only causes respiratory problems. However, symptoms are far more wide-ranging and varied. Our family’s experience is proof of this. We experienced minimal respiratory symptoms but a myriad of others, including vertigo, autoimmune disease, liver problems, cognitive issues, and more. (See our Timeline of Events.)

In the paper Mixed Mold Mycotoxicosis: Immunological Changes in Humans Following Exposure in Water-Damaged Buildings, the authors conclude that exposure leads to:

Multiple health problems involving the CNS (Central Nervous System) and the immune system, in addition to pulmonary effects and allergies. Mold exposure also initiates inflammatory processes. The authors propose the term ‘mixed mold mycotoxicosis’ for the multisystem illness observed in these patients.

Dr. Jack Thrasher, Dr. Michael Gray, and the other five authors based their findings on the treatment of 209 patients with “multiorgan-system symptoms resulting from exposure to molds in their homes, schools, or workplaces.”

Symptoms included:

Excessive fatigue
Headache
Nasal symptoms
Memory problems
“Spaciness”/disorientation
Sinus discomfort
Coughing
Watery eyes
Throat discomfort
Slurred speech
Lightheadedness
Dizziness
Weakness
Bloating
Weak voice
Coordination problems
Vision changes
Rash
Chest tightness
Wheezing

According to their findings, females had a greater frequency of the following symptoms:

Excessive fatigue
Headache
Memory problems
“Spaciness”/disorientation
Slurred speech
Lightheadedness
Weak voice
Spasms
Coordination problems
Vision changes
Rash
Cold intolerance
Heat intolerance
Chest discomfort
Excessive thirst
Swallowing problems
Skin flushing
Rapid pulse
Palpitations
Bruising
Swelling ankles

It’s common for one family member to exhibit symptoms while another does not. If one person is away from the environment for most of the day, it’s not unusual for the individual who stays home to experience more symptoms. Survey all members of the household using this list, and take note of the less obvious symptoms like digestive problems, mood swings, and vision disturbances.

Learn more about mold testing, medical treatment, and other issues pertaining to toxic mold in the post A Beginner’s Guide to Toxic Mold.

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Filed Under: Microbes & Mold, microbes and mold, Mold, Mold and Microbes, Unseen Reality Tagged With: dr. jack thrasher, exposure, mold, mold exposure, symptoms, thrasher, toxic, toxic mold

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Comments

  1. Valorie J. McCormick says

    March 21, 2016 at 10:23 am

    HI Andrea! I had messaged you through facebook last week about hair care products. I see this list of symptoms and they overlap with so many other disease and illnesses. Only by God’s grace, did you and Chris discover the mold issue! I know you know that, just confirming it! 😉
    I do believe that the road I am on is definately a co-infection of lyme disease. God is so good to show my husband and I things that the health professionals would never figure out. I am cleaning up my diet, finally! Still at home resting and writing when I can. I got to church yesterday the first time in a month and before that it was two months before I could get there.
    I so appreciate all you are doing to tell your story. Would you have any insights or tips about getting my story out there and in hands of people that really need to know there is HOPE in a hopeless situation??
    How did you get your book written??
    Side note, lol,……we go back a long way! I remember you hosting the Moody women’s moring program years ago! I even called in a few times 😉 And you have a large family, I am the youngest of nine!!!
    Thank you for getting this information out there!! All to God’s glory that others can learn from your horrific

    Reply
    • Andrea Fabry says

      March 21, 2016 at 10:34 am

      I emailed you directly, Valorie.

      Reply
  2. Lorna Beech says

    April 3, 2016 at 10:52 am

    Hello Andrea,
    I live in Saskatoon, SK, Canada and we are about to renovate our bathroom. Due to having 5 kids splashing around near tub I have a soft spot in linoleum and on wall. Some say there may be mold underneath. I was told not to rip up linioleum by ourselves. The problem is do I hire a mold inspector or do I buy a mold test from the local chain store? Thank you for your help!
    Lorna

    Reply
    • Andrea Fabry says

      April 3, 2016 at 3:33 pm

      You are wise to ask this question, Lorna! You don’t want to stir anything up. This post should help. If you have further questions you can email me – andrea@it-takes-time.com
      http://it-takes-time.com/mold-microbes/beginners-guide-toxic-mold/

      Reply
  3. Petra Sussman says

    June 21, 2016 at 9:06 am

    Andrea, my husband and I discovered black mold in our home which we recently purchased in March. We are in the process of having the “mold mediation” work done. My husband developed a bloody nose. Everyone is willing to accept this as a symptom. I have been vacillating between diarrhea and constipation since early May. Everyone is wanting me to attribute it to stress. I have also had watery eyes with blurred vision. Well, since I’m 65, this is supposed to be normal(?). What kind of testing was done to convince the medical profession you and your family were experiencing black mold symptoms? I’m also having a little difficulty navigating your website to find the helpful suggestions as to how I can change my food plan and practices to eliminate this.
    All assistance is appreciated. Thanks.

    Reply
    • Andrea Fabry says

      June 21, 2016 at 9:30 am

      To be honest, I stopped putting any energy to convincing anyone – including the medical profession. Keep trusting your instincts on this, Petra. Environment definitely matters when it comes to our health and the fact that these symptoms showed up after moving in certainly validates your assessment of this. I would certainly recommend a dust sample to see what may remain in term of toxicity. As far as diet. This post should help:

      http://it-takes-time.com/2015/08/toxic-mold-treatment.html

      Feel free to email me directly!
      andrea@it-takes-time.com

      Reply
      • Ronald Bondar says

        March 23, 2018 at 12:39 pm

        I call.health inspector and he said unless is not bursting. From wall there is no mold now. Have maggots coming from baseboards.and still cannot get help still getting sick and my wife just passed away because of lung infection dont now what to do

        Reply
        • Andrea Fabry says

          March 23, 2018 at 1:27 pm

          Trust your gut on this. Something isn’t right with this home clearly. You can relocate until you determine your next step. Testing is usually your first option but when there is a strong sense that something is not right, you can listen to that and stay with family or friends until you figure this out.

          Reply
  4. Wanda says

    September 20, 2017 at 8:05 am

    Hi my mom is having some of these symptoms but hers include tremendous weight loss. We’re trying to get her tested but no hospitals will help. We need help asap.

    Reply
    • Andrea Fabry says

      September 20, 2017 at 9:43 am

      I’m sorry to hear this, Wanda. This post should help answer some of your questions. Good job making this connection. http://it-takes-time.com/mold-microbes/beginners-guide-toxic-mold/

      Reply
  5. lara says

    March 13, 2018 at 4:30 am

    Hi Andrea

    We are in the process of getting our home tested as we cant see visible mold but can smell musty smells and I have become really sick. The testing revealed a few areas of high moisture under the floorboards but the walls all appeared dry. I have many of the symptoms you mentioned in your post along with large hearing losses. I cannot see hearing loss as a symptom. Have you come across this. I should have the results back tomorrow so I hope they help tell us something. The other strange thing is both my eldest children have developed bad acne despite a great diet and exercise. I noticed you said your son suffered from this. How does mold exposure cause acne?

    I am so sorry for all you and your family went through. You sound an amazing family.

    Reply
    • Andrea Fabry says

      March 13, 2018 at 10:18 am

      Mold exposure can lead to multiple symptoms. I wouldn’t rule anything out as related to water damage in the home. I’ll be happy to look over any results with you. You can email me at: andrea@it-takes-time.com

      Reply
  6. Leila Nies says

    November 23, 2018 at 4:47 am

    I’m curious, is it true that it can cause brusing?

    Reply
    • Andrea Fabry says

      November 23, 2018 at 4:32 pm

      Toxic mold is very disrupting to the body. Bruising can be a signal to us that something is wrong internally, so the two can definitely be related.

      Reply
  7. Cam says

    December 27, 2018 at 12:17 pm

    Please help me I been exposed to mold in my home…. I need to detox..can you help me?

    Reply
    • Andrea Fabry says

      December 27, 2018 at 6:03 pm

      Your first step is a clean environment. There are suggestions for testing and treatment in this post.
      http://it-takes-time.com/mold-microbes/beginners-guide-toxic-mold/
      Good job making this connection.

      Reply
  8. Lori E says

    January 23, 2019 at 7:12 pm

    Hi Andrea,

    Thank you so much for this article. It has been insightfulZ I thought very early on that my hair loss (first big symptom that terrified me) could be from toxic exposure. It was the one thing that didn’t get looked at in the list of common hairloss symptoms. 2 months prior (June in the midwest = hot and humid) my legs were extremely bruised. In August hair started falling out, excessive thirst, cold extremities, weight loss. Few months later digestive issues, and my Amish doctor believes I have candida problems (which I know can eventually stem from toxic mold exposure). I am terrified. Have a mold remediation company scheduled to come next week. I feel like this makes the most sense. Thoughts? Advice? I’m already on a clean diet and taking multiple supplements to help in the meantime. I haven’t experienced any usual mold symptoms like coughing, wheezing, asthma, watery eyes, etc. Just all the more strange ones…

    Reply
    • Andrea Fabry says

      January 24, 2019 at 2:02 pm

      Before remediation, it is a good idea to test this home. The more you can solve yourself the better in terms of whether or not this home is causing your problems. This post talks about ERMI testing which may be a better first step:
      https://it-takes-time.com/2013/10/17/how-to-test-for-toxic-mold/

      This post talks about choosing a mold remediation company. There are specific things to look for before hiring them.
      https://it-takes-time.com/2015/06/05/how-to-choose-a-mold-remediation-company/
      Good job making this connection! You can email me directly at andrea@it-takes-time.com

      Reply
  9. Courtney Nipper says

    June 5, 2019 at 1:12 am

    Hello Andrea. I can’t begin to express how grateful and relieved I am after coming across your story. I have literally worried myself sick since April trying to understand so many different and random symptoms I’ve been having, diagnosis I’ve received and how to make sense of it all. I wasn’t sure how but my gut wouldn’t leave me alone about figuring out how it’s all connected. I just know it has to be and I’ve pointed the finger at so many possibilities not even considering MOLD. It’s been right in my face the whole time! I have kind of been depressed and so drained from trying to figure out what’s going on with myself that I pretty much forced myself to believe I was confused because i was over thinking and overwhelming myself and I stopped seeking answers. I have 2 boys ages 7 and 9 and the oldest has Asthma that is triggered primarily by allergies. It wasn’t until they started getting sick so often that I knew I needed to refocus and figure this out. Tonight almost in tears I asked God in prayer to please just help me understand so I can fix it. About an hour later I ended up on your story and I knew it was nothing short of an answered prayer. So, thank you for sharing your story and just know your goal to help others by doing so has been reached. I’d like to maybe ask you a couple things in relation to my experience if possible? Can I write you on FB or do you have an email that’s better? Thanks so much for your time! Contact me at my email below when you have time.

    Reply
    • Andrea Fabry says

      June 5, 2019 at 7:38 am

      Sorry to hear this, but very glad you’ve made this connection. Definitely email me at andrea@it-takes-time.com

      Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Natural DIY Anti-Mold Spray and Bathroom Cleaner Recipe says:
    July 10, 2017 at 10:18 pm

    […] While common household mold can be treated with this bathroom spray, black mold is a different story. Unfortunately, black mold is not always visible, so it’s important to pay attention to the often-overlooked symptoms of toxic mold exposure. […]

    Reply

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MEET ANDREA

I am a certified Building Biology Advocate, a former journalist, mother of nine, and avid CrossFitter who likes to think outside the box. After our family's health crisis in 2008, I learned to ask questions about what's in our food, our water, and our air. I hope to empower you as you seek to live safely in a complex world. Thankfully, small steps lead to big changes. Let's travel this road together, one step at a time.

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