When we moved in this house, our landlord had the bathtub changed. They forgot to seal the overflow drain...
So we moved in and with my love of baths, I took my usual extra full soaks. After a few, we noticed that water was leaking in the basement (the bathtub was on the first level) when I took my bath.
We realized that then that the overflow was not sealed and the water was flowing into the walls, down the main floor to the basement.
The wall it flowed down was the wall joining the kitchen with the living room.
We contacted the landlord and even though workers came to do some repairs, the bathtub was not sealed. Tired of waiting, we eventually sealed the overflow drain ourselves.
A few months later (Around Xmas) we noticed that there was mold on the wall and ceiling in the kitchen.
Again we contacted the landlord to mention a list of things needing repairs. Workers came and did some weather stripping but did not look into the mold in the walls. We asked a few times then gave up.
As some of you know, I recently bought a house, so I will be moving shortly. I mentioned that I hope the landlord would finally fix the mold issue before renting to new tenants. A friend mentioned that it was not wonder I was sick if I had been living with mold for several years.
So I decided to look into this whole mold thing...
Regarding the symptoms of black mold poisoning, you do not have to have all of them, if you've been exposed to toxic black mold.
You may have just one or two symptoms. Most people with significant exposure to toxic mold have more than two or
three symptoms. They usually have 10 to 15!
- muscle pain, cramps, burning, unusual shooting (ice pick-like) pains
- headaches
- fatigue, weakness, flu-like symptoms, fever, chills
- shortness of breath, cough
- abdominal pain, diarrhea
- chronic sinusitis, sore throat
- burning eyes, red eyes, sensitivity to light
- difficulty with thought processes, memory loss, loss of concentration, confusion, disorientation, “brain fog”
- dizziness, balance problems
- metallic taste in mouth
- numbness and tingling
- night sweats
- temperature regulation problems
- excessive thirst and urination
- rash
- excessive menstrual bleeding
- mylar flush (face flushing)…. I had this…people thought I looked healthy because of it.
- chest pains
- IgA nephropathy (kidney disease)
- Increased infections
Less Common Symptoms of Black Mold Poisoning
- The sensation that you are going to pass out
- Panic attacks
- Tremors
- Attention deficit disorder
- Vision problems
- Swollen lymph nodes
- Anxiety, depression
- Difficulty losing weight (in detoxifier types)
- Ringing in the ears
- Hearing loss
- Chronic fatigue
- Multiple chemical sensitivity (stachybotrys and chaetomium)
- Nose bleeds and pulmonary hemorrhaging (stachybotrys)
- Bruising, hives
- Infertility, miscarriage
- Fibromyalgia
- Chronic fatigue
- Multiple sclerosis like symptoms
- Dirt like taste in mouth
- Cancer
- Hair loss
- Joint pains
- Irregular heart beat
- Heart attack
- Seizure
- Muscle twitching
- Anaphylaxis on re-exposure to toxic molds
- Air hunger, can’t get a deep breath
- Child development delays
- Lateness
- Apathy
- Difficulty handling any kind of stress
- Mood swings, irritability
- Frequent upper respiratory infections
- Sensitivity to sound
- Nausea, vomiting
- New food allergies
- Jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes)
- Poor insight into illness
- Stomach ulcers
Now as you all know, I have CFS and FMS....
It started getting bad about a year after I had moved into this home (so about a year after exposure to this mold?) and has gotten progressively worst. I think if you read some of my past posts, you will see that I have MANY of the symptoms above... I don't know if I mentioned I am always out of breath but definitely another to add to the list...
I have noticed that both of my kids are always tired and low energy, I have often wondered if what I have was not somehow genetic, and if so, why were they already affected, when I really only got hit in my 30's.
They also are both prone to dizzy spells and (especially my daughter).
My daughter also has:
- chronic sinusitis
- dizziness and balance problems
- almost passes out...
- temperature regulation problems
- increased infections
- chronic headaches
- nose bleeds
- mood swings
- new food allergies
- nausea
My son :
- dizziness and balance problems
- temperature regulation problems
- chronic headaches
- mood swings
- anxiety
- developmental delays
- chest pains
just to name a few of the symptoms that have appeared in the last 5 years...
So now I can't help but wonder... maybe the mold should be tested....
I have asked for a city inspector's opinion...
What do you think?
Thanks for reading....
You did just right thing in researching about molds. Even though you were about to move, the management should definitely know that there’s a problem there. I just hope your landlord did something about it. And not just remove the molds. I mean something should be done regarding the source of the molds, and that is the unsealed overflow drain. A general cleaning would’ve been a big help. I hope you guys, are okay. :)
ReplyDeleteIt's something that must be taken care of right away. Did you follow it up with the management? How soon was it addressed and resolved? At home, there is nothing more important than the health of our family.
ReplyDeleteCarlene Maysonet
We also had problems with black mold before. Fortunately, it was removed right away. We hired reliable mold technicians (that’s what we fondly call them), and in a couple of weeks, there was no sign of black mold anymore. We were told that we can do it ourselves, but the process must be done several times to make sure that all the mold spores are killed.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteWe are a family owned and operated company that cares about family values.
ReplyDeleteThat’s why we use 100% organic, non-toxic products to ensure the safety of your home.
Our patented anti-mould formula kills all spores and micro-organisms on contact and prevents them from ever returning.
I have been particularly sick for the last couple of years but had never considered mold. I have chronic siunsitis that has never responded to treatment and has progressed to cause hearing problems and vertigo. I have looked through the list and have been horrified to find how many of those symptoms I have. I also sleep in a bedroom that has had leak issues over the years and has mold on the walls. I have treated this but now I am thinking that I was already affected.
ReplyDeleteI now have made an appointment with my doctor and am definitely going to ask for fungal tests. I am sick of being sick and am now also going to research how to best treat this so that I can return to health.
Thank you to all contributors - you have helped me just by making me feel that I am not alone and not going mad.