Purple, thankyou for answering my question. I have more questions for you. I have never been to an allergist and am just now realizing why i have been sick most of this summer. My main enemy is mold. I don't get the runny nose, itchy eyes symptoms like some people. Here are my symptoms. I wake up feeling completely drugged out most days, some with swollen eye lids. I feel like I have gotte hardly any sleep and my brain is in a fog most of the day. I cannot think straight, have horrible memory problems { I cannot think of simple words }, sinus headaches, trouble understanding things, get confused and have almost constant pressure in my head. I also have ear problems sometimes, they feel plugged, and one always manages to itch and drain. We live in a rented place, and i am also realizing this is a huge source of my symptoms. We have leaks that have been patched { didn't work } and mold spots. i am not sure what exactly to do besides go to an allergist and move. I have been dealing with this for years, and it has just gotten worse over time. That and the mounting medical bills from me running to the doctor make it hard moneywise. I don't work because of my severe symptoms. I thought it was my thyroid, as I have hypothyroidism, but it wasn't making sense when I have had about 3 whole days this summer of feeling great, with loads of energy, the rest has been bad. I can go to an allergist, but will not take the pills, because I am so bad that I would have to live on them. But what do i do about where i live? These symptoms have come on slowly over the years and are just 10 times worse this summer. Also, do you have a choice when you go to the allergist, as to what the treatment will be? Thankyou for your help.

Hi Kamden,
You are very welcome. I am glad to eb able to share my knowledge. I have a big problem with mold too. When I was a kid, the intermediate school that I went to had very very bad leaks in the roof, and there was mold everywhere. Needless to say, I missed about 40 days of school that year because I was so sick. Finally, what we did was ger some petrie dishes from my allergist and place them in any holes in the ceiling or walls, and when the mold grew, he tested them and started giving me allergy shots for the exact type of mold that was growing in my school. There is also mold air quality testing. There are several companies that will do this, for a fee. Just type in "mold testing" in your internet browser. I saw one that would do the test for $125, but I cannot give any names of companies or websites because that is not allowed. Search for it, and you will find it. Plus, when you see an allergist, he or she will hopefully be able to give you allergyh shots for the type of mold that shows up in the test kit. I have a lot of the same problems as you...itchy ears, bad sinus headaches, stuffiness, tiredness, etc... I even believe that really bad mold problems can cause the other problems that you mentioned (brain fog, etc...) Mold allergies can make you feel sluggish in general. The swollen eyelids may also be a result of your thyroid problem though, because I actually get that also, and my opthalmologist told me it could be thyroid (i tested normal though). Mold might not be your only problem. Do you notice that you get worse when you are outside, or around dust, or when you eat certain foods? The allergist that you go to will probably test you for everything. As far as treatment options, most allergists combine the allergy pills and the shots. But if you have already tried all of these pills and they don't work for you or don't agree with you, then they shouldn't prescribe them for you. I don't know how many allergists use the sublingual (under the tongue) drops, but usually those will be used in combination with shots (or they can be used alone). I will also warn you that the allergy shots and or drops will not be cheap. I pay over $300 every 6-8 weeks. Most insurance companies will cover a certain amount of allergy shots, but some will not. Also, most allergists are not quite as expensive as mine is! (but he's the best, so I put up with the steep prices!) I do however get reimbursed (eventually). Although, I am still fighting with them over one set of shots. I paid over $300, they gave me back $8. What am I supposed to do with that? Anyway, I hope I have answered all of your questions. Keep me posted, and I'll be happy to answer any other questions you might have. I've been getting allergy shots my entire life, so I am a pro by now. http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/smile.gif

[This message has been edited by purple2067 (edited 08-22-2002).]

Thanks Purple, I also have to check into our insurance. We seem to have pretty good insurance, but I always make sure they will cover what I am getting done. I have been reading about mold infestation on the internet. It is rather scarey, because people all over get sick from it and it can be hard for a doctor to diagnose not knowing the culprit is in their home. Also, do you know about a blood test they take to check for mold in your system? I read that some mold can be dangerous, and I seem to have all the symptoms they post. Lately, I am bad inside and outside, and I know there is a problem in the house because I can smell it the minute I walk in, yet nobody else can. I will ask the allergist to send some petri dishes home with me also. Thanks again and i will keep you posted.

I never heard of a blood test that can be used to check for mold, but maybe that is just because my mold problem is not as severe as your sounds. I do believe that there is such a thing as mold poisoning (if that is what it is called), which you can get from being exposed to toxic levels of mold, or a certain kind of mold (i'm not sure what that would be though.) I actually saw something on TV not too long ago, maybe on 20/20 or dateline, about people who were having severe mold problems in their houses, and had to get a company to come in and clean out the mold. There are companies that will do that, but being that you rent, it would have to be your landlord who gets it done, i guess. If your allergist won't send the petri dishes home with you, or if he can't do the tests to see what type of mold it is, there are companies that will do it for you. I found one (i haven't ordered any thing from them yet though) by typing in "mold testing" in my browser. It came up with such sub categories as "mold inspection, etc..." That was the best one, because there are actually some companies listed under that category, who you can hire to test your house and your air ducts for mold, and then have them clean it up professionally. This might be wise, especially if you think you are getting really sick from it. Or just move. (that's easier said than done though!)