To summarize, I cannot enter my home without feeling some tightness in my chest followed by abdominal cramping and bloating (this leads to back pain and even some discomfort in my upper thighs!!!). Here are some of the steps I’ve taken. I’m pretty much out of ideas and money:

1. Acupuncture
2. Air Duct Cleaning
3. Allergy Medication
4. Carpet Cleaning
5. EGG (like an EKG for the gut)
6. Eliminated all identifiable perfumes and chemicals (that I could)
7. Exercise
8. Hepa filters
9. Homeopathic Medicine
10. Ozone machines
11. Vitamins (Multi, E, C and Milk Thistle (not technically a vitamin))
12. Walls and ceiling cleaning
13. Other steps (too depressed to think of anymore)

It has been recommended that I have my thyroid and adrenals checked; that I flush my liver; that I get allergy shots; that I seek cognitive therapy (also, my Father thinks that this is happening because I’m depressed – I am, as a result of not feeling good in my own home); and that I start taking yoga classes. I guess I’ll try some of these things…

I’m thinking that I should just start smoking again. I smoked years ago in my teens. I rarely felt ill! Of course, that’s like snapping your fingers to keep the tigers away, right?

I go to my parents house, built just 2 years before my apartment building, and I have no trouble. I DO have trouble at my brother’s new townhouse… built months ago. I’m thinking that it is the VOCs in paint or something. By cross-referencing the occurrence of my symptoms with different locations, I think I can eliminate the typical things that come to mind like toxic mold and new building materials. What I can’t seem to do is eliminate the offending toxin(s). By the way, I’ve performed my own mini-experiments and do not seem to be sensitive to chemicals in general.

Does anybody have any ideas?

I go to my parents house, built just 2 years before my apartment building, and I have no trouble. I DO have trouble at my brother’s new townhouse… built months ago.

...

Does anybody have any ideas?

With MCS, tiny trace amounts of irritants can cause problems. You've probably heard of the allergy health hazard of a child to peanuts. A child, sitting in the front of a plane, can suffer life threatening reactions to someone eating a peanut in the back of a plane. MCS works the same way.

You live in an apartment building. Can it be possible that someone else who lives in that building sprays a chemical in their apartment, or wears a type of perfume, or smokes a particular brand of cigarettes, that is effecting your health? It may not be a problem with your apartment, but with your neighbors. Do you get the same problems when you go out into the hallway, or is it just within your apartment?

I don't know if I said it before, but I had the same problem in my previous apartment (I was there for a month). I've been in my current place for 6 months (7 months of agony).

Both places opened to the outside. Smokers were adjacent to both apartments, though I am friends with some smokers and have never had trouble. I go into the unfinished basement of my current place and feel immediately better. The only thing I can come up with, at this point, is the paint, as you suggested in the other post. Four homes, three painted within the last 8 months. Those are the three I have trouble with.

I lived in an apartment with mold... keep in mind, all mold can be toxic, not just the black mold. Thanks to the mold, I developed digestive problems (from the mold spores and sinus drainage) and now I have IBS. I would suggest that you MOVE!

I appreciate the post. We're looking into moving... if we can't, it's five more months!!! Regardless, I'm trying to contact a gentleman who assists with such matters. I have his name and phone, but not his title. My sense is that he is some kind of contractor (not sure). He helped an associate of mine determine that she had a mold issue.

Here are some questions for you... did you suffer abdominal symptoms every time you set foot in your place (and did you feel immediate relief when you left)? Did you lose weight? Did it happen in other locations? Did you have allergy-like symptoms (itchy eyes, runny nose, etc.)?

Thanks.

To summarize, I cannot enter my home without feeling some tightness in my chest followed by abdominal cramping and bloating (this leads to back pain and even some discomfort in my upper thighs!!!).

...

Does anybody have any ideas?

ABC has a show called Extreme Makeover - Home Edition, where they remodel homes for deserving people. It is shown on Thursday nights at 8pm on ABC.

Well.... that being said, in two weeks the show is going to be about remodeling the apartment of someone who gets sick from their apartment. From the coming attractions, it seems like the emphasis is going to be on mold. It sounds like it could be an interesting show.

Beerzoids,

Thanks for the heads-up. I'm going to check it out. Still doing fairly well with the windows cracked. Unfortunately, pollen counts are up, so I'm having some trouble with allergies. Guess I'd rather have itchy eyes than upset stomach? Don't know...

Sometimes I wonder if I'm being punished for some past sin. I quickly remember that I am not fatalistic. ;)

BTW, how are you doing these days?

Thanks Again,
BJ

Beerzoids,

Sometimes I wonder if I'm being punished for some past sin. I quickly remember that I am not fatalistic. ;)

Past sins are only worth the punishment if you can do them again.


BTW, how are you doing these days?

Thanks Again,
BJ

Took about 8 weeks to slowly wean myself off my CCB heart medicine. I am now totally off the medicine (3rd day) and feeling pretty good. I don't know how many days, or weeks, it will take to be totally rid of the effects of the CCB. I had, at least, 7 days of problems each time I reduced the CCB.

During the time I was reducing the CCB, I became much more sensitive to things that never bothered me before, but that is getting much better now.

Not using fabric softeners has had quite an impact on my health. I can't help but wonder how many people are suffering from strange ailments mostly due to their use of fabric softeners. Most people won't believe that fabric softener chemicals can effect their health, because they don't really understand that the skin can absorb chemicals into the body.

Another example of this is pollens and irritants in the air. People will wear masks on high pollution days to protect themselves, but they don't realize that their exposed skin can also bring those pollutants into their bodies.

Glad to see that cranking the windows helps you. That must be quite a relief! Man, it's good when you find an answer, isn't it!

Regards.......

Glad to see that cranking the windows helps you. That must be quite a relief! Man, it's good when you find an answer, isn't it!

It haunts me that I might have a more serious health problem and that my "window cracking" is simply a temporary fix. I am taking 60mg fexofenadine twice a day. I am so sensitive to medication that this is the only thing that I can comfortably use. So, the balancing act continues.

I hope your relative comfort and health continue!!!

It haunts me that I might have a more serious health problem and that my "window cracking" is simply a temporary fix. I am taking 60mg fexofenadine twice a day. I am so sensitive to medication that this is the only thing that I can comfortably use. So, the balancing act continues.

I hope your relative comfort and health continue!!!

When was the last time you had a CBC (Complete blood count)? Your blood is the roadmap to your body. It is a fairly inexpensive test but shows a lot of info. If you are concerned that your sensitivities might reflect on some other health problem, a CBC might, at least, rule out some more obvious problems.

Another excellant test is the heart ECG, which shows how well the heart is working.

In my research on MCS, many who are effected have no other major disease to explain their MCS, but everyone is different.

Thanks for the feedback.

I have a new problem. I am getting sand at the base of one of my walls. I don't know if it is termites, or some other type of insect. Oh well. If it isn't one problem, it is another.......

Glad to see that cranking the windows helps you. That must be quite a relief! Man, it's good when you find an answer, isn't it!


In November 2003, I got very sick (temp 102, sore throat). My MCS faded during this time and I always thought it was due to the antibiotics.

HOWEVER, this past weekend, I got sick again. This time, it was a 24-hour thing that got my temp up to 103!!! Sore throat again. No other symptoms. As the illness subsided, I decided not to go to the doctor. This is the interesting part: my MCS symptoms are gone right now. Last night I was playing with my daughter and tinkering around the house. I completely forgot about my MCS!

What the heck does this mean? I don't know. Anecdotally, I've noticed that when I have some other ailment, my MCS subsides. If I'm stressed out or having a bad day, it does NOT subside; I thought maybe the illness took my mind off of the MCS or something. I also recently strained my back and, as painful as that was, the MCS did NOT subside.

So what is it about being sick? The medications don't change (Fexofenadine and Ibuprofen). I just don't understand!

Btw, I seem to catch whatever my daughter gets when she becomes sick, which is fairly often and usually when she has been around other children.

In November 2003, I got very sick (temp 102, sore throat). My MCS faded during this time and I always thought it was due to the antibiotics.

HOWEVER, this past weekend, I got sick again. This time, it was a 24-hour thing that got my temp up to 103!!! Sore throat again. No other symptoms. As the illness subsided, I decided not to go to the doctor. This is the interesting part: my MCS symptoms are gone right now. Last night I was playing with my daughter and tinkering around the house. I completely forgot about my MCS!

What the heck does this mean? I don't know. Anecdotally, I've noticed that when I have some other ailment, my MCS subsides.

Your experience is fascinating. I have been thinking about what it could mean. To treat diseases, often a vaccine or med is used that triggers the body's immune system. Perhaps that is what is going on with you? The "virus" or "cold", that you had, triggered your immune system, and while your immune system was fighting the "virus" it was also able to take care of whatever is making you so sensitive.

Could it be that MCS is caused by some germ hidden in one's system? How does one trigger one's immune system? Hmmmm!? I feel like going out and french-kissing the first person that I meet who is coughing and sneezing. :D

If I'm stressed out or having a bad day, it does NOT subside;

Do you know that for sure? Did you have several experiences where stress increased your symptoms, or didn't allow them to subside?

I thought maybe the illness took my mind off of the MCS or something.

That reminds me of an experience I had with a stupid allergist. He was treating me for my sinus condition. I was taking allergy shots. The shots were working and my sinuses were getting better. Buts........ after a few months I started having trouble with my asthma. At that time, my asthma had been in remission for a couple of years.

When I told the allergist that the shots were helping my sinuses but that my asthma was returning, he told me that I was wrong. He said that I "probably" always had problems with asthma, but my sinuses were so bad that I didn't notice the asthma. HUH! That was such a stupid statement for a "so-called" allergist to make. An asthmatic knows when his asthma is acting up. No matter how bad my sinuses, I know when I can't breath.

Anyway, that relates somewhat to your statement.

I also recently strained my back and, as painful as that was, the MCS did NOT subside.

So what is it about being sick? The medications don't change (Fexofenadine and Ibuprofen). I just don't understand!

Btw, I seem to catch whatever my daughter gets when she becomes sick, which is fairly often and usually when she has been around other children.

I need you to email me some of your daughters germs! :bouncing:

I've had quite a remarkable experience since I have stopped using fabric softeners. It has been an awful, draining, confusing and depressing time. The more different chemicals that I avoided, and the more improvements that I made, the worse I got!

When I removed something from my diet, or from my medicine schedule, other things started to effect my body differently than they had before. What had effected me, or had not effected me, for years, was now causing me problems.

But, finally I am feeling quite better. I'm going to post an update after I see if my current symptoms stay under control for an extended period of time.

It is great that your MCS has been reduced or eliminated! GREAT! It sounds like you owe your daughter a party with all her friends, or something like that. Just don't tell her that it was because she gave you her cold! :)

Bjlauder,

You mentioned your MCS subsided for a bit. IS it still gone? Interestingly, a month ago I was in NY on business and had a bladder infection. During this time my MCS was just about gone. I had to go review a newly constructed building and was dreading it with all the fresh paint and carpet. To my surprise, I was totally fine. Interstingly, as soon as my infection ended, so did my MCS come back. SO FRustrating.

NY01

No, it is not gone. Over the last week, I've gotten over the flu. However, my MCS is back. I think my case is odd in that I do not appear to have problems in any other location than my home, my former apartment and my brother’s home. Here's an example:

My cousin slammed into my car. I had to take it to a body shop. I stood and watched the guys do some work. The fumes, which should have probably overwhelmed me, didn't bother me at all. Around the same time, they were painting in my office. I had no problems during that time.

I would think that it might be mold, as some have suggested, but I had the problem in my brother's brand new townhouse. Maybe it's new carpet, but my place doesn't have new carpet.

Today, the only commonality I can see between apartment 1 (I lived there for about a month), apartment 2 (I've been here for about 10 months), and my brother's townhouse is that they are all connected to other units on at least 2 sides. Otherwise, I can't deduce the culprit.

Additionally, I spent this past weekend in the Finger Lakes. My allergies disappeared! Came back to Central PA (one of the worst allergy areas) and I'm back to being allergic almost all of the time. Between my health and the fact that I've fallen in love with a certain grocery chain (starts with a "W") there in New York, I'm ready to move!!!

My family loves that grocery chain you are referring to also.I live in NY & they are from southern Pa.
You may be on to something with the carpets.My BIL installs carpet & you would be grossed out as to how much mold can live in & under a carpet.Also, carpet can be made out of some pretty nasty stuff.Unfortunatelly cleaning carpets can be a problem in itself.The chemicals in carpet cleaning are really bad news.Would your landlord consider splitting the cost of replacing it with vinyl or hardwood?Both are much healthier chooses.
I watch a talk show about a family in which everyone of them became ill over the brand new carpet that was installed in their new house(mansion).It was found out later that the carpet was never "properly sealed". I am not sure what that means but I guess it has something to do with the process in which it is made.Evidently the chemicals used in making the carpet were escaping from it & causing the family harm.Researchers found out by putting the carpet in a room & put a large amount of mice on the carpet to see how they would react.Needless to say the poor lil things all went to the big cheese in the sky , if you know what I mean.Good Luck!This must be very frustrating.

I replied in another post but I had many of those problems and cleaned like crazy too. It endd up I had to move..I suspected mold and it was probably somewhere I couln't get to because no matter how many air cleaners I had or how much I cleaned it just got worse and worse. I would move if I were you.

Alltaurus,

Did you MCS or allergies clear up shortly after moving? I noticed my apartment bugs my allergies even though I have cleaned it out of chemical scents. I did have a mold problem early this year that the landlord cut out.

Yes I got better immediately!

:) I moved 11/1 and haven't had a problem since! This is amazing!!!

Great news! Did you ever find out what it was that was making you sick?

OTOH, Pity the poor guy who moved in after you. It won't be long before he pops up on Healthboards asking questions about why his apartment makes him sick.