Seizures and severe mold exposure - Epilepsy Message Board

MsLadyDi · 03-02-2003, 05:19 PM

I have been researching for any information on seizures and mold exposure. Let me try and put the last couple of years into a short paragraph. Two years ago our home had severe mold damage and was totally gutted and rebuilt. This is when my nightmare began!!! My family and I were totally unaware of how serious this could be. After months of living in the home I developed an unknown seizure disorder. We finally had to ask our insurance company to make other living arrangements for us. Our insurance company at the time did not feel that my health issues were related to mold at all. Over the past couple of years I have been under the care of a wonderful neurologist. And many visits and medication trials. He now believes I have simple partial seizures. I understand this can be quite difficult to diagnose. The symptoms are many and long in frequency. This has been a very freighting experience. My mother passed away the week before Thanksgiving. Since then my Dilantin levels were low. My neurologist increased the Dilantin and am now in normal limits, but the seizures and the intensity did not change. The auras and partial seizures have been an on going thing sometimes lasting for several hours. My husband has been very supportive. I have a daughter who is a Pharmacist and is very much aware of the medications I take who is also very supportive. But on the other hand my sister who is a REGISTERED nurse and her husband think I need to see a psychiatrist and is concerned about the amount of medication I take. My sister has no understanding for this type of illness at all. My father thinks I am sick all the time, he also thinks I need to see a psychiatrist. I do have other health issues and they can't understand why I am always sick. Because of this I may loose the relationship with them. I am not asking for pity by any means. But some of us are not quite so lucky that we have health issues and this is out of our control. I guess I am looking for understanding and support. Just frustrated!!! Anyone have any information on seizures and mold exposures. Thanks.

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Kella77 · 03-17-2003, 09:54 PM

hi i am so sorry to hear about your seizures. My 3 yr old has focal seizures and it happened after we moved into our new house. I thought it could be an allergy to a mold and went to an allergists. she said absolutely not because molds does not cause seizures but can cause other health problems. certain toxins though can cause seizures. I know how frustrating it could be. Good Luck!!!!!

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LainieWebb · 03-18-2003, 05:39 PM

I have been on Dilantin for 10 years and have noticed, especially lately, that my recovery time from any illness seems to be a lot longer than average. I'm talking about anything as simple as a cold virus - takes me forever to get over a sore throat, cough, sinusitis... I'm thinking the dilantin has in some way affected my immune system and it just takes longer to get better.
Lainie

tooheys · 03-18-2003, 10:42 PM

Hi guys,

Firstly Msladydi, ignore what your sister, father and whoever that is not supporting you, focus on the people that are, they in the long run will be the ones still there when you need them. They speak only through ignorance on the subject, unfortunately like most people. Epilepsy is a very common disorder, with many different types and unfortunately if you have a type where you don't fall over and convulse most people don't put it down as epilepsy. Now on this mold thing, it may well be that that is your trigger, so many people have so many different triggers but don't rule out that it may be something totally different. I personally haven't pinpointed mine exactly only to say that if I have a big session on the booze, a couple of days later I pay for it big time, so I've eliminated that. Just try and keep a positive outlook on life and hold on to the ones that hold on to you.

Tooheys

Wheelsinmotion · 04-02-2003, 07:59 PM

Mold? Wow. I too have been diagnosed with simple partial. I had been seizure free for almost a year. But three weeks ago I discovered that my fridge was leaking in the back, slowllllly, from the ice maker... and when we moved it to get back there and check out what was going on, I discovered quite a lot of mold on the wall and under the cupboard next to the side of the fridge. My guess is that the leak had been going on for a ouple of months. We live near the beach (San Diego) and it does get moldy and damp around here. After I started cleaning things up, I felt very tired, started getting that "already been there feeling" and within four days got the full blown Aura and had a very nasty seizure. I had never made a connection to mold before, but now that I've read your e-mail... I'm thinking back to the times I've had seizures, and there is ABSOLUTELY a connection. I can rememer having a big seizure once raking up wet moldy leaves in the back yard. Anyway..Since this "event" three weeks ago, my Doctor has switched me to Topamax. (100 mg in the PM. and it's THE BEST med I've ever tried - and I've tried them all. I felt like a complete blubbering idot the first three days, but that passed. I don't feel like eating still - but that's okay. I don't mind if I don't want to eat. I've always wanted to lose 10 pounds, and now that it's coming off, I kind of just am not really thinking about food or weight, or an of that... but yes...here is one person who thinks there is possibly a seizure/mold connection.