Toxic Mold

[MoldSpores]

I am currently being forced to stay in a room that has tested positive for mold.  The building is a pre WWII building and is very old and damp.  I went to the doctor with the following symptoms, headaches, painful urination, pain in the right and left side of my chest and ribs areas (mainly on the right side) and burning in my chest area that feels like indigestion.  The doctors first reaction was to test me for an STD, which all came back negative, to include hepatitis from the painful right side.  I have complained that my room has been tested over and over again and shown to have mold.  The enviornmental team has come in and took samples and now are ignoring the fact that I want a copy of the report for myself and my medical records.  My symptoms are getting worse.  What test should I have the doctor run on me to see if in fact that my symptoms are from mold exposure?

[Demiguise]

Not quite sure why you're forced to stay in room but I would suggest getting outdoors ea day as long as possible & breathe
deep to expand air in lungs. Through nose/out mouth slow. Many
people will get ill/hdaches just from the smell of a damp room.
A Dr can do a nose culture for aspergillus spores & send to
lab to determine if harmful type or a colonization type that can
just be making you ill from allergy or into lungs. Ask Dr to
repeat stethascope & listen to chest. Maybe ask if he'd order
a chest x-ray to put your mind at ease. People in farm land
areas can breathe in grain spore mold & get lung problems. Also
hay for cattle has spores. An easy x-ray might show something.
From there, it's up to Dr. If room is damp, that moisture may
have bacteria that you're just not able to handle so it may not
be fungal. I love old houses/museums but have problems next day
from the enhaled dust/fumes of aged wood. As far as the test
results, you can go to bldg. manager/owner/county health dept/
even call mayor's ofc for who to contact. If you know co. name
of who came in, call for info as to who results were ordered by
& who got copies. Hope you get some answers. Ask others who
live w/ you how they feel.

[PlateletGal]

I believe this link will answer all of your questions. The article also gives information on mold testing. If you see any mold spores, be sure to take pictures ! Mold can be deadly so I would be very careful and stay with a relative or friend if you can -- until this is cleared up.

http://www.allergyescape.com/toxic-mold.html

[star queen]

You can go to an allergist and get an allergy test done for a variety of molds, including those commonly found in walls of buildings.  If it is present in the body, and is bothering you it will show up on the test.  You can also take a sample of the mold and take it to an independent lab and have it tested to see just what kind of mold it is and go from there. There are lots of molds out there in those old buildings that are harmless. If you can't afford the fees for an independent lab, try going to the local community college and see if the microbiology lab will test it for you for free.  The idea that it is there is worse than the mold itself.  Maybe you should also consider moving just for peace of mind.   Good luck

[AJC]

Move. I lived in a moldy apartment and it may have damaged my lungs and health permanently. If you cant move, get a de-humidifier and if you see mold use a bleach/water 1/2 and 1/2 mixture to kill the mold.