Allergies/Ashtma??

[Mlehmann]

I moved into an apartment that had black mold in November of 2009 (obviously I wasn’t aware of this until after I moved in).  About a week after moving in I started to feel sick and came down with what I thought was a virus.  I had a rash under my armpits and was getting severe hot flashes every day at the same time every day.  My body would get so hot and I would get itchy.  When I scratched I would welt up and become bright red.  And I don’t mean the normal redness from scratching.  I mean as if someone has smacked me and I welted.  I was put on prednisone and nystatin cream.  I took this and about a week later it went away.  Then I began with a horrible dry cough every night and by the middle of December it had not gone away.  I began using my inhaler.  Something I hadn’t done in 12 years.  Then I started to get allergies to everything.  Food, cat, dog.  Everything I went near I had a reaction to.  Then I couldn’t be around any perfume or smells or I would get a severe asthma attack. I couldn’t go into my apartment for more than 15 minutes without coughing and my eyes itching and just being miserable.  I stopped eating all yeast and sugar and ate only vegetables and protein.  Still….no help.  The smallest little thing would set me off.  I would go into a coughing fit and need my inhaler. By now it was about April and I had been suffering for several months.  I went to the doctor and he put me on advair.  I was on the Advair for about a week and saw little improvement.  I then went to the allergist and had allergy testing done.  I found that I was allergic to everything!! Trees, grass, mold, dust, you name it….I was.  Also I was allergic to apples, pears…etc.  He gave me 5 medications to be on and told me to stop the Advair as it was making my blood pressure too high.  I went home disgusted because I didn’t want to be on 5 medications.  So I contacted a natural doctor who put me on an antifungal medicine.  This seemed to clear up my coughing fits.  Then I had horrible trouble breathing.  And I mean horrible.  I couldn’t leave the air conditioning because I would be gasping for breath.  I was using a rescue inhaler about 7-8 times a day.  Then after a week I started nebulizing and after just four treatments I began coughing up a clear sticky stubstance and seemed to be much better.  Well now I am still using the rescue inhaler. Although It’s only one puff maybe three times a day.  I feel much better, but I am still not great and now I have something with my mouth.  By the end of the day it feels like I have fur on the back of my tongue and throat.  I thought it was thrush and began taking diflucan. I was put on 150mg for three days.  This cleared it up and helped my breathing.  However, now it’s been three days since I stopped taking it and that fuzzy feeling is back.  While I was on the diflucan my breathing was sooo much better.  I think I used the inhaler once in three days.  Now today…back to three times.  Does anyone know what is going on with me?? Any suggestions would be great!!

[Dr Rajput]

Hi, welcome to the forum, your symptoms are suggestive of atopic or allergic dermatitis with cough dominant Asthma.  It is usually seen secondary to exposure to allergen and subsequent reaction is mediated by IgE antibodies. Your body is known to hypersensitive to many things.  Stinging insects, Aeroallergens (uncommon), Foods and additives like Milk, egg, peanuts, nuts, soy, and wheat are the most common agents to cause such allergic manifestations.

Measures to reduce your symptoms are-
- The triggering factor should be identified and should be avoided.
- Prompt treatment with anti histamines and glucorticoids during allergic attack.
- New intervention has come up which you can discuss with your doctor, i.e. Anti- IgE (omalizumab), but not required at this state.
-Avoid Heavy exposure to allergens (change in place may help)
-Avoid Exposure to noxious inhalants (change in place may help)
-Worsening of inflammation secondary to bacterial infection or fungal colonization. Infection if present should promptly treated by antibiotics. I suggest you to consult to a skin specialist/ immunologist for further steps of management. Take care and regards.

[ColoradoRN]

Has the Black mold been completely removed? Pure Bleach kills mold, since you are allergic I would make the landlord pay for this.  Mold cannot grow without a water source. Are there any leaks? If so they must be repaired if you are still living with this mold and you are allergic to it.  Re-infecting yourself on a daily basis.  Five medications a day for how long? Was it just to get you well again? If so....I would follow the Doctor's orders when it comes down to not being able to breathe! Have you returned to the Allergist or the Naturopathic Dr. for followup? If it were me I would get out of that lease for health reasons and find a new place to live or make the landlord erradicate any and all mold.  Your life could depend on it. There could be hidden mold behind the walls and you are in danger due to your allergy.   Hope you are feeling better soon.