Mold in apartment, any help appreciated!

[Angela]

Okay so I had been worried about a possible mold allergy contributing to my eye/sinus problems that started at the same time a few months ago. All allergy tests were negative apart from a 24 hour delayed reaction that I had to ragweed which was dismissed by my allergist as "nothing serious".

I was still paranoid so I decided to buy some at home mold tests. The first one I used in my bathroom. Since the day I moved in, every time I shower the walls get yellow/orange streaks on them, pretty much everywhere including the ceiling. One day we cleaned everything with bleach and since then it's not as severe but it still happens. My boyfriend went into a hardware store and was told that this was from water damage. As you may know, water damage is a breeding ground for mold. Anyway the test came up positive, some black and white mold grew, about 2 small, one large fuzzy. I asked a few people and they said it was nothing to be too concerned about and that there is "mold everywhere" especially in bathrooms. Anyway I decided to do another test in my bedroom because interestingly enough my radiator has several small little dots that are the same exact color as the streaks that appear in the bathroom. These tests take 48 hours. Nothing happened after 48 hours but I decided to leave it for a few more days. Sure enough a day later I looked at the test and a green fuzzy mold had grown. It's small but it's there. The test also has a lot of moisture in it. I did this test with all windows closed. Does anyone here know about mold and how much of it is enough to be toxic? It really makes me nervous to think that I have been breathing this in. I think I should get another couple of tests and put them all over the room to see what happens.

I would appreciate any advice from anyone that knows more about this stuff than I do.

Thanks!!

[y-gwair]

Mold spores are fairly universally present in the environment, on the whole they do us no harm but excessive mold growth will flourish in damp, poorly ventilated environments. The best thing is to try and improve ventilation (install an extractor fan in the bathroom, de-humidifiers, opening windows when cooking/showering/bathing). There are special paints that inhibit mold growth in places like kitchens and bathrooms, I found them quite effective in my parents' home which was very prone to condensation. I'm not officially allergic to anything either (after tests) but I did suffer from terrible rhinitis when we lived in a damp, subterranean basement flat, my nose would start to stream as soon as the damp, moldy smell hit my nose; in the end we just had to move as the ventilation was so poor, and there was nothing we could do to improve it.

[Rebecca Petris]

My mom has serious issues with exposure to mold. She has been seeing a good naturopath for quite a long time about it and my impression is that they have really helped her. There were some issues with water leakage from outdoors that weren't obvious - she had to get some rather fancy testing done before the homeowners association (her home is technically a condo but really a freestanding single home) would agree to fix it. After fixing it and undergoing naturopathic treatments - if I remember right to desensitize her - she's been much better. She didn't have dry eye symptoms but had a cough and reflux issues for years and those have practically gone away. I have known of other cases where mold caused real harm to tear glands. I believe that while we shouldn't be afraid of everything potentially harmful in the environment, we do know our bodies best, so if you feel strongly that this is connected I'd sure encourage you to check it out.

[Angela]

Mold spores are fairly universally present in the environment, on the whole they do us no harm but excessive mold growth will flourish in damp, poorly ventilated environments. The best thing is to try and improve ventilation (install an extractor fan in the bathroom, de-humidifiers, opening windows when cooking/showering/bathing). There are special paints that inhibit mold growth in places like kitchens and bathrooms, I found them quite effective in my parents' home which was very prone to condensation. I'm not officially allergic to anything either (after tests) but I did suffer from terrible rhinitis when we lived in a damp, subterranean basement flat, my nose would start to stream as soon as the damp, moldy smell hit my nose; in the end we just had to move as the ventilation was so poor, and there was nothing we could do to improve it.

Thank you. My main concern right now is my bedroom as I have been there even more now with this eye condition. People have told me that mold tests should be negative in bedrooms and if not, there is a problem. My room isn't damp but it does seem stuffy an poorly ventilated even with windows open. I am going to move. Do you think this mold is affecting my eyes?

[Angela]

My mom has serious issues with exposure to mold. She has been seeing a good naturopath for quite a long time about it and my impression is that they have really helped her. There were some issues with water leakage from outdoors that weren't obvious - she had to get some rather fancy testing done before the homeowners association (her home is technically a condo but really a freestanding single home) would agree to fix it. After fixing it and undergoing naturopathic treatments - if I remember right to desensitize her - she's been much better. She didn't have dry eye symptoms but had a cough and reflux issues for years and those have practically gone away. I have known of other cases where mold caused real harm to tear glands. I believe that while we shouldn't be afraid of everything potentially harmful in the environment, we do know our bodies best, so if you feel strongly that this is connected I'd sure encourage you to check it out.

Thank you Rebecca, I feel as though a celebrity has responded =) I started suffering with sinus congestion and pressure at the same time I developed MGD. The test posted positive to green mold in my bedroom but I am still not sure what that means. Did your mom ever find the mold that was affecting her?