Inflammation & Mold Sensitivities
 

Hi, I've been using the search feature on this site to try to understand why I have severe inflammation every time I'm exposed to older apartments. My income is low and some of these places have had water damage or active leaks or hidden mold usually in bathrooms, but I get really, really sick, my system just crashes.

This started happening after I experienced an enormous about of abuse 7 years ago and was left with severe trauma.

I feel that I'm stuffing feelings (rage, hurt, sadness, grief over so many losses) and numbing myself w/nicotine and caffeine.
I feel that if I put those secondary addictions down (I've been sober from alcohol and drugs a long time), maybe these feelings will move through me and I won't get so sick from moldy homes.

I also have multiple chemical sensitivity and I think it's because if the chemicals my brain started producing so fast during my traumatic event.

The other thing is I feel I have to speak up about what happened. A lot if people were involved and I don't think I can just stay quiet. I heard a lady in OA say she gets inflamed when there's a lot of dishonesty around her. Right now my stomach and fingers are very swollen from mold in yet another new apartment, and the doc says I, running on extremely low reserves. I developed huge thyroid nodules and my hair is falling out, from being exposed to mold again.

Any instinctive thoughts about what could be under all of this or how I can heal?

I knew someone who suffered from asthma, which was exacerbated by mould, plus sinus problems, likewise, due to inflammation. They removed the mould and both problems lessened. If you are able to remove the mould and your symptoms persist, then please consult a doctor.

On the other issue, the abuse suffered, which led to trauma, I'm sorry to read this. Have you consulted anyone or referred the incidents to a professional? If there was criminal activity involved, it might be wise to do so, so they can be stopped and perhaps, thereby, you'll save other people from suffering from your abuser/s actions, as you did.

The nicotine and caffeine are likely keeping your body in a constant state of stress, which can make you one susceptible to other sensitivities. I had terrible respiratory allergies for years...then I stopped drinking and they were gone within a few weeks.

There are services that can scan your environment for mold...the challenge is then getting your landlord to do anything about it. There are air cleaners that aren’t horribly expensive that can help.

I know some of what you’re dealing with, as we are living in a damp climate in an 80s apt building temporarily and it has nasty carpeting and my husband can’t use the back room at all without getting headaches. And my older dog is miserable with allergies to something here.

I hope you can quit and start to feel much better.

Yup.
When someone is sick, I look at three things:
Air
Water
Food

But as someone who's walking a spiritual path , I also think the chemicals I'm using to stuff my anger and sadness are contributing,
And the anger and sadness itself.

My system is basically crashing.

I vote fir speaking up regardless of who likes it, and I better do it fast, then take care of myself and get to a judge who can get my landlord to put me somewhere safe and give me some of my money back at the LEAST, cuz there is stachybotrus in the apt. We had it tested, and she's untreated and us doing nothing about it but controlling and manipulating me.

I'm on my way to the courthouse now.
I have ways and a time when I will say what I need to about the other stuff.
I can't even imagine how freeing speaking up will be.
I will know peace.
Then I'll have choice in smoking, i won't need to do it.

You should see the lengths ppl go to to try to stifle my voice. They love me suffering.

I'm DONE.

I didn't do all the work I did to die feeling like ****.

Hope you and your family & pets can get to healthier ground as well.

I have terrible inflammation and allergies. One of the reasons I quit drinking was over my inflammation. I had some fluid that was drained out of my knee tested and my inflammation numbers were at 40,000 something thousand and normal is under 200. Drinking wasn't the sole culprit but it was not helping either. After quitting drinking both my allergies and inflammation are significantly better but still there. I found giving up meat helped too which is also inflammatory. I believe a lot of this stuff starts in the gut, I've read that it's like our second brain and that gut health is very important and affects our mood and emotions as well as our immune health which is linked to inflammation and allergies.

Of course if you are living in a toxic environment with mold then that has nothing to do with your gut or diet or whether or not you drink or smoke. That is its own issue that is unsafe and needs to be addressed. Best of luck to you. I hope you can get your landlord to do something about it. That's just wrong.

Agreed on all fronts.
Thanks.
The gut is so important and that's where my inflammation is primarily. Muy whole abdomen gets very inflamed when exposed to mold. I figured this was an Adult Child/recovery thing.
I'm trying to get out of the apt now

I hear you. Reminds me of something a friend of mine told me once. She was a health care worker and took a new job and one of the patients had been coming in for years complaining of newts in his flat. It was being dismissed as delusionary until my friend made a home visit and she told me that it felt surreal because she was sitting down talking to this guy and all these newts were charging around the place!

Good luck in getting it sorted.