I'm hoping to pick folks brains here. I've had asthma for quite a few years, diagnosed later in life after working in a clothing factory, but have recently started having a few more issues. So I'd like to see what folks here think before I raise the issue with my doctor.
Recently, I've started having problems with getting a lot of mucous building up in my throat during the night, and that stops me sleeping as I can't clear it properly due to a long-standing throat problem. It doesn't happen every night, and seems to have a direct link to the weather.
Because I have issues with high humidity triggering my asthma, I have mains-powered dehumidifiers both downstairs and also upstairs in the bedroom, plus several humidity monitors. These keep the humidity around the 40% to 50% level regardless of what the weather is doing outside. I also have a HEPA filter in the bedroom, which runs all night on its lowest setting (as the others are too noisy for sleep). If the outside humidity is below about 85% overnight, I seem to be fine, but if it goes up to about 95% (usually because its raining), that's when I have the problem.
As the inside humidity is still around 50%, it doesn't seem to be the high humidity itself that is causing the problem. Having done a bit of research, I'm wondering if the problem could be spores from night-releasing wet-weather moulds outside, such as the Didymella family, acting as an allergen. According to what I've read about them, mucous production is one of the associated symptoms. So I'm wondering if anyone else has had a similar issue and found that to be the cause? And, if you have, how easy was it to persuade your doctor to take it seriously?
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Sn0wb1rd
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I asked my GP if mould spores might be a factor with my asthma, as I was producing more mucus than I used to, but he dismissed the idea. I was surprised as I have read that spores can be a factor in causing or exacerbating asthma symptoms. I wonder why doctors/ consultants seem disinterested when asthma patients try to find reasons for symptoms. I realise they are too busy to consider every theory, but surely we the asthma sufferers should be given some credibility.
We constantly try to find reasons for our asthma and maybe our theories should sometimes be taken more seriously, after all we probably spend more time researching the subject than they have time to?
So true! Having had asthma nearly 60 years, I can remember the GP's from childhood saying food intolerance and allergies were all in the mind 😟. Its sad but we have to find out what we can and share on forums like this so we can help others. I do appreciate the docs are busy but rather than trying to persuade them I now just try and do things for myself.
So glad to have found a fellow mould detective on here! 😃. Just recovering from another flare up and after sorting out food intolerances (helped other conditions but not asthma) I'm thinking it is mould related. Our house is 1940's and we have some mould in the kitchen/main bedroom. Humidifier is struggling at 68% at the moment. Once I feel better were going to redecorate etc but too tired to do that just now.
What else can we do di you think?
On another note, were thinking of moving out to Spain in a couple of years - bit drastic but if it helps we will try anything!
I too wonder about mould spores and my asthma , I moved into a new house, even know its near the beach, when I first moved in I had to wash the walls there was a light brown mould, then after six months I was diagnosed with Asthma and other problems, most doctors will dismiss the idea of mould, I live in Australia and have joined this site called toxic mould Australia it has some good information.
There is research around at the moment suggesting that in many of the most serious asthma cases fungal allergy may be a factor. The Fungal Infection Trust websites (aspergillus.org.uk/ and fungalinfectiontrust.org/) have a wealth of information that may help you make a judgement.
SAFS and Aspergillosis are clearly contributors to severe asthma in any case. If you suspect this may be an issue, speak to your GP who can arrange allergy testing, including blood tests that can measure the extent to which it's a factor.
Yes mold definitely exacerbates asthma and causes it. Water damage molds are extremely aggressive. Yes if you were cleaning it or have signs in it in your home or workplace cross contamination is a massive problem and it doesn't take long. Usually a home that's been affected and even the porous and semi porous items needing to be discarded while the rest would require intense remediation and that will not work for many hypersensitive individuals anyway.
Yes it will almost certainly be your environmental trigger and cause. If you can see mold there are a lot of other microbes and chemicals present, these include Bacteria, virus, hyphal fragments, mycotoxins, endotoxins, bioaerosols, gram negative, staph, nano sized particulates, microbial volatile organic compounds etc etc etc. There's a slew of stuff available there, breathe those nanosized particles into lungs, immune system reacts, mounts defense, chronic inflammation remains in the lungs and tissues. You may find more relief with Intal which is a mast cell stabilizing inhaled pharma that is really quite safe and certainly safer than steroids since yours was environmental adult onset. The lungs are lined with mast cells and when these become overactive calming them with Intal can be very effective.
What type of clothing factory did you work in? Were you exposed to chemicals and flame retardants there?
I took a look at Naprogesic:
Naproxen Warnings
Naproxen may raise your risk for heart attacks and stroke.
Heart and stroke risk is greater if you have a history of or risk factors for heart disease.
Naproxen may cause ulcers and bleeding in your gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Ulcer and bleeding risk is higher if you are elderly.
In addition to stroke, heart disease, and gastrointestinal bleeding, other conditions also carry warnings related to naproxen use, so tell your doctor or pharmacist if you have any of these conditions:
High blood pressure
Fluid retention
Kidney disease
Liver disease
Anemia
Asthma
Nasal congestion or nasal polyps
Stomach ulcer
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)
So that's interesting and may have been a direct contribution via chemical process, but I'd still give a lot of credit to the mold/microbial contamination you were exposed to as that type of exposure causes multiple chemical sensitivity. MCS is a serious disability which comes about from being exposed to the chemicals the microbes emit. So if you already had chemical sensitivity which is a hypersensitivity to chemicals and then you took a chemical which is known to have adverse affects of triggering asthma, then the reaction would be more aggressive and severe.
Best thing from here? Keep that humidity LOW. Your body is right!!! Mold doesn't do well in low humidity! Mold does become active and excited during wet weather, that signifies it's time to breed! That's exciting for all species and promotes extra activity. Get out all carpets. Don't use chemicals inside. Tile floors, that's better than off-gassing hardwood flooring etc. Keep window tracks spotless or windows open means you dry out the spores, when that happens they sporulate and cross contaminate the premises blowing through the house. Keep gutters clear to avoid leaks in roof etc. If you have ever had a water damage you should move or properly remediate by CUTTING out all affected materials, do not leave anything affected in or encapsulate. Have no dust around. Dust= mold. To gain the moldiness index of a premises a dust sample is collected, the volume of mold spores on each dust particle is the measurement. Take off any old wall paper and repaint with low VOCs paints.
Don't be the cleaner, but if you have to be you need a respirator, cover eyes and ears, use gloves. It's not paranoia, is self preservation, every exposure WILL make your tissues more sensitive, AVOIDANCE is the key, any allergy or immunologist will tell you that is the only possible measure and advise they can give!!!!
Don't be exposed to chemicals, they'll exacerbate the same. Drop all perfumes, fragrances all of it, they will all be aggravating your condition whether they appear to be or not. Keep the air really fresh in your house.
I can't stress this one enough. Put all the plugs in your sinks when not in use and go to the hardware store to get cheap one way valves to stop the microbes in the biofilm in the drains from off-gassing into your home relentlessly. In operating theatres sinks can't be put in because patients die of bacterial infection. The beds closest to the sinks on wards have the highest incidence of bacterial infection. This is a relentless, ongoing, needless exposure from multiple sources in your home. You can improve your air quality permanently with this. When you've finished in the shower use accelerated drying techniques like a squeagy, followed by soft towel and leave fan on 30 mins to avoid all mold rather than having ongoing exposure then a regular chemical exposure along with the microbes on clean up.
Intal a good inhalable mast cell stabilizer may be more helpful to you and safer than steroids. Xxx
Sorry it wasn’t work it was the home I once lived in which had a moldy and wet bathroom which I didn’t really take much notice of and didn’t think it was harmful to me ( was staying there with a roommate for university which I’m out of there now) also had extremely bad allergies to dust I was sneezing more than 40 times a day . I got tested for dust mite allergies which came back as yes definitely allergic
Really interesting that naproxen is so harmful to the body and I was taking that stuff twice a month ever since I was 13 now I’m 23
Thank you for pointing out the risks (: never again will I take a tablet to ease off pain
Lesson learnt I’ll just deal with it
Also thank you so so so much for all this really good information and points about how to keep my home bacteria,mold and dust free
Honestly I wouldn’t have known that I’d need to go to that extent to stay healthy and you have a point it’s not being paranoid it’s staying away from danger
Unfortunately I have to be the cleaner but I will follow everything you have told me because it’s the best information I’ve read
No doctor would go in that much detail they just want u out of their office
And I will talk to the doc about prescribing me With intal as you say it’s safer
Thank you so much once again I’ve screenshot all of this and ready to follow it and see from there what happens to my breathing
Maybe try Intal over the steroids to see if you can get similar success with less steroidal use. If your body is IGE allergic to fungal spores and fragments you won't want to have any dust around at all. To obtain the moldiness index of a building a dust sample is collected. Ensure your window tracks are mold free or opening windows will blow those dried fragments and cross contaminate them all the way through your home. Use accelerated drying techniques in the bathroom and run fan 30 mins after showers to avoid all mold rather than clean it up which provides relentless exposure followed by a chemical and large microbial exposure during cleaning. Get rid of all carpets, keep everything spotlessly clean, be a minimalist, no clutter. xx
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