These are the notes I was able to take from the Mold Toxicity talk given at the Boston 2012 Lyme Conference:
Shoemaker 101: An Explanation of the Treatment Protocols of Neurotoxin Illness by Richie Shoemaker, MD (Mold Toxicity)
Presented at 2012 ILADS Conference, Nov. 3, 2012
Dr. N
He prepared this presentation in conjunction with Dr. Shoemaker because so many people have commented that they cannot understand Dr. Shoemaker's presentation. So, this is the presentation "for dummies."
25% of the population cannot process mold toxin. This is the definition of mold toxicity.
Not all molds are toxic. If you test your home with mold plates, the lab that analyzes them will separate out the non-toxic molds for you.
Mold is a sensitizer. So is lyme disease. They both make people hyper-sensitive to everything.
For example, there are people with electromagnetic sensitivities. These people can't think in the presence of an electric clock, for example. Tests were done that showed their brain waves go from normal (thinking) to the delta wave as an electric clock approached their head.
Delta waves are basically when "the lights are on, but nobody is at home."
Smart meters and many other electrical devices make these people unable to think.
Mold symptoms are similar to lyme disease symptoms. He discussed a few symptoms that are unique to mold. These include:
lightning bolt pains, profound nausea and vomiting (possibly projectile), weird paresthesias (that most doctors would say are impossible since "there are no nerves there"), and sensitivity to static shocks.
People with mold toxicity cannot make antibodies to mold toxins, so they stay toxic. The toxins recirculate, even if they move out of the moldy environment.
Mycoplasma and chlamydia also make these toxins.
In those with mold toxicity, the mold makes fat cells produce a flood of cytokines (causing inflammation), and people lose the ability to know when they are satiated (stomach is full). This effect is known as leptin resistance. So, they can gain 40 pounds in a year.
Also, these people cannot make enough MSH, so their endocrine system collapses. They will have many hormone imbalances (adrenal, sex hormones, etc.)
Also, the person cannot make VIPs.
Toxins can disrupt antibody formation. Therefore, these patients cannot heal. Their inflammation cannot turn off. They will have high C4a and C3a.
The mold toxin cannot leave the body. Shoemaker recommends using cholestyramine to remove it. Cholestyramine is a binder.
Also, high cytokines stop production of VEGF, so the patient will have post-exertional malaise. Without VEGF, the person cannot increase blood flow to cells when needed. That is what causes the post-exertional malaise that lasts for days after exertion.
Being low on MSH means that the body can't stop reacting to pain. (A normal person's body stops reacting to pain at some point.) So, these mold toxicity patients continually have pain. They are often diagnosed with fibromyalgia because of this symptom.
Being low on MSH also means that the person will urinate more, sweat more, and therefore have a small layer of salt on their skin. This is likely why they so strongly react to static electric shock. The salt makes them an excellent conductor of static electricity.
MRSA is a subset of MARCONS. MARCONS itself causes no symptoms, but it massively interferes with MSH. It causes more cytokines to be produced.
Culture the sinuses to look for MARCONS. Treat MARCONS with a nasal spray called BEG Spray. He uses the BEG spray and rifampin.
Also, autoimmune conditions are increased with mold toxicity. The symptoms can look like MS.
A VIP deficiency will present as air hunger. Treat this with the nasal spray. It works at the very first dose.
Next, he discussed the Visual Contrast Test. This test is a sheet of paper with various special types of lines drawn on it. It is held a certain distance from the patient to see if the patient can see all of the lines. This is a test for mold, lyme, and mercury toxicity.
(These toxins affect retinal function. So, that is how the test works. It is testing retinal function.)
Treatment of Mold Toxicity
Recommends the use of cholestyramine and sometimes also adds Actos. The cholestyramine should be obtained from a compounding pharmacy so that there is no sugar or NutraSweet in it. Welchol is weaker and is better tolerated. So, it can also be used if necessary.
The treatment mobilizes the toxins. Therefore, it produces a herx reaction.
Start with 1/4 scoop of cholestyramine per day and then increase. Don't increase dose too fast. You must take the cholestyramine at least 2 hours away from meds. He recommends taking it about 1/2 hour before lunch because the least meds are generally taken at lunch.
If the patient's leptin level is good, then you can also add Actos to the treatment. Actos can cause hypoglycemia and swelling. It works 15-20% of the time, but is well worth a try because if it works, it works within a week.
DHEA is low in 99% of his patients. Adding DHEA makes people feel better in a few weeks.
Zith 250-500 mg once or twice per week is a good biofilm buster. It liquifies body secretions and biofilm.
He gives his patients Melatonin so that they can sleep.
If the patient has pure mold toxicity and nothing else, Zocar 80 mg per day is the treatment. Take CoQ10 along with it.
If a person feels better when they get to an altitude of over 7,500 feet, that is a clue that their ? is low. (Sorry, I missed the word here.) Going to high altitudes make these folks feel better, so that is the clue to this abnormality.
ERMI test kits are available on line to test your home for mold. Dr. Shoemaker has a scoring system for the ERMI test results.
Remediation of your home may not work. It is very expensive to remediate, so he wants mold patients to know this in advance.
Final word: mold toxicity is treatable.
Posted by faithful777 (Member # 22872) on :
Thank you for taking the time to take notes and share them with all of us! Posted by seekhelp (Member # 15067) on :
Thanks TF!!!
Posted by Judie (Member # 38323) on :
Wow, thanks! These are really fantastic notes.
Posted by Razzle (Member # 30398) on :
If anyone could find out what is low when people feel better at high altitude, please let me know. This was one symptom I had in College (don't know if I still have it; haven't gone to high altitude since graduating).
Thanks for the great notes.
Posted by dbpei (Member # 33574) on :
thanks for this great info!
Posted by TF (Member # 14183) on :
For Razzle, regarding the missing word in my notes, see this web page:
Here are some notes that address the topic of feeling better at high altitude--from the above web page:
�For C4a, Procrit is used. At high altitude, the body makes EPO (Procrit) and some with CFS feel better are 8,000-10,000 feet. Procrit is a series of 5 injections over 2.5 weeks
And, Dr. N said:
�IF you feel better at high altitude, Procrit may help.
Hope this helps you!
Posted by Razzle (Member # 30398) on :
TF,
Thanks for finding out what it was! Much appreciated.
I know high altitude stimulates red blood cell production, and so does procrit. I have a history of chronic anemia, but have since been diagnosed with iron overload from too many iron infusions given by MD's who didn't want to bother figuring out WHY I was anemic and making the assumption I was low in iron...ugh.
I went to school in a town that was 4700 feet elevation. I always felt better there than at the 2900 feet elevation where my hometown was. And now I live at sea level...ugh.
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