Topic: Humid climates vs dry -- as relates to symptoms
CD57
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 11749
posted
I live on the coast in the West where there is lots of water in the air (but it's not warm). The humidity inside our house was 68% and outside was 70-93%.
Then I measured humidity at work and it was 42% -- I feel better at work, and also in the mountains where it is dry. It is significant.
At first I thought it was elevation that made me feel better -- now I think it may be the dryness. Maybe both.
Does anyone have thoughts on this topic? I have heard anecdotes from people that have moved to places like AZ from other areas, and felt better. Don't they advise people with things like RA to move to warm, dry climates?
Posts: 3528 | From US | Registered: Apr 2007
| IP: Logged |
CD57
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 11749
posted
Also I have noticed I feel better on a plane....and terrible when we come down. It is both dry and high in a plane. ??
Posts: 3528 | From US | Registered: Apr 2007
| IP: Logged |
posted
I moved from a humid state Virginia to Colorado last year. It is dry here and I feel a lot better here. Also live at an elevation of about 7,000 ft in the mountains.
-------------------- Faithful
Just sharing my experience, I am not a doctor. Posts: 2682 | From Colorado | Registered: Oct 2009
| IP: Logged |
CD57
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 11749
posted
wow, that's impressive.
is it that we just feel the illness less, or that our immune systems are truly stronger?
Posts: 3528 | From US | Registered: Apr 2007
| IP: Logged |
TF
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 14183
posted
Well, feeling better at altitude was mentioned by Dr. Neil Nathan at a lyme conference. His talk was on mold toxicity.
So, perhaps this is an indicator that you are among the 25% of the population that cannot get rid of mold toxins.
Below are the notes I took on his talk. You will see the reference to feeling better at altitude near the very end. Too bad that is where I missed a certain word he said. I put a ? for the missing word.
So, maybe you can get some help from these notes. I hope so.
Dr. S 101: An Explanation of the Treatment Protocols of Neurotoxin Illness by Dr. S (Mold Toxicity)
Presented at 2012 ILADS Conference, Nov. 3, 2012
Dr. Neil Nathan
He prepared this presentation in conjunction with Dr. S because so many people have commented that they cannot understand Dr. S'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. Dr. S 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. S 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.
Posts: 9931 | From Maryland | Registered: Dec 2007
| IP: Logged |
CD57
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 11749
posted
I did read your notes, TF, long ago, thanks! i wish we knew what the ? was, it seems key.
Posts: 3528 | From US | Registered: Apr 2007
| IP: Logged |
TF
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 14183
posted
Well, it probably isn't key. I suggest you read about all of the blood tests he uses to diagnose Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome, and then try to get them. The ? is likely one of them. If you have abnormal readings, then you have mold toxicity.
Another thing you might want to do is research every test he mentions and see if you can find the one that will be low but the patient will feel better at altitude.
Since you feel better at work, that seems to indicate that you may have a mold problem in your home. If you have not already done so, you can buy a few mold plates on line and have some rooms analyzed. I analyzed my basement and bedroom for about $68 total.
I believe I have read that mold can't grow in humidity of 45% or below, so your work environment is likely mold free. Your work place is at the same altitude as your home, I assume, so you are responding to the low humidity (low mold), it seems to me.
Posts: 9931 | From Maryland | Registered: Dec 2007
| IP: Logged |
CD57
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 11749
posted
Hmmm, that is interesting. I do have some Dr. S tests that show abnormalities. And I have the HLA gene that can't detox mold.
TF
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 14183
posted
Yes. Here is a quote from the site Delphi posted above:
"•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. Neil Nathan says the following at the same site:
"•IF you feel better at high altitude, Procrit may help."
Posts: 9931 | From Maryland | Registered: Dec 2007
| IP: Logged |
CD57
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 11749
posted
I just remember I think it was Dr H that said that damp climate makes all symptoms worse. I don't know if that means mold in the picture or just generally speaking.
If damp climates make symptoms worse, does that make the disease itself worse, or just that you feel the symptoms more (ie; greater inflammatory effect?). That would be interesting to know....ie; dampness effect on cytokines, or the bacteria themselves.
Posts: 3528 | From US | Registered: Apr 2007
| IP: Logged |
The Lyme Disease Network is a non-profit organization funded by individual donations. If you would like to support the Network and the LymeNet system of Web services, please send your donations to:
The
Lyme Disease Network of New Jersey 907 Pebble Creek Court,
Pennington,
NJ08534USA http://www.lymenet.org/
UBBFriend: Email this page to someone!
![[Frown]](frown.gif)
![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
Printer-friendly view of this topic