Monday, September 13, 2010

Is your house killing you???


Is your house killing you?...because it turns out that for the last 8 months our new house has been killing me…literally. As some of you would know, I have been battling unwanted weight loss since we moved into this house. Now I know for some this would be a good thing, but for me it’s been a progressively bad thing.

It started off as losing half a kilo every fortnight. Then I would manage to gain a little, then lose it and some more. Now it has accelerated to half a kilo a week, and the maintenance weight I strive for just gets lower and lower. It doesn’t matter that I currently consume 3000 calories per day, lots of proteins, fats, do zero exercise….the weight just falls off week after week.

I have also suffered ongoing bone numbing fatigue, headaches, numbness in my arms and hands (which has been getting more aggressive), severe postural hypertension including momentary blindness (hence my recent broken nose) and a general fogginess in my thoughts. There are days I feel like I’m swimming under water – slow and sluggish, and other days where I quite literally cant get off the floor.

My local GP’s were at a loss, so I was sent off to a series of specialists, who have also been at a loss. They all agreed that there was something seriously wrong with me, but could only rule out cancer, and problems with my endocrine system to name a few. Finally, someone recommended contacting a mold toxicologist to assess our house.

Little B has also been sick, quite literally, every 8-10 days since March. He, who has never had a cough, has had many coughs plus colds, plus major congestion. He is also always tired (unrelated to the amount of sleep he has had).

When we moved in we discovered the previous owners had hidden a substantial mold problem in two of the bedrooms. We removed all the said walls and ceilings and replaced them with new plasterboard. Had subfloor ventilation put in to dry out under the house as it seemed to be a bit damp. Problem solved or so we thought.  It turns out there is a major mold problem under our house.

The mold is in the bearers, in the earth, and we have water pooling in odd places under the house (not from leaking pipes). Anything we have under the house grew mold but that didn’t seem odd. But now we have mold growing in the house in weird places – smack bang in the middle of a glass window that get’s full sun. Our toilet brush rotted, our washing machine grew horrid black mold on the door seal that wouldn’t come off and microscopic mold was all over my clothes and I was breathing it in (the worst bearer was under my wardrobe).

Our lovely wooden floors are bringing these mold spores in via osmosis. No room is immune.

After speaking to a mold toxicologist, and a building biologist, Little B and I have moved out of the House of B for the time being. I’m currently undergoing round after round of tests to see how much damage this mold has done to my body. You see it turns out that mold can be so toxic that it can induce autoimmune or neurological diseases, damage your lungs, and even in some cases cause permanent damage to your body.

We still don’t know what the future holds for us or this little house.

Mold - 1, The B Family – 0

7 comments:

  1. wow! That sounds so full on. I'm sure you can work it all out. I lived in an apartment in Lane Cove once & had a similiar problem. They ended up putting two water pumps under the building to get rid off the constant flow of water. Hope you feel better really soon. Katie.

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  2. Drat,

    I was really hoping it wasn't going to go this way. I guess at least you now know what is going on but it really is a horrid thing to experience. I am sending energy for all your greatest good.

    Kind Regards
    Belinda

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  3. Bloody Hell !!!, The house we are renting has a problem with mould (we plan on moving at the end of the lease), but that is insane. I'm so glad you have been able to get to he bottom of the problem though, and at least removed yourselves from the situation. I hope everything sorts its self out health wise. Thinking of you and Little B.

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  4. So sorry to hear that :( but glad you have answers to your health problems, please let us know when a course of action has been decided.

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  5. I'm so sorry to hear this! I can can't imagine how mad and frustrated you are feeling. I hope the problem is fixable and that you can return home soon.

    Its pretty scary how much our environment can affect our health. Sending you lots and lots of warm wishes and strength.

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  6. Thank you lovely ladies for your support.
    Tricia hit it right on the head - we are very mad and frustrated by this discovery.

    Hopefully we will have some answers in the next few weeks!!

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  7. I'm very sorry to hear this. I hope you all work this out very soon and everyone's health is restored.

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