Toxins

AnnMarie · Little Guppy Joined: 02 Dec 2007 Posts: 39

Hi all,
Rob mentioned that he was researching toxins as a possible trigger to our disease(s). As mentioned in an earlier message, years ago I got pneumonia and it was thought to have triggered my white cells into overdrive.

Here is the interesting thing, I believed I worked in a "sick building". At the same time I was sick, 12 yrs. ago, another woman got pneumonia, two men were dx'd w/MS, another with Lupus, and yet another with Legionnaires disease. At the time the air and heating vents in the police station where I worked were cover w/black dust and the drop ceiling tiles were covered near the vents w/black mold. A few of my co-workers called the health department. As, usual, before the health department came to the police department, the big wigs were tipped off and the duct system, as well as the ceiling tiles were removed before the arrival of the health department. Figures! Well, I was cleaning out my drawers a while back and located some instant photos that I took before they cleaned up the evidence. I showed them to my fav. Doc, the Hema/onco/immunologist and he told me that black mold was highly toxic. He also said that the location of the mold being right next to the vents meant that the stuff was being piped all through the building. He stated that in fact, that exposure to that sort of toxicity could trigger an bad immune response.

Here is another toxin exposure. Our police department had an indoor range. We all practiced shooting there until the health department closed it down from too much lead toxins. The tiny little locker room that the few woman on the department had abutted the firing range. the ceiling and wall abutting the range was black from what I guessed to be gun powder from the range. The women all just shrugged their shoulders and went about business as usual. I never took pictures. No one in my family has had any of these associated diseases. Although, who knows, maybe my grand parents did and they shrug them off as the all covering DX rheumatism. I'm sure some of you remember as our elders ached and felt sick, it fell under the umbrella of "rheumatism" which was usually fixed with a shot of brandy.

So, I do wonder about environmental triggers and the black mold was confirmed to be a possible trigger by my doctor.

I certainly do not have the energy to fight the police department in a lawsuit but am interested in anyone else who else who has information on possible environmental triggers.

Oh yeah, here is one secret I have that I have not shared with my doctor. I have been working one day a week in a hair salon. I enjoy all the "girl talk" which I missed in my last career. No offense to the men but I had enough of the testosterone enviroment. Anyway, there are so many chemicals in a hair salon that I wonder if it could worsen my condition. I have promised my self that I would come clean the next time I see my specialist and tell him about the salon. It is only one day a week and I feel so much better since being put on a daily dose of prednisone.

Any thoughts....remission is our goals...could we be triggering our immune system through our enviroment?

Respectfully,
Annmarie

rob · Bear Joined: 12 Feb 2008 Posts: 681 Location: Maine

AnnMarie,

I mentioned my career in the firearms industry to you in another post. I owned my own gunsmithing/training facility, which included an indoor range. I've also spent thousands of hours on indoor ranges at various police depts as well as working for one of the major US manufacturers of handguns here in the US test firing weapons. I also manufactured ammunition at my facility, and recieved literally tons of hardened lead projectiles every year. I also calibrated the machines for making the ammo for my employees. In simpler terms, i've been around lead most of my adult life. I always took all precautions in regard to handling heavy metals, but no matter how cautious you are, a certain percentage of any toxin will get past your protective gear after 20 or so years. What does all this mean? I don't know, but I have been in constant contact with lead for the past 20 years, and I have SLE. Hope this helps your research in some way. If you have any specific questions, or just want to talk, please feel free to PM me anytime.

Rob
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jesseyleigh · Posted: Sun Apr 06, 2008 12:06 am Post subject:

I was exposed to some of the worst toxic molds as a child my house was full of it, and i was told that it could contribute especially the kind i had i was lucky my brain didn't start to bleed. Its nasty stuff, the scarier part is you brought all of those spores home with you! I became a mold expert when the association did the clean-up in our condo. They are doing research on the association between the two, there is nothing rock solid but from what ive been able to uncover there is believed to be a strong corelation.

Saysusie · Posted: Sun Apr 06, 2008 10:54 am Post subject:

Ann Marie;
Thank you for the information Laughing

I believe that toxins have a lot to do with activating our disease. I was under a lot of stress when I was diagnosed. But, my office had just moved into a brand new building during that time. There was the smell of paint, the glue from the new carpets (that actually made me sick 2-3 times), glue and varnish from newly re-furbished desks, bookshelves, etc. - I could go on with the list. But, anyway, it was during this time (breathing in all of those toxins 8-10 hours a day) that I got very sick and was hospitalized and eventually diagnosed with lupus.
I say all of that to say that, yes, you should tell your doctor about the chemicals in the beauty shop. They may have no affect at all, but then again, they may be aggravating your symptoms. It is best to "come clean"

Peace and Blessings
Saysusie
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