From: gemini23x@gmail.com   
      
   Toxic Mold Syndrome: “It was like I lost my personality”   
      
   Posted: May 15, 2013 9:29 am | 13 Comments   
      
   Kimberlyn, a 46-year-old married mother living in Arizona is not your average   
   patient. She is highly detailed, analytical, logical, and carries with her a   
   master’s degree in pattern analysis. When Kimberlyn got sick, she applied as   
   much as she could    
   from her work life to try to uncover what was adversely affecting her. Even   
   so, coming to the right diagnoses took a lot of work and required outside help.   
      
   Out of nowhere, and for no apparent reason, Kimberlyn suddenly went from a   
   highly-effective, busy, working mother, to a disorganized, uninvolved,   
   confused individual who couldn’t focus long enough to put together cohesive,   
   coherent thoughts. She was no    
   longer able to make decisions for herself and struggled to even get dressed in   
   the morning. Insomnia, anxiety, and a loss of appetite accompanied the   
   confusion. “It was like I lost my personality,” says Kimberlyn.   
      
   That was the first episode, lasting for three months starting in November of   
   2010. In that time she lost twenty-five founds, was forced to abandon her   
   practice, and withdrew from activities outside the home. Her doctor, family,   
   and friends told her that    
   they thought she had depression or even bipolar disorder. She resisted, even   
   in her confused and debilitated state, and insisted on further testing,   
   believing that something was terribly wrong.   
      
   After a series of blood tests, her general practitioner diagnosed Kimberlyn   
   with heavy metal poisoning and recommended she undergo chelation therapy.   
   After undergoing this treatment, she did feel better. However, within five   
   months the illness returned.   
      
   During her second cycle of illness, Kimberlyn sought out another doctor who   
   performed a series of tests and suggested that maybe Kimberlyn was suffering   
   from mold illness, also known as toxic mold syndrome. This was the first time   
   mold had been suggested    
   as a possible cause for Kimberlyn’s symptoms, and was unexpected due to the   
   arid climate of Arizona. Yet after having her home tested, three different   
   types of toxic mold were found, including Stachybotrys, also known as black   
   mold.   
      
   Primarily, mold illness is associated with allergic reactions that mimic   
   seasonal allergies. Respiratory symptoms such as wheezing, coughing, watery   
   eyes, and skin irritation are the predominant symptoms. Mold is also known to   
   cause asthma and life-   
   threatening primary and secondary infections in immune-compromised patients   
   that have been exposed.   
      
   Toxic mold exposure has also been linked to more serious, long-term effects   
   like memory loss, insomnia, anxiety, depression, confusion, trouble   
   concentrating, and confusion. In a 2003 study by the Environmental Health   
   Center-Dallas, 100 participants were    
   examined in an effort to uncover how toxic mold exposure can affect the brain   
   and lead to cognitive and emotional impairments. After the mold exposure,   
   nervous system challenges were observed in all 100 patients tested. Brain   
   SPECT scans also identified    
   abnormalities in a significant portion of the patients studied.2   
      
   After Kimberlyn was diagnosed with mold illness by her doctor in Arizona, she   
   took steps to remove mold from her home and began treatment protocols to help   
   reduce her symptoms, but she still felt it wasn’t enough. She continued to   
   research mold illness    
   and finally found the blog of a patient who was treated at Amen Clinics. “   
   It was the first time I had read anyone’s experience that matched my own,”   
   said Kimberlyn. “I read and read and read and made an appointment that   
   day.”   
      
   Kimberlyn had booked a Full Evaluation, which took two days to complete. She   
   filled out multiple questionnaires and history forms, talked to specialized   
   counselors, and finally had a set of SPECT images taken of her brain. “Just   
   to really see exactly    
   what was happening to my brain in the SPECT scans and that I do have a toxic   
   injury due to mold was amazing,” said Kimberlyn. “They did such a good job   
   with all of the evaluations, and they were so thorough. By the end of the   
   second day, Dr. Darmal    
   had a whole binder of material that discussed the results of the testing I had   
   done while I was there.”   
      
   Dr. Darmal and the staff at the Amen Clinics Orange County discovered that in   
   addition, Kimberlyn also had ADHD and a previous traumatic brain injury that   
   was increasing the effects of the mold injury. “When my brain swelled from   
   the mold exposure, I    
   was getting almost no blood flow to my prefrontal cortex,” explained   
   Kimberlyn.   
      
   Co-occurring conditions that can increase the effects of an injury or illness   
   on the brain are common, yet can be easily overlooked. For Kimberlyn, she was   
   shocked to hear that the brain injury she had suffered in high school was   
   impacting her life today    
   and even more surprised that she had ADHD. “The medication for ADHD has made   
   a huge difference in my productivity and ability to focus. That was like the   
   bonus prize that I wasn’t even expecting,” said Kimberlyn.   
      
   Kimberlyn is already seeing positive results from implementing the treatment   
   protocol prescribed for her by Dr. Darmal. In addition to the medication   
   prescribed for ADHD, Kimberlyn has also completely changed her diet and   
   started a supplement regimen.    
   She will be undergoing hyperbaric oxygen treatments this summer as well. She   
   looks forward to restarting her professional practice and enjoying continuing   
   progress.   
      
   “To see the scans and to know that you are not bipolar, you are not   
   depressed…to see what I knew in my own gut backed up on the scans…it’s   
   so validating and powerful,” said Kimberlyn. “The idea that there is a way   
   to address what’s    
   happening and that you can get better, it’s just so wonderful.”   
      
   To read more success stories and find out how Amen Clinics can help you or a   
   loved one, visit us online at http://www.amenclinics.com or make an   
   appointment today!   
      
   There is hope. Amen Clinics can help. Call Today! 1-888-564-2700   
      
   REFERENCES   
      
   1- Edmondson DA, Nordness ME, Zacharisen MC, Kurup VP, Fink JN. Allergy and   
   “toxic mold syndrome”. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol. 2005 Feb;94(2):234-9.   
      
   2 – Rea WJ, Didriksen N, Simon TR, Pan Y, Fenyves EJ, Griffiths B. Effects   
   of toxic exposure to molds and mycotoxins in building-related illnesses. Arch   
   Environ Health. 2003 Jul;58(7):399-405.   
      
      
      
      
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