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The Mold Hunt Begins: Why I’m Swabbing My Home with ERMI

  • Mar 30
  • 8 min read

Updated: Apr 11


Here’s where I stand: I’m a health coach who’s spent 12 years navigating brain fog, headaches, and hormone shifts I refused to let define me. Post #1 struck a chord—so many of you connected, surprised that I’ve carried this quietly for so long…I hid it like a pro, only sharing the worst to my closest family and friends, but I’m done suffering in silence. My brain’s been acting like a glitchy computer with a hundred tabs open—none loading—for over a decade, and the last seven? Like someone kept piling on tabs, grinding me down to a slow crawl. I’m sharing this messy, personal fight because I suffered way too long—and maybe someone you know, or even you, is stuck in the same fog, needing that push to get tested. I even had a few of you tell me exactly that, "I know this is what my friend has!" "I've been telling my husband for years I think it's mold." This, my friends, is the big win! Empowering others to open their eyes, share my story, and maybe save someone years of misery.


Twelve Years in the Fog

Twelve years ago, I stood ready to lead a fitness class, Tabata timer in hand—a tool I’d used countless times—only to find my mind empty, forcing me to search for answers I once knew by heart…Nada. I had to Google it, and I was standing there like a newbie. That was the spark—12 years ago—that sent me bouncing from practitioner to practitioner, chasing answers. Food sensitivities, microbiome chaos, candida testing, gut mapping, elimination diets—I literally did it all! Adrenal fatigue was my go-to label. Most doctors looked at me like I was crazy about my self-diagnosis, but they had no idea how to help me, and the symptoms dragged on. What used to fade in a day stretched into weeks. Teaching spin wiped me out—dead to the world for days. Creativity tanked—writing and podcasting, forget about it. If I did do it, I wouldn't remember what I said or wrote, and that scared the shit out of me.


Then the lake house kicked me harder. Every trip left me sleeping 10+ hours, blaming the high altitude and popping Dramamine like candy—useless. My brain was fried, trapped in a foggy plastic bubble where 2+2 stumped me. My son-in-law, a doctor, was even trying to help me cope through the really bad days with exercises, thinking it might be an inner ear issue. But then? Random clear days—sometimes weeks. Vacations? I felt amazing! I was sharp as a tack, even while having cocktails and lots of coffee. Back to Phoenix? BOOM—fog city. You know the rest from Post #1—14 mycotoxins finally cracked the code.


I’m here to shout it out LOUD: Symptoms that may prompt mycotoxin testing, even if unnoticed, include cognitive difficulties (brain fog, memory issues, poor concentration), sleep problems and extreme fatigue, persistent inflammation and pain, neurological sensations (tingling, burning, electric-like shocks), unresponsive digestive issues, sudden anxiety, depression, or mood changes, skin rashes, temperature instability and night sweats, and new sensitivities to foods, odors, chemicals, or medications.


If any of these symptoms resonate with you, test for mold! Don’t wait 12 years like I did.


Genetics Detour: Worse Before Better

After my genetics test, I met with a practitioner and hit a hard wall. We pinned my PVCs, and brain fog could be from a tyramine sensitivity—cool, right? Cue low-tyramine (kickstarted my weight loss- Everything I needed to know I found here) and high-quality supplements. Simple—except it wasn’t.

  • Probiotic Backfire: Sounded harmless—until I learned (from The Tyramine Intolerance Handbook) its strains pumped too much histamine, amping my amine-sensitive chaos.

  • HistDAO Flop: This suggested supplement was meant to clear histamine. It crushed me—the dizziness was so bad I almost passed out twice at the dentist's office. Instant regret! It took me digging to reveal why: my DAO’s fine, but slow MAO-A stalls dopamine and serotonin clearance. Extra DAO tanked histamine too fast, throwing me off.


Big wake-up...health’s a damn puzzle. What heals one can wreck another—genetics, environment, gut, all of it. I’m more determined than ever about cracking my blueprint—and yours.


Okay, I'm now five weeks into this fight (my detox kicked off Feb 26), and I’m taking the next step: hunting the mold in my desert home (yes, the dry Phoenix desert makes the list for Top 10 Cities Affected by Mold!) with the ERMI test from EnviroBiomics. These Very High levels didn’t come from nowhere—mold is trying to crash my serene space, and I’m ready to kick its ass! Stick with me because this one’s raw, real, and full of surprises!

Swabbing the Suspects

I ordered the ERMI test—a badass Swifter dust test that sniffs out 36 mold species. I just sent it off on Saturday via FedEx. I was saved by this video How to do an ERMI which offered great tips to get the best test results. Sent the Swifter cloth off via FedEx on Saturday, and my results will drop in about 5 days—by the second week of April, I’ll know if my home’s a mold motel. I’m betting on a past closet leak or that front-load washer, but we’ll see. Stay tuned—I’ll spill the score in the next post!


Shocking Mold Hideouts

So, where’s mold hiding in your space? You’ve asked me where mold might lurk in your home—here’s what I’ve uncovered: an electric toothbrush, its damp base a quiet haven for growth, now something I dismantle and dry each day…but here's even more:

  • Waterpik: Those water jets sit damp—same deal, I disassemble and dry it daily now. Who knew oral hygiene could turn fungal?

  • Ice Maker: Fridge trays can grow black mold—check yours, sisters!

  • Coffee Maker: Wet grounds in that reservoir? Ochratoxin’s dream home—clean it weekly.

  • Humidifier: For those of you who love the mist, clean and dry that bad boy daily. It’s a spore factory.

  • Window Sills: Even in the desert, a tiny leak breeds mold. These sneaky spots hit me hard—mold’s not just walls and ceilings; it’s in our everyday gear. Where’s it lurking for you? Drop it below—I’m all ears!


Air Purifiers to the Rescue

Since my 10 brain-hitters love dust, I’ve added two Coway Airmega Mighty purifiers to our home. These champs run HEPA filters, snagging mold spores, dust, and VOCs—perfect for my dirty dust suspects. Benefits? Cleaner air, less sneezing, and maybe a dent in my dizziness—my bedroom and living room feel fresher already. They're not cheap at $229 a pop (on sale for $165 on the day this published), but breathing easier is worth it when mold’s your enemy. Running them 24/7 is my new normal—gotta keep those spores out! And both my husband and I can tell the difference. When we go too hard on the burgers, that thing kicks into turbo mode to quickly clean the smoky smell! Who knew something so simple as cooking ground beef would make the air quality so heavy to ignite that thing? I love it!!


Cholestyramine & Nystatin: My Detox Muscle

Post #1 promised the scoop on Cholestyramine and Nystatin. Here’s the raw deal:

  • Cholestyramine: Cholestyramine, my prescription at 1 gram daily, 2-3 times a day, binds fat-soluble toxins like Stachybotrys…constipation’s been a real challenge. My 10-lb drop proves it’s hauling junk out, but constipation’s a nightmare—Smooth Move tea’s barely cutting it now, so a new supplement is on its way. I'm hopeful it will help. I’m navigating no detox breaks.

  • Nystatin: Antifungal Rx. It’s chopping the mold supply line—less new toxins, less brain pressure. Die-off’s rough, but my dizziness is dipping.

These two are my wrecking crew—Cholestyramine sweeps the mess, Nystatin cuts the source. Worth the grind? Hell yes!


My Current Detox Symptoms

I’m getting these weird, random, hard knots that keep popping up all along my forehead—most vanish in 24 hours. There’s a tingling vibe on the right side of my head, random sharp pains stabbing through my body, and stress? Oh, it cranks the head pressure and brain fog to eleven—last week, losing our 21-year-old ranch-born horse broke me, and days of crying felt like my skull might split wide open. These are my body’s battle cries. I’m digging deeper with more tests, including a Microbiology Dx nasal swab test. I'm looking for fungus in my sinuses—crucial since my Very High Gliotoxin and Aspergillus Hemolysin hint at a nasal hideout fueling this chaos. Stay tuned—clarity’s coming!


Common Symptoms and Side Effects of Mycotoxin Detox

Here’s the scoop on the science I've uncovered about my detox symptoms. These happen as mycotoxins mobilize and exit, stirring inflammation and die-off (Herxheimer reactions). Sources are legit—peer-reviewed or expert-backed. You can find these at the bottom of this post.


The Fight’s On

This journey’s messy—but I’m not backing down. ERMI and Microbiology Dx nasal swab test are my next clue, Coway’s guarding and cleaning my air, and Cholestyramine’s hauling toxins out (even if my gut’s pissed off). Nystatin is battling fungal sources, and I just started RX Modafinil for the foggy days. My 10-pound win says we’re moving, and with me being headache-free for weeks (less my setback from our loss last week) means that progress is winning, not perfection. Stress plays a huge part in my brain pressure, and I recognize that more now than ever. Next up, I’ll crack open how mycotoxins tie to Alzheimer’s, which tests are the best for mycotoxins, and answer the question, "Why isn't my entire family sick if I am? Stay with me, beautiful.


Where's mold hiding in your space? Does the electric toothbrush have you shaken up too? Tell me—I’m in this with you! Have a question about my journey or think someone you know may have mold sensitivity? Comment below and let me know.


We all heal when those around us heal.


At the bottom, I’ve linked the science—check EnviroBiomics for ERMI, MyMycoLab for my test, and journals like Clinical Toxicology for why Cholestyramine’s my beast. Dig in, beautiful! Also, be sure to join my private Facebook group, “In The Moment Live Private Group,” for real-time updates and Q&A—I’d love to hear your story too!










🤓Research and Links: Common Symptoms and Side Effects of Mycotoxin Detox

  • Fatigue, Brain Fog, Head Pressure

    • Source: “Mold and Mycotoxins: Symptoms & Solutions” – Amy Myers MD (https://www.amymyersmd.com/article/mold-mycotoxins-symptoms-solutions)

    • Detail: Mycotoxin clearance stresses the liver and nervous system, spiking oxidative stress and inflammation—brain fog and head pressure (like losing our beloved horse, Trigger) are classic as toxins flood out. Stress is amplified via cortisol, per Brain Behav Immun studies (2020).

  • Tingling, Neurological Sensations

    • Source: “Mold Inhalation Causes Innate Immune Activation, Neural, Cognitive and Emotional Dysfunction” – Harding et al., Brain Behav Immun (2020) (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0889159119303010)

    • Detail: Tingling (my right-side head zaps) ties to mycotoxins like Gliotoxin hitting glial cells—nerve irritation flares during detox as toxins shift, common with Aspergillus loads.

  • Random Sharp Pains

  • Skin Reactions (Knots on Forehead)

    • Source: “Mycotoxins: What Are They, Testing and How to Detox” – Dr. Jockers (https://drjockers.com/mycotoxins-testing-detox/)

    • Detail: Temporary skin bumps (my 24-hour knots) signal detox via sweat glands—mycotoxins exiting the skin can cause localized inflammation, fading as they clear.

  • Stress-Triggered Symptoms

  • General Die-Off (Herxheimer)


More Websites and Sources:

 
 
 

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