Discovering the Hidden Culprit: My Mycotoxin Diagnosis

When the Fog Finally Lifted

Twelve years. That’s how long I’ve been lost in a thick, suffocating brain fog—like someone dimmed the lights in my mind and just… never flipped them back on. I was dragging around strange symptoms no one could explain. Until recently. A test came back showing 14—yes, fourteen—mycotoxins squatting in my body like uninvited guests trashing the place. This blog? It’s my unfiltered story of crawling out of that toxic hellhole and reclaiming my life one damn step at a time. If you’ve ever felt haunted by health questions that no doctor can answer, then baby, this one’s for you.

The Long Battle

For over a decade, I was a walking mystery diagnosis. I ping-ponged between practitioners, trying to decode why my skull felt like it was being crushed down into my jaw. Why I had this stabbing pressure in my “third eye”—like my intuition was screaming but couldn’t get out. My memory slipped. Days blurred. Hormones spun out as perimenopause hit like a freight train. Writing—the thing that once made me feel alive—started slipping through my fingers. And then, PVCs—those awful extra heartbeats—joined the party. Anxiety. Fear. Especially after a tidal wave of family diagnoses: Alzheimer’s, dementia, a rare brain cancer. Was I next?

Nothing made sense. Until one wild moment of mother-daughter intuition changed everything.

My daughter got diagnosed with the MTHFR gene mutation (yes, lovingly known as the “Mother Fucker Gene”), and she said, “Mom, I think this might be you too.” I tested positive. Boom—rabbit hole activated. I started binging everything I could, and then—cue divine timing—I listened to Gary Brecka’s podcast with Dave Asprey. Mid-episode, I froze. Dave described the exact brain fog, the fatigue, the frustration I’d been drowning in. It was like someone had hacked my diary. That was the crack in the wall. And light finally started to come through.

Genes, Mold, and the "Oh-Hell-No" Moment

Quick science sidebar—but stay with me because this is important. Just because you have a gene variant doesn’t mean it’s turned on. Like Gary Brecka puts it: “Your genetics load the gun, your lifestyle pulls the trigger.” And baby, my trigger was fully pulled.

The Genetic Clue and Mycotoxin Shock

It started with a simple test from MaxGen Labs. Boom—MTHFR mutation confirmed. That little bastard messes with methylation, which means my body has a way harder time detoxing crap like environmental toxins. Okay, noted. But then came the real sucker punch.

On February 11, 2025, I got the results from MyMycoLab: a full 14 out of 14 mycotoxins lit up like a damn Christmas tree. I’m talking high levels of:

• Gliotoxin at 1.686 – this neurotoxic bomb clouds the brain like thick smoke.

• Stachybotrys Trichothecene at 1.708 – yep, the dreaded “black mold.”

• Zearalenone at 1.258 – an estrogen disruptor that loves to mess with hormones.

  
  

These aren’t just scary names—they’re the culprits that hijacked my brain, sabotaged my hormones, and zapped my energy. Add in my sluggish MTHFR detox pathways and a perimenopausal rollercoaster, and you've got the perfect storm.

Here’s where it gets jaw-dropping: Out of the 14 toxins, 10 directly affect brain function. That’s right—10 neurotoxic invaders fueling brain fog, pounding headaches, 3 a.m. anxiety spirals, and memory glitches that made me feel like I was slipping away. The other 4? Still not innocent. They hit the liver, heart, and other systems, keeping my whole body under siege.

HOLY SHIT… one blood test unraveled a 12-year nightmare. One. Simple. Test.

The Detox Begins: One Brave, Sweaty Step at a Time

I kicked off my detox on February 26, 2025—and trust me, I didn’t sprint into this. After years of elimination diets and “miracle” protocols backfiring on me, I knew slow and steady was the only way. First up: cutting out mold-containing and high-tyramine foods. That alone made a difference—bye-bye, bloat! I dropped 10 pounds of inflammation and water weight in just three weeks.

But food was just the tip of the detox iceberg.

Once I layered in therapies—some of them kinda weird but seriously effective—things really started to shift. Rectal ozone therapy (yep, you read that right), dry brushing twice daily, sweating it out in the infrared sauna, Epsom salt baths, and hopping on my T-Zone Vibration Plate three times a week… that’s when the real detox storm hit.

And oh, it hit hard: next-level headaches (not my usual kind), constipation, full-body aches, muscle cramps. My body was basically like, “Girl, wtf are you doing to me?” But with education, patience, and a lot of water, I pushed through.

Now? I’m ready for the big guns: Cholestyramine and Nystatin. More on that next week.

My Current Toolkit (AKA: The Detox Army)Disclaimer: This is what’s working for my body and genetics—your path might look totally different, so get tested first!

Binders

• Activated Charcoal: 1 cap, twice a day

• GI Detox: 1–2 caps at night

• ACZ Nano Zeolite Extra Strength: 6 sprays, twice a day

Mobilizers (aka Toxin Movers)These push the toxins out of hiding and into circulation:

• Liposomal Glutathione

• NAC Augmented

• Silymarin (Milk Thistle)

• TUDCA

• Curcumin-Evail 400

• Buffered Vitamin C

• PC Liposomal Phospholipid Complex

• NAD+ Platinum

Therapies

• Rectal Ozone Insufflation (2x/week)

• Infrared Sauna (5–6x/week)

• Dry Brushing (2x/day)

• Epsom Salt Baths (2x/week)

• Vibration Plate Sessions (3x/week)

Hydration, Electrolytes & Trace MineralsMy body’s detox system is like a leaky faucet—it works, but needs backup. So hydration is EVERYTHING.

• Electrolytes (LMNT): 1 packet daily to fight dehydration, brain fog, and binder-induced constipation

• Magnesium: 3 caps (still double-checking the mg)—for calm, cramps, and enzyme support

• Buffered Vitamin C: 1000 mg daily for that antioxidant kick

• Liquid Ionic Trace Minerals: Throughout the day, filling in the gaps my genetics just don’t cover

Big Caution: Don't guess your detox supplements. I did—and it backfired hard. Testing (like my MaxGen genetics panel) can show exactly what your body needs. No shame in biohacking smart.

Will This Be Forever?

I’ve asked myself: Am I going to be detoxing mold for the rest of my life? Short answer—no. If I can find the mold culprit. The only way to get better is with no new mold exposure, let's hope we can find it! Once found the strong support like sauna and Cholestyramine, these suckers can clear out in 6 to 24 months. My MTHFR mutation slows things down, sure—but it doesn’t stop them. My body detoxes—it just needs a little more cheerleading. I plan to retest by May or June and then shift into maintenance mode.

This is not a forever sentence. It’s a season. And it’s already changing.

Conclusion: Stick With Me, Beautiful

This is only the beginning, and I’m not holding anything back. Next week I’ll walk you through my next phase—prescription binders and antifungals.