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

  • Mar 30, 2025
  • 6 min read

Updated: May 3, 2025


The Fog Lifted—and Now I’m Yelling From the Rooftops

Here’s where I stand: I’m a health coach who spent 12 years pretending I was “fine” while secretly drowning in brain fog, weird body pains, and hormone chaos. Post #1 hit a nerve. So many of you reached out, shocked I’d been carrying this storm silently for so long. Truth? I became a damn good actress. I only let the worst peek out to close friends and family. But that ends now.


My brain? It’s been like a computer with a hundred tabs open—none of them loading—for over a decade. And the last seven years? Like someone kept piling on more tabs until I could barely function. I’m sharing it all because maybe someone you love is stuck in the same fog. Hell, maybe it’s you. And if my story pushes just one person to get tested? That’s the win. Some of you have already said, “This is what my friend has!” or “I’ve been telling my husband it’s mold for years!” YES. THIS. Let's go.


Twelve Years in the Fog

Flashback to 12 years ago: I was about to lead a fitness class—Tabata timer in hand—something I’d done a million times. But I blanked. Completely. Couldn’t remember the moves. Had to Google them right there. That was my spark. The first red flag. From there, it was a full-blown scavenger hunt: food sensitivity tests, candida cleanses, gut mapping, elimination diets. I even crowned myself the Queen of Adrenal Fatigue (doctors weren’t impressed). They wrote me off, but the symptoms got louder.

Spin classes wiped me out for days. Creativity? Gone. Writing, podcasting—it all felt like trying to light a fire underwater. Worst part? If I did manage to create something, I couldn’t remember doing it. That fear? It shook me to my core.


Then the lake house sealed the deal. Every visit, I’d crash—10+ hours of sleep, brain fog, nausea. I blamed the altitude. Dramamine did nothing. Meanwhile, vacations made me feel amazing—sharp, energized. But once I returned to Phoenix? The fog rolled back in. You know the rest from Post #1—14 mycotoxins later, the mystery cracked wide open.


The Wake-Up Call: Mold Symptoms to Watch

Let me shout this from the rooftops: Mycotoxins can mimic so many random health issues. If you’re dealing with these, please test for mold:

  • Cognitive issues (brain fog, memory gaps, poor focus)

  • Chronic fatigue and insomnia

  • Neurological weirdness (tingling, shocks, head zaps)

  • Unexplained inflammation, pain, or digestive distress

  • Anxiety, depression, mood swings

  • Skin rashes, temp fluctuations, night sweats

  • New reactions to foods, smells, meds


Don’t wait 12 years like I did. Please.


Genetics, Supplements & WTF Moments

After my MaxGen genetics test, I met with a practitioner. We connected the dots—my PVCs and brain fog could be tied to a tyramine sensitivity. Great! I jumped on a low-tyramine diet and quality supplements. But then? Enter chaos.

  • Probiotic Backfire: Seemed harmless—until I learned some strains spike histamine. Bad news for my already amped-up system.

  • HistDAO Disaster: This supplement was supposed to clear histamine. Instead, it flattened me. Two near-fainting spells at the dentist. Why? Turns out my DAO’s not the issue—my MAO-A gene slows dopamine clearance. Whoops.


Bottom line? Healing isn’t one-size-fits-all. Genetics, gut, environment—it's a giant puzzle. I’m committed to solving mine—and helping you solve yours, too.


Mold in the Desert?! Hell Yes.

Five weeks into detox, I got serious about my space. Phoenix may be dry, but it made the Top 10 Mold Cities list. I ordered an ERMI test from EnviroBiomics—a Swiffer-style dust test that screens for 36 mold species. I sent it off last Saturday. Results coming any day now. My money’s on a past closet leak or the front-load washer. Stay tuned—I’ll spill the results soon.


Sneaky Mold Hideouts: Sh*t I Never Knew

Here are the moldy suspects I’ve uncovered in my own home:

  • Electric Toothbrush: Water collects in the base—daily drying is now mandatory.

  • Waterpik: Same. Hidden damp = mold paradise.

  • Ice Maker: Ever cleaned your fridge tray? It could be moldy AF.

  • Coffee Maker: Wet grounds + dark reservoir = ochratoxin’s dream home.

  • Humidifier: Mist lovers beware—clean it daily.

  • Window Sills: Even in dry climates, a tiny leak is all mold needs.


Drop your own discoveries below—I want to hear where it’s hiding in your home.


Coway Airmega for the Win

To clean my air (and my nervous system), I added two Coway Airmega Mighty purifiers. HEPA filters for mold spores and dust—yes please. Bonus? They smell when you cook greasy burgers and flip into turbo mode. Amazing. At $229 each (or $165 on sale), they’re not cheap—but they’re worth every penny when mold’s invading your peace.


Meet My Detox Muscle: Cholestyramine & Nystatin

Here’s how I’m fighting back:

  • Cholestyramine: Prescription binder (1g, 2–3x/day) pulling fat-soluble mold toxins like a beast. But whew—the constipation is real. Smooth Move tea’s struggling, so I’m testing a new gut support this week.

  • Nystatin: Antifungal MVP. It’s shutting down mold growth and easing the brain pressure. Die-off isn’t fun—but my dizziness is dipping.

These two are my wrecking crew. Mold doesn’t stand a chance.


Weird Symptoms? I’ve Got a List

Current detox weirdness includes:

  • Hard forehead knots that vanish in 24 hours

  • Tingling on the right side of my head

  • Sharp, stabbing body pains

  • Stress-induced pressure spikes


The worst hit after we lost our 21-year-old horse last week. The grief? It made my brain feel like it was imploding. I’m diving deeper now with a Microbiology Dx nasal swab to check for fungal sinus colonization—Gliotoxin and Aspergillus Hemolysin are red flags. More clarity coming.


Science-Backed Side Effects of Detox

All these symptoms? They're backed by science. Mobilizing and detoxing mycotoxins causes inflammation and die-off (aka Herxheimer reactions). I’ve linked my sources at the bottom—from Clinical Toxicology Journal to MyMycoLab and EnviroBiomics.


We’re In This Together

This fight is messy—but I’m not backing down. The ERMI test, sinus swabs, air purifiers, and new prescriptions are all in motion. And the best part? I’m finally seeing progress: 10 lbs down, weeks without headaches (minus the grief dip), and a sharper mind on my good days.

Next post, I’ll unpack:

  • How mold links to Alzheimer’s

  • The BEST tests for mycotoxins

  • And the golden question: “Why aren’t the rest of my family sick if I am?”


Stick with me, beautiful.

Got questions? Think your toothbrush might be plotting against you too? Drop your story below.


We heal faster when we do it together.










🤓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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