Mold or Oxygen? Feel better in Hawaii

25 yo male here

So I am just looking for a little bit of help here. When I go to Hawaii I get a big difference in depression and physical tolerance to exercise. I am going on the theory that it is the clean oxygen that helps with this. So, I am going to try hyperbaric oxygen therapy hopefully soon.

However, there is also some theory that mold can be aggravating this disease, and I live in washington state, one of the worst places. What do you guys think? I am thinking of trying out visiting arizona for a while too, that certainly has the least amount of mold, correct?


Just a quickie on how amazing the difference is, here is a list of things that hawaii helped:

Frontal brain aching/inflammation goes down to zero.
Can think in ways associated with emotions (free from anhedonia)
- In fact, had a 2 day romantic relationship and felt love again for the first time in 2 years
Bowel movements become hard and formed
Get very sleepy at night
Exercise intolerance is helped a lot
The air feels "heavier" like I can breathe it better
Prostatitis gone
Erection quality back to normal (wow that feels so weird, my dick feels good when you touch it!)
- Ejaculations feel amazing, no more burning urethra during ejaculation!
Hot achey legs gone

Hi Pokerplayer,

Glad to hear that you are doing better. Can you move to Hawaii? Jamie Deckoff Jones did.
Seriously, I wonder how much the feeling of being "in love" added to the quality of your health.
Did you feel better before already?
Cleaner oxygen and mold avoidance is always a good idea.

Good luck!

The feeling of being "in love" can definitely add to your health I think. I definitely had a deep deep sleep after my 2nd day with the person. When I am at home in washington it is as if a whole part of my brain and body is turned off, nothing feels "good" to touch, and I don't really feel any pleasureful emotions. Horrible to live like this, I realize how truly awful it is.

I think I may have to move to hawaii yes. I started this thread though because I was wondering if there are maybe any better places, like Arizona? I kind of do not like hawaii.

I am thinking of doing the whole camping outside bit too, I am unlucky because I am young and got this illness, yet I am lucky because I am young and still can pursue these types of things.

I can tell from reading your post that you are much more upbeat than you use to be. You see the possibilities now of the hope of getting better and that does wonders. I'm really happy for you. Are you flexible as far as jobs or finances. If that is not an issue, I would definitely say to move to a place that is more conducive for you to feel better.
I am not the right person to give you the advice as far as where is best for you. Many people here are more informed about these things.
Good luck,
Nielk

I don't know why Hawaii makes some feel better, but that is one treatment I would love to try.

I have 2 theories, and I don't really think there is an alternate explanation other than these 2.

1. The air quality in hawaii is probably the best in the country. Breathing clean air at sea level may allow more oxygen into the body.

2. The dry heat of hawaii kills mold which allows the oxygen to get to my body better.

Thanks Nielk,

Yes I am more upbeat. I decided instead of reading about all the politics of this illness that I am just going to forget about that stuff as much as possible and do what I can to make my life better and take action. It is the taking action that makes me feel like my life is better.

Funny thing is, is that I am worse physically than ever, 2 months ago I had a severe crash and now get muscle fatigue and muscle soreness at rest. But I do realize that the depression that the brain infection causes is the most important thing to treat for me so I can at least be happy.

I felt "better" in Hawaii too -- back in 2007 for six days.

I think it's the sunshine, perhaps the air is better -- more tradewinds -- but don't really think the heat in Hawaii is considered "dry"? It's a lot more humid in Hawaii than it is here in Seattle...

???

The heat in Hawaii isn't dry at all ... it's quite humid (that's why the air feels more substantial when you inhale it). In fact, it's rarely particularly hot there, but often feels hot because of the humidity. The vog is only really a factor on the Big Island, where the volcanoes are. So it's easy to avoid The frequent rain in some locations may help keep crap out of the air.

Air quality can get pretty bad almost anywhere in Hawaii. The sugar cane is harvested by burning it, which is pure misery to anyone with allergies and probably anyone with MCS as well. This is only done periodically, so you probably lucked out by missing it. Being anywhere downwind of a sugar cane processing factory smells awful as well.

The cleanest air is likely to be on the windward (north-ish) shores of the islands, where it's common to get rain on a nightly basis, and the wind first reaches the island there. It's driest on the opposite shore, especially with a good sized mountain between, but that's were there's a lot of development, and any air you breath there is being pulled over the entire island before it gets to you, so a bigger chance of it being somewhat polluted (and of getting hit by sugar cane smoke when it's being burned).

Escaping from mold IS always a good idea! It's in my plan too. I always breathe better near the beach. Mainly I put it down to fresh air and salt in the air.
Also less mold than at home.
Perhaps also there are less pollens and grasses to which you might be allergic.
Also factor in less exposure to traffic and industrial pollution.
Beach culture generally allows for a healthier lifestyle provided you don't get too much sun.
Also the ocean is just healing in so many ways.

I DO also know of some people who really do well in a dry desert climate.
If you suffer with any Rheumatic/FM type stuff then you need somewhere that is not too cold in Winter!

Well, I don't know about Hawaii, yet. I am taking a trip there in December, so I'll let you know then.

However, I did just get back from a trip to Northern Arizona and I felt pretty great the whole time I was there. I used to live in No. AZ a few years back and I currently live in SE TX, where I feel crappy every darn day. I think I have problems with mold, heat and humidity here. I would love to make a change to a better climate, but unfortunately there don't seem to be any jobs available right now in those places

Here's to hoping I win the PowerBall so that I can get out of this Swamp! :victory:

Hi Pokerplayer,(I keep using your neme because I just like it)

The first paragraph that you just wrote there, is a key for me too. It took me 9 years to come to this realization. I feel the exact same way!

As far as the best location - I just remembered being at the Dead Sea in Israel and feeling soooo much better there. It has the most concentration of oxygen in the world (I think) because it is below sea level. The sir is very pure there and the bathing in the Dead Sea with all it's minerals is very therapeutic.

I can see a few possibilities:
- Air quality's already been discussed. Not only would I expect Hawaii to have stronger breezes of fresher air, and be generating much lower levels of pollution in the first place, its topography, being islands rather than a basin hemmed by mountains, allows polluted air to escape rather than getting recycled. It's the basin effect that is the killer in places like LA and Santiago (Chile), and even here in Sydney.
- Solar strength. The sun's just a wee bit stronger in the tropics. It could be helping you directly or helping to kill off mould and whatever else you're allergic to.
- "New" allergens. It's not unusual to go to a place for the first time and experience no allergies, but to go there a second time and get wiped out. The theory behind this is that the immune system identified the allergen as a threat on the first visit but couldn't mount a debilitating response. On the second visit all the antigens or whatever they're called are ready and waiting.
- EMF. If you're sensitive to it, and live in a high EMF density area and go visit a lower one, you'll feel better. I discovered about four years ago, at which time I was living in a city, that I felt much calmer when I visited places with little electromagnetic activity, and left the city accordingly. At the time I attributed it entirely to air pollution, which was also a factor, but have since recognised that EMF plays a role too. You can test this aspect by going camping or just spending a couple of days somewhere away from the action.
- The vibe. Most people feel better at parties and concerts than they do in the supermarket or the office. Not sure we have a better word than "vibe" for the social phenomenon that occurs at good parties and concerts, but no one who's been to one would say it's insignificant.

The only things I can think of that might make Hawaii's air feel "heavier" than Seattle's is airbone salt and actual water droplets carried on the wind. Humidity is probably similar, and warmer air is less dense so should otherwise be "lighter". I know what you mean though, I once had a half-day stopover in Hawaii on my way to Vancouver BC and agree with what you perceive. Salt exposure is a traditional and still-used treatment for respiratory illness (search the web for salt mines asthma and you'll see what I mean).

I just saw a video about mold, I'll post it if I can still find it. The guy was basically saying that those who have exposure to mold have zero chances to recover despite whatever treatment they're undergoing. He mentioned a site by Dr Ritch Shoemaker who has developed a protocol for mold biotoxins. I've just been going through the site the past couple of hours and it makes sense to me.


here's the link http://www.chronicneurotoxins.com/

Another aspect is that sea air is full of minerals that you breath in, particularly iodine. And that could help also.

I think it may be the mold thing the more I think about it. Which kind of sucks because I will have to leave everything behind, my family and friends.

I am going to try hyperbaric oxygen therapy first, though. Probably very soon. I have had 3 major concussions all very close to each other when I was 18 and a football player so I think that I am extremely sensitive to neurotoxins, and that is why I so easily get depression. In hawaii, the depression lifted for the only time in the last 2 years. I have been there 4 times now in 2 years lol, and it is the only place depression is lifted o _ O

I think I want to try visiting some places like death valley, ca . And also some arizona places. Ideally I would not like to live in hawaii because it is hard to find jobs there, and any job I would get would be in an industrial place.

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention some more stuff. My sense of smell and my ability to associate smells with memories came back. Also, I have mile psoriasis right smack dab on the head of my penis, making sex uncomfortable and not as pleasurable. Well, it went completely away and my penis head was completely soft again, just crazy ......

Try Bainbridge Island

Someone made a spontaneous recovery going there from Seattle--with mold/CFS illness. It's very clean. An easier way to tell if it's the location effect with good sea breezes and clear air.

Hyperbaric oxygen in a moldy place will help but not be the answer.

What is VOG?

GG

Maybe I will have to move to hawaii and do hbot there .... Anyway, I am doing hbot in a few days for certain. I will report back and see what happens. I think doing hbot is a MUST for me as I have had probably at least 5 real concussions, as well as hundreds of helmet to helmet hits that made me dizzy for hours after practice during football season