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    Created in 2008, Phoenix Rising is the largest and oldest forum dedicated to furthering the understanding of and finding treatments for complex chronic illnesses such as chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), fibromyalgia (FM), long COVID, postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS), and allied diseases.

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Ritchie c. Shoemaker, m.d.

*GG*

senior member
Messages
6,389
Location
Concord, NH
http://www.moldwarriors.com/about-ritchie-shoemaker.htm

Current Employment

Ritchie C. Shoemaker MD. PA. DBA Chronic Fatigue Center
President, ChronicNeurotoxins, Inc.
Medical Director, Center for Research on Biotoxin Associated Illnesses
(501-c-3, non-profit corp.)
College
Duke University1969-1973 Magna Cum Laude
Major in Molecular Biology, Zoology
Minor in Philosophy

Thesis:

Microtubule control of phototactic responses in Euglena, 1971.
Localization of DNA replication sites in Tetrahymena by electron microscopy, autoradiography and tritiated thymidine counts, 1972.
Medical School
Duke University 1973-77
Editor, First Contact. Medical Student Primary Care Journal

Thesis:

Molecular basis for muscle injury and repair 1974
Ventilation-perfusion abnormalities in chronic lung disease 1975Epidemiology of streptococci 1976
Residency 1977-1980
Family Practice Residency
The Williamsport Hospital
777 Rural Ave, Williamsport, PA 17013

Board Certification ABFP 1980
Recertified 1986, 1992, 1999
MD License 1980 to present D24924

Professional Memberships
AMA 2001-present
ACSM 1977-1996
Maryland Medical Chirurgical Association (Med Chi) 1980-present
American Society of Bariatric Physicians 1998-2001
American Academy of Family Physicians 1999-2001
Maryland Academy of Family Physicians 1999-2001
International Lyme and Associated Disease Society (ILADS) 2000-2003
American Society for Microbiology 1999-present
American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine 2/6/05-present

Practice Experience
1980-1982 NHSC Pocomoke, Maryland
1982 to present, Private Practice, Pocomoke, Maryland
Outpatient Family Medicine
500 Market Street, Suites 102,103
Pocomoke City, Maryland 21851

Teaching Appointments
Milton Hershey Medical School 1980-90, Physician Assistant Preceptor
Johns Hopkins Medical School 1981-86
Duke University Medical School 1983-85
Wilmington College Nurse Practitioner Program 1996-1997
University of Maryland Medical School 1997-present.

NB: These appointments are for community preceptorships only and are not salaried

Hospital
Affiliation, Active Staff, McCready Hospital, Crisfield, Maryland 1980-1986, 1997-6/2003, courtesy

1986-1997 and 7/2003-present, pure outpatient practice (no demands to reduce privileges).

Medical Society
President, Somerset County 1982-86
Member, Worcester County 1986-1997
President, Somerset County 1998-present

Credentialed By
Medicare, Medicaid, BCBS, MDIPA, DHP, Alliance, Prudential, Principal, Aetna American Health Care, Infor Med, PHCS, Trigon, many others. Never denied credentials.

Additional work experience
Shoemakers Bench, Antique Refinishing and Restoration 1966-present
Historic Remodelers of the Eastern Shore 1981-present
Wetland Consultant 1983-present
Visiting Medical Lecturer 1991-present

Website
www.chronicneurotoxins.com 4/00-present
www.moldwarriors.com 10/00-present

Books published

Pandora Boxer (philosophy) 1972 (out of print)
Hematology for Residents 1978 (out of print)
Weight Loss and Maintenance; My Way Works, Does Yours? First printing 1996; Second printing 1998
Pfiesteria: Crossing Dark Water First printing 1997 Second printing 1998
Desperation Medicine 1/15/01
Lose the Weight You Hate 2/02
Mold Warriors 11/04
Books in preparation

A Users Guide to Native Shrubs and Trees of the Eastern Shore
From Farm to Estuary, A Chesapeake Bay Ecology Cookbook
Its a Long Way From Pocomoke; This Ones For You, Jack

Columnist
Worcester County Messenger weekly newspaper Whats Cooking 1994-2001

Editorials Published

Daily Times of Salisbury (many)
Maryland Environmental Health Newsletter
Outlook (op-ed) Washington Post
Baltimore Sun
Multiple Florida Newspapers
Runoff Magazine
CCA Journal
Feature article with Duke Alumni Magazine
Family Practice News
Internal Medicine News
OB-GYN News
Delmarva Farmer (many)
Asbury (NJ) Press(Op-ed)
National Television Appearances

Good Morning America
BBC
Australian Broadcasting System
NBC News
CBS News
Discovery Health Channel
CNN
ABC News
Local Television Appearances

Salisbury, Maryland
Washington, DC
Baltimore, Maryland
Stuart, Florida
Leesburg, Florida

Publications

The Death of Edgar Allen Poe What Really Happened MMJ 4/97
Diagnosis of Pfiesteria Human Illness Syndrome, Maryland Medical Journal 1997; 46(10): 521-3.
Treatment of Persistent Pfiesteria Human Illness Syndrome, MMJ 1998; 47(7): 64-66.
Co-author, Grattan et al, Lancet 1998; 352: 532-41. Learning and memory difficulties after environmental exposure to waters containing pfiesteria or pfiesteria-like dinoflagellates.
Possible Estuary-Associated Syndrome, Environmental Health Perspectives 2001; 109(5): 539-545. Grand Rounds in Environmental Medicine
Residential and Recreational Acquisition of Possible Estuarine Associated Syndrome: A New approach to Successful Diagnosis and Therapy, Environmental Health Perspectives, Special CDC Pfiesteria Supplement, 2001; 109S5; 791-796.
A Primer in Sick Building Syndrome: Lessons from the Somerset County District Court, Filtration News June, 2002
How Sick is Your Building and What You can do About it, Filtration News, June, 2001
Getting Inside Sick Building Syndrome, Filtration News, July, 2001
Medical Conditions Arising From Environmental Conditions, interview, Filtration News, July 2003
Lyme Times 2002; 33: 13-16. Lyme, an Infectious Disease and a Neurotoxin Illness.
Lyme Times 2002; 33: 38-40 Someone Has to Tell a patients story.
Hippocrates 2000; February, Viewpoint Housecall: A crisis in the air restores a physicians faith in medicine
Environmental Health Perspectives 2003; 111(1): A18-19, letter. Neuropsychologic Testing versus Visual Contrast Sensitivity: Response.
Environmental Health Perspectives 2002; 110: A121-A123, letter. Visual contrast sensitivity, response.
Moldy buildings: Its a jungle in there. Filtration News, Nov 2004
Neurotoxicology and Teratology, January 2005. R. Shoemaker and D. House, A time-series of sick building syndrome; chronic, biotoxin-associated illness from exposure to water-damaged buildings. NT and T 2005; 27(1) 29-46.
Proceedings of the 5 th International Conference on Bioaerosols, Fungi, Bacteria, Mycotoxins and Human Health. Book in press, edited by Eckardt Johanning, MD. Anticipated release 4/05. R. Shoemaker, JM Rash, EW Simon, Sick Building Syndrome in water-damaged buildings: generalization of the chronic, biotoxin illness paradigm to indoor toxigenic fungi.
Moldy Buildings: Its a Jungle in There! Filtration News Dec 2004
Atovaquone plus cholestyramine in patients co-infected with Babesia Microti and Borrelia burgdorferi refractory to other treatment, manuscript, submitted Clinical Infectious Disease, 2/05. Shoemaker RC, Hudnell KH, House DE, van Kempen A, Pakes GE for the COL 40155 Study Team.
To Build a Safe House, Filtration News, June 2005
Standards in validation of MMP9, letter, submitted, Clinical Chemistry, 6/05
Peer Reviewer

Environmental Health Perspectives; Special CDC Pfiesteria issue, 2001
Environmental Research; 2003, 2004

Graduate Degree Examiner
University on Newcastle, Australia 10/04. Delta hemolysins production of long-term Staphylococcus epidermidis cultures. Hai Lin, Environmental and Life Sciences.

Presentations

4/10/00 Regional Meeting American Society of Microbiology, Lewes, Delaware
A new approach to diagnosis and treatment of chronic Lyme disease: vision, cytokines, and cholestyramine.
5/10/00- Chico, Calif Lyme disease as a Neurotoxin and Cytokine-Mediated Illness
9/21/00 Lewes, Delaware Center for the Inland Bays Pfiesteria Human Illness Syndrome and Blue Green Algae Syndrome: Emerging Estuarine Health Threats
9/24-25/00 Tallahassee, Florida. Florida Department of Environmental Protection Diagnosis and Treatment of a chronic neurotoxin-mediated illness from an unknown microbe at the Casteen Roads.
11/4/00, Princeton, New Jersey. Annual Scientific Conference of the Lyme Disease Association Hypoperfusion of retina and neural rim of optic nerve head as biomarker for the chronic neurotoxin-mediated illness of Lyme disease.
10/25/00 American Psychiatric Association, Annual Meeting, Philadelphia, PA. Environmental Acquisition of Psychiatric Illness
10/30/00 Annual Meeting of American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, Houston, Texas.
A new approach to diagnosis of chronic ciguatera illness and successful treatment with cholestyramine
6/01/01 Delaware Medical Society, Approach to Diseases Caused by Neurotoxins
11/09/01 Lyme Disease Association, Princeton, NJ. Acute Lyme Disease
11/10/01 ILADS. Princeton, NJ, coinfection with apicomplexans and Lyme, role of extrachromosomal plastid DNA and persistent symptoms
11/30/01 International Society of Neurobiology, Seattle, Washington; Neurotoxins and solutions to questions raised by chronic fatiguing illnesses
2/14/02 American Academy of Environmental Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, an 8 hour tutorial. Challenges to Clinical Paradigms: Cytokines, neurotoxins and vision
6/24/02 8th International Symposium of Neurotoxicology, Brescia, Italy, Co-Chair (with Ken Hudnell, Ph.D.) of Biotoxin Session. Three lectures: Sick Building Syndrome: Possible Association with Exposure to Mycotoxins from Indoor Air Fungi (to date, the largest study on SBS in the worlds literature, 103 patients and 43 buildings); Use of pioglitazone to prevent intensification of persistent symptoms following cholestyramine treatments of patients with Post-Lyme Syndrome: the multisite trial. Metallic Taste, a marker of neurotoxicity.
9/20/02 International College of Integrative Medicine, Grand Rapids, Michigan; Neurotoxins, hypothalamic hormones and chronic fatiguing illnesses
11/15/02 ASTMH Denver, Colo, Use of Atovaquone and Cholestyramine in patients Coinfected with Borrelia burgdorferi and Babesia microti, refractory to all antibiotic regimens (GlaxoSmithKline funded research).
12/6/02 Faculty member, National panel, Interim clinical guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of mold associated medical disorders; presented, A new paradigm for diagnosis and treatment of Sick Building Syndrome, a biotoxin associated illness.
2/20/03 Univ Connecticut, Pathobiology seminar, Biotoxins, vision, inflammatory cytokines and hypothalamic hormones in primary care medicine: From Post-Lyme Syndrome to Sick Building Syndrome, a new paradigm for medically uncertain symptoms.
7/11/03 Harris Chain of Lakes Restoration Commission, Lake County, Florida, St. Johns River Water Management District, invited talk: Human health effects following exposure to toxigenic cyanobacteria: diagnosis, treatment and environmental implications
9/10/03 5th International Conference on Bioaerosols, Fungi, Bacteria, Mycotoxins and Human Health, Saratoga Springs, NY (peer reviewed) Sick building syndrome in water damaged buildings: Generalization of the chronic biotoxin associated illness paradigm to indoor toxigenic fungi 156 patients in 150 buildings.
9/25/03 13th annual Environmental Information Association. Myrtle Beach, SC, keynote. The clear link between mold exposure and human health: What you need to know
10/30/03 Mold 5 National Institute of Building Sciences, Building envelope and thermal environment committee, San Diego, Cal, keynote, Human health effects from exposure to toxigenic fungi: The proof of causation is here.
11/25/03 Crossing boundaries: Medical Biodefense and Civilian/Military Medicine; First International conference, sponsored by George Mason University, National Center for Biodefense and Georgetown University, Arlington, Va. Diagnosis and Treatment of Biotoxin Associated Illnesses: Learning for the future from Todays Example
12/02/03 Special Report to the Federal Research Committee on Gulf War Illness. Gulf War Illness as a Biotoxin Illness: Report of a cohort of exposed veterans.
4/30/04 American Society for Microbiology, Integrating Metabolism and Genomics, Montreal, Quebec. Linkage disequilibrium of HLA DR genotypes, autoantibodies and wingspan/height ratios in patients with environmentally acquired toxigenic illness
5/25/04 104 th General meeting of American Society for Microbiology, New Orleans, Louisiana. Melanocyte Stimulating Hormone (MSH) Deficiency in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Associated with Nasal Carriage of Coagulase Negative Staphylococci
6/22-23 2004 Mealeys National Mold Litigation Conference, Orlando, Florida. Invited speaker, Emerging Medical Issues
10/8/04 American Association for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Madison, Wisconsin. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Lessons from the Biotoxin Pathway
12/4/04 Johns Hopkins University, Occupational and Environmental Medicine Conference, Chronic Illness from Water-Damaged Buildings: Just Another Stop Along the Biotoxin Pathway
12/9,10/04 Mealeys Construction Defect and Mold Litigation Conference, Las Vegas, Nevada, Why the Institute of Medicine Report is Stale
Posters

12/10/98 Georgetown Center for Food Policy, Washington, D.C.

1.Pfiesteria; Diagnosis and Treatment
2.Environmental Factors Contributing to Pfiesteria Blooms
6/15/99 Maryland Academy of Family Practice Annual Meeting

1.Pfiesteria Human Illness Syndrome
2.Use of Troglitazone in Treatment of Hyperinsulinemic Obesity
5/01/00 Association of Research in Vision and Ophthalmology, Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Use of Contrast Sensitivity in Diagnosis of Chronic Neurotoxin-Mediated Illness

6/4/00 US EPA National Health and Environmental Effects and Research Lab

1.Human Health and Environmental Indicators
2.Possible Estuarine Associated Syndrome, Diagnosis and Treatment
10/18/00 CDC National Pfiesteria Conference Stone Mountain, Georgia

1.Evidence of Successful treatment of the chronic neurotoxin-mediated illness of Possible Estuarine Associated Syndrome
2.Possible Cylindrospermopsis Associated Human Illness Syndrome6/20/01 81 st Meeting of Endocrine Society, Denver, Colorado, Use of Rosiglitazone in Treatment of Hyperinsulinemic Obesity (SmithKlineBeecham funded research)

6/15/02 San Francisco, American Diabetes Association, Use of Pioglitazone to Prevent Intensification of Persistent Symptoms following Cholestyramine Treatment of Patients with the Post-Lyme Syndrome (Takeda Pharmaceuticals North America, funded research)

11/15/02 Denver, Colorado, ASTMH, Differential Association of HLA DR by PCR Genotypes with Susceptibility to Chronic, Neurotoxin-Mediated Illnesses

9/10-9/12/03 Saratoga Springs , NY 5 th International Conference on Bioaerosols, Fungi. Bacteria, Mycotoxins and Human Health. Sick Building Syndrome, diagnosis and treatment of a biotoxin associated illness with multiple biomarkers: prospective confirmation of causation in 156 patients from 150 buildings using 11 different biomarkers

10/8/04 Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Lessons from the Biotoxin Pathway; American Assocation for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Madison, Wisconsin

CME Speaker
6/20/00 Maryland Academy of Osteopathic Physicians, Ocean City, Maryland Annual Meeting.
A physicians approach to diagnosis and treatment of chronic neurotoxin-mediated illnesses.

American Society of Bariatric Physicians

4/10/99 Phoenix, Arizona Regional Meeting
Use of troglitazone in treatment of hyperinsulinemic obesity.
10/30/99 Las Vegas, Nevada Annual Meeting Rational use of the Glycemic Index
5/10/00 Portland, Oregon, Regional Meeting Environmental acquisition of defects in insulin receptor physiology
10/4/00 Washington, D.C. Annual Meeting Hypoperfusion, tumor necrosis factor alpha and environmental acquisition of diabetes and obesity
4/15/01 Houston, Texas Use of Rosiglitazone in treatment of Hyperinsulinemic Obesity in Non-Diabetics
4/15/99 WV Academy of Physician Assistants Davis, WV No-Amylose Diet
IRB Studies

SmithKline Beecham 9/99 IRB: Quorum
Use of rosiglitazone in treatment of hyperinsulinemic obesity
Glaxo Wellcome 10/00 IRB: Copernicus Group
Use of Mepron (atovaquone) in patients with Borrelia burgdorferi coinfected with Babesia microti refractory to antibiotics and cholestyramine.
Protocol IND 63,993 Use of Melanocyte Stimulating Hormone in Patients with Chronic Fatigue
Protocol SBS 51326 Use of visual contrast sensitivity testing and cholestyramine therapy in diagnosis and treatment of environmentally-acquired, chronic, neurotoxin-mediated illness from indoor exposure IRB Copernicus 7/23/02
SPL-CFS 123 Treatment of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome in patients with nasal colonization of multiply antibiotic resistant, biofilm-forming species of coagulase negative Staph using nasal instillation of diluted Staphage Lysate IRB Copernicus 11/27/03

Lecturer
Medical Mutual Insurance Company 2/00 Risk Management in Primary Care

Awards

American Academy of Family Practice, Finalist, National Family Practice Physician of the Year, 2002
Maryland Family Practice Doctor of the Year 2000, MAFP
Maryland Governors Volunteer of the Year for the Environment, 4/97
Local Governors Advisory Committee for Innovation and Restoration of Chesapeake Bay 1994
State of Maryland Bill Jones Environmental Award 1995
Maryland Dept. Agriculture Conservator of the Year 1994
Good Neighbor Award 1993
Dr. Henry P. and M. Page Laughlin Award for Distinguished Authorship/Editorial Award 5/98 ( Maryland Medical Journal)

Commencement Speaker
Malcolm Grow Medical Center (Andrews AFB 6/98)

CME Speaker
Audio Digest Vol. 47 No. 22 6/99 Washington D.C.
Audio Digest Vol. 48 No. 14 12/99 Washington D.C.

Internet links
http://www.ImmuneSupport.com/library/showarticle.cfm/id/4291/searchtext/neurotoxins/
http:// www. ImmuneSupport.com/library/showarticle.cfm/id/3990/searchtext/neurotoxins/

Patents Applications, Provisional

PAI-1 and TNF as markers for the inflammatory basis of type II diabetes, obesity and atherosclerosis. US Provisional patent Serial no 60/356,541
Use of alpha melanocyte stimulating hormone to treat patients with chronic fatigue syndrome. US Patent Provisional Serial no.: 60/356/539
Use of thiazolidinediones as an adjunct to diet in treatment of hyperinsulinemic obesity; importance of the No-Amylose diet. US Patent Provisional Serial no.: 60/356,690
Pretreatment of patients with Post-Lyme Syndrome with pioglitazone before use of cholestyramine prevents intensification: Vision, neurotoxins and cytokines. US Patent Provisional Serial no.: 60/333,335

Completed Patent Application

Methods for treating or inhibiting Sick Building Syndrome, Post-Lyme Syndrome, and/or Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Inventors Ritchie Shoemaker MD and H. Kenneth Hudnell, Ph.D.

PCT Patent application no PCT/US03/04137
Health Investigations and treatment, cohorts of patients exposed to toxigenic fungi (> 4 patients)

Newmarket Courthouse, Toronto, Ontario Canada. 300 employees at risk
Topsail (NC) School District 9/04 260 patients
Prince Georges County Fellowship of Police Oxon Hill, Md 6/03 52 patients
Hampton Bays United Free Elementary School, Long Island, NY 5/03 44 patients
Baltimore-Washington Conference United Methodist Church, Columbia, Md 12/02 55 patients
State Iowa Dept Corrections, Davenport, Iowa 1/03 10 patients
Accomack County ( Virginia) Social Services Building 4/02 11 patients
Multi-Services Building 201 Baptist St., Salisbury, Md. 4/02 20 patients
Somerset County District Court, Princess Anne, Md 6/01 12 patients
Somerset County Circuit Court, Princess Anne, Md 10/01 5 patients
Berlin, Md., Police Department 4/02 5 patients
Eastern Correctional Institution, Westover, Md 5/02 11 patients
Worcester County Board of Education Newark, Md. 5/99 8 patients
Somerset County Library, Princess Anne, Md. 2/02 13 patients
Wicomico County Sheriffs Department, Salisbury, Md 25 patients

Papers in Preparation

C3a in acute Lyme disease; a case control study
Multiply antibiotic resistant coagulase negative staphylococci are pathogens in low MSH patients
Pediatric mold illness: inflammatory links to autoimmunity
Multilab, multitest clinical trial; includes double blinded placebo controlled trial
HLA in illness and disease: equilibrium dissociation and biotoxin illness susceptibility
Mold illness across age groups: what you need to know (JAMA)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ritchie C Shoemaker MD PA
500 Market Street Suite 102
Pocomoke, Maryland 21851
info@moldwarriors.com

2010 Ritchie C Shoemaker MD PA


http://www.moldwarriors.com/about-ritchie-shoemaker.htm
 

Crappy

Senior Member
Messages
113
Location
TX
I saw him in 2008. He was expensive, and conducted more precise testing than anyone I had seen before, or since. He is an obsessed man, which I think is good for us. But he is guarded about sharing information with other professionals, not good for us.

I went all that way to see him, and he said, go back to TX and find someone that will do what I tell them; fat chance. I became very put out with him, because basically I went through all the trouble and expense to do what he asked; then I just became a part of his 6000 patient dataset, for no real benefit to me.

He seems to feel the answer is in a chemical called MSH (melanocyte stimulating hormone), the FDA won't approve for use. The only thing he did help with, was his technical explanation of the illness, helped me get disability about 12k later. In the end it amounted too expensive tests, interesting theories, no results. Plus they treat you like nothing, the whole office is psychotic (doctors far and wide know his reputation). Shoemaker is selfish, egotistical (worse than most Drs.), with some of the worst bedside manner I have ever seen (I think he is way past "burn't out".). If he was the genius he thinks he is, he would have cured CFS before the turn of the century; and everything else, since.

I have to say he was the first to use the term "Chronic Systemic Inflammation" on me, the most accurate general term for this condition so far. This term should really be used instead of Chronic Fatigue, it is more accurate.

My experience was similar to this:

http://www.patsullivan.com/blog/2009/09/why-i-no-longer-recommend-dr-shoemaker.html

Hope this helps
 
Messages
22
Location
Boston, MA area
GG,

No I have not seen him. However, I have read one of his books, "Mold Worriors," and I am only exaggerating a little when I tell you it was like discovering a religion that spoke to me (certainly an accomplishment for this atheist of 43 yrs). Have you read it? For me, Dr. Shoemaker's explanation of the "biotoxic pathway" completely made sense. It put all of my symptoms in perspective, explaining, on a cellular/hormonal level the biological cause of many symptoms. I am not totally convinced mold or an arachnid bite was the antigen that started or triggered the "biotoxic pathway" in my body in the Spring of 1987. However, the resulting damage and course of my illness is dead on. The doctor I currently see recognizes biotoxic/neurtoxic illness and from what I have been able to gather, plans to implement Dr. Shoemaker's protocol. To start, ordered all of the specialized tests Dr. Shoemaker talks about. I do not expect to be cured-since according to the Shoemaker theory, I am genectically pre-disposed to not getting a lot better. If you have not read it, I would highly recommend his book. Do not let the name put you off. It is self-published and could use a good dose of red-pen editing, but certainly worth the $15 or so I spent. Hope this helps. Cassandra
 

Marg

Senior Member
Messages
343
Location
Wetumpka Alabama
Hi, I just saw this post. A friend of mine went to Shoemaker. It turned out that mold was not her problem. I do know that he has helped a lot of people but he is not the most popular doctor as far as bed side manner.
 
Messages
1
Mold doctor

Cassandra68,

How did you find your current doc who will do Shoemaker's protocol? I considered flying to see Shoemaker, Gray or Nagy, then thought I'd take his new book, Surviving Mold, to docs & see if they are open. Would prefer to have someone who already has some knowledge of his protocol. I'm in N Georgia...but willing to fly if need be. I want to get better! Good luck in your treatment & Happy Holidays.

Peggster
 

slayadragon

Senior Member
Messages
1,122
Location
twitpic.com/photos/SlayaDragon
Dr. Shoemaker is brilliant. I never would have believed that toxic mold could be a factor in my illness if I'd not read "Mold Warriors." He's done an amazing job of developing a test panel that measures the problems that biotoxins cause and at publishing research studies that demonstrate that toxic mold illness is real.

I've yet to see anyone with severe classic ME/CFS improve as a result of following his advice though. The only people I've seen or heard of with ME who have gotten better as a result of addressing biotoxins are those who have followed Erik Johnson's "extreme avoidance" approach -- controlling for even tiny amounts of toxins in buildings, on objects and in the outside air.

Dr. Shoemaker acknowledges that biotoxin hyperreactivity can be an issue in the illness, but he does not presume to give people advice about how to address it. And for good reason! This is a really hard thing to do. A number of patients who have pursued it have found it to be worth it though.

Erik is the ME/CFS patient (and Incline Village "CFS" prototype) who has chapters in both "Mold Warriors" and "Surviving Mold." Insofar as people have interest in learning more about his approach, please let me know and I will email you some materials.

Best, Lisa
 
Messages
12
Hello Cassandra68-

Are you feeling any better? I'm in California looking for a doctor that will do Dr. Shoemaker's protocol as my C4a is over 71,000 presently. Are you reading/using Shoemaker's Surviving Mold book and using the protocol? I have never been so sick in my life!