Thanks Skiii and detts. I was not taking the BEG spray at the same time as the ampho B + chelating agent. Timing was as follows:
— August: first RTL test. OTA = 0. AT = 0. MT = 0.38
— October: BEG spray; I also re-tested C4a in the middle of the BEG spray/CSM treatment, and it had gone up to 21,000!
— November: RTL re-test. OTA = 9.17. AT = 0. MT = 0.25; also MARCoNS re-test was negative for coag negative staph (though I did have bacillus species "large amount"); re-tested C4a and it was still quite high at 13,000. Tgfb1 had normalized at 1,832. Still doing CSM and other binders/methylation/GSH.
— January: had MARCoNS test again. Negative for MARCoNS but they found large amount of pseudomonas stuzeri. Not sure if this needs to be treated with mupirocin again? VEGF was re-tested and was still low (<31). Still doing CSM and other binders/methylation/GSH.
— February: RTL re-test. OTA = 4.68. AT = 0. MT = 0.71. Also had C3a which was low (is this significant? I'm only aware of indications for high C3a); C4a was down to 7,592, which is still high but the lowest it has ever been for me and the first time below 10,000. Still doing CSM and other binders/methylation/GSH, but took two week break from all of it at end of Feb/early March.
— March. RTL re-test. OTA = 3.74. AT = 0. MT = 0.34. Started ampho B treatment at the end of March. Still doing CSM 1-2x/d, citrus pectin 2x/d, activated charcoal 2x/d, as well as methylation support, GSH, and other nutrients supportive of detox.
Listing all of the test results in a time sequence does make it seem like there has been a trend of decrease (after the initial increase) for OTA, but the MT results seem to be just bouncing all over the place.
Of course that makes me wonder about ongoing exposure. I've had an ERMI test in our current home (renting), and also calculated a HERTSMI-2 score. The ERMI was 4.3. The HERTSMI-2 was 4. I'm somewhat confused about this. My understanding from reading Shoemaker's materials was that he originally proposed that patients should not be exposed to a building with ERMI of more than 2 if their MSH is <35 and C4a is >10,000. (That is me.) The HERTSMI score was used as a measure of whether a home is safe to re-enter after the patient has been successfully treated. However, apparently Shoemaker has changed his recommendation on this. He is now saying that as long as HERTSMI is <10, a home should be safe for someone with CIRS. So of course I am left wondering whether my home is indeed safe for me, and if I am getting re-exposed in some way.
FWIW, the only species of mold that triggered a positive score (4) on the HERTSMI-2 was Aspergillus penicilloides. Aspergillus does produce OTA, but does not (as I understand it) produce MT. However, as Brewer mentioned in his Toxins paper there are very small fungal fragments which produce MT that can be inhaled and deposited in the nasal cavity/sinuses, but cannot be detected by spore counts or even PCR. At this point I am wondering if I should also have air sample testing done; so far I have only done the ERMI test. We have only been in this house for 2 years, I didn't get worse when we moved in here, and I was sick long before we occupied this home.
I am going to talk to ASL to see what they recommend re: Nystatin, sinus rinse, nasal steroid, etc. given my experience.
I would also like to invest in a sauna at home. I am looking at two companies and wondering if anyone here knows anything about them (they both say they are the "Doctor's Choice" for detox FIR saunas): Sunlighten and Heavenly Heat. Sunlighten has an interesting "portable solo system". It's appealing because it doesn't take up a lot of space in the house, but I'd want to make sure it's as effective as the wood units like the Signature 1. Heavenly Heat doesn't have a portable system; they have a wood unit for one person called the FIR1-Eco. I'm new to saunas, but the Sunlighten Signature 1 has 9 heaters vs. only 4 for the FIR1-Eco. Apparently that makes a difference.
Thanks again.
Switters,
I really think there are a few things you should think about. First, you should understand that Shoemaker's thinking and Brewer's thinking are very different. A lot of people try to mix both together and try to make sense of the test results but you really can't. Shoemaker believes that the fundamental issue is the inability of people to detoxify mold toxins. Brewer thinks that people detoxify mold toxins just fine, but the fundamental issue issue is the colonization of mold in the sinuses. They both agree that mold levels in the home and work environment must be addressed.
It looks like you did Shoemakers protocol for about 5 months. Did it make you better? If not, perhaps there is no benefit in continuing with it.
I would talk to an Ear Nose and Throat doctor about the pseudomonas. I suspect it is easily treatable with a doctor that knows how. I have treated pseudomnas with my ENT and he didn't use mupirocin.
You should keep in mind that the Brewer protocol takes a long time. There probably isn't any point in doing all these RTL tests. With or without treatment the test results are going to be variable. You really can't use the test to determine if you are making progress. You will know when you are making progress based upon how you feel and what you can do.
As far as the home environment tests are concerned they seem to be pretty good. Keep in mind that ERMI scores can be misleading. You can have a high ERMI score even with a low amount of bad mold, or a low ERMI score even with a high amount of bad mold. I think the fact you were sick before you moved into your house is a significant factor. I actually like the HERTSMI-2 better because you are only looking at the amount of bad mold. You can do an air test if you want. Ultimately all you can do is make a judgement based upon all the information you have. Nothing is really standardized.
It seems that nystantin works as well as ampho B. You will likely feel better if you can eliminate any bacterial infection and reduce inflamtion. In my case things got alot better when I went to nystantin every other day.