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Hot swollen brain sensation?

Ailúron

So sick and tired of being so sick and tired.
Messages
34
Location
NW Arkansas
Does anyone else experience a "hot swollen brain" sensation? I frequently have this disturbing symptom, but only during high mold season. It is usually accompanied by burning eyelids (both eyes) and a spacey, derealized feeling, like I'm not quite present in my body, but operating on remote control. However, I am still mentally coherent, not dizzy, and can move about okay, do chores, etc. But the feeling of heat and pressure in my head is still awful. And it's not anything like a regular headache!

Strangely enough, my blood pressure is normal all this time and my thermometer never shows any fever (and I have two thermometers to be certain) - in fact, my temp is actually often a bit low at these times, like ~98.2°. Odd too, I have no congestion, sore throat, nausea, or shortness of breath, but my brain and eyes (and often my skin) sometimes feel "on fire". Lately, it often feels worse in the left side of my head, the same side I had sudden hearing loss (still not restored) three months ago. Tinnitus gets worse in the left (deaf) ear too.

Could this be small fiber sensory neuropathy gone wild in my brain? (Just thought of that, so I don't think it's autosuggestion going on here.)

Thanks in advance for any "me too"s, comments, or suggestions!

Ailúron
 
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Tammy

Senior Member
Messages
2,181
Location
New Mexico
Yes, I have had that sensation. It felt as though my head was under water and everything through my eyes felt thick. It felt like my brain was running a fever. Just my personal opinion..... I think it is brain and nerve inflammation caused by a virus or viruses.
 

Ailúron

So sick and tired of being so sick and tired.
Messages
34
Location
NW Arkansas
Yes!! Your symptoms sound just like mine, Tammy, even the "head under water" and everything through your eyes feeling "thick"!! Your suspicion that it's brain and nerve inflammation is just what I was thinking. But perhaps it's not always an active virus? But post-viral-infection hypersensitivity to irritants (which could include allergens, I think)? My ENT said my sudden hearing loss was likely caused by a virus, but he can find no more signs of it - no fever, etc.

I postulate this because very coincidentally it has rained heavily all day after I made the first post on this, when I was really suffering the worst hot, swollen, spacey brain sensation. The heavy rain of course dampened down all the flying mold spores that cause all my violent reactions (I hesitate to call them just allergies, since they're nothing like hay fever). And right now, right after this downpour, I have no more "hot brain"!

Geez, I dread it when things start to dry out again! :nervous:

Do you recall what sort of conditions there were when you experienced this awful set of symptoms?
 

Tammy

Senior Member
Messages
2,181
Location
New Mexico
I had these symptoms for years. Sorry, I don't remember if weather or allergies made it better/worse. My symptoms are better after natural anti-viral protocol and staying away from certain foods.
 

Ailúron

So sick and tired of being so sick and tired.
Messages
34
Location
NW Arkansas
Yep, I totally have that. It feels like my brain has the flu while the rest of my body doesn't and my eyes can barely see... it's hard to focus and they just want to close.
After the downpour here yesterday - everything still wet outside today - I woke up with my eyes burning and blurry, my brain hot and swollen again, and feeling spaced-out as hell! Just took a look at the official mold count online - and it has doubled in the last 24 hours from ±15,000 to almost 30,000 spores per cubic meter. No more doubt in my mind that I'm becoming increasingly hypersensitive to environmental molds - with no help from obvious climate change here - hot wet summers now that a decade ago used to be much, much drier - summers here are more miserable for me every year. And this is not just some simple viral inflammation, as the horrible symptoms parallel mold count levels too closely. I was so spaced out when I got out of bed this morning that I unexpectedly lost my balance and fell to the floor - something I never do - until today. And again, my body temp and blood pressure are near normal! Like you Tiffy, it feels like my head has the flu - BAD - while the rest of my body doesn't. It's literally all in my head. And I don't mean psychosomatic - I was awakened by these awful symptoms and fell over before I had any idea that the mold count had doubled overnight. Apparently my house is not as "air-tight" as I thought.
 
Messages
64
After the downpour here yesterday - everything still wet outside today - I woke up with my eyes burning and blurry, my brain hot and swollen again, and feeling spaced-out as hell! Just took a look at the official mold count online - and it has doubled in the last 24 hours from ±15,000 to almost 30,000 spores per cubic meter. No more doubt in my mind that I'm becoming increasingly hypersensitive to environmental molds - with no help from obvious climate change here - hot wet summers now that a decade ago used to be much, much drier - summers here are more miserable for me every year. And this is not just some simple viral inflammation, as the horrible symptoms parallel mold count levels too closely. I was so spaced out when I got out of bed this morning that I unexpectedly lost my balance and fell to the floor - something I never do - until today. And again, my body temp and blood pressure are near normal! Like you Tiffy, it feels like my head has the flu - BAD - while the rest of my body doesn't. It's literally all in my head. And I don't mean psychosomatic - I was awakened by these awful symptoms and fell over before I had any idea that the mold count had doubled overnight. Apparently my house is not as "air-tight" as I thought.

Wow, that is truly crazy! We have had our entire crawlspace remediated for mold (we've never had any black mold but an inspector found old dried up aspergillus and fusarium). I still smell a musty smell, and we are trying to get the vapor barrier and a fan to the outside put in.

But I've never correlated higher mold levels with these feverish brain fog feelings. How did you find out the mold spore count is there a website or something for that?

But it seems like the sensitivity to mold is a symptom, not a cause of the ME/CFS... is that correct?
 

Ailúron

So sick and tired of being so sick and tired.
Messages
34
Location
NW Arkansas
It seems that mold sensitivity is something intensified by ME/CFS - but it may be a cause! Check posts here by debored13 and the great blog by kurt .

As for how I know about the mold spore counts, I go to the stats online from the nearest testing station to my location here in the Ozarks: Springfield, Missouri, Pollen Count. For other areas, you may have some luck finding your nearest testing station here: National Allergy Bureau (but there are FAR too few stations across the US). If you need any help navigating this site, let me know - you have to have an account, but it's free and non-tracking - I've had one for years with no problems.
 
Messages
64
It seems that mold sensitivity is something intensified by ME/CFS - but it may be a cause! Check posts here by debored13 and the great blog by kurt .

As for how I know about the mold spore counts, I go to the stats online from the nearest testing station to my location here in the Ozarks: Springfield, Missouri, Pollen Count. For other areas, you may have some luck finding your nearest testing station here: National Allergy Bureau (but there are FAR too few stations across the US). If you need any help navigating this site, let me know - you have to have an account, but it's free and non-tracking - I've had one for years with no problems.
Thanks for the info!
 

Ailúron

So sick and tired of being so sick and tired.
Messages
34
Location
NW Arkansas
Probably ought to turn this into a blog or something like that, but for now, just to confirm the cause-and-effect of mold sensitivity...

I woke up this morning feeling like my whole head was on fire, like my eyes had been blistered, skin feeling hot, tinnitus screaming, and exhausted but unable to sleep after a "hot nap" in a cool bed. 30 minutes AFTER I got up with these symptoms, got my coffee, checked my temp (normal) and BP (a bit high), I sat down and checked the local mold/pollen report online for this morning at Springdale, MO, Pollen Counts: This morning it was 53,226 mold spores per cubic meter, up from 29,029 on Friday morning (no counts done on weekends). The counts just about doubled over the weekend!

And last night, I went outside to check the mail (too hot and humid during the day) and empty the vacuum and garbage - which certainly didn't help matters! :xeyes: For me, the "shelter in place" advisory serves more than one purpose for sure!!! One pathetic advantage of the utter fatigue of CFS is that it keeps me from working up too much agitation over "cabin fever"! :xpem:

@Tiffyshea - mold is obviously my culprit and that of many of us sensitized by ME/CFS - keep after your mold remediation! It is not a waste of your money or time.

Credits: This message brought to you by moderate amounts of loratadine, fluticasone spray, acetaminophen, caprylic acid, vitamins B6 (P5P), methyl B12, C, methyl folate, methionine, omega 3 and cod liver oils, and plenty of low-mold coffee (see other post) with coconut milk. No special claims are made for the effectiveness of any of the above (but something there seems to have helped me gain the ability to write and post this).
 
Messages
64
Credits: This message brought to you by moderate amounts of loratadine, fluticasone spray, acetaminophen, caprylic acid, vitamins B6 (P5P), methyl B12, C, methyl folate, methionine, omega 3 and cod liver oils, and plenty of low-mold coffee (see other post) with coconut milk. No special claims are made for the effectiveness of any of the above (but something there seems to have helped me gain the ability to write and post this).

LOL! Thanks for cheering me up!
 

hunter1899

Senior Member
Messages
152
These symptoms sound just like mine. If I could just get rid of the forehead pressure and burning/heavy eyelids I would be happy as it's about 90% of my issues.

Has anyone found anything that helped relieve or cure these symptoms?

I had two mold tests and tested positive for Ochra, Afla, and gliotoxin. On binders now. Also had two lymphatic massage treatments done. After the last treatment (same day I started by 4th binder which was the bentonite clay) I had a 24 hour low grade fever that went away over night. I know it was caused by either the binders or lymph, but it also felt better the day after the fever than I had in a while. But now the next day and I'm feeling crappy again. I also try olive leaf extract nose spray and a few anti-viral herbals.

It just doesn't seem to have any rhyme or reason. Used to think it was linked to me overdoing it or overheating, but I didn't do a thing yesterday and today I feel like crap. So maybe it really is dependent on the amount of mold in the air??

Also, has everyone here with these symptoms tested positive for mold toxins? Has anyone else here had EBV/mono?
 
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hunter1899

Senior Member
Messages
152
Has any one else here with these symptoms been tested for mold toxins?

Also, does anyone else find it hard to determine if you’re extra tired or it’s just the eyelid/forehead pressure that makes you feel as though you’re fatigued?
 

hunter1899

Senior Member
Messages
152
Probably ought to turn this into a blog or something like that, but for now, just to confirm the cause-and-effect of mold sensitivity...

I woke up this morning feeling like my whole head was on fire, like my eyes had been blistered, skin feeling hot, tinnitus screaming, and exhausted but unable to sleep after a "hot nap" in a cool bed. 30 minutes AFTER I got up with these symptoms, got my coffee, checked my temp (normal) and BP (a bit high), I sat down and checked the local mold/pollen report online for this morning at Springdale, MO, Pollen Counts: This morning it was 53,226 mold spores per cubic meter, up from 29,029 on Friday morning (no counts done on weekends). The counts just about doubled over the weekend!

And last night, I went outside to check the mail (too hot and humid during the day) and empty the vacuum and garbage - which certainly didn't help matters! :xeyes: For me, the "shelter in place" advisory serves more than one purpose for sure!!! One pathetic advantage of the utter fatigue of CFS is that it keeps me from working up too much agitation over "cabin fever"! :xpem:

@Tiffyshea - mold is obviously my culprit and that of many of us sensitized by ME/CFS - keep after your mold remediation! It is not a waste of your money or time.

Credits: This message brought to you by moderate amounts of loratadine, fluticasone spray, acetaminophen, caprylic acid, vitamins B6 (P5P), methyl B12, C, methyl folate, methionine, omega 3 and cod liver oils, and plenty of low-mold coffee (see other post) with coconut milk. No special claims are made for the effectiveness of any of the above (but something there seems to have helped me gain the ability to write and post this).

Were you tested for mold toxins in your body? I have this same feeling and tested positive for 3 mold toxins across two different urine tests.
 

hunter1899

Senior Member
Messages
152

I saw you said natural antivirals helped. Have you (or anyone here) tried high dose antivirals? Also, what certain foods did you avoid?

I’m so pumped to see other folks with my exact symptoms. I feel like if we band together we can share war stories and things that have helped and help each other beat this!
 

Tammy

Senior Member
Messages
2,181
Location
New Mexico
Yes..........I've used high doses of some natural anti-virals. One example: L-lysine...........4,000mgs-8,000mgs daily. Foods I avoid (except when I cheat!) are dairy, gluten and eggs. I stay away from most oils except a little bit of coconut oil. I don't eat as much animal protein as I used to.
 

hunter1899

Senior Member
Messages
152
Yes..........I've used high doses of some natural anti-virals. One example: L-lysine...........4,000mgs-8,000mgs daily. Foods I avoid (except when I cheat!) are dairy, gluten and eggs. I stay away from most oils except a little bit of coconut oil. I don't eat as much animal protein as I used to.

That’s great to hear! so what percentage improved would you say you are for these symptoms and how long did it take? Did you do any mold binders?