Guest guest Posted May 12, 2006 Report Share Posted May 12, 2006 Most mold labs have a turnaround of a week or less. Your employers answer means there is probably a serious problem, bad enough that he fears your response. He clearly doesn't care about your health. If it was me, I'd take this as a wake up call. I know that in this era of economic stress, its often hard to do this, but you could end up with both ruined health AND no job, so i would do my utmost to get out of there. Time to look for another job! (Don't do this from work, though, its very unprofessional, use your own time) Seriously. But you also should document the situation, (and this MAY make it possible for you to claim unemployment. But ask a lawyer, it may not, poisoning your employees may be legal) FYI - You can do mold testing yourself if there is visible mold. Use a reputable lab. IF your symptoms are serious enough to warrant it, or if you need to document it for the reason I just mentioned, its my understanding that unfortunately, you CAN'Tcollect the sample yourself. BE DISCREET! Don't violate company policies - but... *You will want to have someone else visit you at work (any reputable friend would be okay) and while they are there, collect the tape lifts and later, they would send it in to the lab with their chain-of-custody form - and a check for the lab fee, so that you can use it in court, if it ever comes to that. Ask others here for their advice.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 12, 2006 Report Share Posted May 12, 2006 ---you have a right to a copy of the test results. if you do your own tests, just use clear 1 or 2 inch tape, try to get a little of each color of mold on it. put it in a ziplock. around $50.00 to test. you may or may not have allergies and make sure the allergy tests are down but a needle on the upper arm, the cheap kits that some use on your lower arm dont penatrate your skin and give fause results sometimes. not haveing allergies to molds does not mean that you werent exposed to mold spores and mycotoxins produced by some toxic molds. Stachybotrys, Aspergillus, pinicillium, Fusarium, Chaetomium, Alterneria, are some of the more common ones that are known to produce mycotoxins. hopefully those who have gone through work comp issues can give you info. if you go that route. some states will accept Cronic Fatique syndrome and/or Multiple Chemical Sensativity for disability if you have those. sounds like you have a few of the symptoms. it may take removeing yourself for a week to see if any of your symptoms improve. good indacation if they do. not all symptoms will improve because you could have some permenent damage, depends on types of molds, amounts, once you find out what kinds are there, heres a list, click on the ones you have http://www.emlab.com/app/fungi/Fungi.po also www.mold- help.org has more indeapth reading. hope this helps - In , LiveSimply <quackadillian@...> wrote: > > Most mold labs have a turnaround of a week or less. Your employers > answer means there is probably a serious problem, bad enough that he > fears your response. He clearly doesn't care about your health. > > If it was me, I'd take this as a wake up call. I know that in this era > of economic stress, its often hard to do this, but you could end up > with both ruined health AND no job, so i would do my utmost to get out > of there. Time to look for another job! (Don't do this from work, > though, its very unprofessional, use your own time) > > Seriously. > > But you also should document the situation, (and this MAY make it > possible for you to claim unemployment. But ask a lawyer, it may not, > poisoning your employees may be legal) > > FYI - You can do mold testing yourself if there is visible mold. Use a > reputable lab. > > IF your symptoms are serious enough to warrant it, or if you need to > document it for the reason I just mentioned, its my understanding that > unfortunately, you CAN'Tcollect the sample yourself. BE DISCREET! > Don't violate company policies - but... > > *You will want to have someone else visit you at work (any reputable > friend would be okay) and while they are there, collect the tape lifts > and later, they would send it in to the lab with their > chain-of-custody form - and a check for the lab fee, so that you can > use it in court, if it ever comes to that. > > Ask others here for their advice.. > -- In , " pmart57 " <pmart57@...> wrote: > > I have been feeling horrible for about one year. Joint pain, nasal > allergy symptoms, bloddy nose, etc. In March 06 I discovered mold in > my office. I have occupied the office for about 1 1/2 years. After > the discovery I was told by the building manager that there had been > mold in the past and it had been remediated by bleach and paint. > > I am seeing a worker's compensation doctor who believes that my nasal > allergies are caused by the mold, but that the other symptoms are not. > > Additionally, at my request, a industrial hygienest took mold and air > samples on 3/17/06 - my employer maintains that they do not have the > results. Am I being unreasonalbe in expecting to know the type of > mold in approximately 2 months? I am undergoing allergy testing next > week. Any feedback on how this procedure will affect me? > > Thanks - > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 12, 2006 Report Share Posted May 12, 2006 thats what I ended up with no health and no job Janet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 12, 2006 Report Share Posted May 12, 2006 Jeanne, I don't think that he does have an actual, legal 'right' to a copy of the test results that were conducted on his employer's property, unless he was the one who paid for the testing to be done. This may vary by state, someone correct me if I'm wrong. OTOH, his employer certainly does have a moral obligation to share the data. As we all know, though, that doesn't mean much to many of the greedy, fearful people out there. So, by all means, he should do his own testing.. On 5/11/06, who <jeaninem660@...> wrote: > ---you have a right to a copy of the test results. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 12, 2006 Report Share Posted May 12, 2006 Hi : ok - a bit of mold education that took me a good while to figure out but most of the guys on this site already took for granted by the time I came along. I'm gonna get corrected by the hoards here as I am wrong, so don't take my word for this - everyone else will chime in, I'm sure. ;-) Allergy testing, of course, will only tell that you have allergies to the mold, and if you haven't developed asthma or some serious breathing disorder, mainstream docs are unlikely to take it very seriously. The science of health issues and mold have not been fully researched or understood yet - bizarre as that may seem. HOWEVER, allergies are only one result of exposure to mold. The other kinds of reactions, like the ones you describe, tend to be result of the biotoxins molds produce. Outdoors, most molds are fairly harmless because they are in competition for survival with other molds and whatever else operates on that scale - indoors, generally, it's one or a very few molds that flourish so they don't have much competition in the environment. When that happens and they don't have to expend energy competing all the time, they can settle in and make themselves a home turf - if they don't have to fight all the time, they are able to focus their energy on developing fortification or mycotoxins. The theory about this is best laid out for the public in Dr. Ritchie Shoemaker's book, Mold Warriors (which you can order at Mold Warriors.com). Dr. Shoemaker posits that roughly 25% of the population is genetically unable to make the antibodies that remove biotoxins from the body - we're the ones who get sick from out exposure while others can be in the same environment and have no trouble at all. When we can't expel the toxins, our system gets overworked and autoimmune reactions kick in creating the bizarre effects we have. Dr. Shoemaker has a number of blood tests he recommends to document this and a protocol to prove that the exposure is coming from one place. He also recommends a drug called CSM which does bind to the toxins to remove them. This is all well and good, but most physcians haven't heard Dr. Shoemaker's argument and think it's pretty far out stuff. The tests he recommends are markers for autoimmune functions being out of whack. There are also a limited number of centers in the US that will test blood or urine for the toxins themselves - www.ehcd.com does some of this. Dr. Hooper there has been enormously helpful to me. Welcome to the journey - we're all feeling our way in the dark here. Best, Haley --- pmart57 <pmart57@...> wrote: > I have been feeling horrible for about one > year. Joint pain, nasal > allergy symptoms, bloddy nose, etc. In March > 06 I discovered mold in > my office. I have occupied the office for > about 1 1/2 years. After > the discovery I was told by the building > manager that there had been > mold in the past and it had been remediated by > bleach and paint. > > I am seeing a worker's compensation doctor who > believes that my nasal > allergies are caused by the mold, but that the > other symptoms are not. > > Additionally, at my request, a industrial > hygienest took mold and air > samples on 3/17/06 - my employer maintains that > they do not have the > results. Am I being unreasonalbe in expecting > to know the type of > mold in approximately 2 months? I am > undergoing allergy testing next > week. Any feedback on how this procedure will > affect me? > > Thanks - > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 12, 2006 Report Share Posted May 12, 2006 Hi , I would like to mention just a couple of things. One things is that just because you are sensitive to mold, does not mean you will test positive for being allergic. My daughter along with many others on this board have a high sensitivity to certain molds. My daughter when exposed becomes extremely sick. But, after being tested 5 times for allergies to mold and other things, we are told there are no allergies. Her body has been poisoned from large amounts of toxic mold over a 2 year period. So, even though she is not allergic-her body has become sensitive to it, and hates it when she is around it. It's like her body is telling " get out of here, I have had enough of this stuff. " Also, a couple of years ago there were a couple of people (I believe they were here on the board) who were told they had allergies to mold. So, they were given the shots from the allergist. One ended up in the hospital immediately after shot, because of a reaction from the shot. The other also had a severe reaction that almost killed her. Of course, they were given no reason why this happened. So, just be careful. Doctors are good when you need them. But, if they have no understanding (which most don't) of toxic mold and how it affects the body it is hard to get good informative treatment. Re: [] Mold In My Office Hi : ok - a bit of mold education that took me a good while to figure out but most of the guys on this site already took for granted by the time I came along. I'm gonna get corrected by the hoards here as I am wrong, so don't take my word for this - everyone else will chime in, I'm sure. ;-) Allergy testing, of course, will only tell that you have allergies to the mold, and if you haven't developed asthma or some serious breathing disorder, mainstream docs are unlikely to take it very seriously. The science of health issues and mold have not been fully researched or understood yet - bizarre as that may seem. HOWEVER, allergies are only one result of exposure to mold. The other kinds of reactions, like the ones you describe, tend to be result of the biotoxins molds produce. Outdoors, most molds are fairly harmless because they are in competition for survival with other molds and whatever else operates on that scale - indoors, generally, it's one or a very few molds that flourish so they don't have much competition in the environment. When that happens and they don't have to expend energy competing all the time, they can settle in and make themselves a home turf - if they don't have to fight all the time, they are able to focus their energy on developing fortification or mycotoxins. The theory about this is best laid out for the public in Dr. Ritchie Shoemaker's book, Mold Warriors (which you can order at Mold Warriors.com). Dr. Shoemaker posits that roughly 25% of the population is genetically unable to make the antibodies that remove biotoxins from the body - we're the ones who get sick from out exposure while others can be in the same environment and have no trouble at all. When we can't expel the toxins, our system gets overworked and autoimmune reactions kick in creating the bizarre effects we have. Dr. Shoemaker has a number of blood tests he recommends to document this and a protocol to prove that the exposure is coming from one place. He also recommends a drug called CSM which does bind to the toxins to remove them. This is all well and good, but most physcians haven't heard Dr. Shoemaker's argument and think it's pretty far out stuff. The tests he recommends are markers for autoimmune functions being out of whack. There are also a limited number of centers in the US that will test blood or urine for the toxins themselves - www.ehcd.com does some of this. Dr. Hooper there has been enormously helpful to me. Welcome to the journey - we're all feeling our way in the dark here. Best, Haley --- pmart57 <pmart57@...> wrote: > I have been feeling horrible for about one > year. Joint pain, nasal > allergy symptoms, bloddy nose, etc. In March > 06 I discovered mold in > my office. I have occupied the office for > about 1 1/2 years. After > the discovery I was told by the building > manager that there had been > mold in the past and it had been remediated by > bleach and paint. > > I am seeing a worker's compensation doctor who > believes that my nasal > allergies are caused by the mold, but that the > other symptoms are not. > > Additionally, at my request, a industrial > hygienest took mold and air > samples on 3/17/06 - my employer maintains that > they do not have the > results. Am I being unreasonalbe in expecting > to know the type of > mold in approximately 2 months? I am > undergoing allergy testing next > week. Any feedback on how this procedure will > affect me? > > Thanks - > > > > > > > FAIR USE NOTICE: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 12, 2006 Report Share Posted May 12, 2006 the head of my union got my report for me Janet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 12, 2006 Report Share Posted May 12, 2006 Haley wrote: > ok - a bit of mold education that took me a good > while to figure out but most of the guys on this > site already took for granted by the time I came > along. I'm gonna get corrected by the hoards > here as I am wrong, so don't take my word for > this - everyone else will chime in, I'm sure. > ;-) > > Allergy testing, of course, will only tell that > you have allergies to the mold, and if you > haven't developed asthma or some serious > breathing disorder, mainstream docs are unlikely > to take it very seriously. Ironic isn't it? Many of the people I've talked to had mold as their primary suspect right from the beginning - but discarded it and went on to blame all kinds of other stuff because " My doctor told me that, yes, I am very allergic to mold, but that mold doesn't cause the type of illness I've got " . They just flat out refused to consider that mold might be doing something in addition to being an allergen - and the buck stopped right there! In 99, a co-worker I educated about mold had put a truck for sale. A guy showed up to look at it with a Hazmat suit in a bag, which he put on before test driving the truck. He said " I have to get a new vehicle because something in my house is making me sick. It's gotten in my truck and is on my clothing too, so when I get a new vehicle - I don't want it to ruin it " . My friend said " I know just what you are talking about. You really, really need to talk to my friend about his experience with mold " . Amazingly, the answer was " I thought it must be mold, but my doctor tells me this is impossible, so it must be formaldehyde or some chemical " . When my friend said, " That's what ALL the doctors are saying, but it really is mold despite what they believe. You really ought to contact . I can give you his number " . But the guy said " No. That was the first thing I checked into, and it absolutely cannot be mold " . I have a bunch of stories about people who pointed at mold first, but the doctors brainwashed them out of it. - Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 12, 2006 Report Share Posted May 12, 2006 -you may be right, I would think that when it involves your health , but mat take a lawyer to get it. -- In , LiveSimply <quackadillian@...> wrote: > > Jeanne, > > I don't think that he does have an actual, legal 'right' to a copy of > the test results that were conducted on his employer's property, > unless he was the one who paid for the testing to be done. This may > vary by state, someone correct me if I'm wrong. > > OTOH, his employer certainly does have a moral obligation to share the > data. As we all know, though, that doesn't mean much to many of the > greedy, fearful people out there. > > So, by all means, he should do his own testing.. > > > > On 5/11/06, who <jeaninem660@...> wrote: > > ---you have a right to a copy of the test results. > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 12, 2006 Report Share Posted May 12, 2006 Good. You are lucky that you have one, IMO! On 5/12/06, Gingersnap1964@... <Gingersnap1964@...> wrote: > the head of my union got my report for me > Janet > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 13, 2006 Report Share Posted May 13, 2006 > > the head of my union got my report for me > Janet > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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