Hello XXXXXXXXXXXXX,
Most people who have this reaction to mold are experiencing an allergy to the mold. This can be quite severe, causing wheezing, coughing, excessive mucous secretions, nasal congestion and chest discomfort. If there have been no organisms found in her sputum secretions (assuming this test has been done), then allergy would be the cause of her illness.
The first thing to do is to get her out of the environment with mold present. It might take some time, but if this is an allergic response she will gradually recover.
The second thing to do is to clean up the mold where she is living. Sometimes this is fairly easy, sometimes it can be more difficult. Mold can be washed off of hard surfaces, but if it is growing in carpets or furniture, these things will have to be discarded. If mold is growing in the walls (can happen if there has been flooding or leaking in the walls), these may have to be removed and replaced. Any sources of moisture must be looked for and repaired. Keeping the humidity of the living quarter between 40 and 60% will discourage mold growth.
Here is a website that talks more about molds and how to get rid of them: A Brief Guide to Mold (EPA)
And here is a link to the CDC's page on Mold, general information
Valerie,
She moved out of the property on 15th October, getting rid of all the furniture except the bed, which we cleaned at the base with anti mold cleaner. She is no better, the new flat is on the 1st floor with lots of ventilation. In fact it is getting worse. Do you think it will eventuallly get better or does she need more tests?
Hello,
She should have some tests to try to determine the exact cause of her difficulty. If she has not had sputum cultures done, she should ask her doctor to do this since she has already taken several courses of antibiotics with no effect. It is possible she has an infection caused by a resistant bacteria, or a virus (like the doctor said). There are tests for viruses also. She can also be tested for mold allergy.
Here is a good article from Mayo Clinic about treating a mold allergy. There are tests for it, so your daughter may want to pursue this to find out for sure. Mold Allergy
She should be tested first to determine the cause (bacteria, virus, allergy). Once the cause is identified, it can be properly treated. If it is bacterial, the correct antibiotic can be used (the correct antibiotic identified on the test). If it is viral, it will eventually clear on its own. If it is allergy, there are tests to identify the type of allergy; or she can use antihistamines to relieve the symptoms. These type of treatments (for allergy) are listed in the Mayo Clinic site.
The shortness of breath and chest discomfort indicates there is some inflammation going on in her lungs or bronchioles. She should ask her doctor about antihistamines and/or bronchodilator type medicines.
Nurse (RN)
35+ yrs skilled nursing experience; Dir of Nursing Skilled Nursing/Rehab; Elder Care Consultant
You are very welcome. My best wishes to your daughter for a speedy recovery.
And thank you!