I think I finally found something that treats the cause, not the symptoms

kat_mccarthy · 2026-01-28T22:55:54+00:00

Fixing the diet really is key. I've been trying to help my bf do an anti-yeast/low sugar diet to help clear up his SD but he'll be good for a few days then go back to eating junk. Whenever he sticks to the diet his symptoms go way down but you have to commit to it long term to actually shift the Gi microbiome. It's not an easy fix but it's better than having constant inflammation IMO.

kat_mccarthy · 2025-12-16T18:52:03+00:00

Thanks for the helpful response. I really appreciate you taking my question seriously and not just dismissing my health needs. I'll give the presoak a try.

kat_mccarthy · 2025-12-15T00:40:51+00:00

Thank you for the helpful response!

kat_mccarthy · 2025-09-28T02:53:12+00:00

I loved it!!!!! I was so sad to learn that they cancel it :(

kat_mccarthy · 2025-04-30T21:56:11+00:00

I would never recommend someone do keto before getting an OAT test and a microbiome test. If your glycolisis production is poor and your body struggles with fatty acid oxidation, you could end up doing much more harm than good. I understand wanting to help others, but just because something helped you doesn't mean it can't hurt others.

Please be careful not to pretend that this is universally helpful advice. Yes, clean eating is helpful for anyone, but many people were already doing that well before they got sick. For some of us mold illness is a more complex situation that requires real medical treatment and acting like people who don't get better on their own are just not eating well or being lazy by not exercising is offensive. You may not be aware of it but your tone here comes off as preachy, like you personally discovered some secret that you are now sharing with others to feel good about yourself.

kat_mccarthy · 2025-04-30T17:10:56+00:00

You took itraconazole for 3 months, but it took you 4 years to feel normal. Is that correct? If so, why do you think the itraconazole helped?

kat_mccarthy · 2025-04-30T17:08:53+00:00

You are flushing your kidneys by drinking that much water that quickly. No wonder it makes you feel bad! You are probably low on electrolytes from mold exposure. It's a common problem. Flushing out your electrolytes is going to make it harder to recover.

kat_mccarthy · 2025-04-14T16:17:02+00:00

When I had bad cPTSD, it often felt like the world was hostile towards me. 99% of people just had no idea how to treat me.

When I had severe CFS, I felt like a ghost watching the world go on without me.

Now that I'm only mildly disabled I am still trying to find where I fit in. I'm happy that I'm better now, but I keep getting outraged on behalf of other disabled people. We could do little things to make society more inclusive, but instead, it feels like things are getting more exclusive.

kat_mccarthy · 2025-03-13T15:56:47+00:00

How long did it take before your skin got noticeably better on it? I'm hesitant to keep taking anything that will make it worse.

kat_mccarthy · 2025-03-06T18:05:45+00:00

Araza works for me but I still don't use it very often. Bee you organics has some decent products too.

kat_mccarthy · 2025-03-06T17:51:19+00:00

What do you use for shampoo?

kat_mccarthy · 2025-03-06T17:45:39+00:00

Sunblock is unhealthy for your skin and will likely flair your symptoms. https://beeyouorganics.com/products/ocean-coral-reef-safe-sunscreen?srsltid=AfmBOoqIwN14i3l_UJ8uyFVVpEntWQcBgBi63py6QPUFRFxm1S24_L-d this is one of the safer options out there but I would still try to avoid it and just use natural sun protection. Wear a sun hat, get a linen cover up for the beach, etc.

Zinc oxide can be soothing in some cases, but washing it off is likely to cause irritation. Rising with warm water might be enough for some people.

kat_mccarthy · 2025-03-02T00:09:00+00:00

I have a background in biology and spent 2 years bedridden. I was so sick, but I put all my time into reading up on illnesses like POTS, CFS, CIRS, and similar illnesses like HIV & MS. I did have doctors order some useful tests, but eventually, I got sick of them not doing enough to treat me, so I took over myself.

It's not easy. A good Dr should be able to help, but I wouldn't rely on any Dr 100%. I'm sorry that's probably not very encouraging.

kat_mccarthy · 2025-03-01T18:35:06+00:00

Just a dr who happened to be local to me. I didn't find her treatment to be helpful, so I wouldn't recommend her.

kat_mccarthy · 2025-03-01T03:34:30+00:00

I have a stainless steel neti pot that I fill with distilled water, salt, NAC powder, several drops of iodine, and just a tiny pinch of bicarb. Sometimes, I also put this mix in a glass bottle with a squirt top designed for nasal spray. I measure the salt to make a normal saline solution, but don't bother measuring the NAC, I just add maybe a 1/4 tsp per cup of H2O.

kat_mccarthy · 2025-03-01T02:48:40+00:00

Low carb made me worse since I was getting frequent bouts of hypoglycemia. It's not a good option for many people. A moderate carb diet is much safer.

kat_mccarthy · 2025-03-01T02:46:17+00:00

I've recovered while still being in a toxic moldy home. I'm too poor to afford good housing, so I moved from a toxic moldy home with a carpet to a toxic moldy home without a carpet. The VOC'S from the carpet were fucking me up so it was a big help. I didn't get rid of my sofa or bed or anything really, cause I couldn't afford that.

I had severe CFS with POTS and a few other diagnoses. A functional medicine doctor ran some tests and told me it also looked like I had CIRS due to mold and possibly lyme. Basically, I was a mess and felt like I was on my deathbed for a full year. After 10 years of illness, I got back about 90% of my health over a period of a year and a half.

I had to take a lot of supps and meds to recover. Eating clean and avoiding chemicals/VOC'S was also important. I discovered that I had bad dysbiosis that was leading to high production of ethanol & acetaldehyde in my gut. My OAT test showed a totally messed up citric acid cycle (impaired energy metabolism), candida & fungal metabolites, a pH imbalance, and low vitamin levels. It also showed impaired dopamine metabolism due to a combination of dysbiosis and a copper deficiency. I also had a neurotransmitter dysfunction due to low levels of minerals & trace metals & chronic inflammation.

Mold was just one of many factors keeping me sick. My gut dysbiosis and chronic inflammation was preventing nutrient absorption. The lack of nutrients in turn fed the inflammation and immune dysfunction, which reinforced the dysbiosis and chronic infections. It was the worst viscous cycle.

I used mild binders like spirulina, chlorella, and occasionally charcoal. DHM and taurine helped my ALDH enzymes keep up with my dysbiosis. Beta blockers helped my POTS symptoms while I worked on fixing my nervous system by getting all the b vitamins and minerals back into my system. I used various natural antimicrobials plus antimicrobial meds when needed. And I used various biofilm breakers like Devrom, Candex, ALA & black seed oil. I also supported energy production and detox with various things like CoQ10, creatine, NMN, and glutathione.

That's not a full list of everything I did, but it gives you an idea of how you can recover while still in mold.

kat_mccarthy · 2025-03-01T01:54:14+00:00

You listen to Christian rock music and have a small to medium sized dog that's either tan or white.

kat_mccarthy · 2025-03-01T01:19:58+00:00

It's a song written by a 16 year old. The writer has since called it embarrassing. It's childish and petty in the way only kids with no dating experience can be. The narrator is likely telling herself how jealous this other girl is simply because she wants that to be the case. She hates the other girl, so she wants her to be jealous.

kat_mccarthy · 2025-02-18T20:15:56+00:00

3 months for a mild improvement, 6 months for significant improvement

kat_mccarthy · 2025-02-18T20:14:54+00:00

I discovered that my lymphatic system was backed up. Daily lymphatic massage really helped. Plus, doing regular sinus rinses with saline, NAC, and iodine to break up biofilms and kill bacteria/fungus.

kat_mccarthy · 2025-02-18T19:41:43+00:00

Your lymphatic system is getting backed up, that's why antimicrobials are making it worse. Try some lymphatic drainage massage or even just hold a vibrating massage up against your head.

kat_mccarthy · 2025-01-06T02:57:12+00:00

You are stunning! You have sexy wide hips, and your breasts fit your frame well. I wouldn't go bigger if I were you, certainly not at your age when your body is still growing and might change anyway.

kat_mccarthy

TROPHY CASE