# Mold Allergy connection to IBS



## distressed (Jan 7, 2009)

Hi all,As a little back history, I am allergic to several types of mold (confirmed by skin prick testing) particularly the type that grows on fruits/veg and the type that is used to ferment grapes into wine and a type that is commonly found on leaf litter....which really sucks cause it means its on food and in the air! and whats worse the only medication that helps me is prednisone!Anyway, I saw my allergist today for a followup....and she has decided to stop immunotherapy because even at extremely low doses I react quite strongly.Previously I lived in a house that I discovered had high concentrations of the molds I am allergic to. I moved and over the last year my respiratory symptoms have almost disapeared and my GI symptoms have improved dramatically too.I am certain that my allergy plays a role in my GI health. problem is if I can't have immunotherapy what can I really do about it other than try to avoid something that is more or less everywhere?Mold causes me to feel extremely weak, dizzy, headaches, nauseated, and i feel a kind of intense panic, i have difficulty breathing and show lung volume restriction when tested, also get a stuffy nose, itchy eyes and nose and face generally, ezcema...the list just goes on and on. Most of these immediately subside when I am away from the mold usually within a few hrs (obviously not rashes/ezcema)....but I cant live in a test tube all the bloody time! When i have reactions to mold it invariably leads to some degree of destabilisation of my digestive system like everything will just suddenly go through me once, or I'll have a lot of gas and discomfort.Anyone got experience in dealing with mold allergy and the gut.....Im starting to wonder if I even have IBS at all and if it isnt all related to allergy.....also whenever i seem to get my gut under control my allergy seems to dissappear and vice versa, and when ones bad the other invariably flares too. Plus I have discovered that when I take prednisone I have no more bloating or abdominal pain.Just thought I'd ask as Im due to see my GI specialist day after tommorrow... who is recommending antibiotics, but Im wondering if I shouldnt be doing more about the allergy instead. Dr is recommending antibiotics because I have been uncomfortable (bloating, pain, gas) ever since I supposedly had what they deemed a gastro bug. BUT i had also just started immuntotherapy! Neither dr acknowledges a link between the allergy and gut imbalance but they do acknowledge that the allergy can cause GI symptoms?anyone got experience in this area?


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## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

I think there is just a general issue with anytime any health problem like any allergy (not just mold) is causing symptoms the physical stress of that can set off the IBS, or make the IBS symptoms worse.I do not think that mold allergy would cause some specific problem different from any other allergy or health issue.Now allergies do cause a release of histamine and histamine in the intestines does trigger diarrhea, so that can be a direct link to why symptoms may flare up with allergies, but it isn't specific to mold and whatever antihistamines you use should help prevent that.One thing when dealing with any allergy if you are using antihistamines is that they work much better when you have them in place BEFORE the exposure rather than wait for symptoms then take them. So something you take every day if you can't really avoid mold at all, or at least take a couple of Benedryl (and you might add that on top of the every day stuff) before you head someplace you know is moldy.


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## 23470 (Apr 18, 2005)

I have often surmised that my IBS-D is linked to my allergies...and stress, of course. The stress trigger is established medically, but I haven't read anything definitive about the allergies. I have read studies where they found that people with allergies are multiple times more likely to have IBS, and people with allergies/IBS do show increased histamine levels in the gut. That means that those histamines are being generated *in* the gut, not coming from elsewhere. I was just getting over a bad bad bout of D when my allergies just kicked up, and now I'm having problems again. When my sinuses are draining, so is my gut! I didn't have IBS-D until I moved into my current residence, or consistent D at least, which my house is 110 years old (my 29 y/o sinuses can't handle it, me thinks). I need to do a household mold test to see if that might be the case, as I'm heavily allergic to mold/mildew/dust...and everything that God created. Mold is a BIGGIE, though.I believe that one day we'll all track down what's causing this for us, and that IBS affects more than people think (like enzyme levels, mood, depression, etc) and that the answer is in treatments that correct the body processes, not mask the symptoms as we do now. I also think that this forum will be the place from which this information will be drawn, especially when Docs start to listen to us along with reading posts like this.


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## distressed (Jan 7, 2009)

Kathleen,I agree about your comments with antihistamine however they are of no value with my mold allergy (that said my dr has never offered me Bendaryl...is it OTC or prescription?)....for whatever reason the only thing that works is prednisone...and the risk and side effect profile is too high to take it as a just in case i am exposed like you can with antihistamines. On blood testing I show no raised Ige levels and yet on skin prick they see the result and when I have been exposed to the allergen they see the result on respiratory challenge testing etc. I am not sure how this differs to other allergies that show the ige levels, but it is well documented that mold allergy does not necessarily respond to antihistamines.....im not an immunologist, but I guess this has something to do with it being an allergic response to something that doesnt necessarily release histamine but responds in some other fashion such as airway restriction, gut purging etc.is there testing for histamine levels in the gut as opposed to throughout the body? cause that would be worth looking into in my case if there is a test for it.I am certain that my allergy contributes to the general health of my body and poses challenges to my digestive system, i just dont know exactly how it all works ...and i dont really care how it works...just want some stability in my health.


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## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

Benedryl is an over the counter antihistamine.If you have no changes in histamine levels at all in any way I don't know how it would directly effect the GI tract as that is the main internal signal that works for allergy and GI stuff.I don't know much about non-IgE allergies (I have mold in my allergy shots but I also quite obviously have a major histamine reaction to mold in my skin test).Since it reacts on the skin test maybe you are releasing histamine from another part of the immune system. It may be worth seeing if an antihistamine will help. I know allergy shots can make my IBS worse when it is bad.If antihistamines are totally inappropriate for you and you can't take shots you might discuss singulair, maybe in combination with inhaled steroids.Singulair hits another part of the immune system (so you could be getting histamine released from it) the leukotrienes which can play a role in allergy and asthma responses. I take it for both asthma and allergies. It works better than most of the antihistamines for me because apparently my histamine receptors are a bit odd and most of the antihistamines don't block the receptor well. Benedryl does a pretty decent job. I also take Zantac sometimes for skin issues as it seems my receptors didn't read the installation manual and even though they are supposed to be mainly in the stomach I have those receptors in other places. There are a couple of different histamine receptors Zantac blocks one, Benedryl blocks another. Somethings like Doxepin which is sold as an antidepressant is also a very good antihistamine and blocks both at the same time.Both Benedryl and Zantac are available OTC. Singulair, Doxepin and inhaled steroids are all prescription.


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## Meghan_F (Dec 4, 2008)

huh? interesting. I have a mold allergy...I dont know what type because I didn't pay attention when the allergist told me since I had 5 other allergens on my list. I will be moving in a couple months...I guess Ill see then


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## distressed (Jan 7, 2009)

yeh I tried singulair, in fact Ive tried every type of inhaled stuff....and nebulised pulmicort was the only thing to help.I will ask about benadryl.Obviously i am releasing some histamine because I get the skin welts..... thats why i asked if theres a way to test if its being released in the gut.I don't quite understand why i dont feel benefit from antihistamines, but my allergist said it is not uncommon for a mold allergy.At this stage the allergist has written me a script for prednisone and left it to me to use when i see fit....but i;d rather have other options.I can ask about doxepin, but i have thus far had some very bad reactions to antidepressants without any benefit. The list I have tried is:EpilimEfexorAurorixZyprexaTopamaxEndep (amitriptyline)ZelmacLuvoxCipramilAropaxProzacEdronaxSolianAbilifyLamictalLithiumendep would be the closest to doxepin as they are both tricyclics, but the endep in minut doses caused me to have blood pressure than remained for several weeks at around 200/90.....needless to say i felt pretty bad after the 2 weeks and it was discontinued. God i'd love to just take a tablet to fix the problem though.


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