Sydney mum diagnosed with Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome due to mould exposure

Sydney mum diagnosed with Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome due to mould exposure

A Sydney woman has spoken out about a severe reaction to mould that she suffered, wanting to raise awareness of the severity of illness that can be attributed to mould exposure.

Amy was living in a rental home in Sydney’s Palm Beach in 2016 when she first started noticing a musty smell. The flat had been freshly painted before she moved in, so she didn’t think anything of the smell.

She then noticed she had become fatigued, requiring naps to make it through the day, but put it down to having two small children. As months and years went by, she noticed her overall health deteriorating.

Her symptoms included watery eyes, ringing in her ears and eczema. Despite numerous doctor’s visits, most doctors put her symptoms down to stress and fatigue.

“Eventually, we found out that it was mould hidden in the wall cavities,” Amy explained.

“The mould was in the wall cavities, but the spores were being released through the air vents and through the windows, and I think they were landing on the carpet.

“I was forever vacuuming that carpet, that was stirring it all up, and we were breathing it all in.”

She noted that finding a health professional to diagnose her was akin to “doctor shopping”.

“I ended up with a great environmental integrated practitioner who took one look at me and said, ‘I think it’s mould – you need to move,” she said.

She told the doctor that she loved the flat and didn’t want to move. A week later she collapsed at home and found herself in hospital, diagnosed with pneumonia and Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome.

“I couldn’t walk; I couldn’t do anything for about six weeks,” Amy explained.

Amy’s experience inspired her to begin a new career as a mould testing technician, and she wants to help people so that people don’t have to have the same experience as she did.

Amy noted in her new role, “A lot of my clients have had existing mould issues, and it’s just been exacerbated by the weather, so that’s why I’m going in and doing these assessments.”

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