Mold – Where Do I Start?

  1. Visual contrast study. This evaluation is easily conducted online and is combined with a questionnaire to identify all symptoms you are experiencing.
    https://www.vcstest.com/
    Please, complete the VCS test and write down your total number (no printing necessary) ​
  2. Next take the Biotoxin Test available at http://biotoxinjourney.com/biotoxinillness-test/
    Write down your score.
  3. If the above free tests indicate likely mold exposure a followup with Sprouts Health to get confirmation tests for Urine Mycotoxin and Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) testing from Great Plains Laboratory.
  4. MRI Neuroquant. While not absolutely necessary, we at Sprouts Health recommend that a volumetric MRI of the brain be conducted. There are known alterations to the brain that occur due to mycotoxin – a toxic substance produced by a fungus – an illness that is reversible, and those changes to the brain can be identified through the use of MRI testing.
  5. Test results are used in conjunction with an examination of certain innate immune system markers.
  6. Book An Appointment with Sprouts Health

➢TGFB-1

➢MMP-9

➢VEGF

➢MSH

➢VIP

➢C4A

➢C3A

➢Osmolality/ADH

➢Cortisol/ACTH

➢Leptin

Where to Find More Information:

http://www.survivingmold.com/

https://www.vcstest.com/

https://www.moldillnessmadesimple.com

References:

  1. Shoemaker R. Diagnosis of Pfiesteria-human illness syndrome. Maryland Medical Journal 1997; 521-523.
  2. Shoemaker R. Treatment of persistent Pfiesteria-human illness syndrome. Maryland Medical Journal 1998; 47: 64-66.
  3. Grattan L, Oldach D, Perl T, Lowitt M, Matuszak D, Dickson C, Parrott C, Shoemaker R, Kauffman L, Wasserman M, Hebel R, Charache P, Morris G. Learning and memory difficulties after environmental exposure to waterways containing toxin-producing Pfiesteria or Pfiesteria-like dinoflagellates. The Lancet 1998; 352: 532-539.
  4. Shoemaker R, Bullano K. Use of pioglitazone to prevent intensification of persistent symptoms following cholestyramine treatment of patients with Post-Lyme syndrome. 2000; American Diabetes Association Annual Meeting. (conference peer review)
  5. Shoemaker R. Endocrine Society 6/2001. Use of rosiglitazone in treatment of hyperinsulinemic obesity in non-diabetics (conference peer review).
  6. Shoemaker R, Hudnell K. Possible Estuary-Associated Syndrome: Symptoms, vision, and treatment. Environmental Health Perspectives 2001; 109: 539-545.
  7. Shoemaker R. Residential and recreational acquisition of possible estuary-associated syndrome: A new approach to successful diagnosis and treatment. Environmental Health Perspectives 2001; 109: 791-796.
  8. Shoemaker R. Linkage disequilibrium in alleles of HLA DR: differential association with susceptibility to chronic illness following exposure to biologically produced neurotoxins. American Society of Microbiology 2003. (conference peer review).
  9. Shoemaker R, Hudnell K, House D. Sick Building Syndrome in Water Damaged Buildings: Generalization of the Chronic Biotoxin-Associated Illness Paradigm to Indoor Toxigenic-Fungi Exposure. 9/2003 5th International conference on bioaerosols (conference peer review)
  10. Shoemaker R. Use of visual contrast sensitivity and cholestyramine in diagnosis and treatment of indoor air acquired, chronic, neurotoxin-mediated illness. 9/2003 (conference peer review)
  11. Shoemaker R, Hudnell K, House D, Domenico P. Association of nasal carriage of methicillin resistant and multiple antibiotic resistant coagulase negative staphylococci species with deficiency of alpha melanocyte stimulating hormone in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: implication for expanded treatment options. American Society of Microbiology 2003. (conference peer review)
  12. Shoemaker R, Hudnell D. A time-series study of sick building syndrome: chronic, biotoxin-associated illness from exposure to water-damaged buildings. Neurotoxicology and Teratology 2004; 1-18.
  13. Shoemaker R, Rash J, Simon E. Sick Building syndrome in water damaged buildings: generalization of the chronic biotoxin associated illness paradigm to indoor toxigenic fungi. Bioaerosols, fungi, bacteria, mycotoxins and human health. Dr med Eckardt Johanning MD editor 2006.
  14. Shoemaker R, Hudnell, House D, Kempen A, Pakes G. Atovaquone plus cholestyramine in patients coinfected with Babesia microti and Borrelia burgdorferi refractory to other treatment. Advances in Therapy 2006; 23: 1-11.
  15. Shoemaker R, Lipsey R. Results of health screening and visual contrast testing. St. Bernard’s Parish, Louisiana. 2006. published on-line
  16. Shoemaker R, House D. Sick building syndrome (SBS) and exposure to water-damaged buildings: Time series study, clinical trial and mechanisms. Neurotoxicology and Teratology 2006; 573-588.
  17. Shoemaker R, Lawson W. Pfiesteria in Estuarine Waters: The question of health risks. Environmental Health Perspectives 2007; 115: A2-A3.
  18. Shoemaker R, Lin K. Inside Indoor Air Quality: Environmental Relative Moldiness Index (ERMI). Filtration News 2007; 32-36.
  1. Shoemaker R, Maizel M. Treatment of elevated C4a in patients with CFS using low doses of erythropoietin safely reduces symptoms and lowers C4a: a prospective clinical trial 2007, IACFS (conference peer review).
  2. Shoemaker R, Giclas P, Crowder C, House D. Complement split products C3a and C4a are early markers of acute Lyme disease in tick bite patients in the United States. International Archives of Allergy Immunol 2008; 146: 255-261.
  3. Shoemaker R, Maizel M. Innate immunity, MR spectroscopy, HLA DR, TGF beta-1, VIP and capillary hypoperfusion define acute and chronic human illness acquired following exposure to water-damaged buildings. 2008. International Healthy Buildings (conference peer review)
  4. Shoemaker R, Maizel M. Exposure to interior environments of water-damaged buildings causes a CFS-like illness in pediatric patients: a case/control study. 2009 bulletin of the IACFS
  5. Shoemaker R, House D. Characterization of chronic human illness associated with exposure to cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms predominated by Microcystis. 2009 Cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms pg 653.
  6. Shoemaker R, Exposure to water damaged buildings causes a readily identifiable chronic inflammatory response syndrome successfully treated by a sequential intervention protocol. Biology of Fungi, International Mycology Congress 2009 (conference peer review)
  7. Shoemaker R, House D, Ryan J. Defining the neurotoxin derived illness chronic ciguatera using markers of chronic systemic inflammatory disturbances: A case/control study. Neurotoxicology and Teratology 2010; 633-639.
  8. Shoemaker R. ACOEM position statements on mold: ploys and lies. Published on line 2011.
  9. Shoemaker R, House D, Ryan J. Vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) corrects chronic inflammatory response syndrome (CIRS) acquired following exposure to water-damaged buildings. Health 2013; 3: 396-401.
  10. Shoemaker R. House D, Ryan J Structural Brain Abnormalities in Patients with Inflamatory Illness acquired Following Exposure to Water Damaged Buildings A Volumetric MRI Study Using Neuroquant. June 17, 2014
  11. Ryan J. Wu Q. Shoemaker R. Transcriptomic Signatures in Whole Blood of Patients Who Acquire CIRS Following an Exposure to the Marine Toxin Ciguatoxin. August 8 2015
  12. Medically sound investigation and remediation of water-damaged buildings in cases of chronic inflammatory response syndrome.Berndtson K, McMahon S, Ackerley M, Rapaport S, Gupta S, Shoemaker R, January 19, 2016
  13. Indoor Environmental Professionals Panel of Surviving Mold CONSENSUS STATEMENT Medically sound investigation and remediation of water-damaged Buildings in cases of CIRS-WDB; Larry Schwartz CIEC, BSME, MBA, Greg Weatherman CMC, Michael Schrantz CIEC, CMI, BPI-BA/EP, Will Spates CIAQP, CIEC, Jeff Charlton, ACIEC, AACIEH, Keith Berndtson MD, Ritchie Shoemaker MD April 12, 2016
  14. Reduction in Forebrain Parenchymal and Cortical Grey Matter Swelling across Treatment Groups in Patients with Inflammatory Illness Acquired Following Exposure to Water-Damaged Buildings. McMahon SW, Shoemaker RC, and Ryan, JC April 12, 2016
  15. Internal Medicine Review- Intranasal VIP safely restores volume to multiple grey matter nuclei
    in patients with CIRS- April 2017 Shoemaker, R., Katz, D., Ackerley, M., Rapaport, S., McMahon, S., Berndtson, K., Ryan, J.
  16. Shoemaker, RC and Lark, D – 2016, HERTSMI-2 and ERMI: “Correlating Human Health Risk with Mold Specific qPCR in Water-Damaged Buildings” #658 in Proceedings of the 14th International Conference on Indoor Air Quality and Climate, International Society for Indoor Air Quality and Climate, Ghent, Belguim.
  17. Policy Holders of America: Research Committee Report on Diagnosis and Treatment of Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome Caused by Exposure to the Interior Environment of Water-Damaged Buildings (2010)