Were the beans just fungus? (as per Realitycheck)

[howie]

It's been a week and a half since I had the whole house water filter installed. I'm absolutely shocked by the difference - my skin, my hair, my clothes... everything is different. I tried to replicate the pond scum in the tub scenario I'd gotten in the past. Nothing but crystal clear water. I've had to rewash all my clothes because I noticed a skanky smell coming from things I washed awhile back. I also found out that my town has started replacing huge sections of water main within the past month. I think maybe the CDC knows this is from contaminated tap water and that's why no statement has been released - what kind of panic would that cause???

I'm certain now that my condition came from ingesting and bathing in unfiltered tap water. The good news is that the last of my symptoms - that sensation of mvmt behind my shoulder blade - is gone. It stopped a few days ago - I woke real achy on Thursday morning with a fever - the aches lasted for two more days and today I finally feel ok again (just a little achy). But I haven't felt that sensation since Wed so I think whatever it was died and my body's already disposing of it.

Steve, I want to believe your theory about all these sponges masquerading as other organisms - but wouldn't that also mean that people who have M are really sponges and not people?? I do believe this is a marine creature, probably fresh water and possibly from bio-remediation as Venetia suggests - perhaps that involves re-establishing sponge populations that were killed off by pollution in some areas (but not where sponges don't normally live). I'm thinking this is more along the lines of slugs and similar creatures, which I think was investigated in some threads awhile back. It totally explains the yellow goo since that's what nudibranchs lay their eggs in - millions of eggs... they're also carnivores. It also explains the shiny things (diatoms) and other strange stuff people complain of seeing on their skin and clothes. A broken water main would be a breeding ground for bacteria and fungi. There is the possibility that there are just many decaying water mains or water filtration systems in disrepair that haven't been corrected. It wouldn't be unusual for slugs to infiltrate a broken water pipe and for their eggs to make their way thru the city main into my tap water.

Before this happened, it never occurred to me that my tap water might damage my health, but I'm absolutely convinced that's what caused my illness, especially since my town is replacing so many sections of the water main (half the town is torn up!)

I would urge everyone reading this to get a water filter - whatever you can afford - even if it's a cheap $25 deal from a hardware store. Don't drink or soak your body in unfiltered tap water. I still haven't worked up the nerve to drink a glass of tap water from my kitchen sink, even with the filter and all the improvement I've seen - but I'll get there. The strangest thing of all is that all the bug problems in the house, all the excessive dust I was getting and those strange lint balls - all of that is gone now. The bugs disappeared a few days after the water filter was installed - haven't seen a single one since then.

Crossing my fingers that my nightmare is over. It's going to be a long next few months waiting this out to see if any new symptoms arise.

Best to all of you!

[Venetia]

Thanks for the info, Howie. It's always good to know that there is help out there!

I have long believed that water is a major problem for us- if not a vector for this condition and I think you are proving that to be true.

My water 'changed' in the 1990's. It was so sweet- well water. Almost Artesian quality. Then MCI installed cable lines behind all the houses on my street. They had to dynamite in areas where there was stone. That seemed to change the water for all of us. I notice that my neighbors are changing their water tanks frequently the same that I have been forced to do. Whatever is in it now- I won't drink. I disconnected my water filter in the basement for a time and mold grew in the clear plastic piping that carries the overflow to a drain. Mold!

Now I have to import water for drinking and cooking.

Thanks again for the post!

-V-

[Katinka]

Originally Posted by howie

I'm certain now that my condition came from ingesting and bathing in unfiltered tap water. The good news is that the last of my symptoms - that sensation of mvmt behind my shoulder blade - is gone. It stopped a few days ago - I woke real achy on Thursday morning with a fever - the aches lasted for two more days and today I finally feel ok again (just a little achy). But I haven't felt that sensation since Wed so I think whatever it was died and my body's already disposing of it.

Steve, I want to believe your theory about all these sponges masquerading as other organisms - but wouldn't that also mean that people who have M are really sponges and not people?? I do believe this is a marine creature, probably fresh water and possibly from bio-remediation as Venetia suggests - perhaps that involves re-establishing sponge populations that were killed off by pollution in some areas (but not where sponges don't normally live). I'm thinking this is more along the lines of slugs and similar creatures, which I think was investigated in some threads awhile back. It totally explains the yellow goo since that's what nudibranchs lay their eggs in - millions of eggs... they're also carnivores. It also explains the shiny things (diatoms) and other strange stuff people complain of seeing on their skin and clothes. A broken water main would be a breeding ground for bacteria and fungi. There is the possibility that there are just many decaying water mains or water filtration systems in disrepair that haven't been corrected. It wouldn't be unusual for slugs to infiltrate a broken water pipe and for their eggs to make their way thru the city main into my tap water.

Before this happened, it never occurred to me that my tap water might damage my health, but I'm absolutely convinced that's what caused my illness, especially since my town is replacing so many sections of the water main (half the town is torn up!)

I would urge everyone reading this to get a water filter - whatever you can afford - even if it's a cheap $25 deal from a hardware store. Don't drink or soak your body in unfiltered tap water. I still haven't worked up the nerve to drink a glass of tap water from my kitchen sink, even with the filter and all the improvement I've seen - but I'll get there. The strangest thing of all is that all the bug problems in the house, all the excessive dust I was getting and those strange lint balls - all of that is gone now. The bugs disappeared a few days after the water filter was installed - haven't seen a single one since then.

Crossing my fingers that my nightmare is over. It's going to be a long next few months waiting this out to see if any new symptoms arise.

Best to all of you!

Hi Howie, after I have seen moving fibers and other strange looking objects in my home town water I have never drank that water again! I also made the mistake once to drink tap water which I usually do not do..but did at that point..right before I had the main outbreak of 'M'.

I also think, like you, that the water could also be a main vector causing this disease.

Installing a good water filter system is a good thing to do! And before taking showers I let the hot water run a few minutes..

All in all..it helped!

Kat

[Steve Frey]

This maybe true Venetia but this thread is for addressing Nancy's observations recorded earlier in her thread "hanging out inside the lesion"

How does it feel?