What made me sick? This is a question I think about more often than I should. First I'll explain what the medical community believes and then I'll share my thoughts...
So what causes Behcet's? Another million dollar question. You figure it out and you'll probably be rich. They say it's likely due to genetic and environmental factors. The truth is nobody knows for sure. There is research being done to try to find out the cause. The American Behcet's Disease Association website has awesome info about current studies and info for those of you with questions about this disease.
http://www.behcets.com/site/pp.asp?c=bhJIJSOCJrH&b=260551
As for my story, it goes like this:
I was living in a house full of mold for 4 years. We didn't know how bad it was until it started showing up on our walls, which was about 2 1/2 year into us living there. I recall having the sneezing, itchy eyes, and other symptoms you would get from being around mold. In February of 2011, I got real sick, which I will talk more in detail about in another post. I've had numerous doctors ask me if I had a stressful life event at this time of my life and the answer is always the same: NO
I believe the mold was my trigger.
As for genetics, there is nobody in my family that I am aware of with any type of autoimmune disease. I am being treated for endometriosis and a pelvic adhesion since 2005. The cause is unknown. They told me I was just one of those people who developed it and couldn't give me a reason why. Thank you God of Health, I always wanted to be unique. (sarcasm for those of you who don't know me). The interesting part of this is endometriosis is a common thing for us girls with Behcet's. Or so I've learned from other girls with Behcet's I talk to. So is this something that was brewing in my body and waiting for the environmental trigger to set it off?
Something else I find fascinating is the link above talks about Streptococcus being associated with the disease. If you haven't clicked on the link, now would be a good time:) I had my tonsils out when I was 6 years old due to chronic strep infections. Is this part of it? Maybe.
I know there are others who have a similar story to mine with the mold exposure. For me, there is no doubt that mold was my trigger. I often think about what my life would be like if I didn't live in that house. Would I have developed this disease? Would I still be leading a normal life? Going to school. Working full time. Being able to enjoy the normal things in life. Why did I get this and Jason didn't? I try not to think too much about it since there is nothing I can do to change it, but there is always going to be those "what ifs".
“Life may not be the party we hoped for, but while we’re here we should dance.” Unknown
Man my name is MAtt and I found your blog through abda message boards. Awesome stuff. But i often wonder the same thing. I can tell you I have had exposures to mold. I have done things I regret deeply. I started using inhalents to get high when I was 10. I had mouth full of sores often but didn't tell anyone cause i thought it was from inhalents and maybe it was...who knows right. I also experimented very very heavily with chemical hallucenogens in my early teen yrs. I sometimes think any of those things could have contributed. I have been clean for over 10 yrs. But honestly I really believe it was the mold. I always had such a sensitivity to it. I can walk into a place and teel you if there is mold under the house no joke. But the trigger that sent me into a frightening collection of severe less benign symptoms of bd was a shoulder surgery. 2 days after a huge patch of my tongue fell off. Not really painful but i was on pain meds so who knows. As a kid I had chronic bronchitis and pleurasy. our basement flooded often and i lived down there......mold. I can put my vote up for an exposure to mold.
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