Biotoxin Illness Test

Updated on October 14, 2014 – version 2

This test uses a formula developed by Dr. Ritchie Shoemaker. When administered by a trained Physician that knows how to ask and re-ask questions to tell what symptoms are present, the test is 98% accurate! Your job when taking the test is to think like a Physician – to be as unbiased and clinical as possible. To get good results, don’t rush.

If you follow the directions and can remain level-headed when taking the test, you will get a real good sense if you’re suffering from Biotoxin Illness. I know when I was really sick, I longed for the kind of accuracy this test has the potential to afford – instead of the mountain of theories about how adrenal fatigue, hypothyroidism, Lyme, heavy metals, and so on may be at the core of my problems but with no way to really know for sure – except for spending a lot of money and trying each one.

To see how this test compares with Dr. Shoemaker’s data, see Biotoxin Illness Test Results.

Biotoxin Illness Test – Android App


Update June 2017 Android App
Biotoxin Illness App
If you want to take the test using an app, here is one made by Rockvole.
Update End

Bonus

Upon successful completion of the test, not only will you be told how likely it is that you suffer from Biotoxin Illness (mold illness) but you’ll also get to see the 35 symptoms Dr. Shoemaker found to be most predictive of mold issues and the 13 clusters he grouped them into for test purposes. In addition, you will be shown all 54 known HLA DR genotypes to help with evaluating HLA DR test results. You can learn more about this information in the Are You Moldy post.

Important Test Guidelines

  • Remove Drug Effects – answer based upon how you feel without helpful pills
  • Get Family/Friend Help – to assist in remembering and staying unbiased
  • Don’t Exaggerate – compare yourself to typical friends – not athletes
  • At Your Worst – if better now, recall a 1-year block of time when at your worst
  • Doesn’t Matter Why – click Yes if a symptom fits regardless of the cause

Classification

  1. Newbie – I’m uncertain that mold may be contributing to my impaired health but I have suspicions.
  2. Student – I have studied chronic illnesses somewhat and believe mold may be affecting my health.
  3. Veteran – Although I don’t have lab work, I have studied mold extensively and improved my health through mold avoidance and treatment.
  4. Patient – I have or had many symptoms and labs showing a susceptible HLA genotype along with other out of range markers like high C4a.
  5. Injured – I’m neither a Veteran nor Patient but after being exposed to indoor mold, my health has declined dramatically.
  6. Mold Free – Mold is not an issue. Although I may not be particularily well, I do not have Chronic Lyme, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Fibromyalgia, Ankylosing Spondylitis, or some other non-descript chronic illness. I’m generously taking the test to provide data for test improvement.

Symptom Checklist

Hover to See More

  1. Abdominal Pain
    Yes
    No
    more…

    Chronic nagging abdominal pain that varies in intensity. Can vary from pain over the entire abdomen to a persistent knot at the solar plexus to a dull ache over the kidneys.
  2. Ice Pick Pain
    Yes
    No
    more…

    Brief, intense, sharp, stabbing pain that lasts for a few seconds and occurs several or more times on a daily basis. The frequency and intensity may vary.
  3. Appetite Swings
    Yes
    No
    more…

    Hungry one day followed by disinterest in food or nausea the next.
  4. Light Sensitivity
    Yes
    No
    more…

    Bright light is very discomforting and may be overwhelming.
  5. Teary Eyes
    Yes
    No
    more…

    Persistent watery eyes as if welling up to cry with tears that may be thicker. May wake up with eyes crusted over.
  6. Static Shocks
    Yes
    No
    more…

    Constantly getting static shocks. Have developed strategies like always closing the car door with your sleeve protected arm to prevent getting shocked. May also include causing reception to drop out when walking by a radio.
  7. Mood Swings
    Yes
    No
    more…

    Intolerant and quick to anger, depressed and weepy, joyful and loving, all in the same day or from one day to the next.
  8. Temperature Regulation
    Yes
    No
    more…

    Frequently having to add or remove clothing to keep from sweating or getting chilled. For examples, starting out with heavy bedding at bedtime that is removed later in the evening or being unable to step outside even briefly in the cold without experiencing deep chills.
  9. Sweats
    Yes
    No
    more…

    Sweating at any time of the day without exertion and frequently includes night sweats during sleep.
  10. Disorientation
    Yes
    No
    more…

    Losing your bearings that may vary from not being able to remember how to make the daily commute home to being unsure where you are within a shopping center. Forgetting which way to turn at the end of the drive to get to a frequented destination.

Remember     Remember

  • Remove Drug Effects – answer based upon how you feel without helpful pills
  • Get Family/Friend Help – to assist in remembering and staying unbiased
  • Don’t Exaggerate – compare yourself to typical friends – not athletes
  • At Your Worst – if better now, recall a 1-year block of time when at your worst
  • Doesn’t Matter Why – click Yes if a symptom fits regardless of the cause

  1. Word Recall
    Yes
    No
    more…

    Frequently find yourself looking for relatively common words mid-sentence and often having to rephrase the sentence because you’re unable to recall the missing word. Generally worse when tired or stressed.
  2. Memory
    Yes
    No
    more…

    Can’t remember more than one or two items in a list without making a serious effort. It may get so bad that within minutes you forget you were even trying to remember something. Forget mid-sentence what you were about to say. Forgetting why you got up and went into another part of the house by the time you get there. Make a lot of lists.
  3. Tingling
    Yes
    No
    more…

    Prickly, tingling feelings often on the head but can be anywhere.
  4. Unusual Skin Sensations
    Yes
    No
    more…

    Feelings of itching, burning, and skin crawling without any visible rash or skin abnormality.
  5. Concentration
    Yes
    No
    more…

    Unable to stay focused. More easily distracted and lose track of what was being worked on more easily. May bounce from one task to the next without any direction. Mindlessly visit the same websites or click through Facebook and YouTube pages.
  6. Joint Pain
    Yes
    No
    more…

    Some days are worse than others but pain is bad enough that you limit activity or can’t sleep. May frequently take anti-inflammatory drugs like aspirin, ibuprofen, or naproxen sodium.
  7. Morning Stiffness
    Yes
    No
    more…

    Waking up with stiffness in small and large joints that takes more than 15 minutes of movement to work out the kinks.

  8. Body Aches
    Yes
    No
    more…

    Some days are better than others, but it’s hurting all over for no apparent reason.
  9. Muscle Cramps
    Yes
    No
    more…

    Tend to get muscle spasms without exertion and may occur even during sleep.
  10. Chronic Fatigue
    Yes
    No
    more…

    Do not recovery after a night’s sleep – crash for days after doing what is normal for others before gathering enough energy to make another push to get work done.
  11. Frequent Urination
    Yes
    No
    more…

    Drinking even as little as a cup of water results in a restroom stop shortly after.
  12. Weak
    Yes
    No
    more…

    Physical muscle weakness – can’t remove twist-off lids, or lift that heavy bag of groceries.
  13. Cough
    Yes
    No
    more…

    Persistent, intermittent cough for no apparent reason.
  14. Red Eyes
    Yes
    No
    more…

    Eyes that appear irritated for no apparent reason.
  15. Numbness
    Yes
    No
    more…

    Commonly affecting the hands, feet, and face but may be anywhere.
  16. Vertigo
    Yes
    No
    more…

    Experience motion (usually spinning) when there is none. For example, feeling as if the car is moving when stopped at a red light.
  17. Confusion
    Yes
    No
    more…

    Unable to think as quickly or with the usual level of clarity. May have difficulty following in-depth conversations or juggling as many variables or thoughts.
  18. Decreased Assimilation
    Yes
    No
    more…

    Often have to re-read and read again to retain just a fraction of what would normally be retained.
  19. Thirst
    Yes
    No
    more…

    Can’t drink enough to ever feel quenched even after drinking a lot. Often feel parched and may take a water bottle everywhere.
  20. Sinus
    Yes
    No
    more…

    Thick post-nasal drip, sinusitis, or feeling stuffed up that reoccurs shortly after varying treatments.
  21. Headache
    Yes
    No
    more…

    Can last for days of varying intensity but may be severe.
  22. Blurred Vision
    Yes
    No
    more…

    Unable to focus to the same level of sharpness or unable to see fine details that may vary from day to day. May include worse depth perception resulting in misstepping onto a curb.
  23. Diarrhea
    Yes
    No
    more…

    Watery or looser stools that may last for days or longer at a time.
  24. Metallic Taste
    Yes
    No
    more…

    Tastes like there is a copper penny or silver quarter in your mouth.
  25. Shortness of Breath
    Yes
    No
    more…

    Even minor exertion leads to shortness of breath – carrying light objects, climbing stairs.

Additional

Confirmed Biotoxin Helper
Yes
No
more…

Click Yes if you checked either Patient or Veteran in the Classification section above and are taking the test based upon how you felt prior to treatment so that your data can be used to improve the test and determine it’s accuracy. Thank You!.

I agree to the Terms and Conditions.
Yes
No
more…

By checking this box you are acknowledging that you have read and agree with BiotoxinJourney’s Disclaimer (see below). In addtion, you are giving express permission for this information, stripped of any personally identifiable information, to be stored in a database for future use.