Allergies/ Mulch pile /Molds?

Hi,
I love learning from this site.
Over 4th of July weekend, my husband and I where digging up a mulch pile & adding it to the raised beds.
This mulch pile was about 1 - 1. 1/2 yrs old. Full load dropped off by the Asplundh tree people. I believe most of the shaving were cedar. Pile had Lots of black ants in there too.
My husband shoveled into 5 gal buckets and brought them to me where I filled each raised bed. I was more hands on with the mulch the hubby.  We dug at this pile till it was gone.
Monday morning I overslept, was tired, thinking it was from the busy weekend. I had a headache and seems like my allergies where bothering me. Made it to work all day but feeling congested, throat felling sore, coughing some. I mentioned to my boss what a busy weekend we had and how my allergies are bothering me. He said I think it’s mold from the mulch pile.
Tuesday to this last Sunday, I felt like crap. During that time my symptoms where like cold & flu, no fever. Lots of coughing, throat stayed sore cause of coughing. Sleeping a lot. Then after blowing my nose and coughing up stuff turned colored. Along with my left eye looking like I had pink eye. Got an antibiotic and medicated eye drops from my doc.
Today first day feeling better and was able to work.
Could this have been from mold in the mulch pile?
It blows me away thinking this (mold) knocked me out like this for a week.
Have any of you ever been through this before? With so many permies on here I would think I’m not the only one this has happened too.
I have another mulch pile that we need to use up, same age, not sure if any cedar in it.
I definitely know I’ll be wearing a N95 mask if I am getting close to the mulch piles.
Is there a better time of year that I don’t have to worry about mold?
Any suggestions or helpful hints?
Thank you so much in advance!

I am aware cedar dust or shavings can cause a reaction in some people.
Woodworkers have to stop using that timber if they are effected by it.
From; https://www.myurgentcareclinic-boerne.com/blog/cedar-fever-
"What are the symptoms of cedar allergies?
Cedar fever symptoms may include itchy, watery, red eyes; nasal congestion, runny nose and sinus pressure; sneezing; sore throat and fatigue.
Despite its name, cedar fever doesn't cause a fever, but inflammation triggered by the allergic reaction may raise the body temperature slightly."
From; Wood dust and allergies
"Can you be allergic to cedar dust?
Exposure to western red cedar dust at work may result in a variety of health problems for some workers, including irritation of the skin, eyes, nose, and throat.
Some susceptible individuals may also develop allergies to the dust."

La Haga wrote:Hi,
I love learning from this site.
Over 4th of July weekend, my husband and I where digging up a mulch pile & adding it to the raised beds.
This mulch pile was about 1 - 1. 1/2 yrs old. Full load dropped off by the Asplundh tree people. I believe most of the shaving were cedar. Pile had Lots of black ants in there too.
My husband shoveled into 5 gal buckets and brought them to me where I filled each raised bed. I was more hands on with the mulch the hubby.  We dug at this pile till it was gone.
Monday morning I overslept, was tired, thinking it was from the busy weekend. I had a headache and seems like my allergies where bothering me. Made it to work all day but feeling congested, throat felling sore, coughing some. I mentioned to my boss what a busy weekend we had and how my allergies are bothering me. He said I think it’s mold from the mulch pile.
Tuesday to this last Sunday, I felt like crap. During that time my symptoms where like cold & flu, no fever. Lots of coughing, throat stayed sore cause of coughing. Sleeping a lot. Then after blowing my nose and coughing up stuff turned colored. Along with my left eye looking like I had pink eye. Got an antibiotic and medicated eye drops from my doc.
Today first day feeling better and was able to work.
Could this have been from mold in the mulch pile?
It blows me away thinking this (mold) knocked me out like this for a week.
Have any of you ever been through this before? With so many permies on here I would think I’m not the only one this has happened too.
I have another mulch pile that we need to use up, same age, not sure if any cedar in it.
I definitely know I’ll be wearing a N95 mask if I am getting close to the mulch piles.
Is there a better time of year that I don’t have to worry about mold?
Any suggestions or helpful hints?
Thank you so much in advance!

Unfamiliar with mold in mulch but I do know mold toxicity can be troublesome as I had it myself. I got tested from a naturopath in my area to confirm my levels were very high. If you’re concerned with mold toxicity, you can get a test or just start taking some glutathione.

That definitely sounds like mold to me. I've experienced the same kind of symptoms several times when I failed to put on a proper mask to move mulch or old leaves, so you're not the only one. Mold is powerful stuff and can do quite the number on one's health, so taking proper precautions is wise. Wearing a well fitting N95 mask is a great idea. The fit is important, as I've noticed a few times that even wearing one, I was still getting respiratory symptoms. So make sure it's sealing against your face. I'd also recommend showering and washing the clothes you wore after working with mulch. Otherwise, you're still being exposed to the mold spores and spreading them about.

Drier and/or colder times of year might have less mold hazard. I think wearing a good mask is a wise move regardless though.

John C Daley—
Interesting! Sounds exactly like what I had. My temp is usually 96-97’s, but during all that it was around 98. Still normal but not usually for me.

Briella Ac —
I will look into that.

Heather Sharpe—
Thank you for the suggestions. Definitely going to change some things for the better.

That sounds like a mold reaction to me too. Along with the N95 mask, you might consider eye protection of some sort. Any particles in the air can get into your eyes and cause a reaction. Also, the particle-contaminated tears then go down the tear duct into your nasal passages then down the throat. Wearing goggles sucks when working in the heat, but some eye protection might reduce direct blowback of dusty material into the eyes. I use regular eye protection when mulching old hay and it seems to help some. After a session of moving mulch, if it feels like you still got a dose, a quick nasal rinse works really well. The idea is to reduce the load of material getting into your system, not necessarily stopping it 100%, which can be pretty difficult in normal situations.

Mold in compost piles bothers me too. Allergic reaction -- general flu-ish symptoms, bronchial discomfort.

Mold loves conditions that hover between damp and semi-dry. My solution is to be more aggressive about keeping the moisture levels high in the compost piles to discourage mold. Chopping compost material to 4-inch lengths helps it pack more tightly. Moldy stuff goes in a tub where it gets thoroughly soaked, and back on the pile it goes. When turning piles, I also watch the prevailing breeze, use long-handled tools, and in some situations wear an N95 mask with an exhale valve.