Chemical Sensitivity

[Sinenox]

Ditto Queen of Hearts. I've always been sensitive but I've noticed that seems to be going away. Also, my allergies haven't acted up around any of their triggers of late. They used to be terrible. How strange all of this is.

[statedrone]

I guess I will add my "Me too" to the list. Chemicals have always bothered me. I also have sensitivity to any and all make-up, and perfumes. I get physically sick. Most household chemicals make me break out, and I have difficulty breathing. I did see an allergist about 6 years ago, and found out I was allergic to literally everything he tested me for. Of the 65 tests I was allergic to 64. I went for 3 years and got poked every 3 days or once a week, and I NEVER noticed any improvement. Finally I gave up. The only thing it did for me was make me feel worse.

[angst2amity]

I was wondering if people could list their non-food sensitivities -so we could see some commonalities.

Me

Anaphylaxis (hives, swelling, and/or breathing trouble):

Latex

Levaquin

Welbutrin after 3 weeks (doctor wouldn't believe me, gave me medrol shots etc., finally took myself off and knew what to do next time with Cymbalta - I had terrible hives covering almost every surface of my body with welbutrin)

Cymbalta after 3 weeks

CNS Reaction:

Reglan - convulsion

Toradol - tremor

Pneumo Vax - tremor

Eye Ulcers or Skin Celulitis:

Neomycin - eye ulcers

Insect bites or stings - celulitis, need steroid shot to recover from venom

Other:

I don't seem to have any inhaled sensitivies except air that has been a balloon

Anyone else want to contribute?

[Helena]

Sure---

probably allergic to latex. (I have had a positive skin test + a positive RAST test. Haven't discussed the results yet with my allergist, though so the diagnosis isn't certain. I do sometimes get small hives with latex, but not all the time, and I have a tendency to get hives anyways so it is hard to tell.)

allergic to:

all the pollens my allergist tested me for, some moulds (i.e. the ones commonly found in our environment). feathers, various animals, dust mites.

systemic reaction to preseasonal allergy vaccination shot (grass and ragweed pollen)---slight breathing difficulty, swelling around the eye area (allergist won't let me try this treatment again!)

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reactions to various chemicals:

some but not all perfumes (sneezing, runny nose, feeling tired, unwell), suspected reaction to clothing dyes (sometimes I get hives when trying on new clothes in the store. of course maybe there are traces of stuff I'm allergic to. but I also sometimes get hayfever symptoms when shopping for clothes too long)

I feel particularly icky when spending too long in the shoe department.

various cleaning chemicals----after spending an evening cleaning the bathroom with regular cleaning products I used to feel kind of hyped like I had imbibed large quantities of caffeine. I'd have trouble going to sleep. Then I'd wake up the next morning feeling like I had a hangover + like a headache was coming on. Environmental allergies would be worse too. (I now use natural products)

cigarette smoke. Makes me wheeze very slightly + I feel like I have a hangover. I feel unwell for a few days after being in a smokey place. Sometimes I react if I can smell smoke on someone else's clothes.

chemicals in the water. When I went on the Maid of the Mist (in Niagara Falls) way back in 1985 I remember getting hives on my hands + an eczema flare up. I used to get eczema on my hands periodically---I expect that's because I wash them all the time and there is something in the water. Although it could just be the soap. Who knows.

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I also have the tendency to get hives easily. Official terms: I used to get mild cold urticaria and I've always been dermographic. (translation--I used to get hives on account of exposure to extreme cold. Sometimes this can be serious, but in my case it was just a minor annoyance. I always get hives if the surface of my skin is scratched.)

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I've only reacted to two drugs---one was some sort of asthma drug given to me when I was a kid (I think it was a theophylline). More of an adverse reaction than an allergy.

I had an allergic reaction to a topical acne medication.

That's all I can think of at the moment.

[Sinenox]

Cleaning chemicals and cigarette smoke are my biggies. Cig smoke makes my throat swell shut. I've also noticed some skin changes around latex. Other than that, most laboratory and photography fumes make me dizzy and not much else. The cigs and cleaning stuff is a pain though because nobody believes it, even when I'm having obvious, physical reactions.

[loraleena]

Anything chemical with and obvious odor. (perfumes, exhaust ,paint, carpet, upholstery). Can never buy a new car again! I recently realized that I am having a reaction to avacodo. Too much corn bothers me as well as too much rice. In moderation is ok. Pasterized dairy. I can eat raw dairy. The smell thing is my biggest problem. It can turn a feel good day into crap in a heartbeat.

[Marlene]

I can't handle certain smells at all either. I work in small office and the other day a client came in for a meeting and he was wearing some strong cologne. I felt quite sick after about half an hour. I also get a strong pain under my ribs when this happens. Is that weird or what?? I work at a place that makes nutritional supplements and depending on what is being manufactured, I get affected by the smells. I have been in the lab at work and had to get out of there because I felt nauseaus, light-headed, and had intense pain under my ribs. I can't stand the smell of perfume or cigarette smoke. Sometimes even certain cooking smells can have me heading for the bathroom. I have been researching links between this and mercury toxicity since I have a mouth full of mercury fillings. There seems to be a connection between reacting to smells, perfumes, food intolerances, and mercury fillings. If only I had known then (when I was getting my teeth fixed with mercury) what I know now.

Marlene

[bluejeangirl]

On Oprah on tuesday the topic is how to go Green in your home along with Al Gore talking about the environment and stuff. I didn't get alot out of a commercial they showed but I thought I'd pass this along so you can put it on your calender.

Gail

[Helena]

Thanks for the heads up! I'll be sure to watch the show.