Question:
Does anyone else out there have both asthma and chemical sensitivity? I'm
allergic to so many fragrances. There is no immunotherapy to make one less
allergic to these irritating fragrances in chemicals that I'm aware of,
either.. Would love to correspond with others that have this problem, and hear
how you cope. I don't have a problem with headaches or fatigue when I'm around
fragrances. My main problem is that it affects my breathing.
I feel terribly misunderstood, because so many think this problem is "all in
your head".
Answer:
There's several of us (if not more) on both websites....
As far as medications (for asthma, if applicable) you'll probably get more
assistance on alt.support.asthma
Here's the info about alt.support.mcs
We wish you'll never need us, but when you do, please visit
alt.support.mcs for the support that you need.
If your server does not include this group, ask your news admin to add
it, or try one of the alternative news services such as newsguy,
newscene, supernews, or alt.net.
I have chemical sensitivity to a specific fragrance. At first I only had
breathing problems from exposure. Now I have fatigue, cognitive problems,
muscle/joint pain and a slew of other symptoms from exposures. But the
problems still seem to be triggered specifically by fragrances (but not all
fragrances) and I have not developed sensitivity to other chemicals.
Onset of the sensitivity was immediate when I used a cleaner in 1988. The
product had little to no odor, but contained fragrance. It took me until
1996 to find out the specific fragrance material involved. With the help of
a fragrance chemist and a simple respiratory challenge test, I was able to
pinpoint the specific fragrance chemical involved.
The chemical I react to is amylcinnamaldehyde CAS# 122-40-7. It is common in
scented products of all types, but has especially heavy use in things with a
wet application. It has the property of holding the scent of the product
even after washing and rinsing. It is common in toiletries, cleaners,
laundry products, etc.
Avoidance is the only way I can prevent becoming ill. I have no way of
knowing what will trigger symptoms until they occur. Medications only delay
the symptoms and then they are much worse because the exposure is longer. So
I take no medications that will delay or mask symptoms. (I am not suggesting
this is the appropriate solution for others). My whole life has been altered
because of it. But I manage pretty good, have a good quality of life, and am
rarely sick.
