[jana]

I went for my annual mammogram, today. Our local hospital does it a couple of days a week. I usually go to the "big city" Women's Center -- just can't find the energy this year. As I was signing in, a guy walked through the office -- spraying for bugs. I FREAKED. Mom was with me (somebody is ALWAYS "with" me -- breathing difficulties are always possible), so she told me to go on ahead, she would finish the paperwork. I sat in the mammo waiting room -- maybe 5 minutes before anyone saw me. The attendant then said that they had JUST sprayed THERE, TOO!! She put me INTO the x-ray room where they had NOT sprayed-- by that time, I could barely talk -- my head was spinning -- I couldn't THINK. Mom found me -- told them we were LEAVING -- would be back ANOTHER day. When I got home, I still couldn't think -- mom called my sister -- she made me take a shower and wash my hair.

I never smelled the stuff -- but, I've been "tasting" it all day. It has been almost 8 hours -- my brain still feels addled -- I'm slurring pretty badly -- my breathing is very shallow.

My point?? Hospitals are supposed to be SAFE places where people have a chance to get WELL. Pesticides can KILL MGers. I got so "addled" today -- I would have just sat there -- like a roach -- and gradually gotten weaker and weaker and........if I hadn't been there with someone who KNEW all about me and what to do. What IF I hadn't SEEN the guy spraying? I would have gotten ILL (or worse) and not known WHY!

[redtail]

Oh my goodness, I really do wonder about our society, I mean if it kills bugs, its certainly going to do something to us!!!!!! and certainly us mgers. I can't even walk down the "cleaning isle" of the supermarket anymore.

Jana, I do hope you start to feel better soon. Its not a good time of the year to have flare ups, its stressfull enough as it is.
thinking of you!!
Kate

[AnnieB3]

Jana, That is completely surreal and unacceptable. When you do feel better, write to the administration about it. Geez, where do you live that bugs are that bad? Oh, TN, okay you guys do have huge cockroaches but, come on! And why the heck are they spraying WHILE patients are there?!!!! Do they need to get them out of there before Santa comes a calling?!!!!

There are LAWS about this kind of spraying. Do you know what they sprayed? The laws are in fact VERY strict about spraying, including not doing it when there are people around and requiring a business to put up signs to inform people that spraying either is going to occur, is occurring or has occurred. The laws in each state are different. You can look up your own state statutes by going to your State's website and searching "pesticides."

I know about all this because I contacted our State's Agriculture Department and filed a complaint about the illegal spraying of the park behind our house. They are the ones who need to be contacted if you want to complain. They are an "arm" of the EPA. And this is also a concern for OSHA.

You are lucky you are okay. Damn. It doesn't matter if one room hasn't been sprayed!!! They have central heating/cooling that circulates the spray. Doesn't anyone in medicine actually think about or question what is going on?

Bug spraying would more than likely be something like Resmethrin. It's not as bad as organophosphates but they were spraying it liberally from what you said. It is very dangerous, even to people without MG. And there are alternatives to spraying.

One thing you can is to actually back off of Mestinon for a few hours. What those sprays do is a more "darth vadar" like increase in acetylcholine because they get rid of the acetylcholinesterase (enzyme) that eats up acetylcholine. So you may temporarily get too much, making you weaker.

Your sister was absolutely right. Throw away the clothes if you can. Don't put pesticides in your washing machine!!!! And wash off those shoes really well - or rather have someone else do it WITH gloves on. And blow your nose a few times. Or do one of those squishy nose ball things or a neti pot.

Some people may think this is crazy; how could pesticides hurt anyone if they are bought over the counter? Yeah, and razor blades, antifreeze or glue wouldn't hurt anyone either, right? And this was probably industrial strength stuff.

I hope you will feel better. If not, call your doctor. What is stupid is that when you have this exposure, you are supposed go to the ER for help! What if they just sprayed there too!!!!



Annie

I have no idea if your state has laws about posting signs, etc. from either your state statutes or the TDA website. It would be worth a phone call to them to find out. Our state is really strict.

http://www.state.tn.us/agriculture/r.../licenses.html

[DesertFlower]

That stuff is terrible! Anything that kills the bugs is bad for humans. What bug is bad enough that it is worth the health risk in using these pesticides? And in a hospital of all places!

Sorry this had to happen to you.

[jana]

Thanks, you all!! It is such a relief to talk about this to people who "get it".

Annie, I haven't taken any Mestinon since. The appointment was early -- I had taken my first pill of the day about an hour before I got exposed. I keep on checking my "whistle" -- that is how I know if I need more Mesty.

I have beat myself silly about Pesticides. They spray everywhere here -- ALL the time -- people present -- NOBODY seems to care! We do have a lot of bugs -- roaches, mosquitos, termites, silverfish, etc.

Have I told you all that I called the EPA on my school system about 10 years ago when my principal put Dursban INSIDE the school -- yes, INSIDE the school -- during teacher inservice -- to kill roaches??

The really, really FUNNY part about all of this -- the mammogram room is RIGHT NEXT TO THE ER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[jana]

Went to see if I could find anything on my State website about pesticide regulations in hospitals, etc. -- nada.

Found this in a separate search. http://www.beyondpesticides.org/hosp...als_Report.pdf

Written in 2003 -- says that Illinois is the ONLY state that has rules about NOT spraying in treatment areas when patients are present. HUH?????????

Now, I am REALLY scared!!!

[xanadu]

So sorry you had to have this happen Jana. It sounds terrible and it is unbelievable that this is happening in our hospitals! It really makes you think re our breathing when we have episodes and do not know why. There are so many dumb chemicals around. I worked with photo chemicals for many years and often wonder if that triggered a relapse for me.

Hope you feel better soon.

[alice md]

there is a huge debate going on, regarding the risk/benefit ratio of annual mamograms.

don't think any one took into account exposure to pesticides, in the "risk" part of the equation.

hope you feel better soon,

alice

[AnnieB3]

Jana, How are you doing now?

I know, it's pretty scary to know there is a lack of chemical legislation. Going up against big business is almost impossible, even at the state level. But your TDA should be able to at least answer questions about whether or not this was "legal" - spraying while patients are there!!!

Annie

[jana]

Originally Posted by AnnieB3

Jana, How are you doing now?

I know, it's pretty scary to know there is a lack of chemical legislation. Going up against big business is almost impossible, even at the state level. But your TDA should be able to at least answer questions about whether or not this was "legal" - spraying while patients are there!!!

Annie

Hi Annie!!

Thanks for asking! I'm just really tired. I kept on falling asleep yesterday -- took 3 naps -- not the normal "me". I guess I will just have to get this stuff out of my system. I'm still slurring a little more than normal -- but, breathing seems to be about "normal" for me.

Our state government shuts down for about 2 weeks around the holidays (school schedule, I guess) -- but, I'm gonna get ON this after the first. Fortunately, our local hospital is affiliated with the "big city" hospital -- that might help. The "big city" hospital is highly regarded -- spends lots of money on PR -- they wouldn't like to have something like this ruin its reputation. So, I might go from THAT angle. *sigh* Just something ELSE to stress me -- ya know?? Another "windmill" to fight!

I was "whining" to a friend, yesterday -- and she reminded me that, in a hospital, patients are ALWAYS there. YIKES!! I didn't even THINK!!! I guess a poor guy recovering from a massive stroke in ICU would have the bug guy wandering through with the spray paraphernalia!!

(((HUGS)))