[Yorkiemom]

I cannot remember if we have ever discussed this before or not. Does anyone have problems being around things like this? Like extreme nausea, a headache or a sudden increase in pain? Or going into a fabric store, where there is a lot of odor from the finish they use on fabrics? I feel like throwing up walking through the perfume department in department stores...

I read in the paper about people who described themselves as being chemically sensitive and thought they were crazy... I seem to have joined their club, although perhaps not to the extent that I read some people are affected...

Earthy fragrances are particularly bothersome... How about you all?

Even the odor from the insoles of various new shoes bother me and I get a sudden onset of the neuropathy in my feet/legs if I wear them...

Cathie

[rose]

Cathie,

I'm so sorry. I don't have the problem, but one my dear friends has a bad case. She formed Ohio Network for the Chemically Injured. (I think that's the right name) That is one website to go for support.

rose

[Silverlady]

Cathie,
I have avoided the cleaning powder, room deoderant isles in Walmart for years. I honestly can't breath in them. And clothes...I wear cotton flax almost exclusively. Or silk or something that's not manmade. Synthetic clothes hurt me more. When the Sjogren's/neuropathy hit, I threw out every perfumed candle and all the fragrances in the house. I'm not really sure what to attribute all of this to.

Billye

[BEGLET]

Hi Cathie...

I find some things bother me that never did before.. I'm ok with stuff like perfume, scented candles, etc... but for example they came to clean my carpet and I had to have them leave - I couldnt even really smell anything but got nauseus, dizzy, and immediately had to leave the room... I've also noticed other scents like what they clean our apt lobby with - other poeple are sniffing and commenting on how good it smells - I have my face covered and get out of there as fast as I can... some paints I used to have no problems with make me feel sick for days now... I'm also assumed its the auto-immune compoenent of the PN... but not sure!

[Aussie99]

I have posted about this on the old forum. I am very chemical sensetive. I cannnot walk down the isle in the grocery that has the cleaning/laundry products without holding my breath. Parfume makes me ill, and when my sensetivity is acting up to extreme, I can even smell things such as plastics,tupperware,synthetic clothing,and paper products driving me nuts.

It just came on one day out of the blue, after my initial symptoms of PN first appeared.

[flsun01]

..have to avoid the cleaning and detergents aisle at the store since pn....tom

[dahlek]

long before my PN stuff for sure...I'd always attributed it to allergies..some have been tested and well founded [a relief of sorts?]. Others such as strong scents tho...just clog up my whole sinus system and give me a bad-cold syndrome for a week at a time... Even when I take my decongestants and sprays...Sometimes you win, others you aren't so lucky.
I have learned one thing - READ THE INGREDIENTS of your soaps, detergents, shampoos, softeners...all of 'em. and look for CHANGES [that means you don't throw out the old package until you get the newer for comparision] That happened to me with an oil...the formula changed from basic glycerines and mineral oils to cheaper 'carrot seed extract oil'. According to the FDA it's used as a commercial disinfectant or the like and in concentrated forms is toxic....I'd not near any toxic levels in my 'moistureizer' but I sure broke out on one big rash ....ALL OVER!
To me, change means a cheaper fomula...usually masked by some SMELL. Only smells I LIKE and can tolerate well are real-Lemon, Lavender and Pine scents.. Imitations I can sniff out right out? Even w/clogged sinuses...I can tell.
Take care with soaps and all... The fact that there are 'scent-free' products out there now...or simpler formulations is a blessing for ME, and I hope for you.
Besides...the less 'scent' on you and your clothes? The less likely BUGS that bite will be attracted to you. [The Lemon, Lavender and Pine scents are known to be less yummy]...
Rite now even band-aid adhesive bothers me...so I guess I'm getting fussier?
Super good thoughts! - j

[MelodyL]

Thre are two things on this earth that I cannot stand to smell.

The first is the stuff they use in the nail salons to build up the fake nails. I think it's acrylic or something like that.

I will never forget the first time I smelled this odor.

My friend next door told me she was having extensions put on her nails and why don't I meet up with her a few blocks away so I can see how they are done. Since I never had fake tips or extensions, or whatever you call these things, I said "why not?" WHY NOT???? Well, when I walked in that place and whatever was hanging around in the air, well let's just say I felt like I was in the gas chamber and would die in two minutes.

I had to run out and everybody got hysterical.

There are about 12 nail places within 10 blocks of my house. They leave the doors open (duh, I wonder why)

All I have to do is just pass by the front door and I have to quicken my pace. The smell, odor, whatever they are using to make these nail products, well, I couldn't go inside these nail places if you gave me a million dollars.

And I look in quickly to see if anybody is wearing some kind of masks and only rarely is the person (who is doing the work on the nails), only rarely do I see them with a mask.

Usually, there are just women, laughing, joking, having their nails done, and they are not getting the same effect that I got. I will never understand this.

And sometimes they have their little children in the place with them. I really do not understand this at all.

Now the other thing that I cannot smell is a product that they sell in the 99 cents store. It's the fake knock off of the Clean Shower. The stuff you just spray on your shower and you don't have to rinse. It just cleans your shower walls.

Now, because I spent over $3.00 on Clean Shower, when I used it up, I went to buy the knock-off. Never again.

I sprayed my shower, I was overcome by such a horrible feeling in my head, I had to go and sit on my front porch (It was winter). I had to breathe the air for quite some time. And the odd thing is that for about 30 minutes, everywhere I went I could still smell that smell.

This was a few years ago. I never used this product again.

I just take my shower, use Orange Glo, or something benign and wipe down the bathtub and shower walls.

I'll even use a mixture of bleach and water and spray it and that's it. That does not bother me. It's a very light mixture.

But that knock-off (well, whatever was in it), I had to run outside and breathe.

Why do they sell these things?? And how come some women can go and get their nails done, breathe in that stuff and they don't faint????

dont' understand this at all.

Melody

[glenntaj]

--have extreme sensitivity to chemical smells (and tastes); although admittedly I have had this all my life, well before the neuropathy.

But I've always wondered if having chemical sensitivity might make some of us more prone to certain conditions (including neuropathy).

There do seem to be considerable genetic differences in our ability to notice different odors/tastes, and in our senses of smell in general. I seem to remember the genetic ability to taste phenylalenine was located on the same allelle as the tendency towards extra-hairy ears (I certainly have those) and the ability to roll one's tongue into a tube (which I can do).

I find I have the ability to detect scents many other people cannot, and to find many scents (deodorants, perfumes, solvents) overpowering. At the same time, I find many odors pleasant that others find bothersome, such as spices like cumin or chili. I adore garlic and onions. (I am real interesting to sit next to after certain meals.)

This would be an interesting area to research--I know I haven't come across anything that connects chemical sensitivity/detection ability specifically to neuroapthy--although, of course, there are many toxic neuropathies resulting from exposure to chemicals that many are sensitive to.

[MelodyL]

I love garlic, I hate onions. Alan will not go near garlic and refuses to go near me if I eat anything with garlic.

What he doesn't know is every night when I make my zucchini, I use garlic powder. He can't tell, and since I put Maple syrup with Splenda on everything he eats, well, he loves it all.

Can you imagine, the guy eats everything sweet.

Since the fentanyl, he has taste perversion and nothing can be sweet enough for him. I once tasted his coffee. Oh my god!!!

He goes "what, what???"

lol