Migraine flare ups and fumes, perfumes, and toxic chemicals
Whoa…I have been in migraine hell for four days now. My husband and I have just moved into a new apartment, in a new town. the landlord has just painted the place and re -finished the floors. I have had a non stop aura since we got in the place a few days ago.
Thank God we now live in California, and we can leave the windows open all of the time. I have had to raise my dosage of Verapamil, and take a 2nd vaso-dialator (aggrenox) to try and calm things down, as I have no where else to crash for a few nights till the stink is gone. If it doesn’t let up, I will have to go on a Medrol pack (steroids) to calm things down, as I have already had 2 strokes from migraines! Grrrrrrrrrr…stupid landlords, waiting till the last minute to paint! Anyone else have problems with paint or polyurethane fumes? How about stinky fabric softener? I have to send my laundry out, cause the laundramats around here stink to holy hell of Snuggle or Downy, and even though I use Cheer free, It still comes home smelling like dryer sheets and I get a migraine from having the stuff stinking in my dresser drawers! I am unable to sleep with the odor wafting around in my room. Arrgh! And people wonder why they get cancer! I told my husband, “Honey, I know that this is extreme, (the cost of sending laundry out to a service because we have no washer or dryer at this time) but imagine all the people who will have cancer from lolling about in chemicals from nasty perfumed products all of thier lives, and you’ll be clean and free! My body wouldn’t be reacting to it if it weren’t un- natural.” I guess I am ranting, but it’s hard enough to control these migraines without outside assaults, you know? My neurologist told me that perfumes were notorious triggers, and that petroleum products ( a big component in perfumes) is a killer trigger.
Thanks for reading this, I know I’m gritching, but it feels good to gritch to others who can relate!
Hi there! Actually you might be QUITE interested in hearing this…
My mother has had chemical allergies as far back as I can remember. She is allergic to certain kinds of hairspray, perfume, household cleaners and TONS of other stuff. She also has TONS of food allergies as well. We used to live in a mobile home when I was a child and found out that she was allergic to the Phermaldahide (wrong spelling I know), so we had to move out of it. Shortly after, we had a house built and we had to have all kinds of special things so that she would not get sick. We had a certain type of carpet, glue for all of the cabinets and such. I used to think that it was crazy but the older that I have gotten I have found that sometimes the same things happen to me. The headache specialist that I used to see told me to in no way use any household cleaning product. So I get stuff from the health food store. I know that I would be so sick if I had to smell that awful paint. I totally feel for you and understand. That is great that you can leave the windows open…to get lots of fresh air in your apartment. I hope this helps to know that you are not alone and no you are not crazy for having your clothes laundered. My mom uses absolutely everything from the health food store like detergent and food and all kinds of things. If you have any questions please feel free to ask! Take care of yourself.
I don’t react to the same triggers you do (paint or fabric softener) unless I already have a migraine. If I already have one, almost any odor can send me off. I remember once just having my little Chihuahua sleeping near me on the bed was intolerable because the metallic smell of her rabies tag was overpowering to me. When I have a migraine, all smells are magnified many times; I feel like a bloodhound.
But yes, some strong, pungent odors will trigger migraine in me, if I’m exposed to them too long or if they’re combined with any of my other triggers like stress or lack of sleep. Gasoline, fingernail products such as acetone & the like, glue — any of that sort of thing.
I can relate to all you said! Plus, how about the candle aisle in the craft stores?! Yuck!!! I bypass that like the plague!
I react to paint. I worked at a place where painting was to be done using odourless pain while I was on vacation. I returned but could smell the paint still. I had headaches for several weeks. I would detox at night and as soon as I entered the place, the chemicals would start to build. Tar is also bad. Years ago, the high school had the roof tarred. I had migraines for weeks.
Perfume, carpet freshener, laundry and cleaning products, almost anything scented.
depends on how strong it is if someone wears it and it is strong it bothers me but then again my asthma will kick in too so i don’t know which is worse having the asthma kick in and the migraine or one or the other so… paint put me out for 3 days, though i can’t remember if that was before or after my sinus surgery for which i got migraines after that.
I’m almost 25 and started having migraines when I was 13: I started having daily headaches when I was 14. For the last year and a half I have seen a neurologist, but I recently moved and have to look for a new one. I take topomax and vioxx to help with migraines and daily headaches. I also have maxalt as a prn for migraines. I used to take depakote and was headache and migraine free for 5 mos, but the side effects of depakote were too much.
After my doc took me off the depakote I have started having daily headaches again(these are less severe than past headaches) and I have an occasional migraine. It wouldn’t be so bad, but the migraines last for three days.
Anyone have a suggestion for an alt. med since I can’t take depakote?
I have suffered from migraines my entire life. Red food dye is one of the worst triggers for me, then perfumes. But since I am able to avoid red dye i suppose perfume may be worse.
I am having a very hard time at work and college right now as no one seems to understand that I am telling the truth. Well I ended up in the ER today because my face went numb from my perfume triggered migraine. I have asked the girls to please not wear perfume, and tried to get my superiors to kindly ask but nothing is ever done. Aside from getting another job I really don’t know what to do.
I am also on Topamax and maxalt, they help very little so far…especially when the migraine is a really strong one. An odd thing, but i find that taking regular benadryl sometimes helps me.