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Fragrances and Asthma / Allergies
I wanted to increase awareness about the dangers of fragrances to those of us with breathing difficulties, and those who are affected by fragrances that are all around us. In my own home, I use cleaning products without fragrances and run a HEPA filter with activated carbon that absorbs chemicals from the air so my home is a safe place to breathe. We built a home with building products that didn't have formaldehyde and without carpet because it triggers my asthma. Going out in public is a problem because I'll be bombarded with all kinds of chemicals. My lungs react quickly and I've started carrying a respirator so when I'm in the car and pass something that bothers me, I can get the respirator on to try to avoid problems. I did use the respirator at a play holding it over my face with a cloth over it so no one could see what it was and it worked, and I put it away after the lights came back on. There were people right near me with heavy fragrances that would have caused an asthma attack. As I understand this, it is the chemicals that help distribute the fragrances that are the big offenders... things like phalates. While traveling this weekend, I was happy to see a sign at a rest area that the soap in the washroom was fragrance free because of allergies to fragrances. That is a step in the right direction. It's my hope that people reading this might consider not wearing personal fragrances in public. Workers in health care often do this to help their patients. I hope that sometime in the future, there is some kind of regulation in the fragrance industry. Ingredients are not disclosed and those of us who are affected can have serious reactions. This is a medical problem. I thank those people who are fragrance free in support of those who are like me.
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I literally have great difficulty breathing in any N95 masks.
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1 Reaction@hicopd If my asthma is worse, I would have trouble breathing with an N95% mask on, but if I wear a mask as a preventative before I have a reaction to something, I can wear it just fine. I was at a play last night with an N95 on for 2 and a half hours. I had used my inhalers before I went to the show to try to minimize any issues.
Have you ever tried a Moldex mask (https://www.moldex.com/product-category/respiratory-protection/disposable-respirators/)? I need the full face seal of an N100 and found their product had less restriction than any other product I tried. I have worn them for over 20 years.
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1 ReactionI can wear my KF94 masks for as long as necessary (including nearly 24 hours while in transit). They are highly breathable and very protective according to Aaron Collins, the mask nerd engineer who tested it and 100s of other different masks to find which ones were protective as well as breathable.
The buy mine from Family-masks.com. They work well for me and my asthmatic spouse and my kids who also have asthma.
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2 ReactionsSince I had covid in 2020 I lost my sense of smell. In 2023 I was diagnosed with age onset asthma and wonder if the asthma or covid actually is the reason I'm unable to smell anything. Does anyone have any suggestions?
@lhabada Covid does cause loss of the sense of smell. There are probably other reasons with aging too. I have asthma and have a good sense of smell, so that alerts me to avoid the triggers that I'm allergic to which helps.
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1 ReactionI bought some essential oils and created a smelling kit and use the kit as often as desired to try to regain my sense of smell. You can buy a smelling kit if you prefer to make one with large rx bottles or tiny jam bottles or similar and watercolor paper disk at the bottom of each that you put a few drops of a different scent—one per disk & bottle.
I started with the recommended lemon, clove, rose and eucalyptus. Now I have expanded and added a few more scents.
Here Yale Medicine describes the process.
https://www.yalemedicine.org/news/when-loss-of-smell-and-taste-occurs-with-long-covid
Hi, @ hicopd - if you've not already, you might be interested in checking out this post-COVID support group on Mayo Clinic Connect https://connect.mayoclinic.org/group/post-covid-recovery-covid-19/.
@jenniferhunter - are you using a rescue inhaler preventatively before attending events such as the play you mentioned, or regular use inhalers? Do you do this at any particular time interval before an event?
I lost my sense of smell decades ago, way before covid was ever heard of, likely from an infection. I do scent therapy and feel it may help a bit.
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