Have you had trouble w/ fragrances w/ your 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.

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Asthma & Allergy Support Group.

@lisalucier

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?

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@lisalucier It kind of depends on how well I'm breathing. There have been times, I have used both the preventative and rescue inhaler about an hour before an event. I think my best remedy is to wear an N95 mask, but only if I am breathing well enough to be able to do that. We did just go to the ballet, and I wore an N95 until the lights went out. That was not stopping some fragrance, so I swapped it for a respirator and I did just fine. I changed to the N95 for when the lights came back on. We were in the last row on the main floor with some empty seats next to us, so I don't think anyone noticed. I did see a handful of other people wearing masks. It does also help me to take a shot of oxygen if I'm still recovering after inhaler use. They sell it at pharmacies now, and I had this from visiting high elevations in Colorado on vacation.

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Hi, @jana13 @km6 and @crn - I've had to tell a piano teacher and a drum teacher that I do not do well with my allergies and asthma with the scented candles they had burning in their homes. I didn't find it comfortable to speak up, but I could not stop coughing and silently wheezing with the candles in each instance.

Do you have any suggestions on communicating your needs for no fragrance in a business so it's as well-received as possible? How about in someone's home?

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