Smell of rubbing alcohol brings on symptoms

I'm sorry you've suffered so much from this @coley ! Thank you for letting me know I'm not alone with this. It really sucks that your job made you so sick! Although I can't find anyone else saying so, I'm beginning to wonder if there is a connection between the missing enzyme and the chemical sensitivities. On the Science Direct website,
https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/medicine-and-dentistry/aldehyde-dehydrogenase#:~:text=Acetaldehyde%20is%20the,preferential%20substrate%20of%20ALDH2

I read that some of the aldehydes metabolized by ALDH2 include formaldehyde, propionaldehyde, butyraldehyde, heptaldehyde, and capronaldehyde, so I'd imagine it's not just about the acetaldehyde from ethanol metabolism.
It seems like the standard advice is to avoid exposure to these things, but as you point out, that's not always possible, especially when your livelihood depends on being around this stuff all day.

Thank you for the tips about how to look into this. I very much appreciate your taking the time to explain and share your experience!

@colely -- at work I had a private office and kept the door closed to keep scents out. Years ago, I was suddenly smelling vanilla or something coming right through the vents and I felt so sick, had vertigo with the room spinning, couldn't even think plus more symptoms. I thought surely it was a plug-in air freshener, but couldn't find one anywhere in the office. After a couple miserable days, I had to contact HR which I did not want to do. They put the facilities manager on the case and he discovered that someone was selling scented candles to people in the office. They put out a memo to remove them. They didn't mention me, but some people knew I had perfume issues so I'm sure that didn't make me popular, but I was able to work again. Besides being a medical issue, it's a horrible social issue I wouldn't wish on anyone!

Hi. Chemical sensitivity is a legitimate diagnosis, now. And people with this diagnosis, have a legal right to be protected in certain work situations. I have seen signs, including at my Physical Therapist's office, saying that they have sensitivities to scents, and not to put them on before an appointment. My P.T. is Asian, and has alcohol intolerance. A simple, although not foolproof, is to take a gause pad dampened with 100% rubbing alcohol and taping it on upper lower inside of arm for 7 minutes, and then looking for reddening, itchiness. BTW, I break out in raised, burning hives, if I dry my clothes in a dryer that someone has used a dryer sheet, and then put those clothes on my body.

@californiazebra and @colely, I can see myself in a lot of what you said here! Is it true that misery loves company? I'm feeling less alone, since dryer sheets are a problem for me, too; Once, before I discovered this problem, I actually bought some and never knew why I was feeling so badly, although I didn't have any dermatological reactions. And I have done things like walking around trying to find the source of my misery like @californiazebra with the scented candles. By far my biggest trigger is rubbing alcohol, not skin contact but just being anywhere around where it's being used, and it is so ubiquitous, especially now with all the covid disinfection protocols and everyone going nuts with the hand sanitizer.

I was interested to read in this article that the ALDH2 deficiency ("Asian flush") wasn't described/discovered by the scientific community until 1981!

Thank you so much for your affirmation that this is real, and your understanding. I really wasn't holding out any hope that anyone would know what I was talking about, at all. So nice to be proven wrong about that!

@scolio @colely
Finding others with these issues is like finding Big Foot -- you do exist!!! Scolio, thanks for the info. Very interesting. My heart and body flip out with cleaning products too. Just about every chemical really. Like me, I'll bet neither of you can get near a Bath and Body Works store or a nail salon. I can't be within 50 feet of their door!

How about those people that spray perfume on their clothes and then hug you? Oh no! Men with aftershave give you a hug and that won't come off your face for the next 12 hours no matter what.

A man I worked with years ago told me he was moving to MN to be near family and afford a big house for his wife because of her chemical sensitivity. She had to give up teaching because she started passing out anytime anyone even walks by her with perfume, etc. He said she is like a prisoner and can never leave home so she needed a big home. And visitors had strict instructions before allowed inside. It was really severe. I felt horrible for her and also thought she has a husband who is a saint! Most people get annoyed that our issues infringe on their luxuries, but I always think if they can't give up perfume or whatever to spend a couple hours with me, they should try living with our issues 24/7/365. It's challenging.

I did read in the link you sent that the level of acetaldehydes is 7 times greater indoors than outdoors. Yikes! I usually keep all my windows closed due to all my outdoor allergies to pollens and all that. Hmmm. Maybe I better air this place out more often!

Car exhaust, especially diesel is awful. Last time I went to Catalina Island for the day, I was sooo sick from all the exhaust coming from the boats idling in the harbor. The little island was like a poisonous cloud to me. No one else even noticed it. Sadly, I can never go back there.

Also, after reading the article you sent, I think it's a good thing I don't drink alcohol. I know in college, I always threw up. I haven't touched alcohol since I was pregnant 40 years ago.

Every day I see more ads on TV for a new way to make everything scented. I can hardly go in other homes now. Hard to even find unscented trash bags. Why do those need to be scented? I long for the day that someone comes out to say scented products are bad for the environment and it becomes trendy to go scent free!!! One can hope! Hang in there! 🙂

Yes, you mentioned some other things we have in common. I don't drink, either. I've never even tried, as a few close relatives have had very bad reactions (especially to spirits), and I'm not even Asian that I know of unless you count one great-grandfather born in the Philippines.

I also think I have a slight reaction (though not as torturous as yours) to exhaust fumes, even with a gas-powered chipper/shredder I was using last summer. Since my reactions aren't as severe as yours (I don't get the heart reactions you do, though that type of symptom is recognized in 'Asian flush' so to me it makes sense in a way), and also delayed, sometimes I just accept that stuff needs to get done and I'll just suffer later.

One sort of ironic thing is that I used to sort of roll my eyes at the idea of perfume sensitivities etc, which is an attitude I picked up partly from a grandfather who worked with petrochemicals and other dangerous substances his whole life, as a mechanic and machinist, and also suffered often from terrible migraines---and died soon after 50, of leukemia.

Sometimes I wonder if people who have a more immediate physical reaction to chemicals may be sort of 'canaries in the coal mine' as far as carcinogenic substances go. I wouldn't be surprised if some of these things may be linked to cancer and neurotoxicity generally.
Although I'm still stuck on (read: infatuated with) my theory about some of the aldehyde dehydrogenase enzymes and/or other enzymes perhaps playing a role in at least some individuals, I did come across this page that addresses some other explanations:

Thank you again for your sharing and helping me with this!

@scolio
Thanks for the response and link. Interesting. I do have several CYP450 enzymes that are poor metabolizer causing me a lot of issues with meds. I'm not Asian either. I've pretty much experienced all the symptoms mentioned except not depression from chemicals. I think if someone has related depression, it's from being allergic to the world and your workplace. I'm also allergic to all molds (mentioned in the article), trees, plants, animals, some foods. My allergy testing looked like a blackout bingo winner + + + + + + + +.

Interesting about your grandfather. My paternal grandfather died at 62 from acute leukemia. He worked at the Firestone tire plant for a long time, blue collar job I believe. He had severe allergies and asthma. It does now make me wonder. I know I don't do well around rubber.

The one bit of good news for me is I had a bad chronic cough for 30 years and any scents/chemicals instantly made it worse, but I often didn't know why I was coughing. In 2020, I was finally diagnosed with lung NETS (rare)/DIPNECH (really, really rare) explaining the over 50 tumors in my lungs. I've been taking Octreotide injections for over two years now and that has really minimized the coughing and shortness of breath. I've noticed that it has also made me less sensitive, especially my lungs, to chemicals and scents. Yay! Not gone and there are other symptoms, but much better as far as my respiratory issues. To not cough non-stop has been such a quality of life improvement!

I am so glad the Octreotide had that unexpected and positive side effect!
I had to laugh at your 'blackout bingo' reference to your allergy testing! Thank you for the humor; sometimes it helps when things are so comically messed-up to stop and see the comedy in it. Actually, sometimes I feel like I've hit a "jackpot," too-- with my genes.
Now I want to look up the NETS and DIPNECH, just out of curiosity, since I've never heard of them. I feel like it's so difficult to get a diagnosis for those 'rare' conditions partly because it's not humanly possible for physicians to be familiar with all of them and their sometimes wide variety of signs and symptoms. Good for you for finally getting to the bottom of that!

@scolio
Yes, the 50+ tumors were discovered 12 years before I was diagnosed because it was all so unusual. It wasn't until my breast cancer came back for round two that new doctors finally figured it out. The two cancers are not related though. Long story.

All THOSE genes come from my dad's side of the family. Mom was soooo healthy, yet all three of her kids got the cancer mutations among other issues. Lost my brothers to cancer at 48 and 59. I'm the youngest child, but have made it to 64 so far! Despite all the issues, I'm the lucky one! I never ask 'why me' because I'm still here. I always wonder 'why not me' as in why am I the one still here?

The only thing I ever say 'why me' about is, why would you make me the biggest animal lover on the planet and then make me allergic to all of them? That just doesn't seem right. Well, I can have hypoallergenic dogs -- phew! Poodles and schnauzers were my joy!

I have four identified genetic mutations, two cancer, one neuro and one unknown vascular one. My son had a 50/50 chance of getting each one and testing revealed he has all four plus some of my enzyme deficiencies and allergies. Go figure.

Mom wasn't taking one med at 84 and had perfect labs. A fall and fx femur led to her demise. She often said that in her next life she was going to require any potential suitor to provide the family's medical history before she would date him.

Is it possible to wear some type of mask that would filter out these smells and make it possible for you to work in this area of your choice?
Gina5009