Reaction question

[Horselover123]

Hi all, new here. I believe that I am reactive to glycols and I'm trying to figure it all out. I started my health journey years ago as a way of coping with my highly allergenic self (asthma, eosinophilia, sjogrens) and have not eaten processed foods largely at all because of it. My hair, skin and cleaning products also tend to be natural and largely void of glycol (I just checked all of them!) A few years ago I started to notice that when I would take a coated pill (Ibuprofen, aleve, etc) it would alter my sense of smell and just make me feel off. In 2020, I had a dose of Moderna vaccine. I had a really scary immediate reaction with flushing, tachycardia, it felt like I got hit with WAY too much caffeine all at once. I'd never felt anything like it. They monitored me for any signs of anaphylaxis and then sent me on my way. I had a pretty intense week long local swelling in my arm followed by 2 more months of persistent lymph node swelling and pain in the area of the shot. Thakfully my work decided that was a big enough reaction to grant me a medical waiver and I got to keep my job without taking more of that vaccine. I learned that those reactions are most likely tied to the glycol they used in the vaccine. Fast forward to this week - I tried a new "natural" deodorant. The first day I put it on I had the same reaction I have when taking the coated pills. My smell was off for hours and I just felt weird. About the third day in my armpits felt swollen and puffy and really painful with swollen lymph nodes underneath. They felt intensely bruised. I also noticed that my hayfever went crazy the three days i was putting on that deodorant, and abruptly ceased when I stopped applying it. It's taken another 3 days for the local reaction in my armpits to resolve. I looked at the ingredients and the first ingredient was propylene glycol (previous deodorant did not contain glycol). I've also noticed irritation when using any eye drops with polyethylene glycol - my eyes will get irritated and slightly swollen for hours. Does any of this sound like what is normally experienced with a glycol allergy? Thank you!

[kerrykuzak]

Yes, everything you described sounds like a reaction to the glycols. "Natural" in products really doesn't mean anything. I make most of my own personal care products and use simple cleaning products like vinegar and water and baking soda.

[gothchiq]

I think it's pretty clear. Now, the not so fun part is looking up all the names, including trade names and abbreviations, that glycols hide under. Every time you buy anything, look up the ingredient list and google everything on it. At first this is really annoying but soon you'll learn how to spot them.

[bestusedbyblue]

It sounds just about like it, only one thing bothers me about some of your reactions and that is the length of time you have them. They seem too long, but I know what to take and as soon as I am exposed. So you might get a patch test and have them check for chemicals, plus the glycols, especially personal care products. Anything you use on your skin and hair.Then, you need to learn how to read labels. Anything that has a glycol, plus anything that has propylene, polypropylene, polyethelene, and on and on. These are fuel derivatives so you can tell. But, there is a list somewhere of all the names used, and numbers, especially in food and medication. I have three types of propylene glycol in one sinus spray. My pharmacy caught it and I didn't use it. One thing that has helped me is the Dollar Store. I can go get a lotions and it have 5 or 6 ingredients, a designer lotions is going to have about 30 with lots of color and scents. No color, no scent at the Dollar Store. And if you are not sure about an ingredient, don't risk it. You could have a reaction and will just be wasting you money. I see a dermatologist because I have eczema and almost all my reactions to my many allergies are skin. Hives, contact rashes, etc. And they will usually have some information to start you out. Talk to your doctor and get some allergy medication, so you can stop a reaction as soon as possible. The longer you let it go, the stronger it could be next time. So try to cut the reaction period down. And watch for facial and lip, mouth, tongue swelling. This can be serious. There are many glycols in food, especially candy.

I've been doing this all my life, I was born allergic. Good luck.

[Shadow35 in reply to bestusedbyblue]

I had reaction to the moderna vaccin that last a year. And now each time i'm taking something with the same ingredient in it have a reaction. But for now the docotor just say it's not really allergy because it's not the same basic reaction than an anaphylactique choc. I can get dizzy, sneeze, difficulty to walk, heart palpitation, blue leg, difficulty to breath and caughing like an asthma attack. Good luck with doctor. It's been more than 2 years an nobody believe me. I just get an allergic reaction to a medical tape. It's been 2 weeks and a half. I just found out that there is a mix of polyethylene and polyester in the glue of the medical tape (acrilic glue, so call hypoallergic). You need to check all the ingredient, call some company to make sure, check how some ingredient is made because sometime glycol is not clearly write. Have suspision for all polymer and synthetic product. First the ingredient is in almost all antihistaminique, medication. There just the liquid benadryl and the cetirizine fast dissolve that don't contain polyethylene glycol so be careful if you need to take some for allergy. Tell the pharmacist and be sure to double check because they don't have the time to check everything. The other day i was suppose to take a new medication and this time the pharmacist go it before me because he say that is a medication sell to an other company that forgot to write the ingredient. But the pharmacist knew the first company and check with them and there is some polyethylene in it. Because it's rare, nobody care to write it correctly and a lot of doctor didn't believe me and try to pass it for a mental illness so i just wait for an anaphylactique choc to prove them wrong. For the moment i took note of all the ingredient and pictures of the symptoms. Be carefull

[bestusedbyblue in reply to Shadow35]

Hi Shadow,

Funny, that is my cat's name.. I found out I was allergic to propylene glycol about 20 or soy ears ago. The doctor ere doing a patch test for hydrocortisone. Also, came back with nickel allergy. I have a two page list of my allergies. I can have hives. rashes, swelling lips and face; psychotic reactions, don't remember things, don't know who I am, all kind of things. I had allergies when I was born, so it has been a long time dealing with allergies and dumb doctors. Sounds like you have had the same ones. Don't let them push you around. My doctor is part of the medical university. He told me that they know very little about allergies and how the immune system works. So do a lot of research as no one else is going to do it for you. I have. Propylene glycol has many, many names, number s, codes and other things to hid e it from us. When this group was at the other place, the had a list, huge, but I can't find it anymore. go to Medicine name FDA/ label and it will pull up the list that the FDA requires. On the last or second to last page, it will list all ingredients. I have taught countless doctors to use it. No one will have the same symptoms, because all people are not the same. So they are throwing text book information at you and not real life experience. So that is why we have groups and share real information. OK, I can tell from a long experience when a doctor know nothing about allergies or doesn't' want to be bothered with me. Move on, call people and find a new doctor. You don't need to pay someone to be rotten to you. I have had doctors yell at me because I was allergic to the medicine he wanted to give me. He left to read his PDR, and came back and said, " You are allergic to dirt." I said, Well, that is good to know." You can also read the PDR, Physcians Desk Reference, at your public library. I am very careful and I will no take a medicine I know I am allergic to, no matter what bs they try to tell me. Well, it is all in your head, my neuro doctor says the brain controls everything. Next time a doctor pulls that stuff on you, get up and leave. It they ask why, say "I can not trust a doctor who does not believe and will not take my concerns seriously. I now have a doctor who argues with everything, I tell her. She has never believed anything I have said. Don't trust her at all. Looking for a new one. But we have a doctor shortage now. Because of Covid The people treated them so badly, short staffed ,so they left. About Covid,, I would not get the shot. All the doctors who know me said "NO|. Not safe for you. I did get it last October, I am 72 years old, and it did not feel like any illness I have ever had before. My daughter is an ER nurse and she told me to watch for that. Many people have that feeling. I did not have fever, chills or all the other things they say to look for. I have been isolated for 3 1/2 years. We can't figure out how I was exposed, unless it was at the doctors office. LOL. I hope I helped you some. If you have red, black, brown hair that is what you have. Genetics. If you have allergies, you have allergies. Also, genetics. So don't let doctors or anyone else put you in danger because they are lazy, stupid or uninformed. God bless, take care.

[Shadow35 in reply to bestusedbyblue]

Thank you it's good to know i'm not alone. I'm lucky because for now it wasn't life treatening. I have an epipen just in case it change. The thing is i don't react immediatly. I can take few hours to three days depending if it's an application on skin or the quantity in the medication so for now they say it's not allergy but secondary effect. I had a reaction to a vaccin many year ago but it last 24h. Not stable on leg, feeling like an asthma attack, dizzy. Had the same reaction to loratadine and i had to change carreer because of difficuly tk breath, watering eye in contact of the product i use in a previous job. I tought it can be an allergy to formaldéhyde but i double check recently and polyethylene was also an ingredient. Covid is the worse because doctor where told it's almost impossible to react to polyethylene glycol. You are considere a complotist if you say you have a reaction. I took the first shoot, because family was pushing me, more than a year ago and i'm still not myself. I was coughing for 3 months, not able to walk or drive my car, even cook. I had problem like trigeminal pain but it pass. I still have a psotis that start 4 days after. Worse when i'm tired. I still have to be careful because a little exercice can make me tired for two week. I also had like the restless leg but 24h a day and 7 days non stop many time, torticolis for many month.....it's not allergy symptom but it all start with the vaccin. And each time i'm taking something with the same ingredient it's coming back. The last time it affect my vision. I still have something like floater in one eye but they can't see it. I loose a bit of vision and it almost all came back. The ability to walk and the blue leg dissappear after 36 hours but not the eye problem. Did you heard of symptomz like this? I'm on a list to see an allergist specialized that can test for that kind of product. I had a test before just a scratch and the product for 30 min but if i don't react for my shampoo.... it have to stay longer on the skin or eat it.

[gothchiq in reply to Shadow35]

If you do not react to Polysorbate 80, then Johnson and Johnson or Novavax COVID vax is ok. Moderna and Pfizer are absolutely out of the question for ppl like us. If polysorbate is a problem, then you might try Vitamin D supplements. In a reasonable quantity, that at least cannot hurt you, provided you buy one with no glycols in it. I can usually find gelatin and oil formulas that are safe.

[Shadow35 in reply to gothchiq]

I'm did some test by myself and i had enough for a while. I'm back at school so i prefer to wait. I'm waiting for a specialist in allergy with that kind of product because allergist normally just test normal basic allergy. I try to not take polysorbate either. I don't react for now to polypropylene. I don't want to miss two three week of school maybe more because i'm testing some medication. It always affect my leg, not able to walk. Last time it was like this. I wasn't able to take mine in picture because the doctors removed the wheel chair. I had to lift my leg with my hand to move them. And i still have problem with my vision so i'm less eager to test on myself. But i try at the beginning all the medication that i took before the vaccin and note the effect, the duration and the time before the effect stop. I start walking and climbing stair normally 4 months ago. One year after the vaccin. So i'm not ready yet to try again the wheelchair. I just stop itching from a tape a doctor put on my feet. I gonna check for ingredient but what i found for now is there phenol in the acrilic glue of the medical tape. It's been 2 weeks. Have a stronger creme so just start to stop itching.

Not mine but the same

[PegAllergy in reply to gothchiq]

i have a problem with PEG/PG etc. i agree with you. I do avoid polysorbate too. However, i did make the decision to get the Johnson and Johnson vaccine. I also have Adult Onset Stills Disease which they compare long term Covid to. They do not know what causes AOSD although they feel it could be a chemical. When i had a large exposure to Polyurethane, and Peg i ended up work AOSD. The reason i bring that up is the doctors thought i had Sjögren's too. If you are really sick make sure you ask the doctors to order a FERRITIN and CRP blood test too. Peg/PG/PET(polyester)etc, have many Synonyms !!! please don’t forget about Polyester, especially time fuzzy stuff. USE COTTON EVERYTHING!!! Clean up your bedroom and house. Start with your bed. There are so many synonyms for PEG, for example: “Steareth-100 is a polyethylene glycol ether of Stearyl Alcohol (q.v.).” Assume all medication whether prescription or non prescription, pill, liquids, creams contains PEG/PG in the Inactive ingredients! I was going deaf, and losing my vision after cataract surgery due to eye drops. I do use Claritin 10 mg name brand only antihistamine not genetics. NOT THE OTHER FORMULATIONS, the syrup had PG etc. (CLARITIN Tablets contain 10 mg micronized loratadine, an antihistamine, to be administered orally. The Claritin Brand also contains the following inactive ingredients: corn starch, lactose, and magnesium stearate.) All other medications including aspirin, Ibuprofen, triple antibiotic cream i have to get compounded without PEG/PG. (I also have my drive compounded without corn starch and lactose but i seem to be able to handle Claritin). I believe what we all have is an allergy to Micro-plastics. Don’t forget about Perfume and Scents because they are everywhere. When i go shopping i always wear a homemade mask that is make with 3 layers of 100% cotton and i layer of silk. Other store bought masks have micro plastic’s. I did purchase multiple Domain names for PEG Allergy.com and petroleumallergy.com, masksforallergies.com etc because i wanted others to find sound information. I ask working on them now. BTW- someone mentioned changing physicians. I am on Internal Medicine Physician number 4. Most importantly, I do have a letter from my allergist that is carry in my purse that states i have a PEG/PG allergy. It said if i go into the ER To consult with a Pharmacist regarding drugs! Remember almost 100% of medications contain PEG(polyethylene glycol/ PG(propylene Glyvol). I always wondered why i had a problem with Most medications especially Anesthesia. Sorry for typos!

[bestusedbyblue]

Yes, Yes, and Yes. Kerrykuzak had good answer for you. What will need to do is go through you whole house and read all the labels and throw out anything with propylene glycol or anything that you have already had a reaction to. This is important, because if you have a reaction to something once, and use it again, the reaction would probably be worse the second time. Look into the colors of tings. propylene glycol is used as a carrier for color, scent, flavor and any artifical in anything. Medicine, food, and all cosmetics, cleaning supplies just about anything. So you will have to check everything. If it is used as a carrier is doesn't have to always be listed as i is a secondary ingredient. Go to the FDA website and you will find out a lot. Good luck.

[gothchiq]

Yup, sounds to me like you're allergic. Welcome to the world of investigating every ingredient on every label. Tom's Natural white solid deodorant in most varieties doesn't have glycols but of course check each time as these things may change. Avalon Organics shampoo and conditioner have been safe thus far. for pain relief BC or Goody's Powders have been ok, and honestly just forget about lotion and use olive, hemp, or jojoba oil or shea butter on your skin instead. By the way, stay the heck away from Windex. It has glycols too, but I had to email the company to find out. If you combine filtered water, isopropyl alcohol and white vinegar, it will clean your windows great. Ajax dishwashing liquid is safe as of now. Palmolive doesn't list glycols, but it is definitely in there in the coloring and scent. I got hives from it. Purex free and Arm and Hammer Free liquid clothes detergent is ok, or the powdered Molly's Suds (get online). A lot of the ones that brag on being natural actually are full of glycols. For toothpaste Tom's Natural and Burt's Bees are currently safe. For makeup, 100% Pure (yeah, expensive AF) is what I can use.

[kerrykuzak]

Polyethylene glycol is in the Covid vaccines.

[GGrider]

Many of the paper straws use PEG in the glue.. and some companies in Canada are starting to use paper lids with the same kind of glue. just something else to watch for..also

. almost all mascara has PEG..