I got sick of holding my breath and dodging people and areas when I go to stores, now i wear this around my neck, and hold it up if someone is reeking of laundry detergent or other chemicals, or i need to go down the beauty or soap aisle. It might seem a little overkill, but it works. Wearing it around the neck doesn't get many looks, and I only need to use it momentarily to get clear of danger. It changes everything for me because now instead of being sob and trying to rush away to fresh air, i just hold the mask up and breathe, then decide to stay or leave. It gives me back some control. I know I'll get some looks, but If someone is coming up stinking and giving me an asthma attack, I want them to say something about the mask so I can tell them how badly they stink, and that even if they don't think they have allergies to whatever it is, it's wreaking havoc on their immune system. 😂
Nobody likes my respirator. - Asthma Community ...
Nobody likes my respirator.
Hi Marktime, I had an incident years ago adding bleach to a bucket unaware it had ammonia in & nearly passed out from inhaling fumes (not realising the implications until years later) but later that year, I started having issues with breathing. After needing antibiotics for chest infection, doctor said I had COPD. I’ve never presented like anyone else but have become ever more sensitive to ALL pollution/chemicals etc so I practically live in a bubble, chemical free & lots of plants. I drive on recycle in the car to reduce fumes & get my hepa filter checked on servicing.
My family have witnessed my immediate reactions to their aftershave/washing powder/fabric softener but they still don’t get it, my lung consultant looked at me bemused a few years ago when I told him I’d had to move seat whilst waiting as a man had sat near me with pungent aftershave.
I only made the link between the chemical damage & my chest whilst reading about a family in Ireland who’d become super sensitive after having a foam insulation applied to their property whilst they were inside.
So, you are most definitely not on yr own & pollution is so bad now that even one of my friends reacts the same way with scented items.
That's interesting I have a long history of Industrial chemical exposure, as a child we played around the abandoned factories with PCB oil and all kinds of chemicals left behind, I worked in a print shop for years also. I was diagnosed with asthma and mild lung hyperinflation, possible early airway disease. My asthma can be triggered by anything pretty much, but the chemicals are the worst by far. Just the smell of someone's breath that brushed their teeth with mint toothpaste. the dryer sheet scent blowing through the air outside. Car exhaust in the car, I do the same thing, or I'll shut the heat off and freeze till I get to cleaner air.
How does the mild hyper inflation effect you? I’m breathless going up the stairs and can’t exercise because I think I dynamoically hyper inflate quite badly.
It's hard to say because I have a lot going on. But I would say the main thing is I get out of breath when I'm talking and I'm walking around at same time, I think a lot of my symptoms come because i'm not actually breathing properly at the time.When I'm eating sometimes. When I'm stressed. when any irritant is in the air. I know now that when I first had the asthma flare up again I was hyperventilating and I was air stacking. When I figured out what I was doing wrong and I started doing the purse lip breathing and exhaling fully, Just being very conscious of my breathing over everything else i'm doing at the time. I would find myself breathing with my lungs and not deep with my diaphragm. So I practiced that all the time when when I'm lying down or anytime I notice I'm not breathing right. I have been able to ride my ebike at times and i've been just fine.
I just ask because my RV & TLC show hyper inflation and air trapping. I do get short of breath, on the incline mainly. But I’m also dynamically hyper inflating during exercise. My CPET was fine but when I, for example, go for a run I can’t sleep for a couple of nights because of sleep jerks, linked to they hyper inflation. It’s quite i uncommon although I have found people with a similar issue.
I can't say that I've experienced sleep jerks. I do have more of a restless leg syndrome type of pain, I don't think it's related although it could be. When I exercise I feel like I'm breathing okay and my lungs don't hurt afterward or anything so I assume and I've been told exercise is good. I wonder have you ruled out other possibilities,I looked up leg jerks and they can be associated with other things. I hope you can find a way to exercise without that happening because exercise is so good.
I'm glad you're finding it helpful. I wouldn't worry too much about the looks you are getting - people may be worried about you, or perhaps anxious that you have some disease which might be catching. I probably wouldn't go around telling people that they stink though - that is going to get you some even stranger looks!
I wear it around my neck and I think most people just figured that I'm working or something and went to the store, and then I can just hold it up with my hand and breathe in emergency situations, so it's not that dramatic as it seems. A small price to pay to be able to breathe without getting sick. Yes you would have to really tick me off in order for me to tell you to your face that you stink. 😂😂
Good idea. Van you give us the details of the mask you found worth the cost please?
I picked mine up at Home Depot. about 38$ US. Its a p100 filter, heres a picture
cars
What I wish I had asked my GP/asthma nurse (when first diagnosed 😉)
