For years I have been unable to use any fragranced product - yes you heard right- no perfume, smelly soaps, no flowers ie. Lillies in a vase, moisturiser and no bubbles in the bath :(. The list is endless. I have adjusted to bland products = pure soaps, vases of flowers in conservatory and scentless. The outcome from a bad reaction to the smelly products is dizzyness, tiredness, sore throat and a stuffy nose.
My mum is a new sufferer of the past couple of years. I whisper that she is RA free.
Some products I use - such as a leading shampoo has a smell and if I try to change from this to a different product due to, boredom/wanting a change, I then become ill.
This problem clearly does not make much sense.
I was wondering if anyone else has the same problem?
Are allergies related to auto immune disorders? Claire x
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bruce18
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I had friends with chronic fatigue syndrom/ME and they often used to complain of being over-sensitive to smells, chemicals, and perfumes.
There are a lot of different types of sensitivities, but I'm not sure what you are describing would be seen as a full allergy. Have you ever had allergy testing? I have a stuffy nose, tired and dizzy reaction from some things and I've been told its a "type 4 reaction" rather than an allergy.
It might be that it isn't actually the perfume, but its one of the other chemicals in it. Took me years to figure out what I was reacting too, and it turned out to be maize, which is in a lot of things, and not just food.
Wow. Who'd have thought of maize causing a reaction. This is very interesting. I have always thought it is a certain chemical. I can eat bread without being severely bloated and milk goes through me. Maybe there is a connection. I was supposed to have an allergy test years ago but the hospice never got back to me. I have heard about the self allergy testing - might give that ago to try and sort myself out. Im interested in what you referred to as the "Type 4 reaction"? Claire
Have you ever been tested for coeliac disease? That is a prime cause of dairy intolerance in adults. Luckily once you are diagnosed and on a gluten free diet, your gut starts to digest milk properly again fairly soon. Only thing about coeliac testing is that you do have to be eating a full gluten-containing diet when you are tested or it will show a false negative. That means the equivalent of about 4 slices of bread a day for at least 6 weeks. It is worth going through that to get tested properly though, as it is the only sure way of finding out whether you really have to avoid gluten for life.
Funnily enough, my sensitivities to smells and chemicals lifted a huge amount fairly soon after being diagnosed coeliac. Seemed like my whole body just got a lot healthier and could deal with more things once I had got rid of the gluten problems.
HI, I agree. It is worth the discomforts if I will eventually find out the reasons. I haven't heard of coeliac before. One of my cousins cannot have wheat in her diet and her sister has crohns so the tummy troubles are certainly in the family. I think the crohns however is on the other unrelated side.
Thats good that your sensitivities have improved. I wonder if all these sensitivities build up in our bodies and are constantly irritated when we eat the wrong food and our body cannot cope.
I am certainly going to get tested for coelic because it would be worth having milk back in my diet. If I have milk with my cereal I have to tip the milk away. It goes through me like a rocket if I enjoy it with my cereal - kind of got used to going without. Thankyou for giving me a direction to start with. Claire
Nice to see u here Bruce! Yep get loads of allergies to bath stuff, drugs etc
I have heard a lot of people with ra get wheat allergytoo. I know some clinics do these types of tests trhrough the post, I don't know how valuable the results are but its worth a try !? My kids all have grass and pollen and sunshine allergies and get strong medication in the summer, so it must be a familial thing xx
I have RA and since I have been using biologicals I am unable to wear gold jewellery. I break out in the most awful rashes on the site. The only consultation is the since my RA is still very active I don't be out much to wear any of my nice jewellery! Good luck anyhow.
I have Psoriatic arthritis, osteo and fibromyalgia and have always been sensitive to strong perfumes and scents. I avoid walking thro the cosmetics section in shops as It causes streaming eyes and headaches. Strangely, pink lilies also cause this, but the white longiflorum ones are fine.
Morning all, thank you. I have been thinking about my shampoo this morning lol. it has always puzzled me why I can use this particular one and nothing else. Going off all you have put my conclusion is my current shampoo is ok because it doesn't contain a certain ingredient. I need to put on my investigating white coat (metaphorically speaking) and try and work it out.
My husband also suffers from hayfever and so does my 4 year old son. They both have eczema too. I have always suffered with hayfever which can affect my breathing. So we are a family of sensitivities. I have had a real problem with washing powders of late. My local grocery shop decided to not stock the fragrance free power and fabric conditioner so I have scaled the local area and had to completely change which was a risky move.
I know of another who cannot wear gold. She is also allergic to penicillin, suffers from migraines and a simple paracetamol tablet will send her to sleep.
I love flowers and gutted when I have to put them in kitchen or conservatory when I am given a bunch. I have to take an allergy tablet when I see my best mate because she wears a lovely smelling perfume but it really upsets me. The things we have to do...
It is clear from what you have all said that me included are classing things as an allergy when in fact it is a reaction type... Does anyone know more about the reaction type thingy?
Im off to me garden, for my vitamin D and perkyness - catch up later - Claire x
I have a lot of problems with shampoos too, and generally my rule of thumb is that the cheaper the shampoo the less likely I am to have problems with it. Seems that the fancy ones have a load more ingredients and therefore far more chance for something to cause me problems. Checking the ingredients list, and selecting a "more natural" shampoo that doesn't have anywhere near as much in it as others could be a good way to go. Don't use manufactures descriptions of "natural" as a guide though - they have a completely different understanding of the term!
Your right there - that they have a completely different understanding. I ad never thought of that before - the cheaper it is the less likely it is to have excess ingredients in it. Ive tried the "Natural" products and I find they are worse and felt mislead. Good idea checking the ingredients
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