From Arlene, Arlington, Texas

January 2000

For the past few years I had occasional, unexplained problems.  At odd moments, I would become weak, especially in my arms and legs.  I would start dropping things and have to sit down.  Other times I would feel oddly out of breath and get emotionally upset if I couldn’t leave the room.  Last summer I discovered what was happening to me--I was chemically allergic.

For what seemed no reason, these symptoms suddenly escalated and new symptoms appeared.  Now many times I get a headache that feels like someone is literally smashing the front of my brain.  At times I get so weak that I may spend the following day/s in bed.  I sometimes feel like I can’t breathe or I get slightly nauseated.  Now most perfume, cologne, after-shave, household chemicals, laundry detergent and deodorants affect me.  Also, heavy markers, new carpet, paint, glue and pesticides.  Newsprint bothers me if I read the newspaper too long.  Seldom, but it happens, some smells are simply covered up by the manufacturer – they cause the same effect even though there is no smell.

These sensitivities restrict my life.  Unless a building is extremely well ventilated I can’t sit comfortably in a large group of people.  For church I carry a small radio that picks up the minister’s sermon and seek a private place away from the crowd to listen to my radio.  Afterwards, if there are only few people, I may stay inside the building but generally I go outside and stand.  There I can speak with those who are going in and out.

I used to enjoy visiting the local Target store, Michael’s and other craft stores but now many times I walk into a store then have to turn around and walk out.  I must hold my breath in the detergent/cleaners section of the grocery store.  I cannot visit friends or relatives who recently bought a new house.  I cannot paint my kitchen or restore my furniture.  The hardest thing for me has been learning to clean my house without household chemicals such as Lysol.

Why did I get these sensitivities? As a child I received no unusual exposure to chemicals, but my parents did believe in overuse of pesticides and home chemical cleaners.  I worked with newsprint occasionally.  I had allergies to some foods, herbs and certain oils such as vitamin A, D, E, K and a chemical found in many foods, makeup bases, and some medicines--Titanium Dioxide (it makes the skin on my forehead change texture).  I don’t know if these things are the direct cause of my sensitivities to scented things.  I suppose my body has been overexposed to chemicals all my life and is now saturated.

Now I avoid areas, and people known for their perfume, and tell others openly about my problem.  I’ve been surprised to learn how many people suffer silently with chemical allergies.  Others who have these allergies are willing to help me learn to cope; learning about their experiences helps greatly.

About a year ago I read a book about perfume making and it stated that most perfumes today are petroleum-based.  These allergies may be something that is spreading in a scope much larger than most of us realize today.  I certainly hope this trend doesn’t grow increasingly worse.