Are there scents or smells I should avoid?

Long before I had COPD certain perfumes AND men's after shave would affect my sinuses and give me a severe headache.   It was a nightmare on public transport and working in offices where some people, both male and female, seemed to think they smelt so bad they had to bathe in perfume ... yuk .....

That's interesting about the candles, I will do some googling - thanks for the info

Lilli......speaking of indoor air quality........have you heard/read anything about indoor plants affecting air quality?  This discussion about candles, etc. triggered that thought.

Hi Sandy!

Indoor plants can contribute to poor quality. In some instances plants such as weeping fig can cause eye allergies and another one flowering maple can cause asthma. A lady I know of used to grow cactus, and had a room for them and it was kept overly humid and that also caused some breathing difficulties ~ an indirect method. And we have also heard about marijuana grow ops that have polluted homes as well, so they can pollute, as well as plants kept in baskets or containers that stay damp enough to produce moulds as well as dried flowers.

There are several houseplants though, that will actually clean the air, as well as give off oxygen, and I find them helpful to have, especially in the bedroom.

It really is interesting and sometimes surprising,isn't it, to discover all the things that can affect us!?

Hope you are doing well Sandy

Lill xo

 

I have written a reply Sandy, but sadly, it is hanging in moderation.

I think because I prefer to write in a proper paragraph method and not all in statements that run  together....

Lill

More likely because you've included a link which the forum doesn't allow until they've checked out the source.   

I don't think writing in proper paragraphs would result in moderation!

Hi Jude

I didn't include a link to anything.

Not sure what my infraction was.

Lill

That's strange ... I thought the mods usually sent the poster a message explaining why a post is being moderated.

It doesn't matter Jude.

Whatever it was, must be something rather minor..I am sure.

Lill

Jude & Lili,

The moderator doesn't work on weekends so our "offences" wait til Monday for review. Most common issue is accidentally having a period between words where one intended a space; big problem for those of us typing on phones.

Good Morning Lill (at least here in the US, it is morning).

As always, you give very informative and comprehensive responses....much appreciated!  I LOVE houseplants and the only ones I have upstairs are philadendrons.  In our basement, I have an aloe plant that is under a grow light that is about 2 feet across.  I always put it outside in the spring and when it gets cold in the fall, I bring it inside under the grow light.  The only time it blooms is in the early winter when it is under the grow light.  Can you suggest some other "safe" plants for promoting clean air????

Actually Jude, smells can and do cause shortness of breath, as well as increased asthma symtoms, among other things

There are certain smells that trigger my COPD.

Lill

Smells go into your nose, particles of the substance you're smelling go into your lungs, that's all I'm saying.

When I have inceased breathlessness from other people's cigarette smoke, it's not the smell that's adversely affecting my lungs, it's the chemicals in the smoke which are going into my lungs.

 

Hi Jude

Most certainly cigarette smoke stands on its own, like car exhaust fumes.

A single cigarettes  contains over 4,000 chemicals.

However, others, like perfumes, moulds and spores, aftershaves, even cooking odours can trigger COPD dyspnic episodes, without necessarily having 'chemicals' in them. For myself, there are definately odours that trigger, even when I am not close enough to inhale any specific particulate from the source. And that can be found especially when people have an overlying RAD component to their COPD, or have a RAD on it's own.

Lill

Hi Lill:

Wondering if I might have a RAD componenet to my COPD.  The reason

being that I am highly sensitive to fragrances, cooking odours,etc. 

My neighbour uses a highly fragrant washing detergent and the smell coming from the exhaust of her clothes dryer causes problems with my breathing.  Obviously once I made the connection, I immediately go into the house or leave my house altogether to get away from it.

Her house isn't even that close to my home, seems to be if the wind is blowing towards my home it carries the smell into my garden. 

I can't go anywhere near shops like The Body Shop or Lush and if I am near a woman wearing heavy perfume I immediately have to leave the area. 

I'm going to ask my doctor about the possibility of RAD, hoping the result will be negative. 

Hi Terri

I can relate! And it seems as time goes by, those smells affect me more.

Some of the perfumes that are in products are excessive.

RAD is a term that can also include COPD, and asthma.  In my PFT it was found I have no response to ventolin, and so there is likely an overlying component. I find cooking odours, product scents, really things that make me react in a respiratory manner.

I have given up using any laundry products that have a scent to them and never use fabric softeners.

This also crosses over into a condition called Multiple Chemical Sensitivities, which you can investigate and learn more about.

Lill 

I think you're giving the term "chemicals" a very narrow definition as being only manufactured substances:  chemicals are everywhere, both beneficial and not.     I had trouble with some perfumes and aftershaves on other people decades before I developed COPD:  they used to make my sinuses hurt and give me a headache even when passing someone in the streeet and now affect my breathing quite badly.

What does RAD mean please?  Googling did not bring up a result.

I know i'm being pedantic, but if you didn't have particles from the substance coming into your body you wouldn't be able to smell anything. And then of course there are some very dangerous odor free substances.

Sure, Jude.

Good to explore all considerations. You are well versed in this.

RAD is Reactive Airway Disease.

Lill

I had to look it up because I didn't know what it meant either and was too proud to ask you Lill!  Maybe that, ie. thinking I might have RAD, and being under so much stress lately is what contributed to me nearly having a panic attack.  As I posted I haven't had one for months and months, but the stress is really making my breathing worse.  Anyway.  Sure I'll survive and be fine.

Thanks for the explanation Lill.   

My concept of smell and particles goes back to a comment made many decades ago in my farming days by a friend who'd studied chemistry:  we were cleaning out a pigpen and she pointed out that if you can smell something it means particles of the substance are being inhaled.   I've never forgotten it, but am glad I didn't know that when I was changing dirty nappies more than 40 years ago!   I wish she'd never told me that .....

I'm laughing out loud Jude about your comment to do with changing nappies.  I used to have to hold my breath or put on a mask or I'd vomit whilst changing nappies.  Never got over it.  Sometimes I gag and almost puke cleaning out the cat's litter box.  What a subject!  Thanks for making me laugh Jude.

That is alright Terri

Now that you have found out it is that laundry next door yet again.

There is lots of information though on Reactive Airway, learning anything about breathing has been beneficial to me I think.

Lill

I'm glad I amused you!   It's logical when you think about it, but she wasn't the most tactful person to tell me that in the middle of cleaning out the pig pen and it comes into my mind whenever I encounter a nasty smell.

I used to take a deep breath well away from the dirty nappies and then change them as quickly as I could, ditto with the cat litter when I had cats and ditto when picking up my dog's poo.     Thinking about something else helps too!

I've always found some smells difficult to deal with and if I have to go into the laundry powder aisle at the supermarket I walk VERY quickly trying not to inhale.   Clothes from op shops where I mainly shop often smell of fabric softener and I have to wash and then air them out thoroughly before I can wear them.    Some items I've discarded bc I can't get rid of someone else's strong perfume even after several washes.   

I do the same thing!  I too buy a lot of my clothes from the Salvation Army thrift shop and some of them are a little nasty regarding the smell of the previous person's body odour on them.  A good wash and hanging them outside usually does the job.

Thanks Lill.  You and many other people on this forum have helped me a lot with dealing with COPD.  When I was first diagnosed I was terrified, not anymore and it's this forum that has helped me more than doctors.

Op shops here (Australia) don't usually sell clothes with body odour, I'm glad to say!    Years ago the govt brought in regulations that all second hand clothing had to be washed before sale, but that placed such a burden on charity shops that the requirement was removed.   

 

Think that the same regulation regarding drycleaning and/or washing of second hand clothes is here also, some seem to slip through the cracks as it were.

Yuk, glad they don't have to dryclean secondhand clothing here, the fumes would beeven worse than scented washing powder, perfumes and fabric softener.    

Thanks Lill and will do, ie. look up Multiple Chemical Sensitivities.