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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 7 of 7. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by KaraS on April 30, 2005, at 13:28:22
I was at my friend's new house yesterday. I'm supposed to move in with her early next week. She had me clean out the garage because a lot of my stuff will be stored there. I took rags and dusted off the tops of shelves and swept the place. At least a couple of times I breathed in some of the dust. I later remembered that she had bombed the garage last week in order to kill the spiders and bugs. I'm now freaking out about what kind of chemicals I breathed in and how bad this could be for me. Is this as bad as I think it is and what, if anything, should I be doing now? I take a significant amount of antioxidants now and I started taking NAC again last night but I'm worried. Please help!
Thanks,
Kara
Posted by Larry Hoover on May 1, 2005, at 8:21:07
In reply to Exposure to toxic chemicals - please help!, posted by KaraS on April 30, 2005, at 13:28:22
> I was at my friend's new house yesterday. I'm supposed to move in with her early next week. She had me clean out the garage because a lot of my stuff will be stored there. I took rags and dusted off the tops of shelves and swept the place. At least a couple of times I breathed in some of the dust. I later remembered that she had bombed the garage last week in order to kill the spiders and bugs. I'm now freaking out about what kind of chemicals I breathed in and how bad this could be for me. Is this as bad as I think it is and what, if anything, should I be doing now? I take a significant amount of antioxidants now and I started taking NAC again last night but I'm worried. Please help!
>
> Thanks,
> KaraIf you could find the actual package for the fogger, it would allow me to answer with great specificity. However, nearly all total release insecticide foggers for household use have pyrethrin or synthetic pyrethrins as active ingredients. They are contact insecticides, and are most effective against flying insects, or fully exposed ones, like spiders.
Human toxic effects begin immediately. Exposed skin shows reactions (redness, edema), and asthma or asthma-like symptoms can occur. If you got any into your system, the liver is quite capable of detoxifying it. Toxicity is totally dose related.
There would be no, repeat NO, expected long-term effects of exposure to this dust. If you had no short-term effects, the "toxic window" has closed. Pyrethrins degrade in the environment, especially if exposed to sun.
If you're going to be living there, I hope you encourage non-toxic insect control. For spiders and the like, a vacuum cleaner with one of those nozzles on the end does a marvellous job, and takes the web, too.
All the best in your new home, Kara.
Lar
Posted by KaraS on May 1, 2005, at 16:39:35
In reply to Re: Exposure to toxic chemicals - please help! » KaraS, posted by Larry Hoover on May 1, 2005, at 8:21:07
> > I was at my friend's new house yesterday. I'm supposed to move in with her early next week. She had me clean out the garage because a lot of my stuff will be stored there. I took rags and dusted off the tops of shelves and swept the place. At least a couple of times I breathed in some of the dust. I later remembered that she had bombed the garage last week in order to kill the spiders and bugs. I'm now freaking out about what kind of chemicals I breathed in and how bad this could be for me. Is this as bad as I think it is and what, if anything, should I be doing now? I take a significant amount of antioxidants now and I started taking NAC again last night but I'm worried. Please help!
> >
> > Thanks,
> > Kara
>
> If you could find the actual package for the fogger, it would allow me to answer with great specificity. However, nearly all total release insecticide foggers for household use have pyrethrin or synthetic pyrethrins as active ingredients. They are contact insecticides, and are most effective against flying insects, or fully exposed ones, like spiders.
>
> Human toxic effects begin immediately. Exposed skin shows reactions (redness, edema), and asthma or asthma-like symptoms can occur. If you got any into your system, the liver is quite capable of detoxifying it. Toxicity is totally dose related.
>
> There would be no, repeat NO, expected long-term effects of exposure to this dust. If you had no short-term effects, the "toxic window" has closed. Pyrethrins degrade in the environment, especially if exposed to sun.
>
> If you're going to be living there, I hope you encourage non-toxic insect control. For spiders and the like, a vacuum cleaner with one of those nozzles on the end does a marvellous job, and takes the web, too.
>
> All the best in your new home, Kara.
>
> LarTHANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!
You've taken a huge load off of my mind! It probably was the standard stuff you mentioned. I didn't have any initial problems or side effects. I was mostly worried about toxic long-term effects. Now I'm much more relaxed about it.
I have chosen not to move in with my friend. I think we're both happy about the decision. I'm sure she'll keep bombing the garage and the house because she's so terrified of spiders - but that will be her problem now. (BTW, that's a great idea about using the vacuum cleaner to get spiders and cob webs.) We've been living in the same apartment complex for a while now and there's a bad ant problem here. Ironically, she wouldn't let them spray her apartment here because she didn't want to be exposed to the chemicals. She won't even brush her teeth with store bought toothpaste because she considers it toxic. Then she goes and bombs the house and the garage with pesticides! Go figure. (She's also taking water and mold samples now in her apartment before she moves so that if she gets sick in the future, she can try to blame the owners/management company of our building). She just doesn't make much sense to me but fortunately, it's not my concern anymore.
-Very relieved in LA
Posted by Larry Hoover on May 2, 2005, at 12:21:11
In reply to Re: Exposure to toxic chemicals - please help! » Larry Hoover, posted by KaraS on May 1, 2005, at 16:39:35
> THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!
You're welcome, Kara. Please don't hesitate to babblemail me, or something. This board doesn't get a lot of activity, and I don't check it often.
> You've taken a huge load off of my mind! It probably was the standard stuff you mentioned. I didn't have any initial problems or side effects. I was mostly worried about toxic long-term effects. Now I'm much more relaxed about it.
Gone. Nothing to worry about, any longer.
> I have chosen not to move in with my friend. I think we're both happy about the decision.
Sounds like there was more toxic stuff in that home than the bug bomb.
Take care,
Lar
Posted by KaraS on May 2, 2005, at 23:29:31
In reply to Re: Exposure to toxic chemicals - please help! » KaraS, posted by Larry Hoover on May 2, 2005, at 12:21:11
> You're welcome, Kara. Please don't hesitate to babblemail me, or something. This board doesn't get a lot of activity, and I don't check it often.
That's greatly appreciated. I haven't wanted to impose but with a situation like this, it's good to have that option.
> Sounds like there was more toxic stuff in that home than the bug bomb.
:-) Of course now we're getting along well and I'm wondering if I made the wrong decision. I guess it's still a possibility down the road - as long as she stays away from those pesticides!!
Take care,
Kara
Posted by AMD on May 5, 2005, at 13:48:34
In reply to Re: Exposure to toxic chemicals - please help! » KaraS, posted by Larry Hoover on May 2, 2005, at 12:21:11
Kara, you sound like me now! :-)
Do a search on "amd".
amd
Posted by KaraS on May 7, 2005, at 0:58:04
In reply to Re: Exposure to toxic chemicals - please help!, posted by AMD on May 5, 2005, at 13:48:34
> Kara, you sound like me now! :-)
>
> Do a search on "amd".
>
> amd
Are you saying we're both hypochondriacs or that we worry way too much? I'm definitely guilty of the latter (and probably the former too).K
This is the end of the thread.
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