This is as days pass by, by Stuart Langridge

And this is Allergic to work, written , and concerning Uncategorized

I'm allergic to work.

This may not surprise you. Moreover, you may think that I'm not the only one. But I have symptoms.

This morning, I walked into work after my holiday, and within five minutes I was covered -- covered -- with a horrible rash. Looked like I'd been stung by a whole field of stinging nettles, repeatedly. So, I had a chat with the first-aider at work who packed me off to casualty (our facilities manager gave me a lift to the nearest hospital, for which I am very grateful). This rash was the itchiest thing I have ever known. The first-aider thought I was shivering from cold, but I wasn't; I was trying to not touch the inside of my clothes. Horrible feeling, your skin being that sensitive. Horrible.

So, as I say, they sent me off to casualty. I was a bit worried by this point; I mean, I was having this fairly pronounced reaction to something, and it came on very fast; five minutes or so. I was half feeling that it was just something random and so all this lift-to-hospital stuff was overkill, and half worried I was about to fall into anaphylactic shock and die right there. Not all that happy, in other words.

By the time I actually got seen by a medical professional in the hospital, a good 90 minutes after I arrived, the rash had faded remarkably and there was no itching. It was still showing in some places (it was all over me, remember?), and they diagnosed it as urticaria. After further research I have not been persuaded away from my initial conclusions that this essentially is a medical code-word for "some kind of allergic reaction that brings your skin out, and we don't know what caused it".

So, the doctor, after the long wait, prescribed Piriton, which is a general allergy treatment. Although I went to the hospital pharmacy, I didn't get the tablets there, because they're cheaper to buy over the counter than they are to get on prescription (despite having a welfare state, getting a prescription carries a minimum charge of £6.30 in the UK). So, eventually got home, after this big wait in hospital and so on, at about 5.00pm. Had something to eat, and took a Piriton tablet.

And then I fell asleep.

It says on the packet, may cause drowsiness. It's not kidding. I slept from 6pm until 11pm, and then woke up because my back hurt (which happens every night, this isn't anything to do with the tablets) and now here I am.

My firm swear blind that they haven't just changed the air freshener or has the building fumigated or something. The doctors all said that they rarely find the cause of this sort of thing. My big worry now is, what if it's still there tomorrow? I mean, I've taken another one of the tablets, and I'll take another tomorrow morning (after I've driven to work but before I get there, so I don't fall asleep at the wheel and die), but what if it's not enough? I imagine a lot of people would be doing somersaults at the idea of being allergic to something at work, but I have loads to do. Ah well. Maybe I can take my laptop up to a meeting room where they didn't vacuum with Stuart-Death-Shake-n-Vac or whatever.

Comments

James Kew

Heh: most of us hayfever sufferers have been around the “this brand zonks me out” loop a few times. I’m OK on Piriton (which suits me, as it’s fairly cheap as antihistamines go) but it has the same instant and deep effect on my wife as it did on you.

Ask your doctor (or pharmacist) for an alternative.

Gordon

I coach Gym with kids and one came up in small blisters wherever they had touched carpet recently shake'n'vac'd. She's only one of 400 but even that's too many. I'm looking for information to either confirm or clear my suspicions on this product.

Robbie

Yeouch! Shake'n'vac! As soon as I breathe in a room where it's used, my throat feels it bad! And my taste is affected for days afterwards!

Helen Rodd

My daughers feet peel, like sunburn, every time she goes to a particular relatives house. I am most interested to know of any other cases like this caused by Shake N Vac.

Karl

Wow allaergic to work xD Sounds like it could be shake and vac, i rang my girlfriend last night to find she was in the hospital, turns out she had the same kinda rash to you. I would love to know what chemical causes this reaction so we can stay clear of it.

LAWRENCE

re shake and vac. If I get anywhere near were this product is or has been used I get a terrible itch sensation at different spots all over my face and hair and anywhere that the minute particals may have landed on my skin.

It feels like " itching Powder" and is most irritating.

Alexandra

Hi all, I am sat here worrying and poring over the internet for 'allergic reactions to shake 'n' vac. My four year old daughter loves halping me out as they do, I have used this product before and this is the first time it seems to have caused a problem, she sprinkled it all over the carpet, we left it for about ten mins as it states on the container, and in that time she sat on the carpet with her dolls, the same night, the backs of her legs were covered in the most awful rash, blister like spots some weeping, and scaly to touch,three days later and her back is now producing areas of the same blistering rash, i went to the chemist where he gave me some 'aquaus' cream which is just like a mild moisturising cream to use, which has made no difference other than stopped it itching for a while, I am taking her to the docs on monday, but I am 100% cartain it is the 'Glade shake n vac that has caused this allergic 'excema' type skin reaction..on the bottle it staes that it contains perfumes, and that some ppl may be allergic to it..bu it does not state what exact chemicals are used in it, which i thought all household chemicals had to state..if anyone has any tips to limit the spread i would be grateful as thwe info on the web is limited on this!!

Many thank Alex.

Stephanie Bovis

Gordan, we have just been to visit the GP for the 3rd time in the last 3/4 months for my 5year old. She had red spots (5/6 at a time) with little white heads come up. None of these visits confirmed the cause, although the last visit did question any new pets or products in the house. The only thing I could think of using around Nov (the first outbreak) and now again in feb (2nd outbreak) was Shake n Vac. Having mentioned it to another parent, her comments were, 'that stuff is renowned for it (her niece had an asthma attack whenever in the same room as Shake n Vac and her mums dog went bald)!

So here I am searching for others with the same issues and found your comment. Hope this helps.

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