On the other hand, I have a sensitivity to some scents, including cigarettes, new tires (how weird is that? I stay away from the tire section in Sam's) perfumes, candles, air freshener's. I can't go in my daughter's best friend's house because they must have 10K candles burning, and the child must wear 3 different layers of perfume when she comes over here. Instant migraine for me.
Even some cleaners that I can use for a few months suddenly affect me that way - migraine. Not sniffles or sneezing, just the headache.
That's not anyone else's problem, it's mine. But I do have a rule that no scented products that affect me that way can be worn in my house - drives the teenager crazy, but too bad.
I have the same problem. It’s sad - I have to watch what shampoo I use, buy unfragrented laundry soap, and no scented candles. I’ve had my throat close up once or twice from very bad doses of perfume.
It’s real, and annoying, but I’m not lobbying to ban smelly things.
I have some of the same problems. Some strong scents cause me to have a difficult time breathing but all I have to do is get away from it. Remember when department stores had a girl just inside the front door spraying perfume on every woman who came in? I have nearly punched a couple of those girls out to keep them from spraying me. They don’t do it anymore, someone must have really followed through with a punch.
Same here with certain odors - hubby brought home some “clean linen” scented candles once - Big mistake
But, like you said, that’s just my sensitivities - however, I do tend to avoid being near “little old ladies” as some of their perfume affects me the most.
Forgive me for jumping in to your personal business, but my mother started with the very same symptoms several years ago. It started after my folks did a major renovation to their home, including sealing the whole house really tight. Mama went to her doctor seeking relief, and after a couple of months he sent her to an allergist.(Hope that’s the correct term.) To make a long story short, the doctor believes some of our problems are due to a lack of fresh air in our new airtight buildings. Years ago this wasn’t much of a problem, but now the buildings are much tighter and people spend more time indoors. What is tolerable to the body at 1 level becomes an illness at a higher level. Anyway - my folks installed a small ventilation fan for air exchange on the doctors recommendation. It wasn’t long at all before Mama’s migraines and other symptoms disappeared. She no longer has to have any treatment at all. It does make your home less energy efficient, but if you suffer from migraines that is a small price to pay. I apologize for the length, but I saw how debilitating the migraines were to my mother, so I thought I would throw this out to you ladies.(I am assuming you are both women. Sorry if I am in error.)-—JM
I developed a perfume sensitivity while at Bama. Maybe it was that I was away from my mother’s daily perfume bathing for the first time in my life. Whenever I was around her after I had grown up and left home, I became ill from the smells/chemicals. I don’t have a problem with most candles, but hair sprays and cologne give me migraines if I’m around the smells for too long. Cigar smoke has always made me nauseous. I can tolerate cigarette smoke in a well ventilated area though it will give me a headache eventually. Windex gets to me. Other household cleaners sometimes irritate my sinuses as well.
I don’t know how to politely tell people that the smell of their houses or persons make you ill. LOL