Headache after using Sanitiser

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neb

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#2458400 9-Apr-2020 14:43

nzkiwiman:
With my local supermarket requiring you to use sanitiser in these times, along with anti-bacterial wipes being around the place; I have noticed that after using these types of products, I get a headache very quickly.

Just checking that you don't get the headache the morning after drinking homebrew alcohol-based sanitiser...

Fred99

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#2458505 9-Apr-2020 16:12

ezbee:

Oh as a sidebar , below is history of Turkey's hand sanitiser

http://www.bbc.com/travel/story/20200407-turkeys-unique-hand-sanitiser

In Iran many people refused to use alcohol-based hand sanitiser on religious grounds.

Then a whole lot of people died because they heard that alcohol could kill the virus, so decided to drink some anyway - but which turned out be be methanol.

In Turkey, plenty of people drink alcohol. They used to make wine so bad that it needed to be mixed with coca cola to make it semi-palatable. I don't know if they've improved on that since I was last there - but Raki and the local beer is not bad.

neb

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#2458510 9-Apr-2020 16:18

Fred99:
but Raki and the local beer is not bad.

It can be. This is from a Carrefour supermarket in Greece. It just screams "legitimate", don't you think?

nzkiwiman

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#2459013 10-Apr-2020 16:40

I did a test; went outside with the hand stantiser, put it on and waited outside for ~3 minutes.

Back inside and still had a headache shortly afterwards.

Not a big deal, but annoying to have a headache when trying to deal with people

gzt

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#2459048 10-Apr-2020 17:53

Sensivity to the fragrance or base ingredient? Another brand perhaps.

coolade

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#2504404 14-Jun-2020 12:27

nzkiwiman:

With my local supermarket requiring you to use sanitiser in these times, along with anti-bacterial wipes being around the place; I have noticed that after using these types of products, I get a headache very quickly.

At work we currently have two products that I use "when needed"
E-Vap, Instant Hand Sanitiser 485ml (contains 720g/litre Ethyl Alcohol)
Reynard Health Supplies Premier Disinfectant Wipes (Alcohol and Fragrance Free)

Both cause headaches, the E-Vap is slightly quicker (8 minutes vs 11) and both last for approx 30 minutes

So, before I Google does anyone know what could cause this (I am obviously not going to ask a doctor ..)

im my job ive used the stuff on the odd occasion but when CV19 hit we have to use it several times a day. I noticed that for a few weeks i had headaches every day all day. It never went away just went from bad to worse and after taking pain relief back to bad. I also noticed most days id be feeling a bit squeeze.

I started eliminating things from my life, eg boos, herbal meds, etc, i even put the masks under my nose so i could breathing clean oxygen in and made sure i breathed out through my mouth to keep people safe. The last thing i stopped using was the hand sanitizer. I would use it on my gloves but not onto my hands. On the third day 90% of my headaches and sickness went. When i went onto work site FB page to find out if any one else had the same prob my boss rang and was none to pleased. Apparently HIS professionals said this in not true that i would not of gotten a reaction off hand sanitizer as i would of red hands and skin irritations to prove it and that i better go t doctors. After a discussion i felt that i didnt have an option so went to get tested.,. My health is fine everything chkd out and was told yes one can have reactions to HS just like you would to perfumes. So on my day off i decided to not use the stuff the next day at all and see how it went. This was Thursday. Friday i didnt use it at all and Saturday i woke up for work and notice immediately even before i got out of bed that my head was clear. Because i had been poisoning myself through the skin it had built up slowly in my system that i hadnt noticed that it had made me sluggish mentally as well. Id made certain mistakes in my job during that month were i had to be retrained before being allowed to do that part of my job again.

I will never use that stuff again. I use pure alcohol. Not only did it poison me even the smell effected me.. I can only imagine how this would be dangerous in hospitals . It must be the preservatives in it .. Be very careful of it people ..

coolade

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#2504406 14-Jun-2020 12:35

FineWine:

Long shot but could you try wearing a mask or some such oral/nasal covering whilst sanitising as an experiment. Thick enough to block out the fumes. The reason I pose this is that you can absorb via the skin. Even though such absorption would be minute. Is the sanitiser fragrance free ? Some sanitisers also use triclosan or triclocarban which some people do react to.

Tip - just before you sanitise take a really great inward breath and hold, sanitise and as you sanitise blow out, like through a straw, over your hands away from your face. We are only talking about 20 seconds. Also for the trolleys bring your own cloth in a plastic bag to wipe dry the handles as I know my Pak-n-Save spray their trolleys, then place it back in the bag to wash at home.

Whatever is causing your headaches during this hyper-clean era I feel for you. You will have to think outside the box on this one.

my hands were not effected and its not just the smell that can effect yo. Also cant be the alcohol as im using straight alcohol now with NO effects. Its bound to be the stuff they put in it so you cant drink it...90% better from just stopping putting it straight onto the skin the rest went after i stopped using it it altogether

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MadEngineer

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#2504417 14-Jun-2020 13:15

Something to note, usually your body can deal with harsh chemicals perfectly well but when there are other stresses it doesn’t take much more to suddenly break out with an allergy due to constant contact of a specific metal for example.

You might find you suddenly have a reaction to gloves you’ve been using for years at work when actually there’s something in your diet that’s the problem and the reaction to the gloves is just a part of a bigger issue.

You're not on Atlantis anymore, Duncan Idaho.

richms

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#2504471 14-Jun-2020 14:15

Ive also found that something else in sanitizer leaves my hands ichey that isnt the alcohol. At work we just got some 20l of ethonol and watered it down a bit for sanitizer and that does nothing bad but its a liquidy thing rather than a gel, whereas the off the shelf gel like ones I get really bad itching after a while. Also seems that the gel stuff leaves something on my hands that makes all the surfaces in the car go really gross and start to discolour, whereas alcohol and water doesnt do that.

Richard rich.ms

gzt

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#2511388 24-Jun-2020 12:07

The USA is having a product safety issue with some brands of hand sanitiser. Some have contained small amounts of methanol. Coincidentally some of the symptoms of the issue are similar to those you describe.

neb

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#2511418 24-Jun-2020 13:04

gzt: The USA is having a product safety issue with some brands of hand sanitiser. Some have contained small amounts of methanol. Coincidentally some of the symptoms of the issue are similar to those you describe.

Specifically, the FDA advisory.

coolade

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#2511564 24-Jun-2020 16:40

"Methanol as an Unlisted Ingredient in Supposedly Alcohol-Based Hand Rub Can Pose Serious Health Risk"

wellygary

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#2511608 24-Jun-2020 16:50

coolade:

I will never use that stuff again. I use pure alcohol.

Make sure you use some form of moisturiser, without the glycerol/glycerine your hands will dry out...

coolade

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#2511697 24-Jun-2020 19:52

wellygary:

coolade:

I will never use that stuff again. I use pure alcohol.

Make sure you use some form of moisturiser, without the glycerol/glycerine your hands will dry out...

Home made. So far that hasnt happen but ill look out for it thanks

coolade

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#2529161 26-Jul-2020 19:48

coolade:

FineWine:

Long shot but could you try wearing a mask or some such oral/nasal covering whilst sanitising as an experiment. Thick enough to block out the fumes. The reason I pose this is that you can absorb via the skin. Even though such absorption would be minute. Is the sanitiser fragrance free ? Some sanitisers also use triclosan or triclocarban which some people do react to.

Tip - just before you sanitise take a really great inward breath and hold, sanitise and as you sanitise blow out, like through a straw, over your hands away from your face. We are only talking about 20 seconds. Also for the trolleys bring your own cloth in a plastic bag to wipe dry the handles as I know my Pak-n-Save spray their trolleys, then place it back in the bag to wash at home.

Whatever is causing your headaches during this hyper-clean era I feel for you. You will have to think outside the box on this one.

my hands were not effected and its not just the smell that can effect yo. Also cant be the alcohol as im using straight alcohol now with NO effects. Its bound to be the stuff they put in it so you cant drink it...90% better from just stopping putting it straight onto the skin the rest went after i stopped using it it altogether

I also have to say during this time i developed a cyst on my breast. 2 cm long . I have never had one before in my life. I treated it with schweitzer formula and its not come back after coming off the sanitizer.

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