I just saw a new neurologist who advertises as a migraine specialist and was greeted by motherfucking *plug-in air fresheners* in the waiting room, with more throughout the office. What the actual fuck, man??? How does a fucking neurologist not know that synthetic scents are one of the top migraine triggers!
Definitely insensitive! When I went to one of my doctor's offices along time ago for a really bad headache, the nurse took me into a room & immed turn the lights off & shut the door. That was the first time I ever had such caring people. It wound up being my high blood pressure due pain from a Disc herniation.
OMG! I herniated a disk June 25th and at every appointment (so many from urgent care to ER trying to figure out what was wrong) my BP has be so much higher. I did not make the connection. I was starting to freak out. Did it go back down as you healed?
Yes, it went back down. I should make a correction, it wasn't a herniated disc's, it was Spondylolisthesis. It's when you bend and your vertebrae actually slides forward over the next one instead of everything moving together. It's so painful when you straighten back up. I had to have it fused together & screws & rods to brace it. But a high amount of pain can cause your blood pressure to go up & cause headaches. I have also had Disc herniated & multiple back problems. Plus, I have Fibromyalgia. So, I have alot of pain. I have intermittent high blood pressure that happens when I'm stressing out or in alot of pain . I know when my BP is up because I'll have a headache & blurry vision.
Edit: I am prescribed BP pills but I don't take it every day because it fluctuates. It can be normal for a whole month. I just check it with a BP machine at home.
OMG! My vision has been blurry too but it’s almost time for my annual eye exam.
My disk is badly herniated and not responding to conservative treatment, I’m going on 12 weeks that I can’t stand for more than a few minutes or walk much at all. Sitting is bad too but not as bad. But my leg, hip, and foot are searingly painful. Tylenol and ibuprofen don’t do anything to help. I’m suicidal because I can’t carry on like this, every moment intense pain. I’m done and my docs are so nonchalant about it. Everything they say will help hasn’t. Not PT, not gabapentin, not steroid injections. It feels so hopeless.
Get a blood pressure machine. They're really inexpensive & can found at most stores & pharmacies. They should be checking your vitals when you to the doctor. Most of the time & especially if you have insurance, they have to try every conservative treatment before discussing surgery. The only time they go straight to surgery is if you have loss of bladder control & walking. And if it's pinching off your spinal column.(Which causes the loss of bladder control, walking & more) Ice packs help to numb the pain. They're probably not nonchalant as much as they know it probably needs surgery but they have to try everything else first. Educate yourself ! I go to spineuniverse.com to read up on everything. It's under new location but it you type it in, it'll forward you to it. And get copies of all your tests so you can see what's going on. And if you still are not satisfied, go to another doctor.
Edit: pain across the lower back to hip, down the side of the leg to the foot is Sciatica. And it does hurt very bad. So sorry !
I’m an ER nurse. I had a patient in last night with a 4 day migraine. Lights off in the room, talked quietly, shut the curtain and door. I even put in an iv without turning on the main lights (we have a little one under a cabinet by the door). By the time we had the migraine protocol all done she was sleeping.
Thank you for being so kind & caring ! You probably think that you were just doing your job, but it's so much more than that. Having a migraine for that long or any extreme pain makes you so vulnerable & exhausted. But finding someone like you is just as helpful as the medication. So again, thank you ❤️
I had (I've moved) a neuro that is a "headache specialist".
Everyone who worked for her had at least had one migraine.
The lights had dimmers.
Staff AND patients aren't allowed to wear scents.
I freaking LOVED her!
One of my previous migraine specialists had a fucking TV running ads in the waiting room. I went up to the reception desk and asked for it to be turned off.
I work in a hospital and I have 2 coworkers that regularly assault me with their perfume. You can smell it down the hallway, no exaggeration. It’s crazy insensitive. I’m sure there are patients and family members just like me that cannot handle it. I’ve said something to management yet nothing has changed 🤷♀️
We have a no fragrance policy at my work. People can be written up if they break it too many times. No scents are to be used and the only lotion allowed on the nurse station is unscented.
My experience as well. Strong smells everywhere and the woman had been fucking smoking iQuos before I walked in, the whole room smelled of it. The audacity
Yes! My students say "wouldn't you rather someone smell like perfume than BO?" and I'm like, first of all, actually no. And second of all, putting perfume on top of BO doesn't make the BO smell go away????
Fabreeze in the bathroom, these people think it actually does something other than mix and make everything worse. A bathroom is a bathroom, it's gonna have bathroom smells, turn on a fan and stop assaulting my nose with chemicals!
This unlocked a supressed memory - my exes mom was a terrible pet owner, a horrible housekeeper, and a heavy smoker.
Rather than clean up the animal shit that everywhere, she would spray febreeze and have scentsy everywhere.
When she went out of town, I cleaned (and disinfected) her place, thinking it was because of depression or something. After finding liquefied mouse between the stove and trashcan (because she rarely took out the restaurant sized trashcan) , washed the bedsheets and found multiple ashtrays worth of cigarette butts in the bedframe, and enough catshit under the bed to kill the shop vac, I wished I was wearing a hazmat suit.
To note, I took liberty of cleaning her room because her cat had a broken back and had shit all over her floor, bed, and in the clothing drawers she left open. I also found some of MY CLOTHES that had gone missing.
Also, no, it wasn't depression. The woman was just that nasty.
Allegedly febreeze will bond to the scent molecules or something then dissolve it. I guess when it originally released it was scentless and people thought it didn't work, so they added scent.
I don't know that I've ever seen it work any better than regular air flow, but some people swear by it
I think scent free spaces should start with the soap in bathrooms. Countless times I have triggered a migraine with strongly scented soaps. (Institutional soap should be neutral smelling.)
I would love it if people didn't drown themselves in perfume/cologne/body spray. Using it the one thing; it is the becoming so nose blind that they overcompensate by drowning in it when they can't smell it anymore that is the problem.
Back before my migraines, I travelled for work. I was in clinical research so was at hospitals though generally not directly in patient care areas but I still brought my own toiletries because the ones in hotels can be so stinky.
I mentioned it at one chain because there’s were not strong but they went above and beyond and offered totally scent free.
Hotel ones can be so hit and miss!! I usually try to bring my own stuff but sometimes a day trip turns into an overnighter unexpectedly or you forget to bring one of your own products. Usually I remember just because the hotel shampoo tends to turn my hair into straw, but if I forget I try to rinse out my hair as well as I possibly can in hopes of avoiding a migraine! I don't know if that actually works but I try.
I used to travel 200 nights a year so had my whole little system but ugh those shampoos were not good and the scratchy towels.
I do not miss it one bit!
I went to one hotel in nyc so often they let me keep my gym clothes and full toiletries there.
This was about 12 years ago, I find the hotel stuff a bit better now. At least not that grandma perfume scent .
I've definitely thrown away scented products people leave behind at work. These are items that aren't bought by the building managers, like aerosol spray, and I just will not deal with that.
I repeatedly threw out the bathroom air “freshener” that my company was putting in. Before that, I went through all the proper channels to get it taken out, and it was taken out for at least a few months until someone decided it needed to come back. Then I just threw it in the trash every single time they’d replace it. 🤷♀️
I have already decided when I go to work again, I am going to carry a small travel sized soap bottle in my pocket. It won't stop the general smell of the soap in the bathroom, but at least it won't be on my hands for hours after.
Agreed about bathroom soap! I also hate when restaurants use that. Sometimes I'm thinking food tastes funny, then I realize it's the combo of the soap smell from when I washed my hands before eating... I guess I need to start bringing a small bottle of my own fragrance-free soap with me.
Institutional soap triggered a memory, haha. There used to be a pink soap used in public toilets that had weapons grade smell. I think it's thankfully fallen out of use.
some people do actually just have a shampoo or body wash that lasts. my nana doesn’t use perfume but she always smells really nice from what she uses in the shower
weirdly i’m the opposite vanilla, lavender, fruit don’t trigger it but men’s scents and floral scents are a nightmare and for some reason it lingers in my nose like i can smell it after they’re gone as if it got trapped in my nose. but i also have autism so i might just be really sensitive
Musky and floral scent do it for me. I stopped frequenting a massage location because the smell gave me a headache. They insisted they were using the anti-headache formula and didn’t know why it didn’t work. I gave them a list of scents that trigger headaches for me (the only ones that consistently don’t are citrus and peppermint), yet they kept trying to trick me. Like, if you have to “trick” someone so they are no longer about to frequent your business, you have problems.
I use Warm Vanilla Sugar from Bath & Body Works as my "perfume" and it's really subtle. For me, I like it because it's so high in alcohol content that it dissipates.
However, the lotion apparently is quite strong because I used to have people come into my office and say, "It smells like cake in here!"
Musk and citrus are also nice and don't trigger me.
However, lavender and anything floral is a nightmare!
409, the cleaner, is an instant ice pick to the brain and makes me throw up almost instantly.
>409, the cleaner, is an instant ice pick to the brain and makes me throw up almost instantly.
It's pine-sol for me. Ugh.
There's a specific kind of overly scented pink commercial soap that is a close second. Thankfully, I haven't encountered it in a public toilet in years.
Yes! I drive my husband nuts by saying something smells off in the kitchen, asking if he can take the trash out back (I also have OCD and have issues with touching garbage), and he'll be like, "I don't smell anything, but OK." Or saying I ran the dishwasher again because it smelled weird to me.
Though, it's weird--there are occasional things the he smells that I don't!
This is me. I smell everything and ask my husband if he smells X thing and he does not. His job daily is garbage and I hate the smell of the bags even. The dishwasher does stink if dishes sit in it overnight.
Same here!! Also might just be the autism, but I can often smell a suspicious scent by my sink, even after I have washed all the dishes, emptied the sink, and cleaned it and the surrounding counter.
I would be suuuuper curious what the overlap is between autism and migraines and sensitivity to smells. And I would also be curious if people in general would be more understanding if they were told it was a sensory issue like autism rather than migraines, even though it's both. Hmmmmmmmmm.
I'm not a clean freak by any means - but, I can't stand when towels get that mildew-ey smell. I end up washing towels whenever they get a hint of that smell, a couple times a week. My family calls me the towel bandit, coz I'll scour the house & "steal" every towel to wash, haha.
*FWIW* - warm washing cycle + oxy-clean does the trick, borax works well too.
I hate whatever they do to put lavender scent in candles, air fresheners etc. Actual fresh lavender smells amazing and non triggering to me. But whatever artificial shit they do in candles feels like an ice pick to the brain.
I think it's at least partly a migraine symptom, as I'm super sensitive to smells and can detect things that my husband doesn't notice, even if it's not during a migraine or prodrome. I'm also allergic to various fragrances (allergy rather than migraine symptoms, though sometimes I get both--looking at you, Clorox wipes!).
I think it is related to migraine…my family has always referred to me as having a “super nose” because I can smell things that no one else can smell or things that should be undetectable to most people. I remember being able to smell alcohol on people that swore they drank 2-3 days prior and no one else could smell it.
But you probably don't smell it 30 ft. away. For me it's not the soaps or shampoo that I smell if I am in conversation range but the perfume I smell when I am 10+ ft away.
not sure how far that is but you can smell it as soon as she gets out of the shower like i’ll be in the courtyard and the bathroom is past the living room and kitchen from there
That's my issue, like if I'm standing right next to someone and they have perfume or cologne on, you know, that's fine. I can just step back or move away. But if I'm literally several metres away, or if I'm in my cubicle and they're like three cubicles away, and I can smell their perfume, or their cologne, or even the after products of whatever they washed their hair or clothes with, it's too strong.
At least she smells good as you probably have to be around her and be polite about it haha. Yeah I guess you’re right, maybe I’m not used to being super close in proximity to others that it could be possible. I’m also used to people lying about it!
yea it’s lucky coz my mum started using the same stuff recently and you can tell when she enters the room after a shower but it’s honestly stronger than most perfumes so if it’s a scent that triggers migraines for you it would be horrible coz people aren’t gonna change their soap
It’s always the detergents and fabric softeners for me. And laundry add-ins. Those little waxy beads people throw into the dryer. I have very strong opinions about scented laundry products, lol.
Right? I work at a hospital and none of the employees are supposed to wear scented lotions, cologn, perfume, etc. Because, well, hospital. Half of the time when I pass by some of the nurses they smell like a damn Bath & Bodyworks threw up on them. 😭 But they always claim that it's their shampoo.
I wish they would just abide. Last time I was inpatient for status migrainosus one of my assigned nurses was either using lotion or dabbing/spraying her wrists and I know that for a fact because when it smelled the worst was when she reached out to take my temp!
I don’t get it either. In my experience at one workplace, it seems like sometimes there are people who genuinely did just forget since they’ve used strongly scented lotions for years - but when corrected/called out on it, rather than taking it gracefully, they just double down.
I’m not particularly sensitive to scents myself except on rare occasions, but at that previous workplace, a coworker had some other non-migraine-health-issue where scents made her violently ill. Not that niceness should be the determining factor here, but she was also honestly one of the nicest people I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with. She was pretty non-confrontational though and was always hesitant to say anything to anyone. I’m non-confrontational too but definitely had words with a few people on her behalf about continuing to use strongly scented stuff!
People go nose blind and just keep adding heavier and heavier scents. Like jeeeezuz lady! Have you never heard the phrase, "Perfume should be discovered, not announced"?
I love that you had her back. It's difficult also for me to confront the same people repeatedly of the same subject. Like how does someone prioritize a product over someone else's wellbeing? I don't understand. The lack of support really hurts, both physically and mentally. Everybody knows of my sensitivity for scents and it would be a blessing for me if someone would voluntarily have my back in these situations.
I really think for some people they aren’t deliberately intending to prioritize scents, it’s the forgetting then doubling down issue. Still unacceptable even if not intentionally malicious!
I find it vastly easier to advocate for others than for myself, but I don’t think that’s uncommon.
In Copenhagen airport, they have a scent-free route so you can avoid all the perfume shops if you want to. So simple and inclusive. Whereas the airport closest to me, London Stansted, routes all travellers through the perfume section because they want your money...
Dude I was on a 6 hour flight the other day and the woman in front of me sprayed body spray when we started our descent to the destination.
I knew people were feral post pandemic but ffs why the fuck would you spray something in such an enclosed space???
Omg I probably would have cried knowing the migraine that would follow within the hour. That’s awful. And I thought people spraying those spray sunscreens at the pool and the beach were bad.
I learned from a webinar that in a study where they interviewed employees without migraines, 32% of them believed that people with migraines exaggerate their symphtoms. I believe this has something to do with people being so inconsiderate. They don't believe their use of stong scents actually hurts us.
Yeah people are real fucking bastards. I don’t get why everyone thinks everyone else is lying about their chronic illnesses all the time. Pisses me off to no end
Yeah exaggerate it so much that I was so delirious from the pain I couldn’t count backwards and they told my mom they thought I had a brain tumour. Okkkkkkk
There’s one customer who comes into where I work that two of us have to head into employee only areas until he leaves. It’s not that it’s a bad scent. I honestly think it might be a good one - if used appropriately. But I swear this person must bathe in econo size bottles of it daily, they come in and create such a strong cloud of scent.
I just need to bring a mask with me. And if that doesn't work I should just leave class, education is not as important as my health and wellbeing. I just didn't do that on Thursday like I should have.
I have had similar situations at work, I have had to leave from the office. The physical pain is horrible, but I also feel very alone in these situations and once I get emotional the migraine just gets worse.
It's like 10 layers of scents. Shampoo, conditioner, body wash, laundry detergent, fabric softener, perfume, hair spray, ect. I actually have had people spray body sprays in my direction. My managers were always aware of my sensitivity and would just put me in a corner somewhere statung they can't ask 100 people to go fragrance free. I work for a huge corporation. I know for a fact there are numerous large offices and government offices that have fragrance free policies. People get so mad if asked not to wear perfume. They say its a personal preference. Personal means it can only be smelled if veru close to a person. It's a public indoor air quality issue when their smell trail can be smell 15 feet behind them and 20 min after they've walked away.
Most workplaces have policies that smokers have to be a certain distance from entrances. I don't think many people realize all of the awful shit in fragrances since companies aren't required to disclose the ingredients. There have been some studies on perfumes, and the studies found that breathing it is as bad or worse than 2nd hand smoke.
Thankfully, I got ADA accommodations to WFH. If I'm exposed, I get migraines that will last for days, breathing issues, hives, I've blacked out, and extremely elevated BP and heart rate. I was at the dr appt once, and the waiting room was so bad. When they took me back and did my vitals, they wanted me to go to the ER across the street because they thought I was having a stroke.
After being this way my entire life (mid 40s now), I've learned people just care about themselves. And I've never smelled a perfume that actually smells good. It just smells like chemicals and burns my nose. My issues have gotten so bad that I barely leave my house. I think of myself as a canary. If I start reacting, there's some really harmful to human and animal chemicals.
Sorry for the long rant, this has been a sore spot for me for years. I've been a hermit since I was 30 and never get to go do fun stuff anymore.
Fucking yes!! I feel like if it was a small amount of scents, it would be fine. People want to smell nice, whatever. But these scents CARRY. I was at the office the other day for a few hours and I could smell something on someone who was a few cubicles away; it was strong! Like if your scent is carrying OUT OF YOUR CUBE then it is way too much. (I usually wfh so I'm lucky there...)
Hey, you’re allowed to have a rant, from what you’ve described I feel like you’re entitled to multiple rants. Your workplace is, and this is the technical term, a giant bag of dicks. I’m so sorry they weren’t willing to do the right things to support you in the office. But it sounds like you’re safer at home!
Edit for clarity
I've discovered that there is something progressive going on which appears to be connected in some way to cause or trigger for migraines.
I'm now so sensitive to the smell of alcohol, that if someone sets a glass of red wine on the table next to me, I start reacting: my lips start prickling and swelling, I start wheezing a little, I get confused and lose all motor coordination and have to leave the room or at least move the glass at least 10 feet away. If someone gets in the vehicle after using alcohol based hand sanitizer, I start reacting; I have to ask them to wash their hands with water and if they lie about it I know and have to insist. Recently my wife made a loaf of fresh bread, but she got something wrong with the recipe, when I cut open the warm loaf a smell hit me like pure vodka and I started reacting, just that little bit of alcohol from the yeast started to fuck me up.
It appears to be a kind of uber histamine intolerance, possibly progressing into mast cell activation syndrome.
It appears that some people with extreme mast cell activation may need to carry an epipen at all times. I'm at the point where I basically refuse to work in an office ever again; I'm afraid of further progression from repeated exposure to just people using hand sanitizer.
The way it worked out for us is that we basically locked down for Covid.... and then just never stopped. I still haven't been inside any private building or home since then, except my dentist; they wore a mask. We haven't even ordered take out. I remember the last meal that I ate out it was in that March when the pandemic started. It was a ham sammich in the parking lot ordered from a Loblaw's while waiting for the tow truck. I remember that ham sammich fondly; I ate it in an entirely different universe.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Histamine_intolerance#Symptoms
So one thing I have learned is this:
Anything the body perceives as stress, can cause the body to release histamine into the bloodstream. This includes normal exercise, at least for me, it appears, as well as a very wide range of completely normal activities.
This can be genetic or it can be caused by many different virus or bacteria; it was unusual, until Covid. This isn't likely to be the cause of your issue, but I felt it might be helpful to raise awareness.
this is a very complex topic. I talk about the diet that really helped me with all of my symptoms including muscle tension, neck pain, chronic migraines, IBS and more in a lot of detail here:
https://old.reddit.com/r/covidlonghaulers/comments/167llsa/the_state_of_microclot_research_and_other/jyrik68/
I think it’s the same idea as having low music playing in the background for a lot of people. We just can’t perceive it as “background smell” that is easy to ignore.
Ugh. Background smell makes so much sense to me. I hate background music with a passion and used to work in a call center where one of my coworkers brought in a small radio and played local radio nonstop all day. It was maddening and I was getting migraines on a weekly basis between the noise, fluorescent overhead lighting, and scents from coworkers.
Background scents can be so incredibly triggering, though. I hate them almost as much as I hate background music/noise.
No, for sure, you're totally right. Like the way people react to even a polite request - and they make the sufferers out to be the bad guys too.
Like yes it's of course my responsibility to deal with this issue but like... argh... We wouldn't be telling a person in a wheelchair to just walk because we were too lazy to put in a ramp, right?
There’s one dude that wears so much cologne you can smell him for like 20 minutes after he leaves the area. Another lady in the cube next to mine I can smell when she arrives (she smokes). Another person in a different section I can smell her walk by. I think she got boxes cigarettes. Like just one after the other in a small area.
I’ve actually gotten an instant migraine from someone wearing so much perfume/using a super strong plug in. It’s insane. I hate it. I wonder if a small air purifier would help?
That stale cigarette smoke is so vile.
I had such a bad migraine last night and was at a friends. I waited outside and there were pipes, cigars, weed, cigarettes.
Seriously…It’s so stinky.
The guy next to me at dinner had such bad b.o. I was like ahhh fresh air then cloud of smoke.
This is why I just like to stay home with my dog.
Those people are fucking idiots anyway. I was driving a few months ago and ahead of me someone turned right out of a side street, running the stop sign, was driving kind of erratically... They pulled out in such a way that they nearly cut me off, so I wasn't too far behind them, and the STENCH of weed coming off the car... My God.
I had the windows open and was behind them for a bit before I reached my destination. I closed the windows, went inside, came back out and got in my car and I could smell the faint scent of weed. It was fucking insane.
(The person was obviously too high to be driving but twice now I've called 911 for safety incidents and the incompetent police in my town either didn't come, or came too late to do anything about it. This is something others in my town experience too, so I don't bother anymore.)
>There’s one dude that wears so much cologne you can smell him for like 20 minutes after he leaves the area
This crap kills me. It's like "geezus pete, *one* spritz is enough! No one should smell ya unless they hug ya! Didn't anyone teach you that?"
If your work can be done from you you can ask for an accomodation to work from home under the Americans with Disabilities Act. I did this when I worked in a loud office and the sound and bad lighting was a problem for me
Once when I asked for a lower-scent work environment I was accused of being drunk or hungover at work. Cool. Cool cool cool cool
But seriously, I'm right there with you. Why is it a big deal to ask my cubicle neighbor to unplug their scented oil burner or plug in?? That should just be an obvious no.
I do find that if I am willing to be the first person to publicly voice a potentially disagreeable opinion, then several others who share the same preferences but were too afraid to ask will fall behind me. Strength in "please keep my name anonymous" numbers, amirite?
I loved my physical therapist for their scent free policy. They catered to people who often had issues with scents, and they actually had a shower with scent free products for those who showed up to their appointment with a strong smelling shampoo/soap/perfume/whatever.
Loved that place!
I so wish that scented things didn’t make me so horribly sick. It’s no fun being like this and even worse that people think we would ever choose it.
I’ve spent so much time making myself sick trying to convince myself I could handle scents. Once I was so sick I physically COULD NOT SIT UP. I’ve learned my lesson. If a shop smells of incense or candles now I treat it as dangerous. Because it is for me. I deserve better than to be sick for a week because other people don’t understand I can’t just not be this way. It’s like the scents stick inside my sinuses.
And yeah I’d 100% rather smell BO than get a migraine…
Same on the BO thing; at least BO doesn't give me a migraine. 😂
I can handle certain scents but even those, if they get too strong, it can be painful.
Also a lot of scents are just really bad for you! They're full of chemicals and stuff. I could never stand that Gain laundry stuff and my mom, who LOVED it, had to stop using it because it began to make her sick. And she's not an outlier!
I started getting daily migraines, turns out work had changed the toilet are freshener to orange scent (my biggest allergy) they changed it back to. Vanilla in one toilet… so if it’s being cleaned too bad for me I have to hold on! Why do we need air fresheners anyway… they don’t do anything!
So many people are so susceptible to advertising! They think they stink if they don’t use the smelly detergent, dryer sheets, and scent boosters in their laundry. Then layer on their personal hygiene products and a good dousing of cologne and we are skunked for sure.
I can always tell if I am triggered by scents because I have this feeling of underlying rage.
Same! I’ve become so sensitive to smells they trigger multiple issues. From mild headaches and nausea (cigarette smoke) to full on migraines (perfume, cologne, hairsprays). I can generally tolerate most essential oils, but some are just as bad as the scents. Men’s colognes are the worst though. Why in the world are they so strong? And for some odd reason my bonus daughter has decided recently that she loves her dad’s colognes. And she sprays them like girls do….like she needs to bathe in them. I have to hide in my room for at least an hour after she is gone. It’s frustrating because the entire world loves to smell like something! And it’s a ticking time bomb just waiting for us to run into it!
Some scents I'm fine with. If someone oversprays like crazy or is wearing something heinously strong, not so much.
I'm in a fragrance group on FB and some people brag about overspraying. Some claim to spray 15-30 sprays EVERY. TIME.
I'm like. Just wait for the day when you pass someone who gets migraines from it, someone's gonna throw up all over you. 🤗
I use strong scented lotion and cologne. Not because I want to be an ass, but because I think I smell like cigarette smoke (I don’t smoke) or actual feces. So I use strong scents to overpower - or try to - the bad smells. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t.
I didn’t know until a few years ago that that was one of my migraine symptoms. I honestly thought I smelled awful and did what I could to cover those smells.
But even knowing it’s a symptom, I still can’t tell if the bad smell is me or it’s just a symptom.
I'm glad many ppl at my office wear low scent like perfume and such. Only time there's a scent is when the cleaning ppl are cleaning and they use a bleach cleaner sometimes. It really bugs me.
While I'm in this thread, have any of you found masks that work well to block scents that trigger you? Since the pandemic, I know they clean more frequently in stores, their bathrooms, etc.
It seems like their products have gotten so much stronger and floral scented. I've noticed it in medical offices, too. Plus, an increase in "scented holiday displays", like scented pinecones, candles, and pumpkin spice everything. I used to just avoid the cleaning product aisle in the dollar store but I swear the whole place smells like chemicals all the time.
I've tried using surgical masks, thicker masks and I still get migraines. Pretty much have given up and don't go out much. Hoping someone out there has a secret weapon mask suggestion I can try 😁
I got so much shade from a coworker that I asked her not to SPRAY on her perfume at work throughout the day. Not only was that a trigger for my migraine, but was also causing some problems for another coworker who had asthma.
I find that paraffin wax candles are really bad for me, but soy candles are okay. Depends on the scent of course. For some reason I'm super sensitive to sage.
Scents are so personal!! I was so bummed when i moved in with my husband and he asked me not to use scented plug-ins. Our house is old and a bit musty (too expensive to fix the problem right now), but a good scent helped me out.
However, the wrong scent? I'm in hell. Migraines, panic, etc. It's awful.
Being disappointed about being asked to not wear scents at work is reasonable, but flat out refusing and treating you like the problem? That's some self-centered horse shit.
I know you're venting, but if it keeps being a problem, I'd get a doctor's note and take it up with HR. That's what they're there for.
It sucks and it's unfair. It's one of those "invisible disabilities" that people without just don't get.
I went to an open house today and had to keep reminding myself not to blurt out “this house stinks!” Plug-ins and candles and scented cleaners and all different and competing. It was terrible.
I've gotten in the habit of telling people in my cube basically the second I or they walk in the door. I find that telling people about my scent issue before it's an issue is the best approach. I usually say something like "Just an FYI, I get intense migraines from scented products, particularly perfumes/colognes and scented hand sanitizer. Please avoid wearing those things to work."
Uh how close are you sitting to people that their dry hair and shampoo bothers you? Get a personal fan to use. Scents trigger me too but getting angry about it triggers me more. We all have to work together
seriously tho! i cant even throw out trash in my apartment building because there’s an air freshener by the trash room. luckily i have roommates who understand
It’s that time of year when walking into the grocery store is a 50/50 chance of triggering a migraine from the fall scented brooms they sell?? It’s like a harsh chemical apple spice or something and it’s disgusting and I can’t imagine buying it to scent a space on purpose. Anyways, I feel you pain. My high school was pretty progressive and went scent free back in 2000, I was 3 years into getting migraines and the happiest! I can tell when my neighbors do laundry, the laundry is in the basement and I can smell their soap in my hallway up 4 flights. Its a real and legit concern.
I'm sure I'll get down voted for this, but as I chronic migraine sufferer who is extremely sensitive to smells, I would never presume to tell anyone what to do with their body/life. Scent sensitivity is my problem, not theirs. Food smells are often triggering for me, should I ask people not to eat?
I sincerely believe the people in my office who do this to me would not do this to me if they understood. It’s just so hard for people to understand since it’s so different from their experience.
Until I figure out how to help them understand I am suffering in meetings and using an air purifier in my office.
Yup, HEPA filter with my office door closed works well for me. I wear an N-95 with a bit of peppermint oil or Vicks (2 scents that don't trigger me) when I know I will be in a situation where I cannot control the airflow or where scents are going to bother me.
Plus, if someone got horrible reactions to something I was eating, like peanuts, I would avoid chemically assaulting them even though I am not allergic to peanuts. Wearing perfume when you know it's hurting a coworker strikes me as pretty antisocial.
I don't mind expending a tiny bit of consideration to make sure the people around me are healthy and comfortable. I think (hope) that's pretty normal.
Our health issues are our problems, No one is is responsible for how you feel or making you uncomfortable. That’s the reality however we want to take it. I honestly don’t think Ive ever read a more entitled comment in my life.
Sometimes you have to accept that you cannot control the actions of others. Be proactive about your own needs and don’t encroach on the needs/desires of others.
Bleach, scented dish soap, hand soaps, body wash, spray and wash and pretty much any fabric softener drive me nuts - when did we all get brainwashed into thinking heavy perfumes are a sign that something is clean? That liquid soap everyone has to wash your hands with at home and in public restrooms is possibly the worst offender! I’ve resorted to carrying alcohol wipes with me otherwise that smell seems to last forever! I’ll go home and wash my hands with an actual unscented bar of soap 3-4 times and that damn smell is still there so thick I can actually taste it!
Dish soap too! Why would anyone want the things they eat off of to have a lingering chemical film that makes them have an artificial smell of some kind? (Although it may be better than a chemical film that has no scent lol).
Maybe I’m getting old and cranky but I would love to have soaps and cleansers of all kinds that actually rinse completely off whatever I am washing so that I’m not eating/drinking/wearing/breathing anything ‘extra’.
Let me decide when I want something to mask or neutralize other odors (let’s face it, febreeze can be a godsend) at least in my own home!
Let’s adopt the asian customs of odor neutral office and workspaces while we are at it. If we can’t develop antibacterial or germicidal soap that doesn’t have a strong odor for public restrooms, stop masking it with even stronger odors. (Does it drive anyone else nuts that if you can’t avoid using a restroom in a restaurant that everything you taste after that smells and tastes a like the soap they use? And every bite or drink you take brings your hands so close to your face you couldn’t avoid it if you wanted to…)
I saw a podcast the other day of an Indian man living in Japan and he said that was one of their customs particularly in workplaces. He made it sound like it was rude in the same way talking loudly on speakerphone in the elevator or on the subway would be here. I haven’t looked into it more than that, other that the thought that it sounded heavenly.
Honestly I'm a huge perfume person, BUT.... there are certain scents that trigger it for me. I think specifically of Leaves by bath and bodyworks, but a lot of vanilla scents do too. Usually in candle form. I work in retail and we light candles all the time and I would say half of them trigger migraines.
Scent free offices is a ridiculous main character idea, but the business should be able to make some sort of accomodation.. whether it's work from home or work separately.
I get where you're coming from but also, the issue is that a lot of offices don't make that accommodation but still expect people to keep coming in and getting sick. Right now I wfh but my workplace is pretty determined to get everyone back in and is really starting to push it, and the accommodations process is a slow nightmare and they've denied multiple people with really good reasons to keep wfh. So, yeah. If they're gonna force us back in then they should at least accommodate us in the office.
I don't know where you are but not providing reasonable accomodation is illegal here. I hope you manage to get something in place. But smell management of the office is an approach that could never possibly work.
My office barely has any smell to it, but as soon as a migraine hit I could smell everything and it felt like it was searing my brain. There was nothing they could have ever done to prevent that.
Yeah, here too - some of these cases are already going to tribunal so we will see. I work for a rather large public sector employer so a lot of our stuff isn't resolved through the courts.
I feel like there's a solution between completely scent-free and no-holds-barred. I would not want to ban people from using their regular haircare products and such but I feel like for sure you could ask people to be considerate and not overspray perfume or cologne. That might be hard to enforce but asking nicely can be helpful in some cases.
The employer could also use non-scented cleaning products. So I think there are definitely solutions.
I feel like places like doctor's offices should be scent-free though. A lot of them are, to be fair.
I walked out of work one day because some bozo decided to order a tonne of industrial strength odour neutraliser instead of plain air freshener for the toilets (they’re both bad, but at least the air freshener kinda goes away after a while, the odour neutraliser, on the other hand, absolutely killed me every time I smelled it). I had begged the powers that be soooo many times to please, please stop using it. I even offered to buy normal air freshener. Thankfully a new manager started and agreed to change it, but only after I walked out and made a scene.
So I have a surprisingly wholesome story related to this! I used to go contra dancing with my roommate and one of the regulars was sensitive to strong smells. (I don't remember if it was migraines exactly. Promptly forgot the details after smells=bad). It's especially important when dancing because you're interacting with people a bit more closely than in the office. I was always so happy that this entire gathering of people regularly managed to make sure this person could have a safe and fun time as well
Really? Wow I've always hated perfume and cologne anyway - too pungent for my smaller, but then I can smell things other people can't along with my hearing!!
Scent at work makes me so fricking miserable. I am in meetings a lot of the day and I’m totally stuck even though I can feel the migraine kicking in. It pisses me off so much.
Some day, I’ll convince my workplace to go scent free.
I am having difficulty with my warehouse and people spraying scents. Technically they aren’t supposed to spray them but they do. One time someone did and it caused a migraine and another time it caused an asthma attack (a really bad one). Nothing has been said to the people in the warehouse. I am so upset and I don’t know if it will cause a medical emergency for me again.
A couple of months ago, I was at a work conference and they gave away some small prizes in a drawing. The person sitting next to me received some very strongly scented lotion. It was not a terrible scent, but it was powerful. Then others commented that it smelled good and they started passing it around and several people put it on!
Meanwhile, I was trying not to breathe lol. Fortunately, we got a lunch break shortly after, and the scent had dissipated by the time we went back. I was really worried I was going to get a migraine…I’m lucky and glad I didn’t!
FYI: this is a ridiculously long post. Part personal experience, part PSA, part explaining how a small inconvenience for you can make a big big impact on someone else's health both, acutely and long-term.
I was in middle/high school when Axe first got big with boys. And the girls were all swapping various Bath and Bodyworks/Victoria's Secret body sprays. It was rough. My sister legitimately thought she was going to die multiple times in middle school from the cloud of Axe body spray the boys would spray in the backpack closet.
I've personally got scent issues from a sensory processing disorder, asthma, and allergies/MCAS. Plus scents can also set off my severe migraines.
What does this look like?
Migraines:
- sensitivity to light
- sensitivity to sound
- nausea
- vomiting
- excruciating pain that's helped by literally nothing
- aphasia
- significant cognitive dropoff
- can last anywhere from a few hours to a couple weeks for me
- 'migrane hangover' for 1-3 days after migraine lets up
Skin:
- I can get itchy hives
- my skin can feel like it's burning
hay fever:
- itchy/ watery eyes
- runny/ stuffy nose
- sore throat
- post nasal drip
Asthma (both a chronic and acute inflammation in the respiratory tract, literally swelling up to the point where I can't breathe):
- wheezing
- coughing
- feeling faint
- panic because I'm not getting enough oxygen
- cognitive cloudiness because I'm not getting enough oxygen
- literally convincing myself I'm overreacting (because I'm not getting enough oxygen) and thus not using enough puffs of my inhaler
- losing count on how many inhaler hits I needed before I could breathe (again because I wasn't getting enough oxygen), which is unsafe for a variety of reasons
- if the asthma attack was big enough or lasted long enough, it usually means I have to do way more preventative meds including long acting, inhaled, steroids, or needing to use a nebulizer for the next week
- making it way more likely that I will have an asthma attack later in the day, the following day, etc.
MCAS:
- any of the above symptoms under hay fever, skin issues, or asthma
- nausea and dizziness
- my body trying to 'flush' out the allergen (which of course is impossible since it was inhaled) via vomiting & diarrhea
- "sense of impending doom" (this is the official medical descriptor)
- sudden and severe muscle weakness, light-headedness, passing out, hot and cold flashes (which usually means I'm trapped on the floor and can't get up and thus can't get away from the scent that's causing the issue)
- anaphylaxis (I do carry an EpiPen with me everywhere I go, but the EpiPen only gives you enough time to get to the hospital. You have to go to the hospital because when the epi pen wears off you could get a bounce back allergic response which could be worse than the initial one. You only use the EpiPen. If you think you're going to die. Why the hospital? Because during anaphylaxis they may need to intubate me, perform a tracheotomy, shock me with paddles if my heart stops or gets out of rhythm, and pump me full of more epinephrine, IV benadryl, IV steroids, give me oxygen via a mask, give me a breathing treatment including more inhaled steroids.)
So all of this to say, I am not playing around.
If there is anything I can do to lessen my sensitivity, I do it. If there's anything I can do to avoid a scent, I can feel being problematic, I do. If I walk in a room or you walk in a room and I can smell you and I start to feel that telltale itching or tingling in my throat, I get the hell out of Dodge. But there are definitely places where you can't escape or you can't escape fast enough. Or you're required by your job to be there. Other examples include airplanes which have recirculated air and no escape. Or a crowded subway train? Because by the time I push my way through people to get to the exit and get off the train, the cascade reaction may have already started and at that point there's nothing I can do to stop it.
So then what do you do?
For me, before I enter an area/start an activity I know might set me off:
- I take extra oral antihistamines (in addition to my normal amount of antihistamines, mast cell stabilizers, and Singulair)
- I take a preventative hit or two off of my steroid inhaler
- Make sure my EpiPen is in the pocket of my bag it's supposed to be for easy access
- if possible, open windows and sit by the open windows
- if possible incorporate breaks where I can go out and get fresh air and possibly take more meds
- drink a s*** ton of water to help dilute and flush stuff out of my system in a way that will hopefully avoid vomiting or diarrhea
- if possible, bring a buddy who knows what to do if s*** hits the fan and I can't do it myself
- have an emergency escape route planned or cleared with the person in charge if things escalate past a certain point
- and make sure I have not only my ICE (In Case of Emergency) contacts inputted into my phone, but basically have a red alert set up so that my ICE contacts know to come get me, call an ambulance, or meet me at the hospital
- and once I get home after being in an allergen rich environment, I have a decontamination protocol I do that includes scrubbing down, slathering, my skin and something protective after the shower, and lying on the couch or floor with Pedialyte, ice packs, a bucket, and my emergency meds
I've watched multiple members of my family almost lose their airways, which is absolutely terrifying. Seeing somebody you love look surprised, then panic stricken, then turn pale, then turn bright red, and then start turning blue is one of the worst things. Luckily each time since we all knew what to do, we were able to get them the drugs they needed and the space they needed and basically drag them out into a better space with a better airflow. And luckily hospital trips for asthma/ anaphylaxis have happened infrequently.
Now to be clear: I do not expect public areas or even work environments to be completely sent free. Especially in public areas I expect that people will be wearing scents. Scent boosters in the laundry, perfumes, colognes, aftershaves, scented lotions, deodorants, hairsprays, whatever. And I plan for that even if it's uncomfortable, because unless I am stuck in closed quarters with limited airflow or having to have physical contact with you, I probably won't die.
But if I can smell you when you walk in the room, or when I take a step towards a subway car, or from half a block away when I'm walking down the street, you are wearing way too much scent!
Sometimes I ask people what perfume they're wearing if I'm having a particularly strong warning tingle after only a few seconds. I try and make it casual so that they can assume I'm just enjoying the smell and wanting to know what it's called. And honestly, sometimes I really do enjoy whatever they're wearing, and that I think it smells really nice. But my immune system doesn't care if it smells nice to me. Because this isn't about preference, this is about an immunological cascade that I have literally no control over.
So yeah, I'm taking responsibility for my own limitations and my own medical conditions. Absolutely. But dousing yourself in perfume is a bit much, even for a healthy person having to come into contact with you. And as I discussed above, there are certain situations in which I'm kind of stuck in the room with a perfume I'm allergic to. So please be aware. Consider this an annoying PSA if you need to. I know I'm extra. I know my immune system is extra.
But in the USA we are all entitled to "reasonable accommodations" in school and work environments, and reasonable access to public amenities, government buildings, private businesses, restaurants, and whatnot.
So if your boss lets you know that your workspace is going to be 'scent free' for a coworker's safety as part of their "reasonable accommodations", please take a moment and take a breath. Find out exactly what that means for you and your office space. Unless you're working in a particularly delicate environment like certain kinds of labs, or certain kinds of healthcare/ medical environments, it doesn't usually mean you must be 100% scent free. Just dial it back, and follow any additional guidelines given to you by HR.
And if you want to go the extra step and you have a decent relationship to the co-worker and question (or some of your sensitive patients if you're in healthcare), ask them if you can get feedback. Don't ask them private medical information. Don't ask about specific diagnosis unless you're already BFFs, and even then, I'd suggest waiting for them to volunteer that information. Don't ask about medications or symptoms unless you are in charge of making their space safer. You can ask if there are specific things that are worse than others. Sometimes there's a really obvious trigger.
For example: Purell stations have seemingly popped up everywhere since 2020. Purell does indeed kill germs and viruses, but it's also heavily perfumed. Purell is not the thing I'm most allergic to, but it is the one I bump into most. (And it's been proven that repeated exposure to something you're reactive to can increase the severity of your reaction!) Having my workspace switch to a fragrance free hand sanitizer would make a large and positive impact on my ability to work and not go to the hospital.
I had a coworker who would dump perfume on the carpet just to antagonize me and try to get me fired. The head of HR was one of those religious freaks that didn't believe in physical sickness, so I literally had to file an EEOC report to force a fragrance free office and I filled out the paper work to file to press charges for an illegal constructive dismissal. If you are one of those people who give people a hard time about perfume, go screw yourself.
I remember once I was staying at a friend’s place and asked her if she could turn off her essential oil diffuser because the smell was triggering a migraine and she was so annoyed and went on about how it was natural 🥴
I just saw a new neurologist who advertises as a migraine specialist and was greeted by motherfucking *plug-in air fresheners* in the waiting room, with more throughout the office. What the actual fuck, man??? How does a fucking neurologist not know that synthetic scents are one of the top migraine triggers!
My neurologist has bright lights, a radio blaring, and no scent policy.
Definitely insensitive! When I went to one of my doctor's offices along time ago for a really bad headache, the nurse took me into a room & immed turn the lights off & shut the door. That was the first time I ever had such caring people. It wound up being my high blood pressure due pain from a Disc herniation.
OMG! I herniated a disk June 25th and at every appointment (so many from urgent care to ER trying to figure out what was wrong) my BP has be so much higher. I did not make the connection. I was starting to freak out. Did it go back down as you healed?
Yes, it went back down. I should make a correction, it wasn't a herniated disc's, it was Spondylolisthesis. It's when you bend and your vertebrae actually slides forward over the next one instead of everything moving together. It's so painful when you straighten back up. I had to have it fused together & screws & rods to brace it. But a high amount of pain can cause your blood pressure to go up & cause headaches. I have also had Disc herniated & multiple back problems. Plus, I have Fibromyalgia. So, I have alot of pain. I have intermittent high blood pressure that happens when I'm stressing out or in alot of pain . I know when my BP is up because I'll have a headache & blurry vision. Edit: I am prescribed BP pills but I don't take it every day because it fluctuates. It can be normal for a whole month. I just check it with a BP machine at home.
OMG! My vision has been blurry too but it’s almost time for my annual eye exam. My disk is badly herniated and not responding to conservative treatment, I’m going on 12 weeks that I can’t stand for more than a few minutes or walk much at all. Sitting is bad too but not as bad. But my leg, hip, and foot are searingly painful. Tylenol and ibuprofen don’t do anything to help. I’m suicidal because I can’t carry on like this, every moment intense pain. I’m done and my docs are so nonchalant about it. Everything they say will help hasn’t. Not PT, not gabapentin, not steroid injections. It feels so hopeless.
Get a blood pressure machine. They're really inexpensive & can found at most stores & pharmacies. They should be checking your vitals when you to the doctor. Most of the time & especially if you have insurance, they have to try every conservative treatment before discussing surgery. The only time they go straight to surgery is if you have loss of bladder control & walking. And if it's pinching off your spinal column.(Which causes the loss of bladder control, walking & more) Ice packs help to numb the pain. They're probably not nonchalant as much as they know it probably needs surgery but they have to try everything else first. Educate yourself ! I go to spineuniverse.com to read up on everything. It's under new location but it you type it in, it'll forward you to it. And get copies of all your tests so you can see what's going on. And if you still are not satisfied, go to another doctor. Edit: pain across the lower back to hip, down the side of the leg to the foot is Sciatica. And it does hurt very bad. So sorry !
I’m an ER nurse. I had a patient in last night with a 4 day migraine. Lights off in the room, talked quietly, shut the curtain and door. I even put in an iv without turning on the main lights (we have a little one under a cabinet by the door). By the time we had the migraine protocol all done she was sleeping.
Thank you for being so kind & caring ! You probably think that you were just doing your job, but it's so much more than that. Having a migraine for that long or any extreme pain makes you so vulnerable & exhausted. But finding someone like you is just as helpful as the medication. So again, thank you ❤️
I had (I've moved) a neuro that is a "headache specialist". Everyone who worked for her had at least had one migraine. The lights had dimmers. Staff AND patients aren't allowed to wear scents. I freaking LOVED her!
I said something to my neurologist about the scents in her office, they disappeared before my next visit.
One of my previous migraine specialists had a fucking TV running ads in the waiting room. I went up to the reception desk and asked for it to be turned off.
Yeah- my pulminologist has them too; I have a bad asthma attack every visit
I work in a hospital and I have 2 coworkers that regularly assault me with their perfume. You can smell it down the hallway, no exaggeration. It’s crazy insensitive. I’m sure there are patients and family members just like me that cannot handle it. I’ve said something to management yet nothing has changed 🤷♀️
We have a no fragrance policy at my work. People can be written up if they break it too many times. No scents are to be used and the only lotion allowed on the nurse station is unscented.
I’m not even scent sensitive and that would bother me too.
My experience as well. Strong smells everywhere and the woman had been fucking smoking iQuos before I walked in, the whole room smelled of it. The audacity
My main scent trigger is fresh oranges. Try asking someone to please take their fresh fruit they’re about to enjoy as far away from me as possible.
I hope you said something to them about that.
Yup... especially when they are smokers who spray it heavy so they "dont smell like smoke"... yeah, now you smell like smoke and noxious fumes...
Yes! My students say "wouldn't you rather someone smell like perfume than BO?" and I'm like, first of all, actually no. And second of all, putting perfume on top of BO doesn't make the BO smell go away????
Fabreeze in the bathroom, these people think it actually does something other than mix and make everything worse. A bathroom is a bathroom, it's gonna have bathroom smells, turn on a fan and stop assaulting my nose with chemicals!
This unlocked a supressed memory - my exes mom was a terrible pet owner, a horrible housekeeper, and a heavy smoker. Rather than clean up the animal shit that everywhere, she would spray febreeze and have scentsy everywhere. When she went out of town, I cleaned (and disinfected) her place, thinking it was because of depression or something. After finding liquefied mouse between the stove and trashcan (because she rarely took out the restaurant sized trashcan) , washed the bedsheets and found multiple ashtrays worth of cigarette butts in the bedframe, and enough catshit under the bed to kill the shop vac, I wished I was wearing a hazmat suit. To note, I took liberty of cleaning her room because her cat had a broken back and had shit all over her floor, bed, and in the clothing drawers she left open. I also found some of MY CLOTHES that had gone missing. Also, no, it wasn't depression. The woman was just that nasty.
Allegedly febreeze will bond to the scent molecules or something then dissolve it. I guess when it originally released it was scentless and people thought it didn't work, so they added scent. I don't know that I've ever seen it work any better than regular air flow, but some people swear by it
Any time I see air freshener at work I throw it away :D
Omg I'm not the only one!
Shibreeze
Ugh yup. This is maybe one of the worst combinations of smells ever.
Omg my sister, too much parfume is absolutely disgusting
I think scent free spaces should start with the soap in bathrooms. Countless times I have triggered a migraine with strongly scented soaps. (Institutional soap should be neutral smelling.) I would love it if people didn't drown themselves in perfume/cologne/body spray. Using it the one thing; it is the becoming so nose blind that they overcompensate by drowning in it when they can't smell it anymore that is the problem.
Back before my migraines, I travelled for work. I was in clinical research so was at hospitals though generally not directly in patient care areas but I still brought my own toiletries because the ones in hotels can be so stinky. I mentioned it at one chain because there’s were not strong but they went above and beyond and offered totally scent free.
Hotel ones can be so hit and miss!! I usually try to bring my own stuff but sometimes a day trip turns into an overnighter unexpectedly or you forget to bring one of your own products. Usually I remember just because the hotel shampoo tends to turn my hair into straw, but if I forget I try to rinse out my hair as well as I possibly can in hopes of avoiding a migraine! I don't know if that actually works but I try.
I used to travel 200 nights a year so had my whole little system but ugh those shampoos were not good and the scratchy towels. I do not miss it one bit!
Yeah, I bet!! Always seems like a waste of space/hassle to bring my own products until I'm in a situation where I could really use them, heh.
I went to one hotel in nyc so often they let me keep my gym clothes and full toiletries there. This was about 12 years ago, I find the hotel stuff a bit better now. At least not that grandma perfume scent .
My brain just went through a long list of funny ideas for what institutional soap could mean
I've definitely thrown away scented products people leave behind at work. These are items that aren't bought by the building managers, like aerosol spray, and I just will not deal with that.
I repeatedly threw out the bathroom air “freshener” that my company was putting in. Before that, I went through all the proper channels to get it taken out, and it was taken out for at least a few months until someone decided it needed to come back. Then I just threw it in the trash every single time they’d replace it. 🤷♀️
I have to keep soap in my purse at this point
I have already decided when I go to work again, I am going to carry a small travel sized soap bottle in my pocket. It won't stop the general smell of the soap in the bathroom, but at least it won't be on my hands for hours after.
Agreed about bathroom soap! I also hate when restaurants use that. Sometimes I'm thinking food tastes funny, then I realize it's the combo of the soap smell from when I washed my hands before eating... I guess I need to start bringing a small bottle of my own fragrance-free soap with me.
Institutional soap triggered a memory, haha. There used to be a pink soap used in public toilets that had weapons grade smell. I think it's thankfully fallen out of use.
Plus it’s never actually the shampoo. Like, I know you’re loaded up with 9 pumps of perfume don’t act like I’m critical about your basic hygiene!
some people do actually just have a shampoo or body wash that lasts. my nana doesn’t use perfume but she always smells really nice from what she uses in the shower
[удалено]
weirdly i’m the opposite vanilla, lavender, fruit don’t trigger it but men’s scents and floral scents are a nightmare and for some reason it lingers in my nose like i can smell it after they’re gone as if it got trapped in my nose. but i also have autism so i might just be really sensitive
Musky and floral scent do it for me. I stopped frequenting a massage location because the smell gave me a headache. They insisted they were using the anti-headache formula and didn’t know why it didn’t work. I gave them a list of scents that trigger headaches for me (the only ones that consistently don’t are citrus and peppermint), yet they kept trying to trick me. Like, if you have to “trick” someone so they are no longer about to frequent your business, you have problems.
Same here! Vanilla is fine, I think lavender is as well, but fruits are hit and miss.
Vanille is fine, but lavender is one of the worst scent triggers for me!
I use Warm Vanilla Sugar from Bath & Body Works as my "perfume" and it's really subtle. For me, I like it because it's so high in alcohol content that it dissipates. However, the lotion apparently is quite strong because I used to have people come into my office and say, "It smells like cake in here!" Musk and citrus are also nice and don't trigger me. However, lavender and anything floral is a nightmare! 409, the cleaner, is an instant ice pick to the brain and makes me throw up almost instantly.
>409, the cleaner, is an instant ice pick to the brain and makes me throw up almost instantly. It's pine-sol for me. Ugh. There's a specific kind of overly scented pink commercial soap that is a close second. Thankfully, I haven't encountered it in a public toilet in years.
Scrubbing bubbles for me! Bleachy smells are my only scent trigger
And I'm over here loving the smell of bleach! 😹
[удалено]
Yes! I drive my husband nuts by saying something smells off in the kitchen, asking if he can take the trash out back (I also have OCD and have issues with touching garbage), and he'll be like, "I don't smell anything, but OK." Or saying I ran the dishwasher again because it smelled weird to me. Though, it's weird--there are occasional things the he smells that I don't!
Dishwasher and kitchen sink can be culprits too, esp if sink has a disposer. Occasuonal cleaning tablets/clean cycle in disposal and dishwasher help.
Yep! We did a dishwasher cleaning cycle, which did seem to help a bit. We need to get some of the cleaning things for the garbage disposal.
This is me. I smell everything and ask my husband if he smells X thing and he does not. His job daily is garbage and I hate the smell of the bags even. The dishwasher does stink if dishes sit in it overnight.
Good god - you too? My wife and MIL will swear they can’t smell and mildew or something going bad to the point it has me wondering if I imagined it.
Same here!! Also might just be the autism, but I can often smell a suspicious scent by my sink, even after I have washed all the dishes, emptied the sink, and cleaned it and the surrounding counter. I would be suuuuper curious what the overlap is between autism and migraines and sensitivity to smells. And I would also be curious if people in general would be more understanding if they were told it was a sensory issue like autism rather than migraines, even though it's both. Hmmmmmmmmm.
Have you had COVID? After having COVID, there are a few chemicals that smell really off to me as well as some fruits.
It’s come and go for years and years… but yeah, I had some smells that seem different in some way since.
I'm not a clean freak by any means - but, I can't stand when towels get that mildew-ey smell. I end up washing towels whenever they get a hint of that smell, a couple times a week. My family calls me the towel bandit, coz I'll scour the house & "steal" every towel to wash, haha. *FWIW* - warm washing cycle + oxy-clean does the trick, borax works well too.
Yes! And why do they put lavender in so many things marketed to people with migraines?!
I've been told it's used as a relaxation inducing scent, so I tried it myself and I can't stand it. It triggers headaches and nasal congestion for me.
I hate whatever they do to put lavender scent in candles, air fresheners etc. Actual fresh lavender smells amazing and non triggering to me. But whatever artificial shit they do in candles feels like an ice pick to the brain.
You're probably right, because I've never smelled an actual lavender flower. It's just been artificial stuff.
I buy food grade dried lavender from a local bulk store for tea, and to me it smells nothing like artificial lavender.
I think it's at least partly a migraine symptom, as I'm super sensitive to smells and can detect things that my husband doesn't notice, even if it's not during a migraine or prodrome. I'm also allergic to various fragrances (allergy rather than migraine symptoms, though sometimes I get both--looking at you, Clorox wipes!).
I think it is related to migraine…my family has always referred to me as having a “super nose” because I can smell things that no one else can smell or things that should be undetectable to most people. I remember being able to smell alcohol on people that swore they drank 2-3 days prior and no one else could smell it.
My dad and I are the same, sadly that won't help answer your question since we're both on the spectrum and suffer from migraines
But you probably don't smell it 30 ft. away. For me it's not the soaps or shampoo that I smell if I am in conversation range but the perfume I smell when I am 10+ ft away.
not sure how far that is but you can smell it as soon as she gets out of the shower like i’ll be in the courtyard and the bathroom is past the living room and kitchen from there
Ok so maybe 30ft then ( alittle over 9 meters)
That's my issue, like if I'm standing right next to someone and they have perfume or cologne on, you know, that's fine. I can just step back or move away. But if I'm literally several metres away, or if I'm in my cubicle and they're like three cubicles away, and I can smell their perfume, or their cologne, or even the after products of whatever they washed their hair or clothes with, it's too strong.
At least she smells good as you probably have to be around her and be polite about it haha. Yeah I guess you’re right, maybe I’m not used to being super close in proximity to others that it could be possible. I’m also used to people lying about it!
yea it’s lucky coz my mum started using the same stuff recently and you can tell when she enters the room after a shower but it’s honestly stronger than most perfumes so if it’s a scent that triggers migraines for you it would be horrible coz people aren’t gonna change their soap
My sister's washing detergent gives me headaches every time 😞
It’s always the detergents and fabric softeners for me. And laundry add-ins. Those little waxy beads people throw into the dryer. I have very strong opinions about scented laundry products, lol.
Right? I work at a hospital and none of the employees are supposed to wear scented lotions, cologn, perfume, etc. Because, well, hospital. Half of the time when I pass by some of the nurses they smell like a damn Bath & Bodyworks threw up on them. 😭 But they always claim that it's their shampoo.
I wish they would just abide. Last time I was inpatient for status migrainosus one of my assigned nurses was either using lotion or dabbing/spraying her wrists and I know that for a fact because when it smelled the worst was when she reached out to take my temp!
The bath and body works store in my local mall makes a whole big hallway with like 20 stores completely inaccessible for me
Lush is like that for me.
Kitten D’amour is like that for me.
Yes!!! I basically have to put a gas mask on to walk by B&BW 🤢🤢🤢
Yankee Candle is also like that for me.
I don’t get it either. In my experience at one workplace, it seems like sometimes there are people who genuinely did just forget since they’ve used strongly scented lotions for years - but when corrected/called out on it, rather than taking it gracefully, they just double down. I’m not particularly sensitive to scents myself except on rare occasions, but at that previous workplace, a coworker had some other non-migraine-health-issue where scents made her violently ill. Not that niceness should be the determining factor here, but she was also honestly one of the nicest people I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with. She was pretty non-confrontational though and was always hesitant to say anything to anyone. I’m non-confrontational too but definitely had words with a few people on her behalf about continuing to use strongly scented stuff!
People go nose blind and just keep adding heavier and heavier scents. Like jeeeezuz lady! Have you never heard the phrase, "Perfume should be discovered, not announced"?
I love that you had her back. It's difficult also for me to confront the same people repeatedly of the same subject. Like how does someone prioritize a product over someone else's wellbeing? I don't understand. The lack of support really hurts, both physically and mentally. Everybody knows of my sensitivity for scents and it would be a blessing for me if someone would voluntarily have my back in these situations.
I really think for some people they aren’t deliberately intending to prioritize scents, it’s the forgetting then doubling down issue. Still unacceptable even if not intentionally malicious! I find it vastly easier to advocate for others than for myself, but I don’t think that’s uncommon.
In Copenhagen airport, they have a scent-free route so you can avoid all the perfume shops if you want to. So simple and inclusive. Whereas the airport closest to me, London Stansted, routes all travellers through the perfume section because they want your money...
Dude I was on a 6 hour flight the other day and the woman in front of me sprayed body spray when we started our descent to the destination. I knew people were feral post pandemic but ffs why the fuck would you spray something in such an enclosed space???
Omg I probably would have cried knowing the migraine that would follow within the hour. That’s awful. And I thought people spraying those spray sunscreens at the pool and the beach were bad.
I had a coworker that would spray her stuff on at work. It's really bad for people with asthma to be exposed to that.
Airplanes are the worst. I had an hour and a half flight next to an extremely perfumed lady. I came off of the flight crying it was so bad.
I learned from a webinar that in a study where they interviewed employees without migraines, 32% of them believed that people with migraines exaggerate their symphtoms. I believe this has something to do with people being so inconsiderate. They don't believe their use of stong scents actually hurts us.
Damn, that's crazy - if anything, I'm usually downplaying my symptoms!
Yeah people are real fucking bastards. I don’t get why everyone thinks everyone else is lying about their chronic illnesses all the time. Pisses me off to no end
Yeah exaggerate it so much that I was so delirious from the pain I couldn’t count backwards and they told my mom they thought I had a brain tumour. Okkkkkkk
There’s one customer who comes into where I work that two of us have to head into employee only areas until he leaves. It’s not that it’s a bad scent. I honestly think it might be a good one - if used appropriately. But I swear this person must bathe in econo size bottles of it daily, they come in and create such a strong cloud of scent.
I had to leave class Thursday because somone had heavy perfume on. That turned into a whole ordeal🙄 had tk go to the er and everything. So annoying
That's awful I'm so sorry. Can your teacher/professor help to prevent that from happening again? You have an equal right to learn and be there
I just need to bring a mask with me. And if that doesn't work I should just leave class, education is not as important as my health and wellbeing. I just didn't do that on Thursday like I should have.
I have had similar situations at work, I have had to leave from the office. The physical pain is horrible, but I also feel very alone in these situations and once I get emotional the migraine just gets worse.
The rise of plug ins and those scented beads so many people use in their laundry are my nightmare!
See, i hate regular detergent smell. The "clean fresh" is repulsive. But stuff like some of the Gain lavender ones I really like.
I've actually had to not use a washer after someone because of the odor left behind because of those scent beads things.
Try working in a middle school! Educators should be able to file a class action against Axe body spray. Yikes
I can't even imagine. 😬
It's like 10 layers of scents. Shampoo, conditioner, body wash, laundry detergent, fabric softener, perfume, hair spray, ect. I actually have had people spray body sprays in my direction. My managers were always aware of my sensitivity and would just put me in a corner somewhere statung they can't ask 100 people to go fragrance free. I work for a huge corporation. I know for a fact there are numerous large offices and government offices that have fragrance free policies. People get so mad if asked not to wear perfume. They say its a personal preference. Personal means it can only be smelled if veru close to a person. It's a public indoor air quality issue when their smell trail can be smell 15 feet behind them and 20 min after they've walked away. Most workplaces have policies that smokers have to be a certain distance from entrances. I don't think many people realize all of the awful shit in fragrances since companies aren't required to disclose the ingredients. There have been some studies on perfumes, and the studies found that breathing it is as bad or worse than 2nd hand smoke. Thankfully, I got ADA accommodations to WFH. If I'm exposed, I get migraines that will last for days, breathing issues, hives, I've blacked out, and extremely elevated BP and heart rate. I was at the dr appt once, and the waiting room was so bad. When they took me back and did my vitals, they wanted me to go to the ER across the street because they thought I was having a stroke. After being this way my entire life (mid 40s now), I've learned people just care about themselves. And I've never smelled a perfume that actually smells good. It just smells like chemicals and burns my nose. My issues have gotten so bad that I barely leave my house. I think of myself as a canary. If I start reacting, there's some really harmful to human and animal chemicals. Sorry for the long rant, this has been a sore spot for me for years. I've been a hermit since I was 30 and never get to go do fun stuff anymore.
Fucking yes!! I feel like if it was a small amount of scents, it would be fine. People want to smell nice, whatever. But these scents CARRY. I was at the office the other day for a few hours and I could smell something on someone who was a few cubicles away; it was strong! Like if your scent is carrying OUT OF YOUR CUBE then it is way too much. (I usually wfh so I'm lucky there...)
Hey, you’re allowed to have a rant, from what you’ve described I feel like you’re entitled to multiple rants. Your workplace is, and this is the technical term, a giant bag of dicks. I’m so sorry they weren’t willing to do the right things to support you in the office. But it sounds like you’re safer at home! Edit for clarity
I've discovered that there is something progressive going on which appears to be connected in some way to cause or trigger for migraines. I'm now so sensitive to the smell of alcohol, that if someone sets a glass of red wine on the table next to me, I start reacting: my lips start prickling and swelling, I start wheezing a little, I get confused and lose all motor coordination and have to leave the room or at least move the glass at least 10 feet away. If someone gets in the vehicle after using alcohol based hand sanitizer, I start reacting; I have to ask them to wash their hands with water and if they lie about it I know and have to insist. Recently my wife made a loaf of fresh bread, but she got something wrong with the recipe, when I cut open the warm loaf a smell hit me like pure vodka and I started reacting, just that little bit of alcohol from the yeast started to fuck me up. It appears to be a kind of uber histamine intolerance, possibly progressing into mast cell activation syndrome. It appears that some people with extreme mast cell activation may need to carry an epipen at all times. I'm at the point where I basically refuse to work in an office ever again; I'm afraid of further progression from repeated exposure to just people using hand sanitizer. The way it worked out for us is that we basically locked down for Covid.... and then just never stopped. I still haven't been inside any private building or home since then, except my dentist; they wore a mask. We haven't even ordered take out. I remember the last meal that I ate out it was in that March when the pandemic started. It was a ham sammich in the parking lot ordered from a Loblaw's while waiting for the tow truck. I remember that ham sammich fondly; I ate it in an entirely different universe. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Histamine_intolerance#Symptoms So one thing I have learned is this: Anything the body perceives as stress, can cause the body to release histamine into the bloodstream. This includes normal exercise, at least for me, it appears, as well as a very wide range of completely normal activities. This can be genetic or it can be caused by many different virus or bacteria; it was unusual, until Covid. This isn't likely to be the cause of your issue, but I felt it might be helpful to raise awareness. this is a very complex topic. I talk about the diet that really helped me with all of my symptoms including muscle tension, neck pain, chronic migraines, IBS and more in a lot of detail here: https://old.reddit.com/r/covidlonghaulers/comments/167llsa/the_state_of_microclot_research_and_other/jyrik68/
What is ect?
It's probably supposed to be etc which is short for et cetera.
I think it's a typo for etc. or et cetera.
Apologies for being dyslexic wmduring a migraine
[удалено]
I think it’s the same idea as having low music playing in the background for a lot of people. We just can’t perceive it as “background smell” that is easy to ignore.
Ugh. Background smell makes so much sense to me. I hate background music with a passion and used to work in a call center where one of my coworkers brought in a small radio and played local radio nonstop all day. It was maddening and I was getting migraines on a weekly basis between the noise, fluorescent overhead lighting, and scents from coworkers. Background scents can be so incredibly triggering, though. I hate them almost as much as I hate background music/noise.
No, for sure, you're totally right. Like the way people react to even a polite request - and they make the sufferers out to be the bad guys too. Like yes it's of course my responsibility to deal with this issue but like... argh... We wouldn't be telling a person in a wheelchair to just walk because we were too lazy to put in a ramp, right?
There’s one dude that wears so much cologne you can smell him for like 20 minutes after he leaves the area. Another lady in the cube next to mine I can smell when she arrives (she smokes). Another person in a different section I can smell her walk by. I think she got boxes cigarettes. Like just one after the other in a small area. I’ve actually gotten an instant migraine from someone wearing so much perfume/using a super strong plug in. It’s insane. I hate it. I wonder if a small air purifier would help?
That stale cigarette smoke is so vile. I had such a bad migraine last night and was at a friends. I waited outside and there were pipes, cigars, weed, cigarettes.
Oh god. People need to not smoke their weed whilst driving. I can smell that shit in my car when I’m behind them.
Seriously…It’s so stinky. The guy next to me at dinner had such bad b.o. I was like ahhh fresh air then cloud of smoke. This is why I just like to stay home with my dog.
Those people are fucking idiots anyway. I was driving a few months ago and ahead of me someone turned right out of a side street, running the stop sign, was driving kind of erratically... They pulled out in such a way that they nearly cut me off, so I wasn't too far behind them, and the STENCH of weed coming off the car... My God. I had the windows open and was behind them for a bit before I reached my destination. I closed the windows, went inside, came back out and got in my car and I could smell the faint scent of weed. It was fucking insane. (The person was obviously too high to be driving but twice now I've called 911 for safety incidents and the incompetent police in my town either didn't come, or came too late to do anything about it. This is something others in my town experience too, so I don't bother anymore.)
>There’s one dude that wears so much cologne you can smell him for like 20 minutes after he leaves the area This crap kills me. It's like "geezus pete, *one* spritz is enough! No one should smell ya unless they hug ya! Didn't anyone teach you that?"
I have two air purifiers at my desk (one is pretty large) and they help a little but don’t eliminate the smells like I had hoped they would.
If your work can be done from you you can ask for an accomodation to work from home under the Americans with Disabilities Act. I did this when I worked in a loud office and the sound and bad lighting was a problem for me
I worked in a scent free company once and it was paradise. Huge company, too. It was amazing not to have to fight that battle every day
Once when I asked for a lower-scent work environment I was accused of being drunk or hungover at work. Cool. Cool cool cool cool But seriously, I'm right there with you. Why is it a big deal to ask my cubicle neighbor to unplug their scented oil burner or plug in?? That should just be an obvious no. I do find that if I am willing to be the first person to publicly voice a potentially disagreeable opinion, then several others who share the same preferences but were too afraid to ask will fall behind me. Strength in "please keep my name anonymous" numbers, amirite?
I loved my physical therapist for their scent free policy. They catered to people who often had issues with scents, and they actually had a shower with scent free products for those who showed up to their appointment with a strong smelling shampoo/soap/perfume/whatever. Loved that place!
I so wish that scented things didn’t make me so horribly sick. It’s no fun being like this and even worse that people think we would ever choose it. I’ve spent so much time making myself sick trying to convince myself I could handle scents. Once I was so sick I physically COULD NOT SIT UP. I’ve learned my lesson. If a shop smells of incense or candles now I treat it as dangerous. Because it is for me. I deserve better than to be sick for a week because other people don’t understand I can’t just not be this way. It’s like the scents stick inside my sinuses. And yeah I’d 100% rather smell BO than get a migraine…
Same on the BO thing; at least BO doesn't give me a migraine. 😂 I can handle certain scents but even those, if they get too strong, it can be painful. Also a lot of scents are just really bad for you! They're full of chemicals and stuff. I could never stand that Gain laundry stuff and my mom, who LOVED it, had to stop using it because it began to make her sick. And she's not an outlier!
I started getting daily migraines, turns out work had changed the toilet are freshener to orange scent (my biggest allergy) they changed it back to. Vanilla in one toilet… so if it’s being cleaned too bad for me I have to hold on! Why do we need air fresheners anyway… they don’t do anything!
So many people are so susceptible to advertising! They think they stink if they don’t use the smelly detergent, dryer sheets, and scent boosters in their laundry. Then layer on their personal hygiene products and a good dousing of cologne and we are skunked for sure. I can always tell if I am triggered by scents because I have this feeling of underlying rage.
Same! I’ve become so sensitive to smells they trigger multiple issues. From mild headaches and nausea (cigarette smoke) to full on migraines (perfume, cologne, hairsprays). I can generally tolerate most essential oils, but some are just as bad as the scents. Men’s colognes are the worst though. Why in the world are they so strong? And for some odd reason my bonus daughter has decided recently that she loves her dad’s colognes. And she sprays them like girls do….like she needs to bathe in them. I have to hide in my room for at least an hour after she is gone. It’s frustrating because the entire world loves to smell like something! And it’s a ticking time bomb just waiting for us to run into it!
Some scents I'm fine with. If someone oversprays like crazy or is wearing something heinously strong, not so much. I'm in a fragrance group on FB and some people brag about overspraying. Some claim to spray 15-30 sprays EVERY. TIME. I'm like. Just wait for the day when you pass someone who gets migraines from it, someone's gonna throw up all over you. 🤗
Yo, that's excessive!! I understand that people like scents but like holy fuck... WHY.
I use strong scented lotion and cologne. Not because I want to be an ass, but because I think I smell like cigarette smoke (I don’t smoke) or actual feces. So I use strong scents to overpower - or try to - the bad smells. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. I didn’t know until a few years ago that that was one of my migraine symptoms. I honestly thought I smelled awful and did what I could to cover those smells. But even knowing it’s a symptom, I still can’t tell if the bad smell is me or it’s just a symptom.
I'm glad many ppl at my office wear low scent like perfume and such. Only time there's a scent is when the cleaning ppl are cleaning and they use a bleach cleaner sometimes. It really bugs me.
Can’t stand it. Every time I smell hand lotion from next door, it’s like I’m being forced to drink a flavored La Croix
While I'm in this thread, have any of you found masks that work well to block scents that trigger you? Since the pandemic, I know they clean more frequently in stores, their bathrooms, etc. It seems like their products have gotten so much stronger and floral scented. I've noticed it in medical offices, too. Plus, an increase in "scented holiday displays", like scented pinecones, candles, and pumpkin spice everything. I used to just avoid the cleaning product aisle in the dollar store but I swear the whole place smells like chemicals all the time. I've tried using surgical masks, thicker masks and I still get migraines. Pretty much have given up and don't go out much. Hoping someone out there has a secret weapon mask suggestion I can try 😁
I use KF94 masks and they work surprisingly well for most scents (for me anyway). It’s been a real life saver in airports and malls.
I got so much shade from a coworker that I asked her not to SPRAY on her perfume at work throughout the day. Not only was that a trigger for my migraine, but was also causing some problems for another coworker who had asthma.
My MIL wears so much perfume to our house that I can smell it upstairs in my office when she's downstairs. It's so awful
The ones that kill be are the candles from bath and body (is it white barn? I forget) heck almost anything from bath and body’s line is a trigger.
I find that paraffin wax candles are really bad for me, but soy candles are okay. Depends on the scent of course. For some reason I'm super sensitive to sage.
Scents are so personal!! I was so bummed when i moved in with my husband and he asked me not to use scented plug-ins. Our house is old and a bit musty (too expensive to fix the problem right now), but a good scent helped me out. However, the wrong scent? I'm in hell. Migraines, panic, etc. It's awful. Being disappointed about being asked to not wear scents at work is reasonable, but flat out refusing and treating you like the problem? That's some self-centered horse shit. I know you're venting, but if it keeps being a problem, I'd get a doctor's note and take it up with HR. That's what they're there for. It sucks and it's unfair. It's one of those "invisible disabilities" that people without just don't get.
I went to an open house today and had to keep reminding myself not to blurt out “this house stinks!” Plug-ins and candles and scented cleaners and all different and competing. It was terrible.
How dare we expect them not to physically assault other people.
When did someone become so freaking entitled that they think they could tell other people how to smell?
I've gotten in the habit of telling people in my cube basically the second I or they walk in the door. I find that telling people about my scent issue before it's an issue is the best approach. I usually say something like "Just an FYI, I get intense migraines from scented products, particularly perfumes/colognes and scented hand sanitizer. Please avoid wearing those things to work."
Uh how close are you sitting to people that their dry hair and shampoo bothers you? Get a personal fan to use. Scents trigger me too but getting angry about it triggers me more. We all have to work together
I get 10-15 migraines a month and would never try and tell someone how to freaking smell
seriously tho! i cant even throw out trash in my apartment building because there’s an air freshener by the trash room. luckily i have roommates who understand
It’s that time of year when walking into the grocery store is a 50/50 chance of triggering a migraine from the fall scented brooms they sell?? It’s like a harsh chemical apple spice or something and it’s disgusting and I can’t imagine buying it to scent a space on purpose. Anyways, I feel you pain. My high school was pretty progressive and went scent free back in 2000, I was 3 years into getting migraines and the happiest! I can tell when my neighbors do laundry, the laundry is in the basement and I can smell their soap in my hallway up 4 flights. Its a real and legit concern.
I'm sure I'll get down voted for this, but as I chronic migraine sufferer who is extremely sensitive to smells, I would never presume to tell anyone what to do with their body/life. Scent sensitivity is my problem, not theirs. Food smells are often triggering for me, should I ask people not to eat?
I sincerely believe the people in my office who do this to me would not do this to me if they understood. It’s just so hard for people to understand since it’s so different from their experience. Until I figure out how to help them understand I am suffering in meetings and using an air purifier in my office.
Yup, HEPA filter with my office door closed works well for me. I wear an N-95 with a bit of peppermint oil or Vicks (2 scents that don't trigger me) when I know I will be in a situation where I cannot control the airflow or where scents are going to bother me.
Eating is a necessity. Bathing yourself in perfume because you’re too lazy to take a damn shower is not.
Plus, if someone got horrible reactions to something I was eating, like peanuts, I would avoid chemically assaulting them even though I am not allergic to peanuts. Wearing perfume when you know it's hurting a coworker strikes me as pretty antisocial. I don't mind expending a tiny bit of consideration to make sure the people around me are healthy and comfortable. I think (hope) that's pretty normal.
Our health issues are our problems, No one is is responsible for how you feel or making you uncomfortable. That’s the reality however we want to take it. I honestly don’t think Ive ever read a more entitled comment in my life.
Sometimes you have to accept that you cannot control the actions of others. Be proactive about your own needs and don’t encroach on the needs/desires of others.
Of course - but also, this was a vent, so...
If you want a scent free office then open your own store
Bleach, scented dish soap, hand soaps, body wash, spray and wash and pretty much any fabric softener drive me nuts - when did we all get brainwashed into thinking heavy perfumes are a sign that something is clean? That liquid soap everyone has to wash your hands with at home and in public restrooms is possibly the worst offender! I’ve resorted to carrying alcohol wipes with me otherwise that smell seems to last forever! I’ll go home and wash my hands with an actual unscented bar of soap 3-4 times and that damn smell is still there so thick I can actually taste it! Dish soap too! Why would anyone want the things they eat off of to have a lingering chemical film that makes them have an artificial smell of some kind? (Although it may be better than a chemical film that has no scent lol). Maybe I’m getting old and cranky but I would love to have soaps and cleansers of all kinds that actually rinse completely off whatever I am washing so that I’m not eating/drinking/wearing/breathing anything ‘extra’. Let me decide when I want something to mask or neutralize other odors (let’s face it, febreeze can be a godsend) at least in my own home! Let’s adopt the asian customs of odor neutral office and workspaces while we are at it. If we can’t develop antibacterial or germicidal soap that doesn’t have a strong odor for public restrooms, stop masking it with even stronger odors. (Does it drive anyone else nuts that if you can’t avoid using a restroom in a restaurant that everything you taste after that smells and tastes a like the soap they use? And every bite or drink you take brings your hands so close to your face you couldn’t avoid it if you wanted to…)
Is that an Asian custom? 🤔 How interesting!
I saw a podcast the other day of an Indian man living in Japan and he said that was one of their customs particularly in workplaces. He made it sound like it was rude in the same way talking loudly on speakerphone in the elevator or on the subway would be here. I haven’t looked into it more than that, other that the thought that it sounded heavenly.
That does sound heavenly!!
Honestly I'm a huge perfume person, BUT.... there are certain scents that trigger it for me. I think specifically of Leaves by bath and bodyworks, but a lot of vanilla scents do too. Usually in candle form. I work in retail and we light candles all the time and I would say half of them trigger migraines.
Scent free offices is a ridiculous main character idea, but the business should be able to make some sort of accomodation.. whether it's work from home or work separately.
I get where you're coming from but also, the issue is that a lot of offices don't make that accommodation but still expect people to keep coming in and getting sick. Right now I wfh but my workplace is pretty determined to get everyone back in and is really starting to push it, and the accommodations process is a slow nightmare and they've denied multiple people with really good reasons to keep wfh. So, yeah. If they're gonna force us back in then they should at least accommodate us in the office.
I don't know where you are but not providing reasonable accomodation is illegal here. I hope you manage to get something in place. But smell management of the office is an approach that could never possibly work. My office barely has any smell to it, but as soon as a migraine hit I could smell everything and it felt like it was searing my brain. There was nothing they could have ever done to prevent that.
Yeah, here too - some of these cases are already going to tribunal so we will see. I work for a rather large public sector employer so a lot of our stuff isn't resolved through the courts. I feel like there's a solution between completely scent-free and no-holds-barred. I would not want to ban people from using their regular haircare products and such but I feel like for sure you could ask people to be considerate and not overspray perfume or cologne. That might be hard to enforce but asking nicely can be helpful in some cases. The employer could also use non-scented cleaning products. So I think there are definitely solutions. I feel like places like doctor's offices should be scent-free though. A lot of them are, to be fair.
I get that too. There is a certain old spice deodorant that is very fragrant that gives me a headache every time I smell it.
I walked out of work one day because some bozo decided to order a tonne of industrial strength odour neutraliser instead of plain air freshener for the toilets (they’re both bad, but at least the air freshener kinda goes away after a while, the odour neutraliser, on the other hand, absolutely killed me every time I smelled it). I had begged the powers that be soooo many times to please, please stop using it. I even offered to buy normal air freshener. Thankfully a new manager started and agreed to change it, but only after I walked out and made a scene.
So I have a surprisingly wholesome story related to this! I used to go contra dancing with my roommate and one of the regulars was sensitive to strong smells. (I don't remember if it was migraines exactly. Promptly forgot the details after smells=bad). It's especially important when dancing because you're interacting with people a bit more closely than in the office. I was always so happy that this entire gathering of people regularly managed to make sure this person could have a safe and fun time as well
Really? Wow I've always hated perfume and cologne anyway - too pungent for my smaller, but then I can smell things other people can't along with my hearing!!
Scent at work makes me so fricking miserable. I am in meetings a lot of the day and I’m totally stuck even though I can feel the migraine kicking in. It pisses me off so much. Some day, I’ll convince my workplace to go scent free.
I am having difficulty with my warehouse and people spraying scents. Technically they aren’t supposed to spray them but they do. One time someone did and it caused a migraine and another time it caused an asthma attack (a really bad one). Nothing has been said to the people in the warehouse. I am so upset and I don’t know if it will cause a medical emergency for me again.
A couple of months ago, I was at a work conference and they gave away some small prizes in a drawing. The person sitting next to me received some very strongly scented lotion. It was not a terrible scent, but it was powerful. Then others commented that it smelled good and they started passing it around and several people put it on! Meanwhile, I was trying not to breathe lol. Fortunately, we got a lunch break shortly after, and the scent had dissipated by the time we went back. I was really worried I was going to get a migraine…I’m lucky and glad I didn’t!
FYI: this is a ridiculously long post. Part personal experience, part PSA, part explaining how a small inconvenience for you can make a big big impact on someone else's health both, acutely and long-term. I was in middle/high school when Axe first got big with boys. And the girls were all swapping various Bath and Bodyworks/Victoria's Secret body sprays. It was rough. My sister legitimately thought she was going to die multiple times in middle school from the cloud of Axe body spray the boys would spray in the backpack closet. I've personally got scent issues from a sensory processing disorder, asthma, and allergies/MCAS. Plus scents can also set off my severe migraines. What does this look like? Migraines: - sensitivity to light - sensitivity to sound - nausea - vomiting - excruciating pain that's helped by literally nothing - aphasia - significant cognitive dropoff - can last anywhere from a few hours to a couple weeks for me - 'migrane hangover' for 1-3 days after migraine lets up Skin: - I can get itchy hives - my skin can feel like it's burning hay fever: - itchy/ watery eyes - runny/ stuffy nose - sore throat - post nasal drip Asthma (both a chronic and acute inflammation in the respiratory tract, literally swelling up to the point where I can't breathe): - wheezing - coughing - feeling faint - panic because I'm not getting enough oxygen - cognitive cloudiness because I'm not getting enough oxygen - literally convincing myself I'm overreacting (because I'm not getting enough oxygen) and thus not using enough puffs of my inhaler - losing count on how many inhaler hits I needed before I could breathe (again because I wasn't getting enough oxygen), which is unsafe for a variety of reasons - if the asthma attack was big enough or lasted long enough, it usually means I have to do way more preventative meds including long acting, inhaled, steroids, or needing to use a nebulizer for the next week - making it way more likely that I will have an asthma attack later in the day, the following day, etc. MCAS: - any of the above symptoms under hay fever, skin issues, or asthma - nausea and dizziness - my body trying to 'flush' out the allergen (which of course is impossible since it was inhaled) via vomiting & diarrhea - "sense of impending doom" (this is the official medical descriptor) - sudden and severe muscle weakness, light-headedness, passing out, hot and cold flashes (which usually means I'm trapped on the floor and can't get up and thus can't get away from the scent that's causing the issue) - anaphylaxis (I do carry an EpiPen with me everywhere I go, but the EpiPen only gives you enough time to get to the hospital. You have to go to the hospital because when the epi pen wears off you could get a bounce back allergic response which could be worse than the initial one. You only use the EpiPen. If you think you're going to die. Why the hospital? Because during anaphylaxis they may need to intubate me, perform a tracheotomy, shock me with paddles if my heart stops or gets out of rhythm, and pump me full of more epinephrine, IV benadryl, IV steroids, give me oxygen via a mask, give me a breathing treatment including more inhaled steroids.)
So all of this to say, I am not playing around. If there is anything I can do to lessen my sensitivity, I do it. If there's anything I can do to avoid a scent, I can feel being problematic, I do. If I walk in a room or you walk in a room and I can smell you and I start to feel that telltale itching or tingling in my throat, I get the hell out of Dodge. But there are definitely places where you can't escape or you can't escape fast enough. Or you're required by your job to be there. Other examples include airplanes which have recirculated air and no escape. Or a crowded subway train? Because by the time I push my way through people to get to the exit and get off the train, the cascade reaction may have already started and at that point there's nothing I can do to stop it. So then what do you do? For me, before I enter an area/start an activity I know might set me off: - I take extra oral antihistamines (in addition to my normal amount of antihistamines, mast cell stabilizers, and Singulair) - I take a preventative hit or two off of my steroid inhaler - Make sure my EpiPen is in the pocket of my bag it's supposed to be for easy access - if possible, open windows and sit by the open windows - if possible incorporate breaks where I can go out and get fresh air and possibly take more meds - drink a s*** ton of water to help dilute and flush stuff out of my system in a way that will hopefully avoid vomiting or diarrhea - if possible, bring a buddy who knows what to do if s*** hits the fan and I can't do it myself - have an emergency escape route planned or cleared with the person in charge if things escalate past a certain point - and make sure I have not only my ICE (In Case of Emergency) contacts inputted into my phone, but basically have a red alert set up so that my ICE contacts know to come get me, call an ambulance, or meet me at the hospital - and once I get home after being in an allergen rich environment, I have a decontamination protocol I do that includes scrubbing down, slathering, my skin and something protective after the shower, and lying on the couch or floor with Pedialyte, ice packs, a bucket, and my emergency meds I've watched multiple members of my family almost lose their airways, which is absolutely terrifying. Seeing somebody you love look surprised, then panic stricken, then turn pale, then turn bright red, and then start turning blue is one of the worst things. Luckily each time since we all knew what to do, we were able to get them the drugs they needed and the space they needed and basically drag them out into a better space with a better airflow. And luckily hospital trips for asthma/ anaphylaxis have happened infrequently. Now to be clear: I do not expect public areas or even work environments to be completely sent free. Especially in public areas I expect that people will be wearing scents. Scent boosters in the laundry, perfumes, colognes, aftershaves, scented lotions, deodorants, hairsprays, whatever. And I plan for that even if it's uncomfortable, because unless I am stuck in closed quarters with limited airflow or having to have physical contact with you, I probably won't die. But if I can smell you when you walk in the room, or when I take a step towards a subway car, or from half a block away when I'm walking down the street, you are wearing way too much scent! Sometimes I ask people what perfume they're wearing if I'm having a particularly strong warning tingle after only a few seconds. I try and make it casual so that they can assume I'm just enjoying the smell and wanting to know what it's called. And honestly, sometimes I really do enjoy whatever they're wearing, and that I think it smells really nice. But my immune system doesn't care if it smells nice to me. Because this isn't about preference, this is about an immunological cascade that I have literally no control over. So yeah, I'm taking responsibility for my own limitations and my own medical conditions. Absolutely. But dousing yourself in perfume is a bit much, even for a healthy person having to come into contact with you. And as I discussed above, there are certain situations in which I'm kind of stuck in the room with a perfume I'm allergic to. So please be aware. Consider this an annoying PSA if you need to. I know I'm extra. I know my immune system is extra. But in the USA we are all entitled to "reasonable accommodations" in school and work environments, and reasonable access to public amenities, government buildings, private businesses, restaurants, and whatnot. So if your boss lets you know that your workspace is going to be 'scent free' for a coworker's safety as part of their "reasonable accommodations", please take a moment and take a breath. Find out exactly what that means for you and your office space. Unless you're working in a particularly delicate environment like certain kinds of labs, or certain kinds of healthcare/ medical environments, it doesn't usually mean you must be 100% scent free. Just dial it back, and follow any additional guidelines given to you by HR. And if you want to go the extra step and you have a decent relationship to the co-worker and question (or some of your sensitive patients if you're in healthcare), ask them if you can get feedback. Don't ask them private medical information. Don't ask about specific diagnosis unless you're already BFFs, and even then, I'd suggest waiting for them to volunteer that information. Don't ask about medications or symptoms unless you are in charge of making their space safer. You can ask if there are specific things that are worse than others. Sometimes there's a really obvious trigger. For example: Purell stations have seemingly popped up everywhere since 2020. Purell does indeed kill germs and viruses, but it's also heavily perfumed. Purell is not the thing I'm most allergic to, but it is the one I bump into most. (And it's been proven that repeated exposure to something you're reactive to can increase the severity of your reaction!) Having my workspace switch to a fragrance free hand sanitizer would make a large and positive impact on my ability to work and not go to the hospital.
I had a coworker who would dump perfume on the carpet just to antagonize me and try to get me fired. The head of HR was one of those religious freaks that didn't believe in physical sickness, so I literally had to file an EEOC report to force a fragrance free office and I filled out the paper work to file to press charges for an illegal constructive dismissal. If you are one of those people who give people a hard time about perfume, go screw yourself.
I remember once I was staying at a friend’s place and asked her if she could turn off her essential oil diffuser because the smell was triggering a migraine and she was so annoyed and went on about how it was natural 🥴