Perfume induced headache.

Hubby and I won tickets to A Salute to Vienna today with the Calgary Philharmonic and Ballet dancers from the Ukraine. It was absolutely beautiful, with selections played and danced to music such as The Emperor's Waltz, and the Blue Danube.

My only complaint was the awful concoction of perfumes in the huge concert hall. I'm sure most of the ladies there had marinated themselves in it. I like
some perfumes myself but I won't wear them in a crowded place as I know many have allergies to them, and also they can trigger migraines. I felt fine when I went in.

I am now suffering with a not so nice headache, thanks ladies!

oh that sucks Ruth. What a way to ruin a nice outing. I can only wear very light summery fragrances as most trigger headaches for me as well. Its hard at work too - one lady always wears a really strong perfume and I have to try and stay away from her some days!! Hope you feel better soon!

lissy and ruth, my migraines have been triggered by perfume(s) for over 25 years. and probably way before that, before i figured it out. (have had them 41 years now).

we live in a very stinky world. yes, i'm sure most people would argue that perfume covers up worse smells but perfume is killer for many people. when i mention to strangers that i'm moving to another seat in an auditorium because of someone's heavy-duty fragrance, i ALWAYS get "yes, i hate it, too" or "my mother/sister/aunt is made sick by perfume also".

"real" smells like sweat are nothing to the brain, because we evolved smelling this stuff. perfume is a recent addition and is anything but "natural". it is made from thousands of manmade chemicals, and has nothing to do with flowers anymore.

there are essential oils made from flowers, of course. even these, in high quantities, can put me to bed for 2 days. i always plead for sanity and moderation, to those i can get through to. lotsa luck, right?

halifax, nova scotia, is one large city that "gets it". they have a no-smell policy which is posted around their town. nobody gets arrested because they have on perfume or smelly hair products/deodorant/etc., but at least the populace has become more aware that these things do make some people very sick. think of the poor asthmatics who suddenly can't breathe.

one of my diagnoses is MCS/multiple chemical sensitivity. there are no reliable medical tests for this; just trial and error. cause and effect. it is a very real condition which very few physicians believe in (unless they have a family member to educate them).

it's hard to go to "dress-up" places like the opera or theater for those of us who know without a doubt we will have a terrible migraine come on during the performance, or soon after. drat. dianne

Maybe I should move to Halifax! I know that some hospitals here have a 'no scents makes sense' sign up in some of the areas.

I often wonder about these people that work in the perfume department of some stores,breathing in those chemicals all day can't be good for them.

Thanks for the replies, my head is a little better this morning.

I am so fortunate at work. Our executive director has a boatload of allergies so company policy is no smelly stuff including that horrible bathroom spray. The policy certainly makes for a more pleasant workplace for all of us.

Chris

Yes I have no idea how people work in those perfume shops Ruth! I would die. There's a candle store over here as well called Dusk and I have to hold my breath even just walking past it in a shopping complex. Its full of scented candles and the smell is so strong. Its dreadful. I'm sure working in a place like that must kill your sense of smell.

IMO scented candles are the worst - the cheap artificial fragrance is horrible, just horrible. I am nauseous from just passing by the shop aisle with them candles and getting barely a whiff!
And I hate those cheap spray deodorants and body sprays - also bad bad cheap HA inducing quality products.

As for perfumes, thankfully I am not as sensitive as I used to be a few years back.
Still, some of them especially those that contain tuberose and similar scents, will do me in very quickly some in a matter of a few seconds. And for some reason current dominating spicy trend in men's perfumes is bad for me.
With the exception of Prada Vetiver which I love and it smells great on me, too (so I'll probably buy them for meself) - but that's not spicy.

I use Donna Karan Cashmere Mist- it's a very light sugary, powdery scent and evaporates quickly,
lingers close to the body so even if you spray yourself too much accidentally, very soon you are not a 'threat'
to the others anyway.

Risa

Ruth,

During my recent hospital stay one of the things that most distressed me (other than the pain and fear ) were all the different perfumes the nurses and lab techs and dietitians wore. I was nauseous from the pain and the antibiotic. They were telling me I HAD to eat before I could go home and then someone would come walking in the room with waves of scent that would send me off vomiting again.

I told several of the staff, as nicely as I could ( really) that they just shouldn't do that.

Given all the sensitive people, it's amazing that medical staff would wear perfumes. I have not been able to wear any scented products for many years now as they would give me a headache, even well before I had migraine problems. I've had to give away all those scented lotions people would give me as I just can't stand to wear them.

The over perfuming of stores also amazes me. The are some shops in the mall I have to hold my breath to walk by. Ambercrombie & Finch is the worst. No way I could ever shop there. You would think they would realize they are driving away customers, but no.

migrainegirl- i so agree with you about Abercrombie. They smell so bad even my 16 y/o daughter, who doesn't get migraines can't stand it!