can you get hayfever symptoms from paint smells from decorating?

just wondering as it has rained a lot so the pollen count should be low but am feeling pretty awful. It's days now since we put the room back together after painting too. Windows still open as much as can but typical british summer so it's quite cold.

Di

Since hay fever is an allergis reaction, it might be possible also to get similar allergic reaction from paint.

I only ever use water based acrilyc paints when decorating, since normal paint, specially the woodwork paint can give me most terrible migraine and makes me feel quite ill. I cannot stay in any newly painted house for weeks.
Also some new carpets have a chemical smell and this can make me quiet ill.

It is possible to get these paints in UK, if you ask in a good decorating shop like Homebase etc, they will show you. Just ask for water based paints.

fortunately it is getting less now. I was using up paint we had rather than buying new for budget reasons and had forgotten how smelly that paint was. It had to be oil based to do the job no matter what because I was covering a stain so it was unfortunate that the weather turned and the windows needed closing to keep the heat in. Guess next time it will deffinately be worth buying the more expensive paint, especially now the other pot is finished up.

Di

I get that from paint, but more so from perfume. Before I ever had migraines, I used to get almost like hayfever symptoms from the perfume counters in big stores. I tried to avoid those areas even then!

perfume definately does me in! I can't handle most perfumes and paint gives me a migraine almost instantly. I've noticed my sensitivity to chemical smells has increased unfortunately. I can't handle those scented candle shops either - even walking past the door is enough to give me a headache!!!

Scented candles, or those shops with pot-pouri for barthrooms and in toilets, various eastern scents like incense for example, makes me feel sick on the spot just as you say, even passing by is enough. I avoid shops like this no matter how tempted I am.

Once I saw the owner in the doorway and I told her that I love the look of her shop and many items on display, but that the scent of incense makes me, and many people with migrane very ill, so I will never be able to shop there.

She was genuinely suprised and said that many people like the scent, but that she will stop burning it - she said she does it only once a week for short time to keep it mild as she loves it herself, but that she will stop doing that.

I went there few weeks later, but I still smelled it, as it lingered however faint, so I did not stay long. I think I am more brave telling people about chemical sensitivity then I use to be and ask for scent free cosmetics and cleaning materials. Fortunately there are some good ones about these days,which is some progress.

One thing I can never do, is to have my nails done any more as nail polish and polish remover are kiss of death for me. Totally impossible, make me sick on the spot. I miss that a lot.

Talking about paints - when decorating I am always looking for eco-paints, odour free paints that are water based and do not contain solvents. Normal paintsh give me guaranteed migraine for weeks (if I use them at home). This means that the choice of coulrs is more limited, but it is worth it - I just need to be more creative about it.

It is not easy fighting migraine - but this is war!
I am determined to eliminate as many risks and triggers as possible.

I tend to wait for a good day and do them in the garden. OK in the summer.

I have to go to the hairdressers next week - it's been a year and I can't leave it any longer. They are lovely about not using things they usually do on my hair but till I remind them that it's because of the smells and migraine triggers they do seem a little offended.

Di

Smell has finally gone from that old pot of paint that I used. It really has been ages