C.S.A., I teach mostly theoretical concepts, so I don’t spend that much time in front of a computer. I am more likely to have my nose stuck in a book. But I am deeply touched by your concern for me. Thank you.
At least some of us can have a civilized debate and agree to disagree. If I listened to meaneyedcatz, I would be afraid to speak my mind at all. meaneyedcatz would make an effective communist dictator.
One thing to consider is that right now, the need for lots of ventilation is when the sensitive driver is in the car. Maybe boosting the air flow in the vehicle is the answer. A further question is whether breathing the stuff in is causing the problem or are the fumes coming in through her skin. I believe that the former is more likely. If all vehicles are going to affect her via the lungs, she might consider some sort of respirator that will supply her with air directly from the outside. I know that this sounds like a drastic solution, but it seems like she has a serious problem.
Still, my first stop would be support groups.
Actually, it started out as nothing more than stating the obvious but we are both guilty of trading barbs. And thanks for the sardonic compliment. Whitey, it stops here.
I understand what your friend is going thru. I have Multiple Chemical Sensitivities(MCS). I have been dealing with it for about 20 years after being diagnosed by a doctor that is a clinical ecologist. One of the problems I have is I start getting cognitive difficulties after some exposures, not a good thing when driving a car.
When it comes to finding vehicles it a tough task. I’m in the process of doing it right now. You need to look at used vehicles and even then it is difficult because of the cleaning products etc. that they use in the cars. I usually go out to find what I want and do a sniff test as my husband calls it. You won’t probably find one on the first try. It also helps to find an understanding sales person. Not always easy either.
After checking the vehicle out you can ask the dealership to put a negative ionizer air purifer in the car. That may help but I have been fooled by that in the past too. It needs to be in there over night if not longer. And then you need to take it home for a day etc. and really check it out as to whether you can handle it. It can depend on the car whether the past owner was a perfume wearer etc.
It maybe easier to find a car from a private owner but that depends on what you want.
You can try using a sealer made by AFM that you coat the hard plastics with. I have not tried this myself but have heard of other people having success with it. We can by it here in Minneapolis at a food coop, or a green building products store but I bet you could find it online.
As far as what to do with the problem car I guess I would try that product and see if it works. It is safe for most folks with MCS. She should test it out first before using it on the whole car.
There is an orgaization called Human Ecology Action League(HEAL) That maybe of help for more info in the future on how to deal with purchasing a car. They are a group that helps people with MCS.
She will need patience and strength to deal with this.
Good luck
Find a car brand that advertises being built with hypoallergenic interior materials. They’re out there.
I guess Whitey was right. It isn’t all in her head and there is hope after all. This reminds me of a tombstone I saw that said “I told you I was sick!”
I have two possible suggestions, but no guarantee that it would work for your specific problem.
One, try going to one of the companies that specialize in restoring after a fire. They have really heavy duty ozone generators, and while I know that it draws out smoke residue, I have no idea whether it would help with chemical outgassing.
Second, I am really sensitive to solvents from cleaning supplies so researched car detailing places that use green cleaning materials. It might help out if their green materials can accelerate the out-gassing process. But probably no guarantees.
Sorry I cannot be more helpful, but these approaches might work.
I have a problem with my dog outgassing as we ride along in my old car. Thus I have my head out the window as we ride along.
Man, they have an acronym for just about any malady you may have these days. Are there any healthy people left in the world?
[b]Former Surgeon General…[/b]
…of The United States of America, Dr. Joycelyn Elders, during the Clinton years addressed that issue for all of us.
She said, and I am not kidding and I quote, “Well we have to die, all of us, of something sometime.”
I will never forget those brilliant remarks from a truly brilliant doctor.
She was a real dope. Everett Koop is the only decent Surgeon General that we’ve had in my memory.
I know what you’re talking about. I have also become chemically sensitive (Multiple Chemical Sensitivity - MCS otherwise known as EI - Environmental Illness) Car Talk posted the website healthycar.org in which they test cars for toxic chemicals and list the most to least toxic cars. Do not continue to be in that car - it will only make you more sensitive and sicker on so many levels - worst is neurologically. Some people remain permanently ill some get better. Please don’t let it get worse. It is not an allergy and allergists will reject your complaints. The city of Halifax, Nova Scotia has passed law that prohibits the use of fragrance in public places. Minnesota is considering the same and using green cleaning products for their schools. Please start reading about MCS or EI and get informed as quickly as possible. Good luck.
We had a similar problem with my wife’s car until her first accident. The body shop had baked the paint dry. The heat drove off the chemicals. The folks at the body shop said some people complain that their cars didn’t smell new anymore after baking.
Thanks Barbski. I’m glad someone understands my friend’s condition. It is not in her head, and it was diagnosed by a doctor several years ago. Wish your reply had come before I helped her swap the car for an older model. Some of your suggestions might have helped. They are certainly worth trying. But we did find a dealer that understood her problem and was very gracious. He also stated that they have had other people with the same problem so he was familiar with it. So the 2 of you aren’t as unique as some might think. But he stated that some particular cars, not models but cars, seem to have more of a problem than others. We tried out many used 2006 Malibu?s with similar mileage, some you could still smell the gasses while others you could not. We found one that didn’t smell and he let her take it home for 3 days. Thankfully it did not make her sick! So we went back and made the trade and were given a reasonable deal. Both were happy in the end.
Some have suggested that either I or another one of her friends encouraged her to buy the car but she did that all on her own. Her old car was on its last legs and needed to be replaced. She decided she wanted to buy something new enough that it might be the last car she would ever have to buy. When you get to her age you?ll understand that thinking. She went looking on a Saturday and succumbed to the salesmen’s pressure and went home with a new car. She knew it smelled but only drove it for a few miles, not long enough to be bothered by the fumes. Now she knows better. Neither I nor any other friend encouraged her to get a new car. I didn’t even know she was thinking of buying a new car. Her only remorse was that it made her sick. She has certainly learned not to do that again.
I hope this discussion has raised some awareness that there are people out there who are truly sickened by chemicals that are all around us. We shouldn?t dismiss them as mental cases, their problem is real. And they may be a barometer for the rest of us. We may not notice their affects immediately, but they may be causing us far more harm than we realize.
Thanks everyone for your comments. I hope we all walk away a bit more educated as well as friends.
No Need To Wait For An Accident …
Find a body shop that uses a heated paint booth. Many do. Explain your situation and see if they will bake your car to a nice “outgas free” level of doneness. You may have to pay for their energy costs.
The heat makes good smells better and bad smells worse. I don’t think this is the case with your car, but I should comment that some cars take on a “bad” odor when the are heated. Some people keep weeks-old broken mayonaise jars, gym shoes/socks, boiled eggs, or dirty diapers, etcetera, in the trunk or under a seat. When these cars heat up, you can’t stand to drive them without having a hazmat suit on or driving with the door open, nose pinched, and eyes watering, sorry.
Are there any healthy people left in the world?
Not when you get to be that age. Once you pass 70, everyone your age will have health issues of some kind. I hope you all live long enough to understand. Maybe by then, those of you who blamed the the OP and her friend for the problem will learn how to empathize.
Well, it is good to hear your friend found a dealer who knew the gravity of the problem. There are dealers out there who truly want to help people and make some money along with it. No one can say how much the dealer made in this trade but even if the profit margin was not as much as they would get normally they have gained a certain amount of respect and intergrity in this transaction. Also it would go without saying that your friend would return to this dealer in the future if needed along with recommending this dealer to friends. It’s a win-win.
Most of the hub-bub with this post was not that your friend could not handle the formaldehyde and other chemicals but with how to handle GM and other car makes concerning the off gas.
Well happy motoring to you and your friend, hope the car does well for her.