Chemicals are everywhere. Our world is toxic. Period.
For some, their very own homes are killing them. The wide range of chemicals that lurk within the very walls intended to protect us from the outside world may be more toxic for some sensitive people than imaginable. Home sweet home, as the saying goes, or it seems that Home Sweet Toxic Home is a more accurate description for people with multiple chemical sensitivity. By home, I really mean any place where we spend a great deal of time from our workplace to our local community halls to our local parks to the schools that our children attend. A person of any age can suddenly develop an intolerance to multiple chemicals, even at low doses that don’t seem to bother people around them, from a severe acute exposure to one chemical or to low dose exposures to one or more chemicals over a period of time.
Multiple chemical sensitivity & your thyroid
The relationship between thyroid disease and MCS should not be overlooked. A sudden intolerance to chemicals may be the very trigger that sets the ball rolling for a person’s life of chronic illness or it may be what rapidly worsens an existing thyroid condition. And new chemicals may suddenly become off limits over time as the person accumulates more and more and more sensitivities and the person, if they know to look for them, may even notice dramatic flare ups of their thyroid symptoms at those times, the emergence of new symptoms, or the need for a higher dosage of thyroid hormone replacement medication.In the 2014 study titled Evaluation of suffering in individuals with multiple chemical sensitivity,[1] the results showed that MCS is often accompanied by other diseases including fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, hypothyroidism (yes you read that correctly), irritable bowel syndrome, and Sjögren’s syndrome among the most prevalent.
Environmental synthetic chemicals have been shown to influence thyroid function including reducing circulating thyroid hormone levels and interfering with thyroid hormone receptors.[2-4] Environmental exposure can serve as a trigger for autoimmune thyroid disease, including Hashimoto’s thyroiditis and Graves’ disease.[5,6]Why am I so interested in MCS?
Because I am TILTed
Multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS) is also known as idiopathic environmental illness (IEI) or toxicant-induced loss of tolerance (TILT).
It was 1995 and I was 25 years old and young and healthy. On a warm, summer day, I took my car to a mechanic for repairs. I was given an old diesel car on loan until my car was ready for pickup. I remember the smell of diesel, like maybe there was a leak somewhere, but I rolled my windows down and kept driving. By that evening, my head was spinning and I spent the night running to the toilet to vomit.
It was 1998 and my skin was changing. Red, oozing, bleeding, itchy welts of eczema appeared all over my fingers right under my rings, on my wrist right under the face of my watch, and on my stomach right under my belt buckle. My ears were oozing pus every time I put on earrings. The rims of my eyes were bubbling red. I had heard about nickel allergies and bought a nickel testing kit at a health food store and tested every piece of jewelry including the rings and earrings and then the belt buckle and even the eyelash curler that I used every morning. They all tested high in nickel.
It was 1999 and I was a high school biology teacher. I started to react to the blackboard chalk and I struggled with chronic laryngitis and flaming red hands.
It was 2000 and the smell of beauty products started to bother me, even smells on my own body. I could no longer stand to wear perfume and my favorite body lotions and shampoos would bother me so much that they would wake me up in the night. Not to mention the fierce headaches that would come over me when I got too close to people with heavy perfume at my office.
It was 2002 and I moved into an apartment with newly installed wall-to-wall carpeting. My nose wouldn’t stop running and my eyes were bloodshot. I went to an allergist for extensive testing and was told, “Dana, you are allergic to 99.99999% of everything tested.” And that included mold.
It was 2005 and I had braces put on as an adult to finally fix my crowded teeth. When the braces were taken out, a retainer wire was placed behind my upper and lower teeth to keep them from shifting. I noticed that I started getting sick more often since the start of the orthodontics. I caught every cold and flu around and I generally felt unwell. Orthodontics and most dental materials can be toxic to sensitive individuals, including, you guessed it, nickel in the orthodontic retainer wire.
It was 2007 and I purchased a new mattress, a knock-off memory foam mattress at a dramatically reduced price (you know that saying that if something is too good to be true?). The mattress was delivered, unwrapped, and put on the bed frame. That night, my head spun so hard and the nausea was sickening. I couldn’t wake up from bed the next morning.
It was 2012 and I lived in a corner unit apartment right on the Hudson River when Hurricane Sandy hit. My windows faced the river and there were heating/air conditioner units under each window. I normally cleaned the filters on those units regularly but it had been over a month after Hurricane Sandy before I thought to clean the filters. I noticed my hair falling out in clumps in the shower and my heart pounding out of my chest. The dosage of thyroid hormone replacement medication that had been working well for several years was now suddenly not enough and I felt very hypothyroid. Then I pulled out the filters and there I found an infestation of black mold.
It was 2017 and I missed the look of thick, full eyelashes that I had lost with hypothyroidism and eyelash extensions sounded like the perfect fix. It took only seconds after the eye gel pads were placed for my eyelids to start to bubble up and my appointment had to stop.
It was 2018 and I accidentally burned a turkey in the oven and the pan was scorched black. Over recent years I’ve been feeling great since diving deep into improving my thyroid health and that has included reducing my exposure to environmental chemicals such as replacing my toxic cookware, but this was one of my old pans. The smell. It might have been from the burnt turkey but the smell was a nasty smell of metal. I was overcome with a high fever. I recovered much more quickly thankfully from this bout of chemical exposure than in times past and I find myself less sensitive to normal everyday chemicals even ones that used to bother me so, and I’m certain it’s thanks to being overall more healthy. Here’s the thing. I was the only one in my home bothered by the smell.
People with MCS are like canaries in the coal mine. Coal miners would bring canaries down into the mine as an early warning system. When the canary stopped singing or died, the miners would know to leave the mine because it was unsafe. MCS is like a beacon warning the world that it is becoming too dangerous. Today, our world is so toxic that the prevalence of diagnosed MCS has increased over 300% and self-reported chemical sensitivity over 200% in the past decade.[7]
Now it’s your turn. Take a look at the following list of everyday potential triggers for MCS. With so many toxins filling our modern world, this list does not even begin to scratch the surface, but it gives you a list to consider and compare to your own personal health history.
Potential triggers of multiple chemical sensitivity
- Cookware
- Orthodontics (braces, clear aligners, retainer wire)
- Dental restoration (crowns, bridges, implants, fillings, root canal preparation disinfectant)
- Breast implants, botox, dermal fillers
- Medical implants (artificial hip, pacemaker, artificial knee, coronary stent, surgical mesh)
- Medical and dental X-rays
- Birth control implant, IUD
- Contact lenses and solution
- Jewelry, belt buckles, watch, body piercing
- Tattoo ink
- Exhaust fumes from car, truck, motorcycle, planes, buses, trains, subways
- Diesel, gasoline
- Gas, oil, coal fired heaters
- Kerosene lamps
- Gas stove
- Wood-burning, gas, electric fireplaces
- Gas, charcoal, electric, barbecues, smokers
- Tar fumes from driveway, road, roof
- Flame retardant in pillows, car interior, baby seats, strollers
- Waterproof clothing, rain boots, stain repellants for carpets and upholstered furniture
- Carpet and carpet padding
- Latex gloves, latex condoms, diaphragms
- Mattress
- Synthetic bedding, clothing, uniforms, upholstery, curtains, furnishings
- Cedar closet
- Mold
- Tobacco smoke, cigars
- Artificial color, sweeteners, preservatives, ripening chemicals, heavy metals in fish, burnt food
- Adhesive tape, glue
- Industrial fumes
- Chlorinated pool
- PVC windows and doors, plywood, particle board, MDF cupboards, acrylic sealants, glues
- Plastic water bottles, baby bottles, thermal cash receipts, metal cans, plastic plates and cutlery, shower curtain, tablecloth, table mats, toys, vinyl flooring, plastic bags, safety glasses
- Plastic food containers, cling wrap, plastic sandwich bags
- Aluminum foil
- Fluoride-containing toothpaste, dental fluoride treatment, tooth whitening strips, toothpaste, gels, kits
- Contaminants in drinking water, food, air, supplements, over the counter medications, prescription medications
- Fluorescent lighting, low-energy light bulbs
- Insect repellant, pesticides, herbicides, weed killer, fertilizer
- Perfumes, cologne, soap, makeup, shampoo, antiperspirant, deodorant, after-shave, tampons, mouthwash, bubble bath
- Makeup, skin care, and personal care products
- Eyelash curler, eyelash extensions, false lash glue
- Dry cleaning
- Waste sites
- Plug-in and spray air freshener, potpourri, incense, candles, mothballs
- Hair spray, hair dye, weaves, extensions, wig glue, hair relaxer, keratin, Brazilian blowout, Japanese straightening treatment
- Nail polish, nail polish remover, polish hardener, artificial nails, artificial nail glue, acrylic nails, shellac nails, gel nails, paraffin wax treatment
- Paint, paint thinner, primer, paint stripper, varnish, shellac, lacquer
- Newspaper print, felt-tip pens, magic markers, white-board markers, blackboard chalk, artist paints
- Embalming fluid at funeral
- Preserved laboratory specimens
- Fireworks, matches, flares, batteries
- Old galvanized pipes
- Photocopier fumes, laser printer toner
- Laundry detergent, fabric softener, dryer sheet
- Household cleaners, ammonia
- Microwave, SmartMeter, cell phone, Wi-Fi, tablet, cordless phone, remote control, power lines, cell towers
Have you experienced any baffling symptoms related to one or more of the triggers listed above or others not listed? I want to hear from you. Are you TILTed?
References:
[1] García-Sierra, R., Álvarez-Moleiro, M. Evaluation of suffering in individuals with multiple chemical sensitivity. Clínica y Salud. 2014;25(2):95-103.
[2] Brucker-Davis, F. Effects of environmental synthetic chemical on thyroid function. Thyroid. 1998 Sep;8(9):827-56.
[3] Pearce, E.N., Braverman, L.E. Environmental pollutants and the thyroid. Best Pract Res Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2009 Dec;23(6):801-13.
[4] Miller, M.D., et al. Thyroid-disrupting chemicals: interpreting upstream biomarkers of adverse outcomes. Environ Health Perspect. 2009 Jul;117(7):1033-41.
[5] Burek, C.L., Talor, M.V. Environmental Triggers of Autoimmune Thyroiditis. J Autoimmun. 2009 Nov-Dec;33(3-4):183-189.
[6] Brent, G.A. Environmental Exposures and Autoimmune Thyroid Disease. Thyroid. 2010 Jul;20(7):755-761.
[7] Steinemann, A. National Prevalence and Effects of Multiple Chemical Sensitivities. J Occup Environ Med. 2018 Mar;60(3):e152-e156.
Hi Dana ..
Wondering how u helped mcs? Did having t3 in your treatment help you ? I’m thinking all this is causing high reverse t3 and low t3 possibly from inflamation .
Thank u
Lori
After menopause my life changed. I think some womens bodies go into shock so I got hashimotos a thyroid auto immune condition that same year. I used to wear perfume and suddenly I was overwhelmed by perfume. Let yr GP know immediately and offer this information to yr employer. They then under industrial law have to help you in some way. Now the team leader speaks gently to the staff member wearing a fragrance that bothers me and they put up A3 size laminated signs with their company logo on “please be mindful that staff with fragrance sensitivities work in this space”. It helped me soooo much.
I bought goats milk soap, organic or natural orange lime or lemon oils in the littlebottles from chemists or wrays snd keep in my pocket to sniff or drop around my work area todrown out any sudden perfumes. Also I drown myself in little natural perfume rollons from wray shops. I dont go out alot and dont do many family gatherings as some peeps just dont get invisible illnesses.
A blood test for my thyroid is how they found I had a lowish tbyroid count and the levotjyroxine hss made me 50% less offended by fragrance thank god. I think stress in life over time can simply put force on the body and illnesses or menopause child abuse etc and we can get hyper sensitive. Who knows. more needs to be done to help people.
I was suicidal at work and luckily had been to 3 allergists and an ENT before being diagnosed and when my employer demanded I do a medical assessment these professionals all prooved that I had taken steps looking for help.
The sit down talk the boss does gently with new staff and the signage saved me.
Good luck all.
Maree
Australia
TO ALL OF YOU. MCS IS A DISABILITY UNDER SOCIAL SECURITY and the people where you live must make “reasonable accomodations”for you. I WON A LAWSUIT when my husband and I were told to submit to spraying with pesticides or we’d have a few days before eviction notice. Having been hospitalized more than once and having very severe MCS from over spraying of pesticides by company when we lived in SF, and knowing another exposure could kill me, we found another apt. in only 2 days in the dead of winter by the grace of God. We sued them and won. Found a civil rights attorney, not PERSONAL INJURY. FIGHT BACK. Laws should be similar for work environment.
Would you be so kind as to post a link to your legal case Victoria?
Congratulations on your win. I hope many others benefited from your efforts.
Thank you
August 19, 2020
Rose McKinney
I believe every word of all of you. I’ve been low energy all my life and I’m 80 y.o. My thyroid problems started in my 40s. This last year, my levothyroxine med has started to stink. I think my thyroid med affects my legs as I suffer extreme cramping every night, mostly off and on. I noticed Dow and Lysol seem to have a stronger odor so I use Much less of it. I live in an old trailer and have old carpet and really think my tiredness is because of this place. I take care of myself by eating right most of the time and I workout still to DVDs. I believe each symptom you all are experiencing are caused by products old and new. I know I’m lucky compared to what you all are experiencing, but if enough of us keep bugging manufacturing companies and doctors, or places of work, we’ll get something going toward healthier environments.
Hi Rose, I realize this is 3-1/2 yrs after your post. Check into safer products. The ones you mention have so many hazardous warnings. some of big box stores carry Concrobium. It’s eco safe, doesn’t smell. kills germs. It’s natural based , possibly thyme. I know Benefect is thyme. They are similar
I had been diagnosed with chemical allergies years before thyroid issues by about 25-30 years! I could no longer wear perfume and certain men’s cologne just smelling it would give me an upper respiratory sinus infection! I can smell mold the minute I walk into a place that has it and have to leave as soon as possible or I get a sinus infection! Going in for surgeries is a real joke! They can’t give me propofol as it causes a post nasal drip and I start coughing! Argued with the anesthesiologist before a procedure because according to him I couldn’t be allergic to it! My response was well, if you give it to me and I start coughing and the procedure can’t continue my insurance company will not be paying the bill and neither will I you will be footing that bill! He used an alternative drug! Reading this article helps me understand why I need the higher dose of thyroid medication the numbers say I’m suppressed yet I feel only 90% like my old self, when lowering my dose I get very tired and no energy! If I tried to explain this to my endo she would dismiss it altogether.
I also get sinus infections from perfumes and flowers! A patient had a diffuser and I had to do a test in her room. I ended up with bronchitis and a sinus infection over Christmas. I almost missed my brother’s funeral because I was so sick.
For the last couple of years I had some minor Hashimoto’s symptoms and mildly raised antibodies, but in July of last year we moved into a house with new carpet (that *still smells* 9 months later!!! And that’s not just my opinion.) and within 28 days I was at the gp getting blood work done and found my TPO antibodies had increased by more than a factor of 10. I’m 90% sure it’s the carpet/house. Now I feel sick after eating a lot of different foods, constant aches and stiffness, fatigue, brain fog and forgetfulness. Recently I’ve added headaches into the mix after being on social isolation in this house that seems to be making me sicker and sicker. I get nausea and headaches from other smells now too and altogether much more increased sense of smell, especially of things that set me off. Feeling a bit hopeless about it all.
Please buy an air filter. I use Healhmate Plus from Austin. Costs $925 with shipping, but filters out Volatile Organic Compounds such as the stuff your carpet is exuding. Run it 24 hrs. a day. If not enough, have carpet removed and don’t treat wood beneath. God bless you. I’ve gone through hell with MCS.
I agree Victoria. I too have the air filter Healthmate Plus from Austin Air. I have several around my home and office. I include them in the Hypothyroid Mom shop because I am a big fan of their products: https://hypothyroidmom.fdnstores.com/catalogsearch/result/?q=healthmate
I understand all too well what you all have been going through with MCS. I have been dealing with it for more than 35 years. Living with this autoimmunity has been very difficult. I do feel blessed to have found a NAET practitioner that has helped me immensely with dealing with it. My brain no longer swells upon smelling scented products though I avoid anything scented as much as possible and I don’t react to stuff like I used to. This illness is very hard to cope with when we don’t get the support we need as people who don’t understand just don’t get MCS. I don’t explain it anymore.
Get that carpet out of your house immediately. This is not a do it yourself job as proper breathing apparatus should be worn.
You know, we have severe cases but I’ve found most people have a little chemical sensitivity. I ask them, ” Is there anything you can’t stand the smell of?” They will usually say ‘Oh, yeah”. Perfume. Or cigarette smoke. Or car exhaust. Then I tell them that’s what I have, but it extends to almost all chemicals. God bless you.
It’s a nightmare! The past 20 years of my life is effected by mcs. I can not be near other people unless I’m outside or they have washed and clothes washed in the same basic fragrance free products I use. Work and social situations are very limited. There are very few ‘normal’ people out there willing to adapt their lifestyles around a mcs sufferer. How many times have you heard friends say “but I’ve got nothing on, I purposely didn’t put any scent on”……. (yes but it’s your fabric conditioner, deodorant, hair product etc etc……) I’ve yet to meet a girl friend who doesn’t get fed up with the situation! Right now I’m trying living in a completely different environment, (doctor agreed it to be a good idea), Australia. Where I live fortunately hasn’t been too badly effected by bush fires and living right next to the ocean tends to bring fresh air constantly. Day and night the windows and doors are open so it’s kind of like living outside, still warm with a roof over head. This has helped ease the problem effects and who knows it may be a long term solution. I have been doing this for a couple of months now, feel good for it but I still smell people from a hundred metres away on the beach for example and formaldehyde, car fumes especially diesel etc.
Has any other mcs sufferer had the very latest German DNA based testing done for DNA aducts with additional lymphocyte testing? if so I would welcome hearing from you.
I had the tests last year and DNA aducts were found (basically individually identified toxins latched on to my cells!). This information was revolutionary for me, had this been available 20 years ago it could have saved a lot of expensive testing over the years and steered me along a different route. The results also backed up lots of other tests I’ve had over the years. Hair, blood, fat cells, saliva, urine, chelated urine, stool, nail, endoscopy, colonoscopy, drug trials for university hospitals, elimination diets etc etc. I’ve done my fair share! The more research I do, the more I strongly believe toxins are the cause of nearly all I’ll health. My doctors over the years have regularly quoted the old classic, “you’re like a canary in a coal mine, one of the lucky ones, warned to stay away”. To this I reply, “am I the lucky one to endure a life of basically being locked out of ‘normal’ society or is it better never to know any illness then suddenly die as a recorded case of sudden cancer or a stroke. All I know is going food shopping between 21.00 – 22.00 just before shop closing to avoid other people’s scents isn’t exactly great!
Anyone interested in knowing more about testing or anything to do with this subject feel free to contact me. If I can help someone from what I’ve been through then that’s all good.
I recommend “I Can Breathe” mask. It has a carbon filter and you can wear it in stores and when you have to go out. It comes in many styles, masculine and feminine.
My heart goes out to everyone who’s had the misfortune to develop chemical sensitivities. I know what it’s like to be so sick and have other people be callously dismissive and roll their eyes when you try to get them to understand.
This will be long because I am so angry right now. I recently quit my job because they have been, in my opinion, poisoning me for over a year.
A little backstory: I am 41, female, and was diagnosed with Hashimoto’s when I was 36. I’ve always been sensitive to perfumes and air fresheners—it seems to be hereditary on my mother’s side of the family. After I was diagnosed I immediately went gluten-free and was finally free of the constant post-nasal drip I’d suffered my entire adult life.
Around the time I was diagnosed, I started to have reactions to more things—I can’t wear earrings any more due to the whole pus issue you mentioned, and any kind of colored lip product makes my lips break out with white contact dermatitis bumps.
I‘ve worked in the same office, at the same desk, for 13 years. In the summer of 2018 the company had extensive repairs done to the HVAC system that plugged a lot of holes and leaks in the ducts. In fall of 2018, I started to be absolutely smothered by the smell of a strong air freshener that gave me migraines. I requested management remove the (expletive) plug-in air fresheners that were all over the building. They did so, but it made no difference. I was still being suffocated by an air freshener.
I emailed management to let them know I was still being made sick by an air freshener that I couldn’t locate, and was told “as per your request, there are no more air fresheners in the building.” My subsequent emails were ignored. My symptoms started to get worse, but not consistently. Some days I would just have a sore throat or a migraine or brain fog, but at least one day a week I would have every symptom there is, from migraine and nausea to brain fog and fatigue to closed nasal passages and difficulty breathing. I missed work several times because of the symptoms.
This went on for months. I quit trying to get help and just endured it, because people treated me like I was nuts if I said anything. My mother was the only person who believed me.
Eventually I realized what I was smelling was coming through one of the 4 air returns over my desk, directly from the men’s restroom (I’m a woman and don’t visit the men’s room).
It took me months to convince management that the air freshener was coming through the ventilation system and have them remove it from the restroom. I tried taking it out myself but it got replaced almost immediately. Then I realized the cleaning company replaced the air freshener on a weekly basis, so I had to ask management to please have them stop refilling it.
When I finally got them to agree to *that*, the company placed cans of Lysol in the bathrooms, which was even worse! People were spraying it constantly. And Lysol is insanely toxic. I’ve had a sore throat, sinus issues, and a dry cough for a week, as this happened last Monday. I’d already given notice and only had three (now two) weeks left. I emailed a letter to the head of HR to complain about everything and request that NO air fresheners be replaced in the bathroom during my last weeks. His response was one sentence that only stated the existing Lysol had been removed.
I have a letter ready to give my immediate resignation should that crap be replaced before my 2 weeks is up. I can’t believe I endured this nonsense for so long, but it’s so much harder to stand up for yourself when nobody supports you and you work at a place where people don’t tolerate rocking the boat. There are people at my office who won’t talk to me because they think I’m a jerk for taking away the “good” smells in the building, and for rocking the boat. Meanwhile, my chemical sensitivity is infinitely worse than it was before those HVAC repairs occurred.
Good riddance to that place. I can’t wait for December 27!
I am so sorry you had to endure that torture! That’s what it is for us who are sensitive to chemical smell! My boss at work is now openly hostile to me because Ive complained about her overwhelming out of control perfume use. Many people in our large office notice the smell but it affects me the most. I had to leave work the other day and it made her even madder. I’m getting ready to quit. ☹️
You should not have to quit. MCS is considered a disability and, at least in housing, the owner is to make “reasonable accomodations”for people with disabilities. Asking her to stop wearing perfume is the least management can do. God bless you.
37 years mcs – major issues in office I worked, many times had to stand just ourside conference rooom for daily meetings. Thank you – had no idea could be thyroid related.
Armageddon will come before the doctors believe it and do something….I agree!
I’m so sorry for all you’ve been through! My husband is going through the same♥️
28 years ago my husband dug in dirt with benzene and jp4 jet fuel. He ended up with severe MCS.
No Dr has ever believed it. The list of all the things you can be sensitive to is Everything my husband is sensitive to.
Our house has been a safe house for all these years. People will still come over with things on that they can’t smell, that puts him in bed for a week with just a whiff.
Family wonders how he has a (rare) good day and things dont seem to bother him quite as bad as other days. The judging never stops.
My husband also has chronic pain from 3 back and 1 neck surgery. Chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia also. The only thing he hasn’t been tested for is his thyroid….yet!
I feel for every one of you. Know you aren’t alone. I appreciate all this information!♥️
Please someone I need help this definitely sounds like me I worked for airline for 7 years and my symptoms got so bad Now I’m suffering I need leads to get help
Oh, hell yes!! Hypothryroid since childhood and now it seems that I’m sensitive to everything. Once I moved into an apartment and they sprayed laquer on all the countertops to hide the ugly stains. I had a raging headache for days. I was so angry and the apartment manager did not open any doors or windows to let the chemical smell out, so it was very strong when I moved in.
I have dealt with MCS for more than 35 years. I have reacted to most everything in my environment. I have been truly blessed to have found a wonderful NAET practitioner that has helped me to be able to live my life without the severe reactions that I was having. Life is still about what did I eat, What did I touch, What did I smell. Now for me to put a connection to my MCS and hypothyroidism. All other chronic illness I associated with the MCS.
I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism in my mid 30’s and allergic reactions started around the same time. I have MCS and have varying degrees of reactions to most chemicals.
Im 54 now and am experiencing swelling in my mouth but I can’t seem to determine what im reacting to. My home is scent free and I have air cleaners running all the time.
Super interested in antedotes and information on this topic.
Could you possibly be allergic to the sodium Lauryl Sulfate that is in many toothpastes? I am very allergic to it and have had to try more natural brands …
Yes Susan. I experienced the same thing with toothpaste. It came on later, and getting worse. With swelling and weird bumps on my gums. They were also inflamed. I changed to a Amway brand of toothpaste, that my niece was selling, called Glister. Anyway it does have a small amount of fluoride. But what a big difference . all the mouth issues went away. So now I know I can’t buy the usual brand toothpaste. Might try a natural one that works for you.
I am intrigued by your article! I have a lot of these sensitivities but did not realize they could be thyroid related. What I want to know is how to fix it?!
Since I have MCS. etc. I have trouble with a lot of medication also. Usually to generic. And the inert filler ingredients. Like dyes, corn, soy. Im very intolerant to soy., peanuts. And some synthetic meds have these. I did better with Dessicated Thyroid. And often have to get brand name. To avoid anything in a generic that I have a reaction to. You can see your primary for a simple blood test to check your Thyroid. Good luck.
Yes, me, too. Have to use Armour desiccated thyroid made from animal thyroid glands. Levothyroxine, et. al, are USELESS to many thyroid patients because their bodies cannot convert the T4 in the meds. to T3, which is the form most important for thyroid. Desiccated thyroid contains both T3 and T4. If vegetarian, you can use Cytomel, which is pure T3 along with the levothyroxine T4. God bless you all.
I have had reactions to strong fragrance or strong chemical smells since high school (35 yrs ago). I can get a migraine from someone else’s perfume esp. when traveling in a car with them. I used to use perfumes, but gave up for years. Now I can tolerate some occasionally. I thought they were “allergies.” Later, learned they were not true “allergies” but sensitivities. I’ve had some allergy test and controlling them has helped. I have never heard the term MCS nor its connection to the thyroid. I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism 20 years ago and have been taking meds since then. Of the ones, I have tried Levoxyl works the best, but I have not tried Armour. I am exhausted often. There is so much conflicting information, it is hard to know what to try to feel better. Clean eating does seem to make me feel better.
So many of your posts hit home with me, especially this one. Sometimes I feel like my family thinks I am a hypochondriac. My husband doesn’t understand why so many smells bother me, when he can’t even smell most of them.
I have been tested and have hypothyroidism. I am currently on levothyroxine. I am experiencing an issue with alopecia areata, on one area of my scalp, missing half of an eyebrow and eyelashes on the inner corner of one eye. They are all on the same side of my head and face, with the missing scalp hair being at the hairline above my forehead.
I was tested and found I was allergic to methylisothiazolinone, which was my biggest reaction. People who are allergic to this chemical, found in shampoo, conditioner, lotions, liquid detergent, liquid fabric softener, as well as many other things, are also allergic to anything containing latex. My second biggest reaction was to Phenylendiamine PPDA, 1,4 Benzenediamine, a chemical found in dark colored hair dyes, as well as other dark dyes.
Recently I was tested for food allergies, but showed no reaction to any of them, yet I would get hives after eating certain foods.
I am now 72 and have been battling these issues most of my life. I was put on Synthroid when I was in my twenties because I had a swelling at the base of my neck. The swelling went away, so I quit the medication. No one told me I needed to continue taking it for life. This is probably why I have fought these issues all my life.
I wish there were more doctors in Utah that treated thyroid disease. Thank you so much for all the information you provide.
I’ve always had allergies, but I don’t react to allergy testing. In fact, one allergist I went to tested the histamine on herself to make sure it was active as I didn’t react to the histamine the way you’re supposed to. She showed me what the reaction should look like. She said there was nothing that could be done for me as I don’t show any reactions. Of course, 3 days later, my back was covered in bumps. My story is long and complicated, totally baffling to doctors. So, I’ve been called a hypochondriac by every kind of physician out there. I’ve even had National Jewish Hospital be unable to diagnose me with asthma because I have delayed reactions to their testing. Within a week after their test, I was on my way to developing a severe lung infection that would lay me up for weeks. Back then, MCS didn’t really have a name yet. I’ve spent much time educating my doctors on first, chronic Ebstein Barr…CFS, Fibromyalgia, MCS and the like. Even now days, I come across physicians that say they don’t believe in any of these illnesses. I don’t waste my time with them anymore. I have had a variety of reactions for years, including losing most of the hair on the top of my head, developing idiopathic rashes, tongue swelling, itching, sores, mild hypothyroidism, and the list goes on and on. Some family members have a milder version, or different diagnosis. Still others just consider me to be lazy and a hypochondriac. There will be doubters until the medical profession steps up with serious research. I think Armageddon will come before that happens. 62 years of dealing with issues makes one skeptical.
I’ve had allergies/sensitivities to a lot of these things all of my life. Had to take allergy injections from age 3 to 14, when they had taken the antigens as high as they could go. I had several years of good health until a severe bout with mono in my early twenties. Started having more reactions to things, mainly in the form of migraines. When I turned 40, I started gaining weight, very tired and low energy. Finally, at 43 was diagnosed with hashimotos and started meds which helped somewhat. Last year, at age 48 I was also diagnosed with sjogrens. Hoping I don’t collect any more sensitivities or ai diseases!
I have always been sensitive to smells, and can taste the chemicals in most preserved foods. I can’t tolerate birth control and most medication gives me major side effects. I was recently diagnosed with Hashimotos. This article is amazing!
I have all the symptoms of Hypothroidism including short eyebrows, ingrown to ails and the usual pain and fatigue, loss of hair etc. I have be diagnosed with fibromyalgia but my pain is only in my upper body.. My tan comes back normal all the time and I know this is checking my pituitary gland they will not do a t 3 or 4 with tsh normal.what to do
Go to a Dr. who treats people with so-called “normal” levels of TSH, but who have symptoms of hypothyroidism. There are some out there. Call the Dr.’s office and ask if Dr. will prescribe thyroid to people with symptoms but “normal” TSH. Probably best to use a Dr. who is a homeopathic. God bless you.
I have not been diagnosed with thyroid disease, but another type of autoimmune disease called Sjogrens syndrome. My mother has Hashimoto’s thyroiditis and surgery to remove it because of a goiter. She and I have reactions to many things listed in the article. I was told two years ago that I have a hypervascular thyroid after a thyroid scan. They repeated the scan a few months later and said it resolved on it’s own. My tsh levels have always been normal. Should I be concerned?
I am having issues with a uniform also and don’t feel well when working, occasionally a rash, headache etc. Where do you start with testing?
I’ve always had the standard spring allergies (which now last year round) and been sensitive to strong floral smells (thankfully, I can still tolerate spice smells). Allergy testing basically indicated I am allergic to living in Georgia/on Earth…LOL. I can’t remember exactly when I was diagnosed hypothyroid, but it would be at least a decade ago. I had a hysterectomy in 2013, and since then I have started having really weird reactions to things…including anaphylactic reaction to antimocrobial soap containing PCMX (which is used in mainly in hospital and food service facilities); deodorant/antiperspirants…for now am able to tolerate Tom’s of Maine by process of elimination; and I can’t take ibuprofen any more…it makes me violently ill, yet naproxen and acetaminophen are okay (for now)…those are just a few examples. It seems as the older I get, the more things my body doesn’t like.
I always get sick in Sams Club near automotive. I think it’s the tires. I am very sensitive to spices. Ginger, allspice, cilantro, pumpkin pie spice but I love it. Most metals. I feel my health has gone down hill since knee replacements but they used titanium and I don’t have pain or swelling. But? I walk a lot now tho! Not diagnosed with thyroid disease tho mine is low-not low enough to treat.
If it’s low at all, it should be treated. Find a homeopathic Dr. who treats people with symptoms of hypothyroidism, but whose tests are not dramatically low. Many who test
“borderline”can have very severe symptoms.
YES! I’ve identified allergies to many of the items listed above and have often thought of myself as a canary in a coal mine! The biggest offenders have been cigarette smoke, perfumes, new carpet, mold…oh, the list goes on and on. What I hadn’t identified was the hypothyroid link, although I’ve known I have hypothyroidism since 1966.
I hate email updates. Do you have a Facebook page instead?
I’ve been a newspaper reporter 41 years and was diagnosed with hypothyroidism 32 years ago. I’ve had a Maryland Bridge in my mouth for most of that time and after reading this I wonder if the metal it’s made of is nickel because I’ve had weird symptoms all these years. I react to so many medications even when a manufacturer changes or a pill color. I’m allergic to iodine dye/shellfish. I’ve always got something weird wrong with me that doctors SEE but can’t DIAGNOSE. I wonder if this is it?
Wow, I just realized that alot of problems I am having are related to the chemicals in my house as well as at work. I’m a dialysis tech so we have bicarb and granuflo to make as well as bleach and other chemicals. Now I know what to discuss qith my doctor.
My work uniform has dyes and formaldehyde. Lots of co-workers are getting sick and my thyroid tsh has jumped from a 2 to 18 besides rash and extra fatigue! What type of doctor can help with detox or figuring out exact allergies?