Need guidance at a loss, on how to deal with VOC exposure at work.

[[M2...]]

I am 26 months from my my last gaba related drug, and have had a lot of set backs. I worked my but off to change careers, and now I have a very high paying job in the oil and gas industry. Unfortunately the sacrifice o had to take to get this job is starting at the bottom in one of the worst areas. I am exposed to vapors from Bitumen, and off gas benzene, toluene, h2s, and a whole host of nasty vapors. My first set I started getting withdrawl symptoms, by day 4 I woke up in full blown withdrawl. I have always been able to off set with magnesium, to minimize symptoms, and then taper off the magnesium, to get back yo baseline. 

I know the reason I had all these issue is lack of direction. No one uses a respirator in our unit, and even the recommended respirator is only for particulate, and nuisance organic vapor and acid gas, odor relief. From what I can tell this doesn't even stop the vapors from penitrating, just the odors, but I am still doing reasurch on that. It's likey that I will be stuck in the are for atleast 5 years, and I don't know the direction I can turn. Buying my own respirator cartridges, may be an option, but I am not even sure if that will protect me as there is still dermal exposure. 

I can't take magnesium every 4-6 hours for the rest of my life. I am wondering if there is a differnt long lasting drug like gabapentin that would allow me to live my life. 

I am on vyvance 60 mg daily. I am wondering if this is contributing to my sensitive CNS, and if i should possibly come off the drug.

 

I guess I don't really expect and answer, some input would be great. This is kind of a rambling, I just have no one to talk to, and no answers online. Really I am just hoping someone might have some wisdom to drop on me.

 

 

 

[[...]]

@[M2...] Since it's been 26 months since your last GABA drug, are you saying that you recovered and are now feeling as if you're going thorough withdrawal again? That doesn't sound like withdrawal to me. It sounds like a response to the VOCs. 

VOCs are rough. GABA pathways get disrupted from chronic pathogens (viral, bacterial, fungal, or toxin/VOCs). It feels a lot like benzo withdrawal, but it's not. More likely a MCAS response - reacting to the environmental toxins. (Search on MCAS here). 

If you can't get adequate protection, I don't know that it would be worth risking your health to continue there. I personally would try to find a safer/healthier job. The thought of getting hooked on a GABA drug in order to be able to be exposed to toxins sounds scary to me.  

Hope this feedback was what you were looking for and that I haven't been too candid. Please forgive me if I have. 

Edited February 13 by [...]

[[Ne...]]

1 hour ago, [[M...] said:

I am 26 months from my my last gaba related drug, and have had a lot of set backs. I worked my but off to change careers, and now I have a very high paying job in the oil and gas industry. Unfortunately the sacrifice o had to take to get this job is starting at the bottom in one of the worst areas. I am exposed to vapors from Bitumen, and off gas benzene, toluene, h2s, and a whole host of nasty vapors. My first set I started getting withdrawl symptoms, by day 4 I woke up in full blown withdrawl. I have always been able to off set with magnesium, to minimize symptoms, and then taper off the magnesium, to get back yo baseline. 

I know the reason I had all these issue is lack of direction. No one uses a respirator in our unit, and even the recommended respirator is only for particulate, and nuisance organic vapor and acid gas, odor relief. From what I can tell this doesn't even stop the vapors from penitrating, just the odors, but I am still doing reasurch on that. It's likey that I will be stuck in the are for atleast 5 years, and I don't know the direction I can turn. Buying my own respirator cartridges, may be an option, but I am not even sure if that will protect me as there is still dermal exposure. 

I can't take magnesium every 4-6 hours for the rest of my life. I am wondering if there is a differnt long lasting drug like gabapentin that would allow me to live my life. 

I am on vyvance 60 mg daily. I am wondering if this is contributing to my sensitive CNS, and if i should possibly come off the drug.

I guess I don't really expect and answer, some input would be great. This is kind of a rambling, I just have no one to talk to, and no answers online. Really I am just hoping someone might have some wisdom to drop on me. I have been medically retired ever since. Trust me, no amount of money is worth ruining your health, get out now.  I am sorry I did not.  Get a cleaner job, one that does not give you cancer or worse.  

I spent twenty seven years at my Printing job dipping my hands in what we called "blanket wash" heavy, naphtha, Benzene and toluene with no safety stuff.

[[Ne...]]

I spent twenty seven years at my Printing job dipping my hands in what we called "blanket wash" heavy, naphtha, Benzene and toluene with no safety stuff. I have been medically retired ever since. Trust me, no amount of money is worth ruining your health, get out now.  I am sorry I did not.  Get a cleaner job, one that does not give you cancer or worse.   Somehow I messed that message up!  Must be my brain damage from chemicals!  LOL!

 

[[M2...]]

[[M2...]]

21 hours ago, [[N...] said:

I spent twenty seven years at my Printing job dipping my hands in what we called "blanket wash" heavy, naphtha, Benzene and toluene with no safety stuff. I have been medically retired ever since. Trust me, no amount of money is worth ruining your health, get out now.  I am sorry I did not.  Get a cleaner job, one that does not give you cancer or worse.   Somehow I messed that message up!  Must be my brain damage from chemicals!  LOL!

My benzene exposure is low  .04ppm. Or atleast from what I can tell. If I find out its more I will be trying to get transfered.

[[Ne...]]

28 minutes ago, [[M...] said:

My benzene exposure is low  .04ppm. Or at least from what I can tell. If I find out its more I will be trying to get transferred.

I found out twenty seven years of breathing and dipping my hands in it was enough. On June 5th 1998 when brain fluid started dripping out of my ears. The next year I spent in a lot of Medical settings from local Doctors, to the prestigious university of Iowa hospitals and clinics, the The Environmental Heal Center Dallas for two weeks of rigorous testing. I had three high dollar brain scans an MRI SPECT scan with no contrast, a Nuclear MRI, and in the year 2,000 my then Iowa Neurologist had me fly out to Irvine Ca, for a PET Scan with contrast with a well known Asian Doctor. I would give anything to go back in time, and have chosen a different profession!