O/T: Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

Old 02-19-2016, 06:00 PM
  # 1 (permalink)  
Member
Thread Starter
 
amy55's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Pa
Posts: 4,872
O/T: Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

I have been really out of it since the winter, or actually can I say, when I started to use my wood/coal burning stove.

I know we had a mild winter. I would lite my stove and let my cats out on the deck, and the door was opened. I got ventilation that way, and the temp in the house was just getting too high.

Not so, this last month or so. Temps dropped, and I wanted to keep electric bill down, ran that stove all the time. So proud of how I was keeping the electric bill down.

I am not putting down wood/coal, or wood stoves, or pellet stoves. I'm saying my

stove was really old, and there was no ventilation.

I felt like I had the flu for at least the last month or so.

I still have a headache each day. I still have problems breathing. This has gotten so much better since I shut down the stove, got an air purifier, a humidifier, and just going out to breathe fresh air.

So, if I don't seem normal, please excuse me for that.

I also bought a carbon monoxide detector, I would really suggest that for anyone who burns wood in their house.

(((((hugs)))))
amy
amy55 is offline  
Old 02-19-2016, 07:17 PM
  # 2 (permalink)  
Member
 
DesertEyes's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Starting over all over again
Posts: 4,426
Yikes !!! That sounds scary, I'm glad you figured it out.

Originally Posted by amy55 View Post
...So, if I don't seem normal ...
hmmm.... well.... you have the carbon monoxide to explain that... what is _my_ excuse for being a not-normal co-dependent

* can I blame it on the heat? on the air pollution ? *

Mike
DesertEyes is offline  
Old 02-19-2016, 07:54 PM
  # 3 (permalink)  
Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Texas
Posts: 2,872
^ ha ha!! Love it.
Liveitwell is offline  
Old 02-19-2016, 08:03 PM
  # 4 (permalink)  
Member
Thread Starter
 
amy55's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Pa
Posts: 4,872
um, what, I had flu like conditions for over 3 weeks. Was only trying to put out an alert.

Last edited by amy55; 02-19-2016 at 08:09 PM. Reason: Ps. i'm sorry this was taken as a joke.
amy55 is offline  
Old 02-19-2016, 08:35 PM
  # 5 (permalink)  
Member
Thread Starter
 
amy55's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Pa
Posts: 4,872
I really am so happy that this is amusing. Nothing else to say.
amy55 is offline  
Old 02-19-2016, 08:38 PM
  # 6 (permalink)  
Administrator
 
Dee74's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 211,043
Noone was laughing at you Amy.

For Our Girls response was to Desert Eyes.

That's what the little arrow indicates ^

I'm really glad you're ok. Many people get sick or worse from things like that.

D
Dee74 is offline  
Old 02-19-2016, 08:42 PM
  # 7 (permalink)  
Member
Thread Starter
 
amy55's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Pa
Posts: 4,872
No, it felt like I was trying to quack. I was so sick from this and still am. I can;t appreciate humor about this. Sorry.
amy55 is offline  
Old 02-19-2016, 08:44 PM
  # 8 (permalink)  
Member
 
DesertEyes's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Starting over all over again
Posts: 4,426
Sorry if my trying to make fun of _me_ resulted in you feeling that peeps are not taking you seriously. I apologise for that. My intent was only to try and bring some humor to _my_ co-dependency, not as a comment on the carbon monoxide.

Sorry that I fouled that up.

Mike
DesertEyes is offline  
Old 02-19-2016, 08:44 PM
  # 9 (permalink)  
Magsie
 
Mags1's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: UK
Posts: 26,506
I'm pleased you found out the cause of your illness, Amy. Hope your feeling better soon. Xx
Mags1 is offline  
Old 02-19-2016, 08:55 PM
  # 10 (permalink)  
Member
Thread Starter
 
amy55's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Pa
Posts: 4,872
I live in Pa. My stove is over 30 years old. I just wanted others to be aware that perhaps the gasket ( sp) or whatever them call them might not be right. I'm sorry, that's all I can say, I'm sorry. Please dont laugh at me.
amy55 is offline  
Old 02-19-2016, 09:08 PM
  # 11 (permalink)  
Magsie
 
Mags1's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: UK
Posts: 26,506
Hi Amy, we wouldn't dream of laughing at you.

Years ago I had solid fuel heating and always had headaches with it. Luckily I changed it for gas central heating.

Your warning has reminded me I have had my chimney to my coal fire cleaned for a while. I will get that arranged!
Mags1 is offline  
Old 02-20-2016, 06:25 AM
  # 12 (permalink)  
Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Texas
Posts: 2,872
Amy-not laughing at all at what you're dealing with!! It's scary and not funny. My laughing was at mike and what he said re codependency. Sorry if that did not come through.
Liveitwell is offline  
Old 02-20-2016, 06:46 AM
  # 13 (permalink)  
Into the Void
 
Fluffer's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: California
Posts: 931
Amy,

I am glad to hear you are OK. I once did a research project on carbon monoxide poisoning for an insurance company and the results were extremely disturbing - I had no idea so many people died from defective heaters/ovens, from grilling inside, in their garages and even in one case from a malfunctioning Zamboni machine. The saddest case I saw was five teenagers who took ecstasy and sat in their car listening to music oblivious to the fact that they were running the car engine with the garage door closed. Five families shattered. I had a close call myself once when the neighbor was grilling in the garage below my unit and the CO was coming up through the floor and giving me a terrible headache.

CO poisoning is no joke!
Fluffer is offline  
Old 02-20-2016, 06:57 AM
  # 14 (permalink)  
Member
 
Mountainmanbob's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Lakeside, Ca
Posts: 10,208
Originally Posted by amy55 View Post

I also bought a carbon monoxide detector, I would really suggest that for anyone who burns wood in their house.
We got tired of the smoke from the burning of our wood stove.
True, if our vent pipe was higher it would not smoke as much.
Unless in perfect adjustment -- can be harmful.
MB
Mountainmanbob is offline  
Old 02-20-2016, 09:13 AM
  # 15 (permalink)  
Member
Thread Starter
 
amy55's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Pa
Posts: 4,872
I'm sorry that I was so touchy about this last night. I have not used my stove for about 4 days now, but I'm still feeling sick from it.

I think Mountainmanbob, may also have this right. I'm not sure if it was carbon monoxide. I know you can't smell that, I had researched they symptoms, and they matched up. It could just be the wood smell is backing up into my house. (I couldn't find symptoms for that online). My vent pipe is angeled 3 times before leaving the house, and it is not that high up. (I did research that also)

I will be calling a woodstove store to get someone here who knows what they are doing to evaluate this.

Also, and this was previously planned, on Wednesday, I'm having my old electric baseboard heating updated.

I really do have a sense of humor, just haven't had that for last 2 or 3 months. Had a low grade headache all the time. Thank God that I know what migraines feel like, so I was able to function with little headaches.
amy55 is offline  
Old 02-20-2016, 09:19 AM
  # 16 (permalink)  
A work in progress
 
LexieCat's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: South Jersey
Posts: 16,633
I'd suggest you see a doctor, amy. Whether it was carbon monoxide or something else, you're feeling sick and having headaches. If it WAS carbon monoxide, they may be able to detect that in your blood and put you on pure oxygen for a bit. If it was something else then that may be something else you want to investigate.
LexieCat is offline  
Old 02-20-2016, 09:36 AM
  # 17 (permalink)  
Magsie
 
Mags1's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: UK
Posts: 26,506
It's not fun having headaches continuously for months, amy, it can certainly be trying for anyone.

I haven't got a detector in my house for some reason, I used to have, but now, after reading your thread I will purchase one.

Hope you're feeling better soon.xx
Mags1 is offline  
Old 02-20-2016, 09:56 AM
  # 18 (permalink)  
Member
 
healthyagain's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Posts: 1,388
Hello Amy,

Carbon monoxide is e x t r e m e l y dangerous. It is a great idea to call someone to check out your stove, and probably your chimney too (I assumed you have one)! And I agree with LexieCat about seeing a doctor. It might be CO poisoning, or something else.
healthyagain is offline  
Old 02-20-2016, 10:11 AM
  # 19 (permalink)  
Member
Thread Starter
 
amy55's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Pa
Posts: 4,872
Originally Posted by LexieCat View Post
I'd suggest you see a doctor, amy. Whether it was carbon monoxide or something else, you're feeling sick and having headaches. If it WAS carbon monoxide, they may be able to detect that in your blood and put you on pure oxygen for a bit. If it was something else then that may be something else you want to investigate.

I'm going to be perfectly honest here. Last time I had a PCP was in 2004. I didn't even have a PCP while going through cancer treatments. I even stopped my yearly check ups for the cancers. Last check up was in 2011. Had 2 cancers, and a DVT. (deep vein thrombosis). That was back in 2000. Wow, I just realized that I did go to a PCP after my cancer, but I only went there to get SSRI's that didn't work for me. Tried at least 3 or 4 of them. None of them worked, because I was still married and living with him.

You brought up a very important point for me to think about. I have been thinking about seeing a Dr. at least for just a regular check up and blood tests, and I have been putting this off for years.

When I was married, I remember all the times that I just didn't want to wake up the next day. Thought Drs. would interfere with that. Didn't even go to the Dr for the cancer, till the pain was so bad that I had to. I had been looking to make an appt for that at least one year prior to when I did actually go, and I was Stage 3B at that time. (cervical cancer). They made me do all these other test and found breast cancer also. Stage 1. I thought I won the lottery. Something is going to get me out of this marriage. It didn't work that way, I lived.

Now, I do have a reason to live, and I'm still not doing anything about it.

Thanks for the push.

((((hugs)))))
amy
amy55 is offline  
Old 02-20-2016, 10:25 AM
  # 20 (permalink)  
Member
Thread Starter
 
amy55's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Pa
Posts: 4,872
I did order a carbon monoxide detector. I also did have my chimney cleaned before this season. I was just operating the stove more then I ever did to cut down on the electric bill.

Will be calling an expert to look at my old woodstove.

Within 5 - 10 minutes of leaving my house, all my symptoms were stopping. I think I was assuming that it was because of the low humidity in my house. It went down to 30.

The stove is also too big for my place. It heats up to 2500 sf. The floor it is on is only 1040 sf., but I also leave the bedroom doors closed because I try to contain the cat hair that I have to clean into my living room, and bathroom. So the stove that can heat up to 2500 sf, is only heating up about 600 or 700 sf.

I am starting to feel better, but know that I also need a Dr check up in addition to fixing this problem.

Thanks for caring everyone,
sorry if I am off as irrational last night, (My words, not yours, I know how I was
(((((hugs)))))
amy
amy55 is offline  

Currently Active Users Viewing this Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are Off




All times are GMT -7. The time now is 07:09 AM.