I have multiple chemical sensitivities and would like to travel by air soon. I am afraid of the chemicals around the plane - jet fuel, lavs, the lady next to me with the wicked perfume, they also spray with pesticides periodically.
Should I just give it up and drive, it's a ten hour drive and I am exhausted, or does anyone know of a really good mask that will block all this stuff out.
I have heard these are good , But I have never used them. Hope that helps some.
Posted by randibear (Member # 11290) on :
i don't know. i'm not a good flyer. i'm a grip the seat, white knuckle, OMG! i'm going to die type.
so they seat me next to a nun! that did it...
seriously, i've seen people wear them and i always thought, this ain't good...
theoretically, for us, it would probably be worth it. but if i saw somebody sitting next to me with one on, i'd get off the dang plane.
but if it makes you feel better, i'd say go for it. the air in those planes is not the safest. you're in a confined space with sick people sick babies, etc., and we don't need this type of exposure.
Posted by linky123 (Member # 19974) on :
thanks dninty' I will check on it.
randibear you crack me up. I would opt out of the mask if I could, but I can't handle any chemicals, fuel, perfumes etc, esp in a confined space.
What's ironic is I used to be a flight attendant and none of this ever bothered me. Fast forward 13 years and I'm an absolute mess.
1 1/2 years ago I could fly, so that's how fast this MCS has progressed, which really scares me.
So I really need one that will work. If they shut that airplane door and I can't handle it, I'm in big trouble.
Now maybe if they could seat that nun next to me, she could do some much needed prayin' on my behalf.
Posted by sammy (Member # 13952) on :
This might be a good option for you. It's made of silk and supposed to be lightweight.
Posted by karenl (Member # 17753) on :
Linky, MCS also can get better, this happens when you reduce the load of pathogens. Pm me if you need more. When is your flight? Would like to know if the mask works.
Posted by LuLuFlorida (Member # 12066) on :
Please do not try to drive if you're too tired, I would hate for you to put yourself for anybody else in danger. I always say people are glad I'm not on the road . I proudly wear a mask because I do not want to get sick. I know it seems weird to wear a mask but I've gotten over what people think any more. That recirculated air is not good for anybody. A low oxygen enviroment may make you feel sick though so if you notice this you may not want to fly again.
Best of wishes and good luck,
Lindsay
Posted by linky123 (Member # 19974) on :
Thanks sammy, I'll check it out.
Lulu, I will try my best to be careful and stop if tired. I think I would be a nervous wreck on the plane due to the fact, that if the chemicals get too bad, there's nowhere to go.
At least on terra firma I can run when the little ole lady with the awful perfume comes around!
Posted by hadlyme (Member # 6364) on :
Get into a website of a dental manufacture of masks. You can get a sample of them.
Its www.crosstex.com There will be an area to fill out the info and receive a free sample.
They have all their masks on the site with the filtration %'s and all info about them.
They grade their masks in how much they filter out... it's pretty easy to read it.
Posted by scorpiogirl (Member # 31907) on :
i don't know. i'm not a good flyer. i'm a grip the seat, white knuckle, OMG! i'm going to die type.
OMG Randibear you just described me!! And I have to fly in August!! I think I will wear a mask... at least to scare people to stay away from me!! LOL
Posted by karenl (Member # 17753) on :
The crosstex masks are antimicrobial and I cannot find that they have an activated carbon filter - this is what MCS persons need. They have no problem with bacteria...
The standard N95 mask from achoo allergy seems the best as far as I understand.
You might post this on sickbuildings@yahoogroups to get more answers.
Posted by Tonglen (Member # 18472) on :
Not 100%, but try "I can breathe" mask and personal airmater air purifier that hangs around neck.
Posted by baileypup (Member # 22824) on :
When we flew for Christmas, I decided to wear a mask. I looked stupid, but who cares, I didn't get sick.
The time before this, I got on the plane, and the guy behind me had a box of kleenex and 7up. He was blowing and hacking the whole flight.
A couple hours of looking stupid compared to a week of being sick is worth it.
Posted by chaps (Member # 25286) on :
quote: "I tell ya, you couldn't get me on a plane right now." --George Costanza
When you consider that bedbugs are rampant right now in the hotels, they get into suitcases and clothes.
Then you get on a plane in which the luggage of hundreds of other people who have also stayed in a wide variety of hotels is stowed with your luggage.
So if you're lucky enough that your hotel room didn't have bed bugs, chances are that the same isn't true for the other couple hundred people sharing the plane you're on.
Luggage can pick up bed bugs from rental cars, too.
And even if the luggage of the other couple hundred people on the plane didn't have bedbugs, the cargo hold might have had them from the other hundreds of flights before yours.
And once they get from your luggage to your house, you've got a real problem trying to get rid of them.
So like George said, you couldn't get me on a plane right now.
Have a nice day.
Posted by LymeAware (Member # 26195) on :
In case others are looking for info on this, I thought I'd link this thread with the other one linky had started earlier, which has some replies as well:
![[Smile]](smile.gif)
. I proudly wear a mask because I do not want to get sick. I know it seems weird to wear a mask but I've gotten over what people think any more. That recirculated air is not good for anybody. A low oxygen enviroment may make you feel sick though so if you notice this you may not want to fly again.